The 'Things That Piss Me Off' Thread

[rockstrongo]

A couple of games every season Portsmouth have "Kids for a Quid" games and also against teams where few away fans are expected then a third of the away end is often given away to local schools. Also it's pretty cheap for kids, something like £85 for a season ticket which for 23 games is very good I think,

Great idea.
Bet you have a very strong support in your city.

and we know how good that Atalanta youth team is!

Ooh yes!

I think another annoying thing is the glory hunter fans of your own club. Nowhere to be seen most seasons, but get a cup run or something and they all appear

Probably the worst set of fans.
"Where were you when we got relegated in a fucking shit hole of a town in the pouring rain?"
We have a younger generation who can't really remember our JoJo seasons and shitty economy now that's were qlf for Europe etc.
That should probably be exactly your history as well with PL not long ago etc.

And ooh ,the mandatory piss breaks every 45 min on away trips @mattmid

 

[Andy]

I believe some fans these days register as members at Southampton to get tickets when they play the bigger clubs like Liverpool, Man Utd etc

I have done similar, but it's not that good because if you score, you have to keep a lid on it. FFS! it's like being a steward.

 

[Andy]

While we are on this, another thing....Forest have a fan called Ebby from Duisberg Germany and apparently every match he travels (or did) from there. It takes all sorts to make a world.

 

[mattmid]

I think this is what fans now that will only support a 'big' team no matter where they live will never experience. Sure being in CL games and fighting to win the Premier is all great and watching top players week in, week out, but they will never get those incredible highs that we get because they don't get the years of lows that we go through that make those moments of success so special or those last day escapes from relegation. I remember when we won on the last day of the season, 3-1 away to Bradford and sent Man City down into League One (whatever happened to them?). That was one of the best days ever. Another at the complete opposite end was playing AC Milan with Ronaldo, Kaka, Seedorf, Inzaghi etc at Fratton Park in the Europa League, something I still can't believe actually happened

That's the thing though, without one the other wouldn't be so special. The funniest thing from that night is at 2-0 up my friend turned to me and said "It can't get any better than this can it?" Slightly prophetic as it didn't, that literally was the high point, game ended 2-2, followed by relegations, administrations and all the way to League 2 a few years later. Then bringing another incredible day winning 6-1 on the final day to win League 2 three seasons later after flirting with being relegated to non league the previous season!

Probably the worst set of fans.
"Where were you when we got relegated in a fucking shit hole of a town in the pouring rain?"
We have a younger generation who can't really remember our JoJo seasons and shitty economy now that's were qlf for Europe etc.
That should probably be exactly your history as well with PL not long ago etc

Yeah there's a legendary game against Stockport in the Championship in February 1998, we were bottom a few points adrift and there was this almost magical moment when the crowd started chanting "Alan Ball's Blue and White Army" and it just continued and continued and soon the whole stadium had joined in and it just went on and on all night, we won 1-0 and it kickstarted staying up. There were only 8500 there but now it seems everybody was there that night!

Great idea.
Bet you have a very strong support in your city.

It dipped quite low in the 90's when we were doing our best to get relegated from the Championship every season, down to 7's and 8 thousands then picked up a bit then even more in our promotion season, dipped again after relegation from the premier then went right back up to 15-16,000 in League 2 which was incredible really after becoming fan owned then it has managed to stay at that and a bit higher although was beginning to dip a little with the awful football we were playing under Kenny Jackett before covid hit.

 

[Andy]

You can't - Liverpool will only sell you a ticket if you can prove that you live in Liverpool itself, i.e. you have an "L postcode".

I think i may have missed this point.
That is great to hear mate, i didn't know that. When i used to go, there didn't seem to be too many Scouse people at all. There did seem to be a lot of Norwegians though, and maybe a few chinese/Japanese tourist types with cameras.
In fact it got that bad at one time the away fans used to chant "Wheres your famous atmosphere".

 

[rockstrongo]

then went right back up to 15-16,000 in League 2 which was incredible really after becoming fan owned then it has managed to stay at that and a bit higher although was beginning to dip a little with the awful football we were playing under Kenny Jackett before covid hit.

That's truly impressive,great atmosphere the times I've seen you guys on the telly.

Kenny Jackett feels like he's been around for ages ,saw that he's in Orient now ,conference right?

Funny how certain managers just moves around ,regardless if they've been good or not (not saying Jackett isn't).

Alan Pardew comes to mind for me ,and at a international level Mourinho feels spent ,god save Roma.

