Quote Originally Posted by Albionic68 View Post
Hello Mick, please bear with me as this reply covers several areas. I can’t speak for others but I enjoy the company, banter and camaraderie of away days as for the most part they’re a real laugh. The hope and desire to be ‘there’ when it goes well drives’ me. Friendships made along the way and a love for the Albion keep me ‘there’. Other motivations are too complex and personal to explain.

I don’t go to games in expectation of winning them all. We’re being hamstrung by the decisions taken (or in this case not……) by those above though. We are currently leaderless, rudderless and drifting. I actually feel sorry for James Shan, an honourable and talented young coach who’s currently having his pants pulled down by the board’s inertia and the indifference/apathy of several players.

As with James Shan I feel the club take our continued home and away support for granted. This is now being reflected by increased frustration in the stands at away games. The tide was turning regards Jenkins and Lai before DM’s dismissal. Last night’s first half chants of ‘sack the board’ weren’t heard before as we were still in contention for the automatics. Those chants will grow in volume and intensity to home games should frustrations and anger mount.

Chants will have little to no effect on Jenkins though. Neither would a coffin with his or Lai’s names on. The bloke cares little for life’s payers beyond their/our funds. The problem with addictions are their nature, they’re habitual. Once a habit’s broken you quickly find other ways to spend your time and money; as was the case when I picked and chose my away days a few seasons back. Having missed four games home and away in all competitions over the last three seasons I’m no super fan. Two absences were unavoidable, two weren’t.

I’ll miss a number of fixtures home and away next season through work and may miss more through choice. Habits are being broken and money’s being saved. I’ll always love the Albion but I don’t like being taken for granted. I’ve also been falling out of love with ‘the modern football experience’ for years too. Work influenced absence may spread to matches I don’t feel up for. If this happens the HST will go without the bat of an eyelid. And for the most part away days would become a fond yet distant memory. I hope this goes some way to answering your questions Mick, all of the very best to you and yours.
The usual measured response 68.

It’s sad to hear that someone as committed as yourself is finding your spirit waning.

You’ll know that mine has gone beyond that point and reached total apathy.

I still get p I s s e d off with results and bad performances but by February of last year I’d had enough,I stormed out of the ground as we went 0-2 down to Southampton in the fa cup and didn’t return at all that season.

As I flounced out of the ground I bumped into a lad I know who goes to some Stourbridge matches,he’s a real Albion “super fan” and not the sort who leaves early.....he was so angry and ranting that he didn’t actually recognise me on the day!!

I’ve been to two matches this season purely to touch base with good friends I sat amongst for many years........I suffered much derision which was of course truly deserved.

I do not feel like I’m missing out at all though......I merely pine for the way I used to feel and look wistfully at videos of the 70’s.

I actually hate this present bunch of imposters wearing our shirt.....if next season we have Field,Harper,Leko,Edwards,Tulloch and other youngsters filling the first team places once that ponce J Rod and the human rat faced Dawson have f hooked off to grace their next relegation fighting team I’ll be back to support.

I also need to see the back of Lai.

Best of luck to you mate,I’d love to meet up with you at a match at some point.