Idiots

[Southampton Gull]

Totally agree, he shouldn't have to put up with it. Unfortunately we live in a society where a few mindless people think it's ok to do such things. I would just rather see Manse deal with it away from the public eye because make no mistake, we will all get tarred with the same brush.

Manse has been a fantastic servant to the club and I genuinely think he has done nothing to deserve that kind of treatment, I just wish he'd not made this public although I'm mindful that his comments might have been made in a situation where he might not have realised where they would end up. On that note I think I've said enough on the subject.

[arcadia]

Totally agree, he shouldn't have to put up with it. Unfortunately we live in a society where a few mindless people think it's ok to do such things. I would just rather see Manse deal with it away from the public eye because make no mistake, we will all get tarred with the same brush.

Manse has been a fantastic servant to the club and I genuinely think he has done nothing to deserve that kind of treatment, I just wish he'd not made this public although I'm mindful that his comments might have been made in a situation where he might not have realised where they would end up. On that note I think I've said enough on the subject.

[jonnyfive]

A pox on anyone who takes to a public forum to slag off Manse or his family. What sort of cretin must these people be?

[ROADRUNNER]

i find this utterly disgusting that people think it ok to abuse players on these social sites or anywhere else for that matter, as others have said they should be banned, also they should be named and shamed, and as for lee mansell being slightly up himself perhaps you should meet him. he is a really nice geniune guy with a lovely family, i have met him on a couple of occasions and he is as down to earth as they come, i feel sad and sick to the bone that people feel thats its ok to abuse others,any pratt that thinks otherwise needs to take a long look at themselves, its is not acceptable that footballers or anyone else should have to put up with this, even if lee and nico have had a poor season so what that doesnt mean they should have to put up with this shit from these morons. do we know who these idiots are because i would love to have a few words in there thick skinned heads, MORONS!!!

[Fonda]

Question to the people that say booing or hecking players shouldnt be done as it has a negative effect.

Do you boo / heckle the ref?

Im just curious as i hear plenty of abuse given to officals from fans and players and ref gets on with it even when the players keep on at it

Of course (though not as much as some do). Not sure what your point is though? The ref isn't playing for my team. I don't have any loyalty to a crap referee, so he's fair game as far as I'm concerned. The players are doing their best FOR us - so why disrespect them. It's a generation thing I think. Like lobbing bricks at coaches.

[Fonda]

Yes, players should expect abuse - from opposition supporters, not their own!

[AustrianAndyGull]

If I can just clarify my standpoint on this in a nutshell as I feel there is some confusion.

Abuse of players is not acceptable

Criticism of players is acceptable

It is a pretty simplistic view of things granted but it sums up the way I look at it. Sometimes there is that grey area though where criticism can be overly aggressive which can be unreasonable at times and I have been guilty of that in the past but as a general rule criticism would be about the player as a footballer and not anything else being brought into it. That would then be abuse.

[ferrarilover]

Man does job. People share opinion as to quality of job. Man takes offence at negative reaction to quality of job.

Not a lot see here. As for "abusing his family", clearly that's not right, but in general, if people want to state their grievances, surely directly to the person involved is the most British way to do that. We hear all the time on here people say "you're brave on here, but you wouldn't say that to his face". Well, what we have here is the best example yet of 'saying it to his face'. Unless people start turning up at his house, Twitter is as close as you'll ever get.
If I'm ever so minded to contact players directly, I generally give positive feedback. I had a bit of a pop at the official club account after the York game, but that's it.
I think Manse, being a proper man's man, would engage these people and address their concerns rather than crying about it to Radio Devon. Perhaps I'm giving him too much credit?

Matt.

[Fonda]

Not sure I agree. People can be every bit as anonymous on Twitter as they want to be. I very much doubt if Manse offered to meet any of these abusers in Boots & Laces to discuss their grievances over a pint, he'd get much of a take up.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Maybe we could do a revolving Q&A session in Boots where each player comes in and sits down and has 10 minutes of criticisms fired at them and they get an opportunity to respond. Then the next one comes in after and so on. It could be like speed dating but there would be no affection.

[ferrarilover]

He got all the take up he could handle from me, to the point where he backed out. Worryingly, we're getting ever closer to the conclusion that I'm the only proper man left in England.

Matt.

[Fonda]

Maybe we could do a revolving Q&A session in Boots where each player comes in and sits down and has 10 minutes of criticisms fired at them and they get an opportunity to respond. Then the next one comes in after and so on. It could be like speed dating but there would be no affection.

In either direction.

[Scott Brehaut]

Worryingly, we're getting ever closer to the conclusion that I'm the only proper man left in England.

Matt.

Stop the votes people.

The Edinburgh Fringe joke of the century won't be better than the above.

[Dave]

Why does anyone think, that because a footballer leads a privileged lifestyle and gets very well paid they are some how fair game. Fans do have the right to criticize, personal abuse however is not exceptable not in any form, and no one, no matter what job they do should have to take. Personal abuse is not part and parcel of anything.

Has Lee Mansell's form really been that bad? Or has he been asked to play in a way that doesn't suit his game? Personally I think his desire to win and his hunger for Torquay United is a great as it's ever been.

I work in retail, thankfully I work n/shift and face customers for only 1 hour a day, some of the staff during the day receive dogs abuse, and shop workers do not earn quite the same money do they, however the point is, it has nothing to do with what anyone is paid, launching personal abuse whether directed at a shop worker or a footballer is the only some can escape the sad pathetic hum drum lives they lead.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Agree with most of that Dave and the bit you highlighted about playing football and working in a shop is a good point. Shop workers can be subject to criticism just like footballers can and I would say that if one had a genuine complaint against the individual regardless of line of work then it is perfectly acceptable to criticise and complain in a fair manner. For example if I was unhappy with the service I received from a member of staff at a restaurant whilst dining there then it would be perfectly ok to point this out to them and try to get some positive response in future and to try and get something done about it.

This could be appropriate for any line of work and then afterwards we have the lifestyle equivalent of football forums on which to voice our displeasure - TRIPADVISOR.

So long as the criticism is not personal or abusive then I think it is ok in all walks of life and not just football. I wouldn't say it that this type of criticism was the joy and motivation for sad pathetic people but more people who are unhappy with something they have paid for. Launching personal abuse IS sad and pathetic though Dave I completely agree.