A question to our travelling fans.

[mickd1961]

To the likes of BaggieBlood,Albionic68,BaggieAl and the rest.

Get yourselves a life and give up this hopeless addiction!

Seriously boys,

The travelling faithful are always the best barometer of any football club.

I admire you all greatly for the wholehearted way you lot keep following the club home any away.

Is their a general consensus amongst the away fans as to what’s going on and what the solution is?

Is there any groundswell of anti feeling towards Lai yet?

Is there a feeling that neither DM or Shan have a clue as to how to select a team and what tactics are required?

I’d be interested to know what the overriding “vibe” is in these testing times.

Do we need to invest in another coffin yet?

[baggieal]

To the likes of BaggieBlood,Albionic68,BaggieAl and the rest.

Get yourselves a life and give up this hopeless addiction!

Seriously boys,

The travelling faithful are always the best barometer of any football club.

I admire you all greatly for the wholehearted way you lot keep following the club home any away.

Is their a general consensus amongst the away fans as to what’s going on and what the solution is?

Is there any groundswell of anti feeling towards Lai yet?

Is there a feeling that neither DM or Shan have a clue as to how to select a team and what tactics are required?

I’d be interested to know what the overriding “vibe” is in these testing times.

Do we need to invest in another coffin yet?

Did not go last night and first one missed for a long time. Until a proper manager is appointed, I would rather go shopping with the mrs!!

Massively fallen out with the shambolic running of the club which is an absolute embarrassment.

[saltnshake]

To the likes of BaggieBlood,Albionic68,BaggieAl and the rest.

Get yourselves a life and give up this hopeless addiction!

Seriously boys,

The travelling faithful are always the best barometer of any football club.

I admire you all greatly for the wholehearted way you lot keep following the club home any away.

Is their a general consensus amongst the away fans as to what’s going on and what the solution is?

Is there any groundswell of anti feeling towards Lai yet?

Is there a feeling that neither DM or Shan have a clue as to how to select a team and what tactics are required?

I’d be interested to know what the overriding “vibe” is in these testing times.

Do we need to invest in another coffin yet?

There was quite a few chants of sack the board last night, a few people I know are all saying its the silence from the the club that is shocking, all the questions are left for Shan to answer and we clearly don't have a plan going forward as far as Shan is concerned he is just doing what he is told judging by his half time substitution he felt he picked the wrong team all in all we are a complete shambles at the moment.

[Albionic68]

To the likes of BaggieBlood,Albionic68,BaggieAl and the rest.

Get yourselves a life and give up this hopeless addiction!

Seriously boys,

The travelling faithful are always the best barometer of any football club.

I admire you all greatly for the wholehearted way you lot keep following the club home any away.

Is their a general consensus amongst the away fans as to what’s going on and what the solution is?

Is there any groundswell of anti feeling towards Lai yet?

Is there a feeling that neither DM or Shan have a clue as to how to select a team and what tactics are required?

I’d be interested to know what the overriding “vibe” is in these testing times.

Do we need to invest in another coffin yet?

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.

[mickd1961]

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.

[goodlordmurphy]

It's not the travelling fans that will make a diference, only vast numbers of blue seats on show next time we are televised at home not nice but nicer than being ripped off every other week or every year for STH's.

[baggieal]

To the likes of BaggieBlood,Albionic68,BaggieAl and the rest.

Get yourselves a life and give up this hopeless addiction!

Seriously boys,

The travelling faithful are always the best barometer of any football club.

I admire you all greatly for the wholehearted way you lot keep following the club home any away.

Is their a general consensus amongst the away fans as to what’s going on and what the solution is?

Is there any groundswell of anti feeling towards Lai yet?

Is there a feeling that neither DM or Shan have a clue as to how to select a team and what tactics are required?

I’d be interested to know what the overriding “vibe” is in these testing times.

Do we need to invest in another coffin yet?

It's not the travelling fans that will make a diference, only vast numbers of blue seats on show next time we are televised at home not nice but nicer than being ripped off every other week or every year for STH's.

Well there will be one blue seat empty on Saturday! They can go f uck themselves until they appoint an experienced manager!

[westcountryvillain]

It is said that once you lose the away fans then the time has come for a change, it costs a fortune to follow a team and this should never be taken for granted as without the fans there is no atmosphere & thus no marketable product. We've had our fair share of issues behind the scenes in B6 for a long time but now things seem to be sorting themselves out on & off the pitch.

Keep the faith.

[stripes39]

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.

That's a good post 68. I had a ST for many years and at one point rarely missed home or away matches. These days I'll go to maybe 12-15 matches a season including our next 2 homes. Your quite correct that it's not so much the results that do it but it's the being taken for granted. That did it for me following one of our previous periods where the club simply showed no ambition and chose to invest in sub-standard players. I just thought if they can't be bothered why should I? Not going does create a vacuum when it's been a habit but these days I enjoy having unstructured weekends where I can go if I want - or not and swearing at the TV when I'm not in attendance. The thing for me, I cannot see it getting any better under Lai and Jenkins. I met a friend last night who worked at the club and knows all the personnel there. Your comments about Jenkins not giving a damn what the fans chant were born out by my conversation. I was told that his only remit is to micro-manage costs which he does even to the point of rollocking a staff member who left the lights on. I was told that in his introductory speech to the staff, it was more akin to a dressing down from the headmaster, he said; 'Some of you already know me and those of you that don't soon will'. I gather it's not a happy ship so it's not only a rudderless one. I often think that a company's attitudes to its staff and its customers are shaped by the board so on the basis WBA FC appear to be failing on both levels we might have to endure a painful period before Jenkins and Lai get out.

[WBA123]

In all seriousness, should we be that surprised where we are?

Stoke, Villa, Forest, Derby, Middlesborough all spent more than us..

Swansea, Stoke and Villa have a larger wage bill than us..

There is an argument to say we have around the 4th largest budget in the league and that is where we are.

It is actually refreshing the teams above us haven't spent as much as others, because its about how you spend it and getting value.

I don't have a problem with Jenkins being tight with cash, because I don't want us to be in a position where we risk everything for promotion and then have financial issues in the future if it doesn't happen.

I do have a problem with him sacking a manager with no clear plan in place for the aftermath. This game-by-game position is creating uncertainty and every defeat will bring stinging and deserved criticism.