Then you have managers like Gary Rowett how got Birmingham going despite all the issues they had ,no money etc ,and got booted.when new owners came in with Zola.
Weird move...
And Gary Monk ,one year in each club ,guess owners know nothing about football.

 

[Flipper the Priest]

You can't - Liverpool will only sell you a ticket if you can prove that you live in Liverpool itself, i.e. you have an "L postcode". Nobody here can, so they will probably never, ever see a Liverpool game live. Except for the usual Tranmere v Liverpool friendly, at Prenton Park, where loads of kids from the area go to SUPPORT THE AWAY TEAM...

If you want a ticket from anywhere else in the country, you have to put your name down for a "lottery" of about 100 tickets per game. So your chances are slim to nil.

Huge fan of that. Some of their other practices are disgraceful, but that's on the money.

Tranmere are trying to do similar things - they have an "open day" each year where you can go down, speak to the manager and players face-to-face, get free kits if you're a certain age... There are now Tranmere-sponsored gyms to give kids a place to train, and stuff like that. We've never had more of a community interaction than what we have now.

But converting kids when they've seen Mo Salah is just too difficult for any of these measures to stick.

I think there's been a big culture change in British football over the last decade regarding community engagement. The cynic in me suggests it's a customer service tool, but when the outcomes are overwhelming positive from a societal point of view, who cares. The work Aberdeen's community trust has done has changed or even saved lives. It should be upon football clubs to interact with their community. They're beacons. And what are small gestures for them have a huge impact on people. I'm a board member of our supporters trust and we do a player of the month vote in which a member who voted for the winning player would get to present the award pitchside during the week. Half an hour of the club's time, someone to show them around, the players saying hi, a few photos. Run of the mill. But it meant the world to the fans. I'd get gushing thanks for arranging it when the credit should've really went to the club. One girl who went along with her dad (must've been about 12 or so) said it was the best day of her life! Even if kids are wrapped up in that top level stuff, the community work plants a seed.

I think another annoying thing is the glory hunter fans of your own club. Nowhere to be seen most seasons, but get a cup run or something and they all appear. We have 13-14k season tickets and get 17-18k most weeks in League 1 with around 19 if there's a good away following with about a 19500 capacity currently. The covid cancelled FA Trophy Final for 2020 we sold over 50,000 tickets! Where are these people normally? Of course some are those who would like to go every week if they could afford it/not working etc but 30,000 of them? I think not!

We have that. 2014 League Cup final the most notable occasion. Capacity of about 21,000 selling out only two or three times a season. Average attendance of about 14,000. But 40,000+ went to Glasgow that day, and thousands more went without. Just a few thousand of them more every other week would do wonders for the club financially. One of the highlights was seeing renowned and respected journalist Graham Hunter acting like a wee boy itching to get into the stadium bedecked in red and white, including comedy oversized sunglasses. Football does weird things to people.

 

[mattmid]

Funny how certain managers just moves around ,regardless if they've been good or not (not saying Jackett isn't).

Alan Pardew comes to mind for me ,and at a international level Mourinho feels spent ,god save Roma.

Then you have managers like Gary Rowett how got Birmingham going despite all the issues they had ,no money etc ,and got booted.when new owners came in with Zola.
Weird move...
And Gary Monk ,one year in each club ,guess owners know nothing about football.

Yeah Jackett did pretty well previously and to be fair we had three play offs but the football was turgid and ultra cautious with way too many aimless long balls. 11 men back for every single corner and never just went for it. The worst of which was when a goal behind on aggregate in the second leg of the play off semi's against Sunderland. 20 odd minutes to go, going out if we didn't score and we were thinking just throw the kitchen sink at it what have we got to lose and... nothing. No throw of the dice, not even throw a CB up for the last 5 minutes. That epitomised his whole time there unfortunately. Seemed to be a very nice and well respected bloke but the worst football I've ever seen us play. Hopeful the Cowley brothers will bring a more attacking approach, we shall see!

There can be no other job where you can continually fail and get paid off and get another job doing the same thing! I'm sure the out of work managers names go back in a hat and it goes to any club who don't have a manager and they pick one out.

 

[rockstrongo]

I'm sure the out of work managers names go back in a hat and it goes to any club who don't have a manager and they pick one out.

Sounds about right

 

[Flipper the Priest]

Aberdeen gull latest, as physical combat begins on the streets.

 

[rockstrongo]

Aberdeen gull latest, as physical combat begins on the streets.

