The Star: An open letter to Sheffield Utd owners

[Carpe_diem]

I get that Gray, but this whole situation and our response to it just makes me wonder how much of this is self fulfilled prophesy. Once you only see the downsides, then you discount the possibilty of an up side and you anticipate failure, and that is a joyless endeavour.

We still rail against the Board for selling Mick Jones (52 years ago now). Maybe we actually have an institutionalised lack of ambition. Maybe we're always thinking 'better sell him now, cause he might break his leg next week'. Maybe as a club (including the support), we just expect everything to end in tears, and it does end in tears because we never give it a real chance to do anything else, which just reinforces our view that everything we do ends in tears.

Having a plan to deal with disaster is sensible. Planning as if it IS going to be a disaster is corrosive.

I would love to believe that the fans had any say whatsoever in how things turn out, but sadly I don't think it's the case.

[GrayBlade]

I get that Gray, but this whole situation and our response to it just makes me wonder how much of this is self fulfilled prophesy. Once you only see the downsides, then you discount the possibilty of an up side and you anticipate failure, and that is a joyless endeavour.

We still rail against the Board for selling Mick Jones (52 years ago now). Maybe we actually have an institutionalised lack of ambition. Maybe we're always thinking 'better sell him now, cause he might break his leg next week'. Maybe as a club (including the support), we just expect everything to end in tears, and it does end in tears because we never give it a real chance to do anything else, which just reinforces our view that everything we do ends in tears.

Having a plan to deal with disaster is sensible. Planning as if it IS going to be a disaster is corrosive.

Barring a couple of posters on here, I don’t really think anyone has said anything IS going to happen, in general Blades fans are like any other. If they see or sense anything is wrong that could affect the club they’re going to discuss it till the cows come home, even issues that frankly pale into insignificance compared to Wilder possibility walking, like the next away kit.

Like I said FKB, I get your points and I know the likes of you and Chippy are not for changing, but then neither am I and I suspect some others. It gets to the point that it’s just wasting everyone’s time trying to do so and mine’s back at a premium. My sister was rushed back into hospital again in the night so I guess my priorities have just changed again. Wilder who? UTB

[FatherKnowsBest]

Barring a couple of posters on here, I don’t really think anyone has said anything IS going to happen, in general Blades fans are like any other. If they see or sense anything is wrong that could affect the club they’re going to discuss it till the cows come home, even issues that frankly pale into insignificance compared to Wilder possibility walking, like the next away kit.

Like I said FKB, I get your points and I know the likes of you and Chippy are not for changing, but then neither am I and I suspect some others. It gets to the point that it’s just wasting everyone’s time trying to do so and mine’s back at a premium. My sister was rushed back into hospital again in the night so I guess my priorities have just changed again. Wilder who? UTB

Sorry to hear that Gray. Hope she is comfortable and in good hands.

[BlockD]

Barring a couple of posters on here, I don’t really think anyone has said anything IS going to happen, in general Blades fans are like any other. If they see or sense anything is wrong that could affect the club they’re going to discuss it till the cows come home, even issues that frankly pale into insignificance compared to Wilder possibility walking, like the next away kit.

Like I said FKB, I get your points and I know the likes of you and Chippy are not for changing, but then neither am I and I suspect some others. It gets to the point that it’s just wasting everyone’s time trying to do so and mine’s back at a premium. My sister was rushed back into hospital again in the night so I guess my priorities have just changed again. Wilder who? UTB

Get well soon Mr Gs Sister,you take care of yourself as well Mr G,very stressful having someone you love in hospital

[GrayBlade]

Cheers lads.

[Holden_C]

As a forum, this place would be pretty boring if everyone just focused on the positives all the time.

As fans, we'd be remiss if we allowed the stewards of the club to walk it into oblivion without at least speaking out.

There seems to be a lot of 'I can't change the outcome so I'm not going to worry' attitudes about recently, which is fine, to each his (or her) own and all that. I can only assume these are the same people who would prefer it if the news focused on little kitty cats and babies taking their first steps rather than war and famine, or if those nasty smelly homeless people were rounded up and put somewhere that we don't have to see them.

The reality of course is that there isn't a lot of can't change/won't worry. A handful of uber clappers at best.

Lots of "worried" but can't change anything about the discussions" which is not the same thing.

All the posturing by the "real" fans who know the score has achieved exactly nothing. So it's not hard to come to the conclusion - if you are a dick - that they're actually worse than the patsies because all they've done is spout on a forum.

Protest at its best.

[tomytony]

On that basis there would be no posts or posters.

Any, maybe every forum is based on speculation and opinion as is evry phone in.

If everyone only dealt in the known, the absolute, the figures life could be very dry,very boring.

Maybe the cradles of civilisation, the Greeks and the Romans had it wrong with their discussion places , indeed their forums or fora

[Holden_C]

On that basis there would be no posts or posters.

Any, maybe every forum is based on speculation and opinion as is evry phone in.

If everyone only dealt in the known, the absolute, the figures life could be very dry,very boring.

Maybe the cradles of civilisation, the Greeks and the Romans had it wrong with their discussion places , indeed their forums or fara

If that's a reply to me TT, the point, rather clearly made, is that the situation was being totally misrepresented. You need to ask the poster why. (He can of course come up with a myriad of examples that he believes, or at least says, are there).

That was a criticism of these imaginary "many" fans by someone who has presumably done nothing serve shake their fist on a forum yet try to take some higher ground.

Too many people have a problem with facts on fora. I know you anti McCabists hunt in packs and much if what you say is unarguable but making things up about fellow Blades is pretty sad, just to puff ones own chest out. But defend away, even if you have chosen to totally ignore my point.


Btw, as for opinions, surprisingly I offered mine on S2 saying if McCabe drops this b0119ck over Wilder, even his supporters will be done with him.

May come as a shock to you, buts it's there in black and white.

[tomytony]

If that's a reply to me TT, the point, rather clearly made, is that the situation was being totally misrepresented. You need to ask the poster why. (He can of course come up with a myriad of examples that he believes, or at least says, are there).

That was a criticism of these imaginary "many" fans by someone who has presumably done nothing serve shake their fist on a forum yet try to take some higher ground.

Too many people have a problem with facts on fora. I know you anti McCabists hunt in packs and much if what you say is unarguable but making things up about fellow Blades is pretty sad, just to puff ones own chest out. But defend away, even if you have chosen to totally ignore my point.


Btw, as for opinions, surprisingly I offered mine on S2 saying if McCabe drops this b0119ck over Wilder, even his supporters will be done with him.

May come as a shock to you, buts it's there in black and white.

It was a more lighthearted general point H, a point I also made on another speculation thread in response to one of FKB's posts.

I did edit the one above, or so I thought, to say that, obviously the quality of the debate in Rome & athens may have been at a higher level.

As for hunting in packs I prefer to think of it as SWAT teams working for the greater good.

I do believe you because this issue, across many fora, seems to have turned a lot of heads, mainly against McC and, as you say, if he's ultimately culpable he will be widely vilified.

[Holden_C]

It was a more lighthearted general point H, a point I also made on another speculation thread in response to one of FKB's posts.

I did edit the one above, or so I thought, to say that, obviously the quality of the debate in Rome & athens may have been at a higher level.

As for hunting in packs I prefer to think of it as SWAT teams working for the greater good.

I do believe you because this issue, across many fora, seems to have turned a lot of heads, mainly against McC and, as you say, if he's ultimately culpable he will be widely vilified.