When football was a working class game, where you could walk up to the Kippax and get in for loose change, it was an outlet for the frustrations of every day life. F and Jeff, crowd-float up and down the Kippax, proper verbals with the away lot, a bit of gratuitous violence, get clipped round the head by a copper. Stewards didn't swarm over you, CCTV didn't monitor your every move, it was rougher, tougher and you felt part of putting a collective 2 fingers up at the rest of society. Away games were weekend adventures, hitch hiking round the country, jibbing trains, jumping turnstiles and wearing the pin as a badge of honour. Every moan, groan and frustration was left at the stadium, then on the bus for a few sherberts, chippy and home. Maybe read the Pink.
The gentrification of our game has put us where we are now. Middle class, cash on hip day trippers have replaced the working class. Frustrations aren't left at the ground, you show any kind of emotion you're glared at, told to sit down or reported to a steward. A steward who will then closely monitor the "situation" whilst his mates scour CCTV looking for an excuse to mark your card. Block, row and seat number duly noted and bookmarked for observation or maybe a knock on the door from GMP at teatime.
So, whilst our collective venting was sated at the stadium, the only place to do it nowadays is on forums such as this.
Such is modern day football supporting life. Give me the Kippax days all day fucking long.