Get pissed up + catch sea gulls.
2028 Olympics

 

[Andy]

Aberdeen gull latest, as physical combat begins on the streets.

C'mon fess up flip, it was you wasn't it? You are a hidden master in the arts of Gull fighting. Pass your skills on to Rocko, he will need them. Winter is around the corner and he can't keep flashing at them, when it gets too cold.

 

[Andy]

I suppose though come winter time, i bet they come inland don't they, for the warmth? I have just realised i get a fair few around here, which is roughly about 80 miles inland. They don't seem to hassle anyone though around here.

 

[Andy]

I know it's been said many times but Sky sports have ripped the heart out of local teams. When i was a kid, yeah there was always like Liverpool/United fans out of town. like at school there would be like an Handful of us with non local teams.
But now it has turned 180 degrees. I see people wearing tops most days that are generally Arsenal, United, City, Liverpool, Chelsea.

It's like when i have been to the pub and there's a champions league match on. You would think you had walked into a Liverpool pub. There is a bloke who lives around the corner and he has a massive champions flag hanging from his house.
When walking passed i noticed next door was up for sale. I was hoping to have caught him outside, i would have told him "I found out a united fan is moving in"

 

[rockstrongo]

Those Bastard's just keep their mouths shut during the winter ,walking around on grass/lawns in gangs.

 

[The Moroccan]

I think this is what fans now that will only support a 'big' team no matter where they live will never experience. Sure being in CL games and fighting to win the Premier is all great and watching top players week in, week out, but they will never get those incredible highs that we get because they don't get the years of lows that we go through that make those moments of success so special or those last day escapes from relegation. I remember when we won on the last day of the season, 3-1 away to Bradford and sent Man City down into League One (whatever happened to them?). That was one of the best days ever. Another at the complete opposite end was playing AC Milan with Ronaldo, Kaka, Seedorf, Inzaghi etc at Fratton Park in the Europa League, something I still can't believe actually happened

That's the thing though, without one the other wouldn't be so special. The funniest thing from that night is at 2-0 up my friend turned to me and said "It can't get any better than this can it?" Slightly prophetic as it didn't, that literally was the high point, game ended 2-2, followed by relegations, administrations and all the way to League 2 a few years later. Then bringing another incredible day winning 6-1 on the final day to win League 2 three seasons later after flirting with being relegated to non league the previous season!





Yeah there's a legendary game against Stockport in the Championship in February 1998, we were bottom a few points adrift and there was this almost magical moment when the crowd started chanting "Alan Ball's Blue and White Army" and it just continued and continued and soon the whole stadium had joined in and it just went on and on all night, we won 1-0 and it kickstarted staying up. There were only 8500 there but now it seems everybody was there that night!


It dipped quite low in the 90's when we were doing our best to get relegated from the Championship every season, down to 7's and 8 thousands then picked up a bit then even more in our promotion season, dipped again after relegation from the premier then went right back up to 15-16,000 in League 2 which was incredible really after becoming fan owned then it has managed to stay at that and a bit higher although was beginning to dip a little with the awful football we were playing under Kenny Jackett before covid hit.

I am very very very jealous of the pyramid of english football. Lot's of drama and ambition from the Prem all the way down to League Two. Here in Morocco, once your team relegates to second division, don't ever think that the younger generation will support it. Things that happened to a lot of historuc teams here in Morocco such as COD Meknes (now in regional leagues), Kenitra AC (now just relegated to amateur first division), KAC Marrakesh (relegation battle in Botola 2 which is the pro second division) etc...

To add to this fact and to express what pisses me off is the fact that people have 0 knowledge about their local team, here in Rabat it is such a crime to support a team from Casablanca (Wydad and Raja obviously) yet lots of my friends support them. Not because the team is histrocally giant (well if it's Wydad it is okey because it was and still is a dominant team) but because in this exact moment they win matches and they qualify for continental competitions lots of young football fans are attracted to them ignoring their local teams and the attention it needs. What exactly pisses me off is people (non Casablanca citizens) supporting Raja just because they were the first arab team to play the FIFA Club World Cup and got recognized by other teams and reached the final and a street in Belo Horizonte is named after it (correct me if I'm wrong), without taking into consideration that the title they won to make them qualify to the CWC was actually stolen from (guess who?) my team with match fixing and paying referees etc... My father shamelessly supports Raja because they played the CWC lol.
The thing is that this (my) generation had absolutely 0 knowledge in football which really really pisses me off.

