The Poolie Bunker

I think many of you will agree that for many seasons we've been spoiled by the excellent standard of footy that we've witnessed. I'd say that the vast majority of it has been entertaining and we've seen loads of goals (Think of Grimsby and Swansea games amongst others) and some great games and superb displays (Think of Sheff Wed on a horrible wet night). For some of us who can remember the bad old days of the sixties and seventies when avoiding re-election was success this is just fantasy stuff. Supporters who've only started following Pools in the last ten years or so might not understand so much, but now I think we've all become conditioned to some sort of success no matter how long we've followed them.

What I'm getting at is all I seem to hear at present is a generalisation that Toon fans want entertainment before out and out success. Are Poolies the same?

Take the last ten years or so. As usual we've not won a thing, and still been a Cinderella club, blowing our chances of glory when it came to the crunch. We've even been like the Toon, managing to fritter away a big lead at the top of our respective leagues at one time or another. But because of the "sucess" we've had we've lived in hope. Is that hope now ebbing away?

I have found this season a chore, and for the first time in many many years have not been looking forward to going to see Pools which used to be the highlight of the week. I reckon it's not so much results that haved p----d me off but the fact there's little excitement or entertainment in watching them this year. I'll always travel up to watch Pools when I'm free, like on a Saturday, but when there's been a midweek game and work got in the way, I'd always fiddle things to make sure I was there. If I couldn't I'd be gutted!
Well this season I now carn't be arsed! I'm working till eight this Friday night and haven't got the will power to go! I'll put the radio on instead.

From the vibes of others on the various message boards I get the impression that I'm not the only one feeling this way.

Finally I'd say to chop and change the manager would be wrong, and I think this is where we may differ from Mr Ashley and his predecessors. DW has got to be given plenty of time to get things back on track. He says he likes to play attacking football and we have seen plenty of evidence of it in the past.

I think this seasons measure of success may well be survival.

i think that people expect more because it is expensive to go and watch Pools these days. You can't expect people to be happy with long ball passionless dross when people are forking out 50quid or more to attend with their families.

Football is also over exposed, skysports, skysports news etc; it is rammed down peoples throats. i think this is one of the reasons why people don't look forward to games as much.....

I agree also the number of times people say you can watch Sunderland V Liverpool for the same admission money.

I think that the frustration this season centres on a number of things
1. We all knew where the real weaknesses were at the end of last season and where new players were required - those that have come in, save for Moore and Nolan, have not inspired
2. DW has constantly picked players and tactics that have baffled most supporters. When it works the manager is a genious - but it hasn't worked this year! We have stopped playing football and resorted to the long ball game with a Div2 target man failing to make an impression.
3. We don't appeared to have progressed from last season and even the team spirit has waned

We are not like the toon supporters. Many of us remember those dark days from the 60s, 70s and 80s and are we are hopefull of better days ahead rather than the toon's expectation of greatness and trophies.