Had Enough after 25 years

[Richard Head]

You probably go to more than I do, I go when I can in my life. I'm always going to be a Morecambe fan. I listen every week on player, knowing 9/10 we will probably get beat this season.

It's seasons like this you back the club back its management and players so you can enjoy the highs. The football is shit because the players are probably the worst in the division. The fact Jim gets them to 50 points is remarkable.

People really need to look at the positives to be honest. If you don't want to go, that's fine, but wake up and realise that it's because you're doing it on a glory hunting mission and will return when we are winning. Doesn't make you a bad person. Just don't kid yourself. When we finished 4th the football was the most agricultural style you could imagine, it was horrible, but we gave zero fucks as we won most week.s

'Glory hunting mission'. Good one mate, my first match at Christie Park was November 1960 and I can assure you that to quote an earlier post of yours, we have not only ever had continued success. Were you about in the late 70's and early 80's? I don't remember much success in those days.

I'm 62 now and the thought of a winter stood in the freezing cold watching the tripe served up at the moment isn't too appealing, I doubt I'll be back

[halftimeresults]

How has it Come to this?
I feel the same as the original poster and I've also been going For 25 years +
a certain incident made me fall out with the club that I love and since that day I've drifted more and more away.
Hopefully I will talk about on here in the near future

[SupermarketShrimp]

People really need to look at the positives to be honest.

What positives? Some people want to turn up and watch a decent football match. What positives for them?

I asked you to explain why you think the casual fan should turn up week in, week out, to watch a team who can't defend and who appear to be getting worse with every match rather than showing any kind of improvement?

As I said, you can call me a glory hunter all you like, but I stopped enjoying it a long time ago. I still support Morecambe, I want them to do well, but I don't enjoy it any more. I, and may others, fail to see why we should continue to pay to do something we are starting to hate.

It's all very well about talking about backs to the wall and a fight - but if the players are showing no appetite for the fight, if the management are incapable of turning things round, why do the supporter have to put up with it week in week out?

We are still in the football league and if we get a bit of investment could have a tilt at the League above.

I'm not saying that they should. You don't grow your fan base when you are shit, you grow your fanbase when you get the big games and keep them, and until we get a decent cup run or Blackpool/Bradford at home that isn't going to change. At the minute the job is to consolidate, minimise the loss and get profitable, sharpish.

Look at what happens when you get a lower league management vacancy come up. Who's now in the frame for it, time and time again. People know the job he's doing here. He's just against a history, where by and large for the last 96 years the club has done better than the year previous. We've hit our ceiling without a few million quid.

It's happening at Blackpool now. Whereas I feel for their plight for a lot of the die hard fans and what Oyston has done, it's given the casual fans that rocked up when they were doing well an excuse to sack it off and JB's brand of football will be the excuse rather the fact we lose most weeks as it sounds better to justify it.

It's all very well about talking about backs to the wall and a fight - but if the players are showing no appetite for the fight, if the management are incapable of turning things round, why do the supporter have to put up with it week in week out?

Because you are a supporter, not a TV Sky fan of a club you never go to watch. Morecambe FC will only be here long after we are if the loyal fans are there through thick and thin. Our time in the sun will come round again.

You say you don't go to every match - how many matches have you been to this season/last season? Your reasons for not going are your business, but listening isn't the same as going, nor walking away from the ground questioning why you paid £17 to watch that garbage again.

The main reason is living miles away and modern life getting in the way. I usually make a quarter/half of the home games and every localish away + FA Cup. I'm going on Sunday. I fully expect us to lose. I'll probably bring my kid as well. I'll be here through the highs and lows.

[Phil Anderer]

why do the supporter have to put up with it week in week out?

Other than win more games what do you feel the club isn't doing that is contributing to you not attending?

Sacking the manager? Signing new players?

Closing down the opposition, tackling, marking men at set pieces, shooting when one's on instead of passing back or to a man with his back to goal and three men around him. As I said above, we've all seen these players play better, THIS SEASON, which is what makes it so frustrating. That being said, I'm still attending as I have a season ticket, I'm just not spending extra for cup games as it stands.