Imagine a Liverpool citizen who supports Man United or vice versa

Here is s documentary about the worst team in Morocco if you want to know more about it

Correction: in case you misheard it, his name is Père Jego (Father Jego)
Correction2: in 14:20 these are not rival teams, these are supporters of the same team but different ultras

 

[Flipper the Priest]

I am very very very jealous of the pyramid of english football. Lot's of drama and ambition from the Prem all the way down to League Two. Here in Morocco, once your team relegates to second division, don't ever think that the younger generation will support it. Things that happened to a lot of historuc teams here in Morocco such as COD Meknes (now in regional leagues), Kenitra AC (now just relegated to amateur first division), KAC Marrakesh (relegation battle in Botola 2 which is the pro second division) etc...

To add to this fact and to express what pisses me off is the fact that people have 0 knowledge about their local team, here in Rabat it is such a crime to support a team from Casablanca (Wydad and Raja obviously) yet lots of my friends support them. Not because the team is histrocally giant (well if it's Wydad it is okey because it was and still is a dominant team) but because in this exact moment they win matches and they qualify for continental competitions lots of young football fans are attracted to them ignoring their local teams and the attention it needs. What exactly pisses me off is people (non Casablanca citizens) supporting Raja just because they were the first arab team to play the FIFA Club World Cup and got recognized by other teams and reached the final and a street in Belo Horizonte is named after it (correct me if I'm wrong), without taking into consideration that the title they won to make them qualify to the CWC was actually stolen from (guess who?) my team with match fixing and paying referees etc... My father shamelessly supports Raja because they played the CWC lol.
The thing is that this (my) generation had absolutely 0 knowledge in football which really really pisses me off.

Imagine a Liverpool citizen who supports Man United or vice versa

Here is s documentary about the worst team in Morocco if you want to know more about it

Correction: in case you misheard it, his name is Père Jego (Father Jego)
Correction2: in 14:20 these are not rival teams, these are supporters of the same team but different ultras

It's a classic tale around the world, it seems. It's just such a shallow way to follow the game. Regardless of how good they are, it's a far richer experience following your local team. If success/trophies is all someone is interested in from their team, I feel sorry for them.

It just dawned on me who you support, the final club of Hicham Zerouali. What a tragic loss. He's still revered here, even though he was only with us for a couple of years. The Magician.

 

[rockstrongo]

PL.

 

[rockstrongo]

Bundesliga.
"halte mein Bier bitte"

 

[gabe.paul.logan]

9-5 (8-7 in reality)

 

[Chris Davies]

@rockstrongo I completely agree with you. Everybody wants to be "special", so no more plain shirts or standard stripes - "it's paint splotches and zig-zags for us"... Just comes across as desperate. Shitting on tradition to appeal to kids.

I especially hate Inter's snakeskin kit. It's one step away from being a leopard-print top, like an old cougar at a bar would wear.

The only exception may be Hull's new kit which isn't traditional, but I do think is a beaut.

@gabe.paul.logan Working from home has changed my life, in many positive ways (less commuting, more time with family, easier to manage health problems). But one of the negatives is definitely the hours. It's too easy to keep working until a task is done. Especially when everyone else is doing the same thing.

 

[rockstrongo]

@rockstrongo I completely agree with you. Everybody wants to be "special", so no more plain shirts or standard stripes - "it's paint splotches and zig-zags for us"... Just comes across as desperate.

I especially hate Inter's "snakeskin" kit. It's one step away from being a leopard-print top, like an old cougar at a bar would wear.

I saw a guy on Twitter posting a thread on best/worst kits for major European leagues.
Stunning and awful.
See if I can post it to you on twitter.

Yes it's like when David Brent on the office should appeal to a younger audience as a motivational speaker ,pretty much how I see the club's acting/thinking.

 

[Emroth]

I especially hate Inter's snakeskin kit

Jesus Christ... i thought nothing will beat their last years tribute to Commodore 64...

 

[mattmid]

paint splotches and zig-zags for us"... Just comes across as desperate. Shitting on tradition to appeal to kids.

That's the thing though, that's all they're interested in - shirt sales. Our kit seems to be a different blue every time there's a new one, I'm not even sure what our proper blue is any more.

Now being with Nike we get a template kit each season anyway. Last year's was awful. Not that I've bought a shirt in about 20 years so I guess I can't complain anyway.

Rarely buy anything from the club these days but if I do it's a t-shirt with the badge only on it if there is one that particular season. Has the advantage of lasting and no shit advertising on it.

Wondering if @Flipper the Priest remembers this one?

