Taking fans for granted

Spot on. I dont feel much towards this lot atm and ive been home and away for 23 years.

The worrying thing is im not sure how City address it. They have gone about it the whole wrong way, we should have been the club for the fans. Instead they want to lead us down the plastic route.

The academy and introducing homegorwn players is the only thing that will stem it i think. We need players we can relate too again.
 
City_Sean said:
If we'd have won, the ground would have been full. People are infuriated at the half arsed nature of our performances, and we've took a stand.
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I'm in that camp - totally pissed off with the poor team selections and half hearted efforts of some of our players.

I can afford to pay again next season but I really am not sure that I want to go unless Pep can transform the attitude of the players. And at least we won't have to endure MP and his poor tactics.
 
Maybe it's an age thing I'm 53 and been going since being 7.

Maybe the Stoke cup win & 93.20 moment will never be beaten but as the other much longer posts infer it's just not the same anymore.

I've got a couple more seasons in me then I'll drop out and just attend a couple of games.

The last couple of seasons it's been the odd time I've left the car and done the beer thing which has been constantly the most enjoyable part.

All quite sad really.
 
awest said:
And as a 49 year old I wouldn't swap the past 39 years of home and aways for the world. However all things change and the old Manchester City Football Club is no more. Good luck to the new fans it's a shame you weren't around for the bad old days to appreciate what you've go now on the pitch. Off the pitch it's as plastic and expensive as in Trafford.
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I've felt that more this season than ever. The #weplayforyou pre-kick off BS followed by capitulation, half and half scarfs, as well as some dirty looks for having the temerity to vocalise my support in the ground are making me feel disillusioned by it all. Maybe Sergio's goal was the zenith for me.
 
I`ve been one of Pelligrini`s biggest critic. I`ve disagreed with lots of the team selections and the system and because of his stubbornness I`ve come to dislike him.
I did try to stay for the after game speeches although i didnt really want to but only stayed for 10 minutes after the final whistle, am suffering with what possibly could be kidney stones after 10 minute i decide the painkillers were wearing off and it was time I went. What kind of nonsense is it after the bollocks we`ve had to sit through over the season that we were expected to wait for over 20 minutes.

That said, I feel in spite of the pain and the piss poor selections and system I`ve had to endure I think I was wrong to leave, not for the players who look like its a chore to give young City supporters a smile and a friendly word on arriving at the ground or when they line up in the tunnel, not for Manuel who`s been stubborn in his beliefs despite being proved wrong countless times, not for the Sheikh who pumped vast amounts in and turned this club round but only been once.

I should of stayed for the club the idea of City my team your team, I should of stayed so these wankers in the press had one less stick to beat the club I love with.

I`m not saying other should have stayed but does anyone else who left regret it now in the cold light of day.

I certainly wish I`d wait
 
Cheadle_hulmeBlue said:
completely agree, but as many on here put - thats the price of success' apparently and we have to accept that.
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Totally disagree - With the new premiership deal kicking in what was to stop the club taking 10% off every season ticket price. A lot of City fans are not rich and have paid the extra to see the success which they have not seen for 30 years. Once the success novelty wears off - look at the Rags last bus parade. Then fans will look at the experience differently.

Look at RM, Rags, Bayern - they would never of let a manager like Pellers stay this season (anyone can choose the wrong manager, it's knowing and putting it right that makes the difference) - last season was a definite drop in standard from the season below. I can see why he had success in his first season - he is a likeable person and was probably a breath of fresh air after Mancini, but real winners are ruthless as well as nice.
 
I dont feel the same, as i have only been watching city for just over 10 years. But i understand. The plasticness of it all pisses me off. Pep will change that, a bit of steel through the heart of the club. Dont give up yet.
 
The clubs intentions are good and it has done a lot of good for the supporters over the past 6/7 years (not least putting together a team that has most of us seeing 5th place, a cup and a champions league semi as a shit season).

But I get the feeling decisions are made for the fans, not with the fans. And I do think there are people employed by the club that don't really get City supporters, what we're about and what impact their decisions have on us.

I get a similar vibe about the other CFG clubs so maybe it's something upper management need to look into.

I do think a lot of blues are walking away from active participation with the club and to me thats a huge shame.
 
balotelli's back pocket said:
I dont feel the same, as i have only been watching city for just over 10 years. But i understand. The plasticness of it all pisses me off. Pep will change that, a bit of steel through the heart of the club. Dont give up yet.
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How would a manager change the type of people coming through the turnstyles?

MCFC is a globalised brand now, sold here, there and everywhere. No matter what - the old days have been and gone and the only thing that's related to "Manchester" is the stadium still being in the area... Wouldn't be surprised to eventually see the club relocated.

As for the feeling of being a "customer"
You have always been a customer, it's just these guys are better businessmen and have more resources to exert money from your pocket... So it's just more obvious.
You still paid for tickets, pies, bovril and a matchday programme 30yrs ago - just now the hard sell is more in your face so you are waking up to the reality that you've always been a customer.

Don't like being a customer? go and watch the Amateur team play for free on the park down the road.

It's a shame that many are priced out (or will be priced out) as with this new aura surrounding the business it will attract the gloryseekers with higher disposable incomes.
I rarely go to aways now due to the cost. It irritates me as I enjoy them and feel envy when I see friends posting pictures touring around europe and so on watching City.

