Applauding Dismal Failure

[Dave]

I don't think at this early stage of the season you can compare one result to another, or sign off away draws at Vale, Fleetwood and Chesterfield as good results or equally away defeat at Rotherham as understandable, and Saturdays result as a complete disaster. How do we know come next may that Vale won't finish 12th and Wycombe like Crewe last season won't be promoted via the play-offs , which would paint a different picture on these results, at this stage of the seaon there is allways a few teams top and bottom in false positions.

I think each team performance has to be taken on merit rather givng it the old well I would have taken a point there anyway so all is good, and the decision as to whether the team deserve to be applauded or not is up to each individual fan, Tuesday night is a prime example after 48 minutes most would probably say the performance was mistake ridden, dire and bordering on embarrasing, yet at the end of the game we were all cheering and clapping the team after Aldershot had kindly caved in and let us back into a match we should have lost.

Personaly will never boo the team, however if I think the performance doesn't warrant my applause then it will not be given, that said we all have different ways of supporting the team, and venting our frustrations when things go wrong, those who pay their money week in and out are all real fans, if some want to clap regardless then fine, if some want to boo when things go wrong, don't have a problem with that either.

[Regiment]

i'm sorry, but i really don't get this topic. everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, and if you choose not to clap the team off the pitch, that's entirely your choice and right as a paying customer. but i'm not sure it gives you the right to question those of us who did hang around to clap the players. TUFC are my team, they are my players and despite a poor performance, they will still be my team and players in the next game. i'm sure they didn't play that badly and lose on purpose.

i was as p***ed off as the next man, but i don't think there was any need to be disrespectful. they came over to us as they always do, they know they played badly, but they can still count on my support.

[kingsgull]

Spot on regiment...

Its like marriage...through thick and thin...win draw or lose...just support....i always clap team off......

[Chris B]

There is an unhealthy and growing thought that because we pay to watch these professionals during one or two days of their working week, we're entitled to criticise, abuse, and comment on whether they should get paid (!) etc.

I understand the frustration of witnessing a really poor performance, particularly with the expenses involved, but the 'I've travelled x hundred miles and paid x hundreds of pounds to watch this game and don't expect to see that rubbish' line is so tired now. Do expect it could happen. Also expect we could play extremely well. It's the risk we take every time we make a trip to a match.

The OP has every right to voice displeasure at a really poor showing at Wycombe. But the nonsenical 'don't applaud' point is one step away from fans insisting everyone joins them in leaving the ground in disgust when we're 0-3 down at home after 46mins…

[Rach]

i'm sorry, but i really don't get this topic. everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, and if you choose not to clap the team off the pitch, that's entirely your choice and right as a paying customer. but i'm not sure it gives you the right to question those of us who did hang around to clap the players. TUFC are my team, they are my players and despite a poor performance, they will still be my team and players in the next game. i'm sure they didn't play that badly and lose on purpose.

i was as p***ed off as the next man, but i don't think there was any need to be disrespectful. they came over to us as they always do, they know they played badly, but they can still count on my support.

completely agree Regiment!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Agree with Ben in the fact that any paying fan can decide whether to applaud, not to applaud or boo. Nobody is right or wrong. I did applaud some of the players that came towrds us as we were leaving but only the ones i thought deserved it. I'm pretty easy to please and if we've played shit but given it our all then i'm happy and i'll applaud. That didn't happen on saturday ( although we did play shit!) so i can't applaud the players that were turgid.

[yellowmonkey]

Would you reward your dog with a treat if it bit you on the bum ?

[bengull]

Would you tell the doctor who had just spent 90 minutes trying to revive one of your dying relatives that he was a waste of time and to give up and resign if he wasn't able to save their life?

[cambgull]

If you go and watch a band play and they happen to play an awful set and look totally disinterested, would you stay to clap them off? Of course you wouldn't, you'd be sick of it half way through and probably walk out if it didn't cost too much. I really don't think the players deserve to be clapped off if they collectively put in a poor performance. If I don't do my job properly, I'd have all my customers giving me sh*t for it, so I have to do my job properly every day. I understand that sometimes, it's not your day, but they at least need to put the effort in.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Would you reward your dog with a treat if it bit you on the bum ?

Only if it had been trained to do so.

[bengull]

We could go on listing hypothetical situations to fit our feelings, I only mentioned mine as a direct contrast to the previous.