 

[Flipper the Priest]

That's the thing though, that's all they're interested in - shirt sales. Our kit seems to be a different blue every time there's a new one, I'm not even sure what our proper blue is any more.

Now being with Nike we get a template kit each season anyway. Last year's was awful. Not that I've bought a shirt in about 20 years so I guess I can't complain anyway.

Rarely buy anything from the club these days but if I do it's a t-shirt with the badge only on it if there is one that particular season. Has the advantage of lasting and no shit advertising on it.

Wondering if @Flipper the Priest remembers this one?

View attachment 112904

Very much so! You set me up nicely for a point I was going to make, that I'm reluctant to blame modernity for the trend for wacky shirt designs when the 90s - the decade I did most of my growing up in - also had a lot to answer for!

@Chris Davies, you used Hull as an example of non-traditional beauty. Also Hull (early 90s):



Old cougars, you say? I'm sure I've had 50 year-old women chat me up while wearing that one on the left. That United monstrosity was mid-90s too. There are plenty to choose from.

All for something a bit zany but there are lines that I draw. Home shirts should be treated very delicately, and traditional designs should be preserved. I'm looking at Inter, here.

-----

As for working patterns, I'm a strong advocate for working from home but also mindful of the blurring of lines. I find myself getting distracted (like I am right now) while I'm supposed to be working which leads to major forgetting and procrastinating. I ended up doing some work on Saturday night because I remembered something I should've done during the working week.

My health has suffered though. Was cycling about an hour a day commuting. Now, nothing.

 

[gabe.paul.logan]

@rockstrongo I completely agree with you. Everybody wants to be "special", so no more plain shirts or standard stripes - "it's paint splotches and zig-zags for us"... Just comes across as desperate. Shitting on tradition to appeal to kids.

I especially hate Inter's snakeskin kit. It's one step away from being a leopard-print top, like an old cougar at a bar would wear.

The only exception may be Hull's new kit which isn't traditional, but I do think is a beaut.

@gabe.paul.logan Working from home has changed my life, in many positive ways (less commuting, more time with family, easier to manage health problems). But one of the negatives is definitely the hours. It's too easy to keep working until a task is done. Especially when everyone else is doing the same thing.

Agree, for me too. Thats very poor time management skills then right?

 

[mattmid]

My health has suffered though. Was cycling about an hour a day commuting. Now, nothing

Imagine how bad it would be if you didn't have that long old walk to work from the kitchen!

Maybe you could go for a half hour ride before work instead?

 

[The Moroccan]

It's a classic tale around the world, it seems. It's just such a shallow way to follow the game. Regardless of how good they are, it's a far richer experience following your local team. If success/trophies is all someone is interested in from their team, I feel sorry for them.

I really do feel sorry for these guys and also for their local teams. Believe me a lot of teams here lack support from their surroundings.

It just dawned on me who you support, the final club of Hicham Zerouali. What a tragic loss. He's still revered here, even though he was only with us for a couple of years. The Magician.

Ah man, what a players he was. We are so thankful and appreciate the tribute from Scottish fans a lot. I was still a child back when he dies but I remember the long march the fans did all across Rabat to pay tribute for him. He is still remembered in every match with banners and songs. Man, he was so young and a starter for the national team.

 

[Flipper the Priest]

Ah man, what a players he was. We are so thankful and appreciate the tribute from Scottish fans a lot. I was still a child back when he dies but I remember the long march the fans did all across Rabat to pay tribute for him. He is still remembered in every match with banners and songs. Man, he was so young and a starter for the national team.

It was either a Friday or Saturday night I remember word about his death spread around when I was out in the bars/clubs in town. I recall his name being chanted in the streets when the bars closed. He was a hero. Might've been an even bigger player for us if it weren't for his injuries. Nevertheless he was a ray of light in a terrible Aberdeen team.

His girlfriend stayed only a few doors down from me on the same street so I'd see him now and then. Such a great loss, a very talented player.

 

[Andy]

Aberdeen gull latest, as physical combat begins on the streets.

I am sorry to cover this again, i mean't to post about it the other night but i had shut down my PC.
I noticed by the sounds of what i read, the blame is being put on the drunken man! Yet when you think about it the Gull is the villan.

Early hours + Drunken man = Fish supper. This little bastard has decided to go on a night time raid on this poor guys fish supper... Unless they expect us to believe that the man was some kind of Spiderman with a dislike for Gulls and web shot the feathered pest off of a roof? FFS!