That is putting it mildly. Disappointment, outrage, disgust, embarrassment, a tumult of feelings, not one of them good. I had my little rant last night after getting home at nearly 11pm following that poor excuse for football match. After getting up at 4.00am, that was nearly as bad as Brighton, we lost there as well.
I wasn’t planning on anymore complaining, as it was plain to see that the keyboard warriors were already out in full force. At least I wasn’t, until I saw the ridiculous number of piteous “meaningless Cup” remarks. In the past I have tried not to get annoyed by these throwaway phrases that people use, and I have tried not to make disparaging comments about those people who say these things who don’t actually go to games. Unfortunately I am rising to this because frankly these people really piss me off.
I am so riled I don’t even know where to start. So, in no particular order:
Garry with two Rs
I can’t even pretend I know or understand how/why you picked your team. I do understand that you wanted to protect your first team players on that pitch, especially those who have just come back from injury like Pablo and Jansson, and those who have played a lot of games this season like Captain Bartley and Chris Wood. I understand promotion is high on the agenda. So why didn’t you field the team that played against Cambridge, or even the team who did so well in the League Cup? It felt like you were running a Sunday morning pub game. You just waited to see who would turn up for the team bus outside Elland Road, picked the ones who didn’t look hung over and then randomly pulled names out of a hat for the rest. What happened to the famous half time talk, and those brilliant substitution decisions? Thanks for not taking into consideration the time and the money that those fans who turned up to stand in the cold and rain wasted.
The Team
I am not bothered how much you get paid a week, because you are probably not bothered about how much I get paid either. All I and other fans ask, is that when you pull on that shirt, you concentrate for 90 minutes whilst you are on that pitch and play the game 100% to the best of your abilities for the whole 90 minutes. It would be great if at some point, you could consider how the fans feel, but that is a bonus really, seeing as some of the fans do nothing but hurl abuse at you anyway especially when you do something wrong. So, because you can’t really reciprocate that and it is difficult to ignore it, walking off in a huff every now and again is fine too. A wonder goal once a month doesn’t excuse you for not bothering to chase a ball down or pass to another Leeds player for the other three or four games you play. Regardless of whether you are in the first team or in the 2nd or 3rd team or under 23s, you should still be able to string a couple of passes together, and more importantly take a free kick and help it towards the goal.
Moaning fickle Leeds United fans
Our branch, like most LUSC branches is a non profit organisation. That means that the reason we do what we do, is not to make any money, it is for the branch members. All the effort that is put in, is purely to do what we do best, and get our members to away games. I know many fans get their own tickets and many fans make their own way to grounds either by bus or train or drive themselves. It is up to you how you do it, and if you have the luxury of the time, the means, the money and patience to sort all of this out on your own, then fair dos, well done. Lucky you! Be happy that you have a job that allows you the time and the money to sit in front of a computer and order your match tickets and organise your travel arrangements. Be happy that you have an understanding family and friends that spare you the time to do this. Most, if not all of our members aren’t so lucky. Most, if not all of our members have jobs or other commitments like caring for relatives and families etc. Most, if not all of our members work hard for the money that they need to go to these games.
So we ( The Secretary and the rest of the branch committee) do it. We negotiate with the coach company in the closed season to make sure we get a decent deal for our members. We make sure we have a coach company who will turn up on time, who will give us a decent bus with decent facilities and a decent driver. We make sure bookings are taken in advance of the tickets going on sale, so any member who wants to go to a game gets as good a chance as possible of a ticket. We sit in front of a computer ordering match tickets on the day, and we pay for them. We sort out our refreshment stops pre match, so we all have a good day out. We make sure everyone knows the departure times and we sit and wait for anyone who is late. We liaise with the Police Liaison Officer to make sure we leave enough time to get the coach to the match complying with the police instructions. We, in short make sure we get our members to games.
So for you to chelp on about not caring because it doesn’t mean anything anyway, just have a think for one minute about how much this game actually did mean. You selfish, insensitive, miserable wasters.
It is not just about the cost in money terms. It is the time spent away from families, doing family stuff. It is the time spent negotiating time off work. Not everyone works 9 to 5, Monday to Friday, sitting on their backsides all day in front of a computer screen. Some people are self employed, that’s a whole day when they could be working, this includes on a Sunday believe it or not. Not everyone has jack all to do at the weekend and spends it slumming it in front of the telly watching Netflix or your box sets. Not everyone has no other responsibilities or commitments in life.
More importantly, its about pride. Pride in the history of Our Club. Pride in our loyalty to Our Club. When you start whingeing about why players, including our Youth players, leave Leeds United to go to another Club that pays more money, or has more opportunities, that’s because it upsets the pride that you have for Leeds United.
When you next sing about “January 3rd, remember the date…” think about how little the FA Cup means to you then. Should we have won on Sunday, we would have got Arsenal at home. How many of you would have been desperate for a ticket to watch the “Mighty” Arsenal? How many of you would be complaining about the crap service at Leeds United’s ticket office for your one home game per season for that “Glory Tie”. Oh sorry, 2nd because you obviously came to watch the Newcastle game, right? How many of you scrambled to get a ticket for that League Cup 4th round Norwich game, when you couldn’t be bothered to shift yourself for the Blackburn 3rd round tie ? How many of you moaned incessantly about “how unfair” it was when you couldn’t get a ticket for the Liverpool game at Anfield, because surprisingly enough, Leeds made it a “loyalty tracker game” in the first instance, and you had only bothered to go to one away game this season? All in your “meaningless Cup” or another Cup that doesn’t really matter until you get a “Big” game?
As the younger generation say, jog on.
(As usual, my thoughts are my own and please read the Disclaimer like it tells you to)
