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Recent home support at the Riverside.


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Before I begin, this is my first post on the forum - really enjoyed following the rumours over the summer transfer window and i'm happy to be here. I've been going to games following the home and away for the last 5 years (i'm 20 years old for context) - and have found our fans to be some of the most loyal and passionate across the country. Our away support is second to none and the atmosphere's that we can create are up there with the best, such as Luton this season; one of the best away atmospheres i've been part of. 

I thought the home atmospheres would've at least been slightly more positive under Woodgate, but after the game just gone I believe now it's at an all time low. The game last night against Wigan was the worst example so far to the point I almost felt embarrassed to be apart of the crowd. From the first minute a ball was kicked, the crowd was on the players' back. We were desperate for a win tonight, and the fact the fans were booing after 5 minutes at literally every player, screaming at Britt for being lazy or other absolute garbage abuse, was genuinely appalling. I understand fans have a right to have their say since they've paid to be there, but how on earth is giving the team so much abuse in a game that was not too far from being 'must win' helping anyone? Its FOUR LEAGUE GAMES into the season, with a team that is clearly a work in progress (it could take over a year for Woody's philosophy to be in full flow), managed by a local lad who will give his absolute all to his role. The 'boo boys' will always be in the stands and as I say they have their right to express their feelings but the abuse directed at the team within 5 minutes in the circumstances our team finds itself in is unacceptable. I sit in the south stand, the stand which is supposedly the location of those who want to back the team and sing, and those first 20 minutes was the polar opposite of that. The team looked so nervous from kick off which was obviously heavily influenced by the negativity in the stands, then as soon as Britt scored, those booing and giving it all that shut right up.

Nothing like this has ever really bothered me (the abuse from the stands under Pulis was deserved..), but those who had this toxic mentality from the kick off should take a hard look at themselves in my opinion. I would like to hope something could be done to uplift the current knife-edge atmosphere at the riverside but I'm not sure thats a possibility.

Would love to hear other people's recent experiences regarding the home support, as well as any opinions. Utb.

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Before I begin, this is my first post on the forum - really enjoyed following the rumours over the summer transfer window and i'm happy to be here. I've been going to games following the home and away

A few months back, I somehow by accident copy pasted a porn-link into a post at a random place .. It was really hillarious, but at least it lifted the mood, when the Pulis era was at it's worst ? 

Hi guys, long time lurker first time poster. Kudos to all involved in this forum, easily the best Boro forum around. We've just put up an article addressing a couple of the issues in this thread.

‘Negativity from the stands’

Think it was just your stand mate, personally I didn’t hear anything like what you’ve described last night in my stand. 

There was the odd ‘get a grip’ type stuff, but didn’t hear anything aimed at individual players other than applause now and then. All the booing and shouting was at the linesman/ref.

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There wasn't near where I sit but I don't sit in the South Stand.  I think Woodgate remarked after the game that the fans actually stuck with the team despite them being atrocious in the first 20 mins.  Considering how many mistakes we were making I was kinda surprised with the lack of grief albeit there was some frustration when we once again gave the ball away or someone launched a 'pass' out for a throw.

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Just now, LinoJo3 said:

‘Negativity from the stands’

Think it was just your stand mate, personally I didn’t hear anything like what you’ve described last night in my stand. 

 There was the odd ‘get a grip’ type stuff, but didn’t hear anything aimed at individual players other than applause now and then. All the booing and shouting was at the linesman/ref.

What stand you sitting in mate? From the south stand it was pretty brutal from the k/o. Ironic as I mentioned its supposed to be the loudest supporting stand. There was a lot of grief towards the officials (rightly so..) too but there was abuse towards Woody, Britt, almost every player that touched a ball up until we scored. Glad to hear it wasn't so bad from your end though.

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4 minutes ago, Changing Times said:

There wasn't near where I sit but I don't sit in the South Stand.  I think Woodgate remarked after the game that the fans actually stuck with the team despite them being atrocious in the first 20 mins.  Considering how many mistakes we were making I was kinda surprised with the lack of grief albeit there was some frustration when we once again gave the ball away or someone launched a 'pass' out for a throw.

Glad to hear that CT. Woody also gave this interview which I believe, perhaps subliminally, suggested he wasn't too happy with the frustration from the k/o aimed at the team - 

I could tell that the toxicity coming from the south stand was really having a nervous effect on the players, which I assume is why he is trying to ask them to have a bit of patience.

 

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2 minutes ago, alexutb said:

What stand you sitting in mate? From the south stand it was pretty brutal from the k/o. Ironic as I mentioned its supposed to be the loudest supporting stand. There was a lot of grief towards the officials (rightly so..) too but there was abuse towards Woody, Britt, almost every player that touched a ball up until we scored. Glad to hear it wasn't so bad from your end though.

Do you mean Red Faction?  I wouldn't have thought they'd be on the players back from the start, it's not what they're about, is it?

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It's a hangover from three deeply disappointing seasons of mostly crap football. Not sure its unique to Boro... "You only sing when you're winning" and all that. Fans get worn down. 