As for Supermarket Shrimp's suggestion that anyone not attending because the football's dire is a 'glory hunter', that's nonsense. The glory hunters are those that go to Wembley (I didn't, BTW) having hardly, or never, been before. They're the ones that turn up for the big, especially televised, cup games against big opposition. The people turning away from the club now are, in the main, people who've followed them for years, through thick and thin, but as the third year of dire football in a row settles in for the winter, they've had enough. I know the budget is tiny, and I hope you'll note I haven't called for Jim's head, but there is more that can be done with, and by, the players we have.

[morecambegeek]

Other than win more games what do you feel the club isn't doing that is contributing to you not attending?

Persisting with long ball. Playing players out of position. Showing no improvement in being able to defend anything.

I don't expect us to win every match. With our squad, we'll lose more than we win.

What I can't accept is the small purple patch at the start of the season that shows we can actually play football that sooner rather than later morphs into negative long ball football. A few seasons ago, we did that and lost 1-0 most matches. Now we're still sticking with it and getting dicked week in week out.

[Shrimpy]

why do the supporter have to put up with it week in week out?

Other than win more games what do you feel the club isn't doing that is contributing to you not attending?

Sacking the manager? Signing new players?

Improving facilities ???

Making the bar a "football fan" bar ??

All requires money that we don't have.

Obviously if Diego and Abdul have the money we hope they do then fine but I'm working on the basis that we don't have a pot to piss in and we're currently doing the best with what we've got.

[Shrimpy]

Other than win more games what do you feel the club isn't doing that is contributing to you not attending?

Persisting with long ball. Playing players out of position. Showing no improvement in being able to defend anything.

I don't expect us to win every match. With our squad, we'll lose more than we win.

What I can't accept is the small purple patch at the start of the season that shows we can actually play football that sooner rather than later morphs into negative long ball football. A few seasons ago, we did that and lost 1-0 most matches. Now we're still sticking with it and getting dicked week in week out.

All those things would fall under the managers remit I would say. So am I right in saying you think we should get rid of Jim and there is a manager out there that would want to work under the same financial constraints that Jim has and could do it better than he does?

[Seasider9601]

All requires money that we don't have.

Obviously if Diego and Abdul have the money we hope they do then fine but I'm working on the basis that we don't have a pot to piss in and we're currently doing the best with what we've got.

Agree entirely mate.

BUT. We've seemingly "got money" to recruit a number of football coaches to new roles.

They won't come cheap.

[SupermarketShrimp]

You probably go to more than I do, I go when I can in my life. I'm always going to be a Morecambe fan. I listen every week on player, knowing 9/10 we will probably get beat this season.

It's seasons like this you back the club back its management and players so you can enjoy the highs. The football is shit because the players are probably the worst in the division. The fact Jim gets them to 50 points is remarkable.

People really need to look at the positives to be honest. If you don't want to go, that's fine, but wake up and realise that it's because you're doing it on a glory hunting mission and will return when we are winning. Doesn't make you a bad person. Just don't kid yourself. When we finished 4th the football was the most agricultural style you could imagine, it was horrible, but we gave zero fucks as we won most week.s

'Glory hunting mission'. Good one mate, my first match at Christie Park was November 1960 and I can assure you that to quote an earlier post of yours, we have not only ever had continued success. Were you about in the late 70's and early 80's? I don't remember much success in those days.

I'm 62 now and the thought of a winter stood in the freezing cold watching the tripe served up at the moment isn't too appealing, I doubt I'll be back

So the answer is "Yes, I'll only actually watch if we are winning". I don't mean to be horrible about it but we all want the same thing. Either do something positive within the club or leave it be. As usual, everyone is shouting at everyone else to do something. Not even what that something is.

[morecambegeek]

We are still in the football league and if we get a bit of investment could have a tilt at the League above.

I'm not saying that they should. You don't grow your fan base when you are shit, you grow your fanbase when you get the big games and keep them, and until we get a decent cup run or Blackpool/Bradford at home that isn't going to change. At the minute the job is to consolidate, minimise the loss and get profitable, sharpish.

