See,things aren't that bad really.

OK, we've thankfully enjoyed an upturn in results these last few games and should finish well clear of the drop zone but nevertheless still in a lowly position in the bottom division of the Football League.
So we've dropped down a bit from those great times rubbing shoulders with those big outfits in the second tier.
But hey,let's also be thankful for what we still have.
Look at Orient...below half way in National League.
Hartlepool...midtable and close to financial oblivion.
Torquay...relegated again,along with Chester,who again are in serious money trouble,and they'll be renewing acquaintances with old friends York and Stockport in regionalised non league.
And as for Darlington and Hereford,well they're even lower down the pyramid.
So like I said...it could be a whole lot worse than it is.
Let's hope we're on the way back up now.
Up The Alex!

It all makes things a little more exciting than mid table obscurity and we were always going to turn the corner. We do have the makings of a reasonable team just need 2 or 3 additions and then move forward and hopefully stay away from the wrong end of the table next season. It is fair to say that non-league is the end for a lot of teams, but fair play to Macclesfield for getting back, another local ground to visit next season.

The team certainly doesn’t look as though major surgery is required, unlike this time last year. Artell recruited pretty well (Nolan a big plus, Porter and Raynes started well but are now decent squad players and Walker has time on his side), most of the loanees worked out well (Green, McKirdy, Sherry) and our own young players all look better for another year. And do we miss Cooper?

So yes, we have far more grounds for optimism than a year ago - onwards and upwards, as some might say!

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Originally Posted by AstonAlex

The team certainly doesn’t look as though major surgery is required, unlike this time last year. Artell recruited pretty well (Nolan a big plus, Porter and Raynes started well but are now decent squad players and Walker has time on his side), most of the loanees worked out well (Green, McKirdy, Sherry) and our own young players all look better for another year. And do we miss Cooper?

So yes, we have far more grounds for optimism than a year ago - onwards and upwards, as some might say!

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As it turned out we have not missed Cooper as much as I thought we would, it was his assists which I was worried about but as it turned out that wasn't a problem as others stepped up and provided the goals we needed. I still believe that Cooper is a quality player, but he probably needed to move in order to fulfil his potential, too much negativity towards from so called Crewe supporters which was over the top and out of order, but when the boo boys turn on you then it becomes very difficult. He had the support from the decent supporters but unfortunately we have that minority of inbreds who want to ruin it for everyone else.

Good point, Gobstopper, which we seem to have to repeat every season, as it’s been going on for years particularly aimed at the younger players, it seems. I wonder how many players confidence is affected in both the short and long term by this? Some might say that if it does affect them that much then they aren’t cut out for professional football, but it remains a pretty poor show when it’s your own fans getting on the backs of teenage players.

We could all produce a list of the boo boys favourites who were jeered ONTO the pitch never mind when they were being substituted. By all means criticise performances in print (hopefully in a constructive manner) or react to a disappointing team performance, but if I made a mistake at work I didn’t have 3,000 people telling me they could do a better job in less than constructive ways! Oh, and just to be clear, the vast majority of them wouldn’t have known where to start!

Get behind the lads, every one of them every week. And frankly, it doesn’t matter whether their contracts are up at the end of next month or in 10 years time, they are still playing for OUR club and OUR team.

Excellent comments fellas. I have never understood the concept of booing our own players. I think for young players experiencing this can only have one outcome. Confidence is bound to be affected. In life, never mind just sport, constant carping criticism is only going to have a negative effect on an individual. Cooper is a classic example. There were times when he looked as if he was playing with fear of making a mistake. Aston is absolutely spot on. These are our players representing our club and we should be getting behind them at all times. We have seen enough young players over the last 20+ years to realise they are going to have poor games from time to time. It is part of the learning process. They still need our support.

There are some middle aged male and female supporters who sit within earshot me.
Over the years they have got on the backs of numerous Alex players. Haber and Cooper spring to mind, and of the current team, Kirk, Porter,Bowery and Garrett are top of the dislike list. I very nearly asked them to name a player they actually liked!

We all have bad days at the office and I don't need anyone telling me when I have under-performed. I tend to sit quietly and soak up the atmosphere whether the performance is good or bad. I have never booed a player and do not understand those who jeer a player before the game has even started. Over the years, we have had players who were poor signings, and the last thing anyone wants in a match is to be jeered when you get the ball - the player will just avoid the ball and that does him and the Club no good at all.

Perhaps we do need to stand up to these inbreds, I used to have argumenets with one inbred and his idiot son, mouthing of against everyone, thankfully I have not heard him this season so hopefully he has gone Stoke where he will be at home. We need to challenge this scum when we hear them.

Be careful that fanlike enthusiasm doesn't turn into policing. We have paid our money and are entitled to criticise a little. But I do agree that too many people find it very easy to boo and are less inclined to acclaim.
I wrote a long post about 2 years ago saying why I think this is true but I don't want to repeat it.