Ashley is "winning" because he knows the loyalty of fans will always come above the resentment of anything he has done or will ever do.

In the case of our supporters who would never boycott, stay away from a game, enter the stadium late, etc.: their love for the club emboldens Ashley to ignore everything that boycotters do because there are enough bums on seats for him to press ahead with whatever he wants to do, regardless of the "noise" from those who don't like it.

The people who go insulate Ashley from the effects of his actions. That's not to say that they are to blame. They just overpower and negate any protest action.