Look at what happens when you get a lower league management vacancy come up. Who's now in the frame for it, time and time again. People know the job he's doing here. He's just against a history, where by and large for the last 96 years the club has done better than the year previous. We've hit our ceiling without a few million quid.

It's happening at Blackpool now. Whereas I feel for their plight for a lot of the die hard fans and what Oyston has done, it's given the casual fans that rocked up when they were doing well an excuse to sack it off and JB's brand of football will be the excuse rather the fact we lose most weeks as it sounds better to justify it.

It's all very well about talking about backs to the wall and a fight - but if the players are showing no appetite for the fight, if the management are incapable of turning things round, why do the supporter have to put up with it week in week out?

Because you are a supporter, not a TV Sky fan of a club you never go to watch. Morecambe FC will only be here long after we are if the loyal fans are there through thick and thin. Our time in the sun will come round again.

Thanks for the reply. I did add an extra part to my post which must have been whilst you were replying I'd be interested in an answer to.

You say you don't go to every match - how many matches have you been to this season/last season? Your reasons for not going are your business, but listening isn't the same as going, nor walking away from the ground questioning why you paid £17 to watch that garbage again.

You've also not answered

I asked you to explain why you think the casual fan should turn up week in, week out, to watch a team who can't defend and who appear to be getting worse with every match rather than showing any kind of improvement?

It's all very well about talking about growing the fan base - we're not talking about that, we're talking about not just the casual fan, but long standing fans stopping going because they've had enough.

Because other than "because we're in League 2" or "because we're doing alright on a tiny budget", no one seems to want to answer that without bandying about the words "loyal" and "glory hunter", ignoring the fact that some people might actually want to enjoy something they've spend the best part of £20 on.

[SupermarketShrimp]

All requires money that we don't have.

Obviously if Diego and Abdul have the money we hope they do then fine but I'm working on the basis that we don't have a pot to piss in and we're currently doing the best with what we've got.

Agree entirely mate.

BUT. We've seemingly "got money" to recruit a number of football coaches to new roles.

They won't come cheap.

Surely football coaches at a football club to get better at football when its currently not very good at football is a good idea?

[Seasider9601]

All requires money that we don't have.

Obviously if Diego and Abdul have the money we hope they do then fine but I'm working on the basis that we don't have a pot to piss in and we're currently doing the best with what we've got.

Agree entirely mate.

BUT. We've seemingly "got money" to recruit a number of football coaches to new roles.

They won't come cheap.

Surely football coaches at a football club to get better at football when its currently not very good at football is a good idea?

Of course it is.

My point is that we keep hearing this "lack of money" issue - but we've got money to employ for new roles.

[morecambegeek]

Other than win more games what do you feel the club isn't doing that is contributing to you not attending?

Persisting with long ball. Playing players out of position. Showing no improvement in being able to defend anything.

I don't expect us to win every match. With our squad, we'll lose more than we win.

What I can't accept is the small purple patch at the start of the season that shows we can actually play football that sooner rather than later morphs into negative long ball football. A few seasons ago, we did that and lost 1-0 most matches. Now we're still sticking with it and getting dicked week in week out.

All those things would fall under the managers remit I would say. So am I right in saying you think we should get rid of Jim and there is a manager out there that would want to work under the same financial constraints that Jim has and could do it better than he does?

I posted at the end of last season I wouldn't go back if Bentley was still in charge. It shouldn't be hard to find if you're so inclined.

I did go back for a few matches at the start of the season as I said. Stopped after Leyton Orient - not because we lost, but because we were medicore in losing. It's not the fact that we're losing, it's that we spend most of the season looking crap. And yes, obviously that means we don't win so many matches, but then we would win more matches if we played better wouldn't we?

Three and a half seasons is long enough for me to show that Jim either can't or won't change his tactics at home, so maybe it's time for someone else to have a go. I'd much rather Jim stayed at the club and changed though, but in the absence of that happening, he should go.