I have nothing against those who choose to part in silence, everyone is entitled to fulfill the actions they deem fit in correspondence to the performance they have paid hard earned money to see. I just don't see the need to have to explain my actions of clapping my team off.

I chose to support this team over many hundreds of others, in doing so I made a promise to do so through thick and think, not just when we win. This team has provided me countless happy moments over the years, to appreciate those moments all the more, you have to endure afternoons like Saturday, grit your teeth and hope that the good times return next week. A little clap (it was no more than that) was merely a token gesture in appreciation that the season lasts 46 games and not just one isolated Saturday, and that I will be there next week (through thick and thin) in hope of an improved performance.

I fear some fans just can't handle losing, and if that's the case then they are supporting the wrong team. Go and support a team that spends £100 million a year if thats the case, afternoons like Saturday are the par course for teams likes ours and sometimes as frustrating and disappointing as they may be, you just have to accept them.

[Sexy_Gulls]

If you go and watch a band play and they happen to play an awful set and look totally disinterested, would you stay to clap them off?

The difference being that the band doesn't have to cope with another band trying to unplug their instruments and trip them up on stage.
It beggars believe that football fans, especially fans of a club like ours, don't seem to be prepared for a bad performance. Most fans will tell you they expect to get thumped every week and yet when it happens they want their money back. Its part of what makes the good results worthwhile, the fact that you've sat through a load of dross for years. If the players were capable of playing brilliantly every game then they would not be playing for us.

I clapped at the end of the game because I had a reasonable day out despite everything. I wished to applaud Rene for being brilliant and the rest for turning up. I also wished to show my continued support for a team which has done brilliantly over the past few years and a manager who I believe is leading our club in a very correct, long term way. Although all these reasons are with hindsight, I probably clapped automatically as thats what you do when events end.

The OP is well within his rights to leave without clapping, or even commit the cardinal sin of leaving early, and we are all entitled to moan about expense and poor performances. But lets stop with this sanctimony about refunds and comparisons with other walks of life. We all know football is different so don't pretend your innocence.

[yellowmonkey]

Only if it had been trained to do so.

You kinky devil =D =D :devil:

[AustrianAndyGull]

[cambgull]

The difference being that the band doesn't have to cope with another band trying to unplug their instruments and trip them up on stage.
It beggars believe that football fans, especially fans of a club like ours, don't seem to be prepared for a bad performance. Most fans will tell you they expect to get thumped every week and yet when it happens they want their money back. Its part of what makes the good results worthwhile, the fact that you've sat through a load of dross for years. If the players were capable of playing brilliantly every game then they would not be playing for us.

I clapped at the end of the game because I had a reasonable day out despite everything. I wished to applaud Rene for being brilliant and the rest for turning up. I also wished to show my continued support for a team which has done brilliantly over the past few years and a manager who I believe is leading our club in a very correct, long term way. Although all these reasons are with hindsight, I probably clapped automatically as thats what you do when events end.

The OP is well within his rights to leave without clapping, or even commit the cardinal sin of leaving early, and we are all entitled to moan about expense and poor performances. But lets stop with this sanctimony about refunds and comparisons with other walks of life. We all know football is different so don't pretend your innocence.

Why is football different? It is a form of entertainment and enjoyment that you get from multiple other aspects of life. Your mention of band members not being tripped up is wrong too. If you've ever been in a band you'd know what its like to deal with Sound Engineers, Venue Management, fellow bands and the people who come to see the gig.

I'm not saying people shouldn't clap a poor performance, its entirely up to them. I'm saying that a team is not necessarily deserving of an ovation after a poor performance and a customer, because that's what we are these days, should have every right to broadcast their opinions. Money spent is a big part of this too, people pay good, hard earned money to travel the length and bredth of the country to support their team and the least they should get back is effort and commitment to the cause. A poor performance can be acceptable, as long as the team looked like they wanted to win the game. To travel 200 miles to a game as a fan, player or staff to see the team put in a woeful performance is not acceptable. I certainly know that if I were paid 100k a year to do my job, I'd make damn sure that every customer that came within a hundred yards of me knew they were getting my full attention, concentration and concerted effort so they'd get their moneys worth.

Perhaps them just turning up on the pitch is fine for you, but I've worked in some tiring and hard working jobs in my life and if I couldn't be bothered today, I'd have my own colleagues giving me a kick up the backside, let alone the customers who are paying my wages.