Having known both Kaths for more years that I care to acknowledge, I wouldn't back you with bad money, should it ever come to a showdown with either of them

Thank you Dave - I miss you

I just love this idea that having managed not to die young makes you some kind of super fan!

Dont you need to own a sock too?

In my opinion, being a supporter who has attended many matches over many years does not automatically mean that that supporter is any more knowledgeable about RL or, indeed FC, than any other fan. What it probably does mean is that they have seen lows a lot lower than the current one, have seen poorer players and players with less commitment, poorer coaches, poorer facilities but they are still fan(atic)s of the black & whites who still turn up week-in-week-out to watch their beloved team. I think that alone gives them the right to some respect that those who have been attending for fewer years - but continually moan about how bad their lot is - have not yet earned.

Of course, if they have been going for hundreds of years and are still moaning then those people who sit near them ought to have the right to shoot them - for their own sake as well as everyone else's.

I've been watching FC over 20 years and I have not seen poorer or less comitted players than we have now, possibly the odd individual, but not the number we have currently.

I'm afraid you haven't been going long enough to count

I thought there was an interesting banner at the Beckham incident the other day

"Here Before
Here After
Here Despite"

One for an away game at some point???

Good point well made. I'll include a further 17 years on the back of that too.

Nope - sorry, 37 years doesn't count either.

Interesting then that whilst I'm not happy with the current situation (who is?), my Dad is even more so and my Grandad's lost interest in going. Also, the most vocal critics around where I sit in the south stand are easily in their late 40s and 50s. How does that fit in then?

The only difference on here is that the older people are in the minority (whether that be so stereotypical as to be because of technology or whatever), so some posters seem to think it automatically elevates them above the rest.

The argument that things have been worse is downright codswallop as well. By that logic, should a black teenager suffering racial abuse be told by his elders that he should just think himself lucky that slavery and lynchings aren't commonplace any more?

The biggest single thing that is worse than it ever has been is the apparent apathy from the board to do anything about the situation, any other coach would have had the order of the boot weeks ago, is that the fault of franchising, I think it might be.

I suspect so too, combined with the confidence they have that we will continue to fork out and turn up regardless. IMO the only thing that will possibly change their approach is if attendances fall sufficiently enough (ie around 8-9k). Unfortunately I still don't see that happening.