Whether someone else can do a better job is completely theroretical. Someone could come in a do a better job, someone could come in and take us down. I can see the argument for better the devil you know, but I' won't be coming along to see it.

[Shrimpy]

Because other than "because we're in League 2" or "because we're doing alright on a tiny budget", no one seems to want to answer that without bandying about the words "loyal" and "glory hunter", ignoring the fact that some people might actually want to enjoy something they've spend the best part of £20 on.

The answer is that there is absolutely no reason why anyone should even pay £5 to watch the utter shit we've been served up at home recently.

I think the argument that myself and SupermarketShrimp are trying to make is what exactly would you have the club do about it to improve things?

Personally I can't really see what else can be done, hence my comment in another post of "yes it's absolutely shockingly shit at the moment and no one will disagree with you there but absolutely shockingly shit is the best we can hope for."

Whether you decide to turn up or not under those circumstances will probably decide whether you can put yourself in the bracket of supporter or customer.

EDIT: As you've said above though, you believe that the club can do something about it (sack Jim) and are refusing to do so. Whilst you hold that belief then you have a perfectly good reason to stay away. I'm just not sure whether I agree that Jim is the problem.

[SupermarketShrimp]

Because other than "because we're in League 2" or "because we're doing alright on a tiny budget", no one seems to want to answer that without bandying about the words "loyal" and "glory hunter", ignoring the fact that some people might actually want to enjoy something they've spend the best part of £20 on.

I've answered the other bit above. Trust me a home game costs me much more than £20!

It all depends on what you deem yourself to be mate. I'm not here to offend you or piss you off. I'm trying to stir up emotion, quite agree.

Are you a fan, where you turn up when the goings good, and then sack it off when we are shit, or will you say "you know what, this town and club are better than this, I'm going to try and do something about it" engage with FCOM and the other bodies, get on here, get a following together and actually demand some positive answers.

If you want news from the directors, then you know, why don't we all club in, and approach the club to get these answers rather than pontificate? If we are donald ducked, set up a trust and wait, or if the present directors say, look we need this, and then we try and go and get it for them. It's what we used to do before the club became distant. Actually do something about it.

[Seasider9601]

Because other than "because we're in League 2" or "because we're doing alright on a tiny budget", no one seems to want to answer that without bandying about the words "loyal" and "glory hunter", ignoring the fact that some people might actually want to enjoy something they've spend the best part of £20 on.

I've answered the other bit above. Trust me a home game costs me much more than £20!

It all depends on what you deem yourself to be mate. I'm not here to offend you or piss you off. I'm trying to stir up emotion, quite agree.

Are you a fan, where you turn up when the goings good, and then sack it off when we are shit, or will you say "you know what, this town and club are better than this, I'm going to try and do something about it" engage with FCOM and the other bodies, get on here, get a following together and actually demand some positive answers.

If you want news from the directors, then you know, why don't we all club in, and approach the club to get these answers rather than pontificate? If we are donald ducked, set up a trust and wait, or if the present directors say, look we need this, and then we try and go and get it for them. It's what we used to do before the club became distant. Actually do something about it.

Good post sir.

[SupermarketShrimp]

Shrimpy more eloquently puts my point together.

What people need to realise is that we lose because we are crap. Sometimes the tactics will be wrong. This whole running more nonsense. THese are professional footballers and will run and press and try. They just won't be very good at it and good players will make them look even worse.

I'm not polishing a turd, and there's significant die hards pissed off like Hodgie and I get it, I really do, but point your venom and energy into a better solution than saying its all gone to hell and I'm never coming ever again, as I know you will, you know you will and your family know you will. It does no one any good. Why bite your nose off to spite your face?

[Seasider9601]

Agree entirely.

I've had my fair share of moans and whinges on here after another crap home result and performance - about both the team and (of course) the ground.

But I can't imagine not going to our games... as a supporter of Morecambe FC, I can't imagine not going.

Yes it's crap (for the most this season) at home, but stop going? Nah.

