John Wayne
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 9 Mar 2007
- Messages
- 3,300
I've noticed that a common argument for the price hikes is that we play the best football under the stewardship of the best manager. Few would disagree with the football side of the equation. However, this does transform the relationship between the club and the fan. Many will tolerate the increases for footballing reasons, but if the manager leaves and the trophies dry up, nobody can be blamed for jacking it in. Attendance at games never used to hinge on team performance for so many people. Our 28,000 crowds in 1998-99 are probably the equivalent of 38,000 in 2022-23 and serve to prove this point about loyalty. Loyalty is a two-way street however, and we've learned in the last couple of days that it counts for very little. The club can therefore not expect people to hang around if team performances dip. Now that we know the true nature of the relationship between fans and the club, they need to keep on producing good teams. Anything less is unacceptable given the terms of the relationship the club chooses to have with the fans.