We have one of the most negative fan bases in football

[trevorriley]

yeh but they love change !

 

[Father Paul]

I'm not sure City fans are much worse than fans of any other big club, but it is true that fans moan now more than ever before in my living memory.

There are a few reasons:

1. raised expectations due to investment mean success is now achievable (and should be guaranteed according to some fans and the media, despite only 1 team being able to win the league a year and 5 clubs all expecting to). Which is counter intuitive in some ways as this is the best City team of all time (or top 3).

2. Social media giving more ways to be spew negativity (and absorb it)

3. So much coverage and analysis these days that even the people you knew at school who used to play basketball cos they couldn't play and weren't arsed about football are now self proclaimed tactical masters

So I wouldn't say it's a City only problem, but it makes the match day experience less and less enjoyable. Moaning at the team and Guardiola if we are not winning after 15 mins. Booing if not winning at half time. Getting on a players back after their first mistake. Tedious stuff that belies the idea that the we are 'supporters'. I honestly feel we can take no credit for helping the team to succeed.

Grumbling between games is what fans do and part of the fun. But we should switch that off for the 90 mins we play.

My god! A lot of what you say is true but it is precisely the sort of things that used to be heard back in the day in the Kippax and unless my memory is playing tricks again far more
vociferously than what you hear these days.

 

[cibaman]

I think its been a struggle for the fans, incuding myself, to adjust to the increased impact that a one off defeat can have. In t'old days it was almost expected that we'd suffer many defeats during the course of a season. Until we approached the end of the season and relegation loomed its head, a defeat (other than the derby) rarely felt too bad. Some were worse than others eg the Boro game when they didnt have a shot on target but they won via an og. But they didnt usually ruin my weekend.

Nowadays a single defeat can seem catastrophic. Chelsea last season (I still believe that if De Bruyne had scored we would have won the league), Leicester the year before. I remember when we lost at Arsenal in 11/12 I spent most of the journey home planning to leave the country when United clinched the title. The reaction to a defeat is consequently more extreme.

 

[Abattoir Blue]

My god! A lot of what you say is true but it is precisely the sort of things that used to be heard back in the day in the Kippax and unless my memory is playing tricks again far more
vociferously than what you hear these days.

Ha! Quite possibly...the bad memories fade! But at least we cheered and sang when we won in those days too though.

 

[toddluvzgta]

When there is clearly an agenda led by the media, some weaker minded people will swallow the bullshit hook line and sinker. My only issue, that will never go away, is how Mancini was undermined, it showed an utter lack of respect for the aspirations and hopes of the fans during that season.

This all season long if Pep doesn't get sacked at the end.

And that one about the therapeutic moaning as well, does wonders.

 

[stonerblue]

You must lead a sheltered life then, they were slating him all over the place last season, until they won the Europa League.

nailed it.

 

[Willie Wontie]

I remember an interview with Billy Connolly where he said he had an occasional nightmare where he was poor and back working as a welder.

I think there's some on here with a similar fear and so despite wealth and success beyond wildest dreams they are negative, so if it all goes tits up one day...

 

[sir baconface]

I think there's some on here with a similar fear and so despite wealth and success beyond wildest dreams they are negative, so if it all goes tits up one day...

I think you mean when it all goes tits up... ;)

 

[Shads]

I don't think as fans we are negative, just honest, realistic and best of all humorous. Most fans of my age, early to mid forties followed the club through thin and thinner and for long periods had to make do with sparce moments of enjoyment.

I was having a chat with some fellow blues the other day and we were discussing the bleak times and came to the conclusion that even if we pulled of the quadruple every year for a decade, we'd still all have the same nervous hard wired mindset from the darker days. Its ingrained into blues of a certain era and even my Dad who's eighty and witnessed the teams of the sixties and seventies eventually succumb to this way of thinking. Its like we expect the worse, but when it doesn't happen that way it makes success all that much sweeter, Augero's goal against QPR being the finest ever example of typical City, not being typical.

In days gone by I'd do twenty Embassy Number One per game and lived on my nerves, but watching us win away at Blackburn in 95 on the Friday night and Gaudino scoring the winner against Liverpool on the Monday probably brought us as genuine fans more pleasure than other teams plastic fans winning trophies.

We are a unique set of fans in that we have tasted both extremes. This I believe keeps our feet on the ground and makes us realise that despite our wealth we do not have a divine right to steam roll the opposition week in week out (Scum aside) we are not the be all and end all and that no matter how much success we have on the field we don't become engulfed with entitlement.

There is a real difference in mentality between the current young blues and those of a certain age. The best example I can give was when watching the semi v the scum and Yaya had just scored. At which point all my usual typical city thoughts and concerns regarding our 'during my lifetime ' view of us v them came to bear. However my 8 year old son turned round to me and said "Daddy what's the matter with you, we always beat United". I just don't think I can ever think that way.....

 

[davymcfc]

In my view fans are more passive these days. It's only when people get back home and on the internet that they become more vocal.

I've also noticed the internet and social media is a perfect platform for complete idiots to air their views.