My thoughts and hello to older members

[BaggieSingh]

Not a lot happening on here these days
Nice to see some of the old guys still about

Was severely disillusioned under Pulis and really did fall out of love with the way we played, can’t remember enjoying many games under Pulis if at all, esp after the great football under Mowbray, RDM and to a degree Hodgson.

Also moving away from Smethwick and having a daughter really meant I didn’t have any time and to be honest inclination to make an effort to watch defensive negative percentage football, and every time I did it ruined my weekend and I was so frustrated at the negativity esp when there are clubs coming up from the Championship and playing good football and trying to score while keeping it tight and be organised when defending.

Have started going up again now and think we are playing so much better under Pardew, but are really lacking a finisher, hopefully as we gain more confidence this will come as JRod, Rondon and Phillips will start to find the back of the net hopefully.

Anyone else had similar feelings and happy to come out of the dark ages and into the light?

Unfortunately it may involve some short term pain, but seeing as the first game I saw with my mates at the Hawthorns was us losing 2-4 under Brian Talbot to Woking in the FA cup I am happy as long as we are playing good football and less bothered by which league we are in.

COYB

I think we will be okay and just stay up

[holmleighchris]

Good to hear from you. 90% of us felt the same way as you. I've not been up for 2 years+ and although the football is okay again now I have gotten into a different routine and doubt I'll be coming up much in the future.

[Joy_Division]

I have attended games since my first match in 1963. All home games and as many away as I could get to that my pocket money then wages would allow. Great times, awful times finally culminating in my greatest hangover I have ever suffered from that day in 2002 when we achieved promotion for the first time. So happy we had finally made it but on the following Monday morning when I had stumbled heaving and wretching into work, still in my Albion top I knew that I was finished watching the lads. Although I so wanted us back in the big league I was so disenchanted with the way football had gone I was not prepared to subscribe to the ridiculous wages average players were commanding and the obscene wages the better players were receiving. Unfortunately it has only got worse culminating this week in the Sanchez transfer. I continue to sweat on the result every match day till the result is in but now it just registers a disappointment when we lost rather that totally ruining my weekend. I no longer watch games on TV other than the FA Cup final. Internationals pass me by nowadays and quite often I will see on-line or in the paper that England have played the night before and I was totally unaware of the game. I cannot even look at that champagne socialist Lineker. I am afraid that even if Albion became the greatest force in the Premiership, winning titles and cups on a regular basis, I still would not be attending games anymore.
I am totally out of love with football and devote my spare time and interest into my love of music. So there you are, I have become a sad, elderly man bitching about how things used to be. COYB

[Prando]

Sorry to hear that JD buddy...never say never!
My 1st game was 1961 season (we lost to West Ham).
I get bitterly disappointed with the performances sometimes, but would not give up our (me and ‘she who must be obeyed’) season tickets.
Factually, I have resigned myself to Championship football next year which is somewhat against my normal positive outlook.
I did consider that we were top of the league when 7th. I really don’t see us competing with the top six. I would love to think that we could do a Leicester, but realistically it won’t happen.
Now, I don’t mind the. ham

[talkSAFT]

I feel very much the same, Joy, and ask myself the same question every week: "Why - exactly - do I still bother?" I only go to 4-5 home games a season since moving 260 miles away, but don't miss a match on the Internet.
It's a lot like love - you can't stop! Love of an abstract Football Team, who I've followed for 60 years this year, but even when I despair about The Club, I just love the fans, whose dedication somehow makes me feel shamed. I got disenchanted back in the mid 70s when the Brummie Road spent more time booing Don Howe's team than supporting them, but then along came The 3 Degrees and others. I'd feel like a traitor booing players I don't really like, but then I think of Astle's family, Bomber, and Cyrille (and others) who love Albion more than I do. It won't go away even if we had 11 Berahinos.

[boingy]

No I cant say I feel the same, I think Pulis did some great things for us and like most managers his time came to go. I have a great deal of respect for him as do loads of people out there. I do feel though that although his defensive ideals were top of the shelf, his midfield to attack options didnt happen. Pardew I have always liked but still not sure how long he will be here. We are improving but maybe its too late, I just dont know. As has been alluded to in previous comments we need some proper strikers. We have needed them for 12 months. We can only hope. Everton were there for the taking on saturday. We totally dominated the game and STILL couldnt come home with 3 points. The players have to get that mentally tough personality and learn how to see games out.