But this is the way it is. City has evolved, our bank balance hasn't.

I'll be sticking around for a few more seasons paying to watch the superstars and then I'll go full on EDS, as the matches are free for Cityzen members thus affordable.
 
The best thing about Pep is that when he took over at Barcelona they were a shambles and their fans felt little pride in the team. He managed to turn that around rapidly by getting rid of piss takers like Ronaldinho and Deco and instilling some pride in the team and fan base.
 
moomba said:
I don't think it's the way it has to be.
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How can it be any different? we follow a business. We could all collectively resign our support tomorrow but the business would still operate
and you'd see a mass amount of new fans take our places.
It's such a globalised brand now there will be people prepared to pay to watch it.

Don't for a second think City care about you - we are loyal customers, tied in for life, they know they've got guaranteed income from us.
They could place dogshit on our seats and we'd still turn up.

Yes MCFC still has the word "club" in it but it's far from the football club's of yesterday/in other countries which has a part fan ownership.

The business model is more unique in that the customers are genuinely loyal.
We'd easily switch supermarkets/cars/clothing and so on but when it comes to football - we stick with the product.

if this mentality changed then it would only change the fanbase - and this fanbase would still pay so the business would still be happy.
 
I don't think it's as bad as that. We saw with PSG tickets that the club are prepared to listen to the supporters.

I do think the top levels of the club gwnuinely want to be seen as doing tge right thing by the supporters.

As supporters we've got a decision to make too. Do we want to have a say in how the club is run, or are we happy to sit back, shut up and do what we're told?
 
I think football will reach a tipping point very soon, there are absolutely mind boggling sums of money being paid to every premier league club, coupled with the sponsorship deals the club now have. Then you have the scary wages that that players are paid, which the common man has no comprehension of actually how much it is, And the poor paying customer is completely down trodden, We pay too much for season tickets, beer, food etc and they just think they can keep putting on us whenever they want. Match times changed to suit everyone but the paying customer that attends matches.
I have renewed for next year because i'm excited to see what pep does and i will take a view after that
 
The general complaints re ticket prices etc, imo is down to the fact we are now customers.

If that's how it is, then that's how it is, but then they are surprised when their customers act like customers & walk out after being served a load of shit for high prices. Suddenly we are expected to be 'fans' again & grovellingly worship these underachievers, waiting whilst they have their toenails done before they come out, & tell them serving shit is fine & we don't mind. And we will make them feel better about themselves.

Then as soon as we leave, we are back to being customers again.

As far as a 'connection' between players & fans, that will come back when we start using some players who have actually come through the club to fill the squad rather than using the chequebook for everything.

Vincent Kompany has already talked about this. He clearly understands there is something missing at the club, even though quite a few fans haven't noticed yet.

That will change imo. But the customer thing won't.
 
Neville Kneville said:
The general complaints re ticket prices etc, imo is down to the fact we are now customers.

If that's how it is, then that's how it is, but then they are surprised when their customers act like customers & walk out after being served a load of shit for high prices. Suddenly we are expected to be 'fans' again & grovellingly worship these underachievers, waiting whilst they have their toenails done before they come out, & tell them serving shit is fine & we don't mind. And we will make them feel better about themselves.

Then as soon as we leave, we are back to being customers again.

As far as a 'connection' between players & fans, that will come back when we start using some players who have actually come through the club to fill the squad rather than using the chequebook for everything.

Vincent Kompany has already talked about this. He clearly understands there is something missing at the club, even though quite a few fans haven't noticed yet.

That will change imo. But the customer thing won't.
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Pretty much nailed it there NK.
 
@BluePhil8 said:
The best thing about Pep is that when he took over at Barcelona they were a shambles and their fans felt little pride in the team. He managed to turn that around rapidly by getting rid of piss takers like Ronaldinho and Deco and instilling some pride in the team and fan base.
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Dont ruin a good story, he only takes over already brilliant teams except for us !!
 
I don't know how any one can afford to go to football now..I'm a working class man and I can't afford it anymore..oh for the good old days when i used to pay on the gate on the kippax with my mates..and stand where we wanted to..all for about 10 pounds..with an electric atmosphere..
 
When asked why I left on the final whistle my answer was I hoped everyone left because its the only way that we can realistically make a protest that the management of the club and the football world in general might take any notice of. I effectively closed my business for three days to go to Madrid probably cost me a weeks income,did the same for Paris didn't for Kiev but only because of EUFA, I would like to see any off our players or Management staff make that kind of commitment (football or commercial side) and will be at Swansea on Sunday cheering us on having got up early with a hangover (yes I know that I am an adult and don't have to drink Saturday). Point is I don't think whoever organised things on Sunday has a clue how we the fans think or feel, and the shame is they probably never will !!
 
An example of a lack of connection between players now and fans was summed up by my experience of meeting both Dickov and Silva on the recent Madrid trip.

Met Paul outside the stadium, he was buzzing like us to be at the ground and gladly took a picture with a smile on his face, genuinely looked like he was ok with it all.

Met David at the airport flying from Madrid to Barca, he was on the same budget plane as us, he had a picture taken but what a sour puss and not a word.

I not just picking David out as it not the worse example but it shows the difference nowadays, I think it is like that with the majority of footballers, as if they are doing us a favour.
 
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