It's much easier to back a losing team when they're the plucky underdogs giving it all for the badge. Most fans think we should be doing better than we are - probably a fair stance given given the money wasted and failure to kick on after promotion.

The stadium is also far too big which never helps. Maybe expectations will be reset over the next few years and the atmosphere will improve.

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I’m in the West next to the bench. Fwiw all I remember from the south stand last night was a 10 minute long ‘Jonny woodgate s red army’ song, so woodgate wouldn’t have heard any of the abuse lol.

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“It's important the fans stay with us and I thought they did today because in the first 12 minutes we gave about six-eight balls away in our own half,” added Woodgate.

“The fans could have really gone but they didn't, they stayed with it."

Which is pretty much what I thought about last night.  Given how bad we were to begin with I'd have expected a lot more than they got but I can't here every part of the ground of course.  I can only say that you couldn't hear it from your stand where we were sat so maybe it was just loud around you?

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1 minute ago, Changing Times said:

Do you mean Red Faction?  I wouldn't have thought they'd be on the players back from the start, it's not what they're about, is it?

Not Red Faction per say but definitely people sitting in the blocks surrounding them. RF could do more imo in terms of atmosphere building but I can imagine it is difficult especially when the atmosphere is in a toxic place as it was last night.

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4 minutes ago, SouthernSmoggie said:

It's a hangover from three deeply disappointing seasons of mostly crap football. Not sure its unique to Boro... "You only sing when you're winning" and all that. Fans get worn down. 

It's much easier to back a losing team when they're the plucky underdogs giving it all for the badge. Most fans think we should be doing better than we are - probably a fair stance given given the money wasted and failure to kick on after promotion.

The stadium is also far too big which never helps. Maybe expectations will be reset over the next few years and the atmosphere will improve.

I agree, the hangover from Pulis ball is definitely a factor into the current atmosphere. My worry is that the fans (the ones I referenced in my op) won't give Woody the time and patience he so desperately needs and will continue on the hard negativity route until we start pushing for promotion (which could be years away). I very much hope that too and I think there is a genuine chance of that, but perhaps not in the near future.

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Its a chicken and the egg situation really, the fans aren't going to sit and enjoy poor football without making their displeasure known, and don't think its fair to expect them, but the team needs encouragement to perform. 

I think if the fans see things happening and players genuinely trying they will get behind the team and push them on.

I think its when the fans see stupid mistakes, people getting caught napping and Rudy Gestede being given game time that frustrations boil over. 

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5 minutes ago, Changing Times said:

“It's important the fans stay with us and I thought they did today because in the first 12 minutes we gave about six-eight balls away in our own half,” added Woodgate.

“The fans could have really gone but they didn't, they stayed with it."

Which is pretty much what I thought about last night.  Given how bad we were to begin with I'd have expected a lot more than they got but I can't here every part of the ground of course.  I can only say that you couldn't hear it from your stand where we were sat so maybe it was just loud around you?

Yeah he did add that and credit for him for doing so - calling out any sections of fans for booing/etc would not be a smart move so early into his reign. Perhaps he isn't even that bothered, but I could tell as I say the toxicity had an early effect on the players which surely he won't have been too pleased about. Sounds like it was just around the south stand so far, happy to hear of more positivity around the other stands. 

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5 minutes ago, alexutb said:

Yeah he did add that and credit for him for doing so - calling out any sections of fans for booing/etc would not be a smart move so early into his reign. Perhaps he isn't even that bothered, but I could tell as I say the toxicity had an early effect on the players which surely he won't have been too pleased about. Sounds like it was just around the south stand so far, happy to hear of more positivity around the other stands. 

In terms of the South Stand, all you can hear is the chants, when you can hear it that is, so perhaps it seems louder than it actually is?  I doubt the lads at the back could hear it from where they are and they were the ones making the mistakes so I'm doubtful as to it having an early effect on the players, mate.  I'm pretty sure we were poor for more obvious reasons.

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2 minutes ago, AsheAshe said:

Its a chicken and the egg situation really, the fans aren't going to sit and enjoy poor football without making their displeasure known, and don't think its fair to expect them, but the team needs encouragement to perform. 

 I think if the fans see things happening and players genuinely trying they will get behind the team and push them on.

I think its when the fans see stupid mistakes, people getting caught napping and Rudy Gestede being given game time that frustrations boil over. 

I can very much understand frustration in football, the officials for example last night were once again awful and I definitely kicked the seat in front a couple times at their decisions. But given how desperate we were for a win, supporting a team managed by a local lad, I just think the 'frustration' was no longer frustration when people are hurling abuse at player/manager a like within 20 minutes, it was embarrassing stupidity. I see no reason why fans should be taking it out on the players when they can see for themselves that it was having a nervous, negative effect on them in a game we so desperately needed to win. Not surprised Britt cupped his ears towards the south stand after he scored. I feel bad in a way telling people how they should feel and act at a game but I just cannot see any sense in the way fans were dealing with their frustrations last night.

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