[Phil Anderer]

In the interests of playing peacemaker, rather than all the devil's advocates around at the moment, let's lay out some thoughts and facts, and I'll leave you to decide which are which if I haven't flagged it up:

1. We have a tiny budget, limiting our ability to buy better players;
2. As a consequence, we can expect to struggle against teams with bigger budgets;
3. Some (including me) believe the players we have can, and indeed have, play(ed) better, even this season;
4. Some think that it's been so bad for so long, they no longer want to endure it;
5. Some are so die-hard loyal they will support the team come what may;
6. (Pure conjecture, this one) If we did get relegated, it might actually improve the entertainment, as we might be able to compete one level down (not according to some, I know), and the longer term fans who've walked away might start coming back, boosting gate receipts;
7. Improvements to some of the facilities at the ground would improve the experience for some (doesn't really bother me, except the mould on the seats), but without an improvement on the pitch it's unlikely to have a significant benefit.

Now put yourself into one of the following categories, and see where we stand:

1. Blindly loyal - will turn up on a cold and wet Tuesday in February to see us thrashed 5-0 by Newport.
2. Loyal to a point - willing to renew season ticket, put reluctant to spend any more unless there's a sign of improvement.
3. Discouraged - Used to be season tocket holder/turn up regularly, but now selective about which games to attend.
4. (Allegedly) disloyal - given up altogether until performances improve.

For the record, quite obviously, I'm a 2

[Seasider9601]

1.

(although admittedly my patience has been tested of late)

[morecambegeek]

I'm just not sure whether I agree that Jim is the problem.

He is not THE problem.

He is, however, one of many problems the club have. Jim can't do anything about the lack of funds coming from above.

He can do something about the way he approaches home matches, send the team out with a bit of fire in their belly and attach the opposition. We might get a tonking now and then, but we get a tonking now when we're set up to try and get a draw or nick it. As it is, he just does the same thing week in, week out.

[mrpotatohead]

Borderline 2/3 at tbe moment.

[Richard Head]

You probably go to more than I do, I go when I can in my life. I'm always going to be a Morecambe fan. I listen every week on player, knowing 9/10 we will probably get beat this season.

It's seasons like this you back the club back its management and players so you can enjoy the highs. The football is shit because the players are probably the worst in the division. The fact Jim gets them to 50 points is remarkable.

People really need to look at the positives to be honest. If you don't want to go, that's fine, but wake up and realise that it's because you're doing it on a glory hunting mission and will return when we are winning. Doesn't make you a bad person. Just don't kid yourself. When we finished 4th the football was the most agricultural style you could imagine, it was horrible, but we gave zero fucks as we won most week.s

'Glory hunting mission'. Good one mate, my first match at Christie Park was November 1960 and I can assure you that to quote an earlier post of yours, we have not only ever had continued success. Were you about in the late 70's and early 80's? I don't remember much success in those days.

I'm 62 now and the thought of a winter stood in the freezing cold watching the tripe served up at the moment isn't too appealing, I doubt I'll be back

So the answer is "Yes, I'll only actually watch if we are winning".

I stuck it out in the 70's and 80's when it was pretty dire, but 56 years after my first Morecambe match I've had enough now and at my age I can't see me coming back. Since the end of the Lancashire Combination days in 1968 the only major successes have been the FA Trophy, promotion from the NPL and the Conference play off win, if I'd been a glory hunter I'd have f**ked off long ago

[Gone_Shrimping]

Probably a 1 like Seasider.

I keep thinking things are going to improve and I want to be there when they do !

What worries me is I used to go home in a foul mood and F and Blind at anyone who said something like "well at least your team scored today" when we lost 5-1 to Doncaster !! Now I go home , quite serenely and don't let it upset me.

[Phil Anderer]

Probably a 1 like Seasider.

I keep thinking things are going to improve and I want to be there when they do !

What worries me is I used to go home in a foul mood and F and Blind at anyone who said something like "well at least your team scored today" when we lost 5-1 to Doncaster !! Now I go home , quite serenely and don't let it upset me.

Can I have some of what you're taking?
Seriously though, whilst I get upset at the games, I do have a tendency to be a little more sanguine once I walk away.