14 Years been supporting welling and I love it! Always go knowing welling not great! Meeting for a beer with fellow wings fans having a laugh! But this season fans turning on welling is unbelievable! Seriously thinking of leaving club! And finding another club/sport
I agree it's bad, but finding another club? How do you do that? To me it's not an option but can understand people not going. I'll hopefully still be supporting the club in another 5,10,15 years time, long after the current set up is gone.
The current situation is club constructed. Should we just accept it? I'm not prepared to. I accept I have little say or power as an individial as I don't own it. However, a club is nothing without its fans.
If we were where we are now under different circumstances would I be disappointed, yes. Would I be as critical or vocal, no. I genuinely believe its not just about this season but the journey beyond which doesn't look any better.
I've been going Welling over 30 years and the relationship between the owners and the fans is the worst its ever been......
Unfortunately with the actions of the manager and other people at the club, is there any doubt as to why things are strained?
You were all over social media last week Welling68 saying you were going to protest at one of the upcoming games so make your mind up!
The toxic atmosphere is being generated by the manager and no one else. But the ridiculous cosy relationship of the owner (Does he care anymore) and the manager has meant Feeney has become untouchable. Its a shambles of a situation and is going to have long term effects for the club as fans turn their back on the club.
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"Passion for the game.......is Passion for the game" 'Have you got the Spills to pay the bills?'
Showing my age now but I first started watching the Wings at Butterfly Lane when they played in the London Spartan league in the mid-late 70's. It was then run as a family club by a proper footballing family, the Hobbins'. I can't really say I have been a regular supporter in terms of watching matches through the years, work and growing family have prevented that, but have always followed the team and attended at least a handful of matches each season, and now retired, had started to be more regular.
I think back to the less successful periods over those 45 or so years and can only remember managers leaving by what I understood was mutual agreement, when the going got tough for them. I refer to the likes of Paul Parker, Neil Smith, Andy Ford, and Adrian Pennock. Gentlemen all. Beers after matches with management and team, good social atmospheres win or lose. Then along came MG and the business ethics stepped in. Now it seems failing managers have to be pushed, often at an expense a club like ours cannot afford.
I know I can't continue to live in the glory days of the Hobbins' and Jamie Day eras, (or even Steve King for one season) but unfortunately, it seems we now have owners and a manager who will not or cannot recognise their failings.
To those who know me, thank you for your friendship and company over more years than I care to remember. Hopefully things may soon change and I will be back.
The manager talked the other day about growing up in Belfast, and the bombs. It made me think maybe that is the root of his problems as a manager. He grew up in a world divided of "us" and "them", protestants v catholics opposed, republicans v loyalists opposed, when actually at the end of the day people are just people, and things calm down once people realise that.
That view one can just dismiss a whole group of people shows when he talks of fans being stupid and just making noise that is not worth listening to comes from that sort of divided background. He has been in the club for a year, and some fans have been here 40 years or more, so who is more likely to know what they are talking about? Wise people realise how little they know, and how they can always unexpectedly learn from unlikely sources. He thinks the only football opinions to bother about are experienced ex players. But if you look at the playing careers of successful managers like Nagelsman, John Lyall, Arrigo Sacchi they played little or no first team football, but had the football intelligence many experienced players that become managers lack to manage players, fans, officials.
I said to him at a match the other day that I wanted him to do well, and for the team to do well. He only sees things in black and white, only sees things for or against, so didn't understand that grey area - that one can be constructively critical to help improve. I think his approach to the players matured as the season has gone on, less of the him against the team approach in interviews. If so, another learning point would be to realise fans are worth listening to, and often know things better than him, just as in some areas he will know some things better than fans, so value fans and then fans are more likely to value back.
I don't think it is rubbish, for example I grew up in nice middle class conservative Bromley, and that will have shaped me into what I am, and how I see other people. Someone growing up in a war torn country will have a very different view on life and other people. Bigotry is bad for everyone involved, never any winners, all lose.
If Warren is able to realise the fans and him have lots in common, as he and the fans want the same - Welling to do as well as possible - then instead of seeing them as an enemy to despise and ignore, he will learn the value of differing points of view. It is only the bad and unsuccessful (and therefore defensive) managers who ignore fans. The best ones understand the value of connecting with all fans, not just the fans that go to the bar after a match.
When we've won a couple of times recently a couple of people have wondered what I would say in response, maybe thinking I am totally opposed to the manager, so a win catches me out or proves me wrong about the manager. But like everyone else here, there is nothing personal against the manager, everything is 100% about the football, so if it is bad, fans (including me) say so, if it is good, fans (including me) say so. That is something that impresses me about our fans, by now one knows who here doesn't rate him, but when we have played well those critical fans have praised the performance, and aren't angry bitter trolls looking to criticise no matter what is done. He has clearly fooled owner and the board, but hasn't fooled the fans, who can see through him. The players are clearly sick of underperforming for months, and are going out in style, they are a great group of players and I will miss watching many of them.
Unless you've a background in psychology, then it's just uneducated nonsense. What do you really know about WF? I think you should stick to the stuff you usually talk about (at great length).
The players are clearly sick of underperforming for months, and are going out in style, they are a great group of players and I will miss watching many of them.
Agree with replies before about other stuff. As far as players go, I'd say 70% are only magically playing better as to secure a contract here or elsewhere next season, nobody wants a relegation on the CV, that 70% are a awful bunch of players who have lined their pockets all season and not given anywhere near the effort compared to what teams have in the past when we've been in this position. Half of them wouldn't of even known who we are before they joined us!
As the season has gone on there has been an exodus of fans, leaving because they have been alienated by the manager constantly criticising them, and by the unskilful hoofing the ball.
So I just find it totally bizarre to have an experienced manager self destructively behaving like that, and was just wondering what makes a manager say the customers are stupid, dont understand what they want, and that they are not worth listening to. Maybe others can explain it better than me, as I am trying to understand that foolish behaviour. I noticed in our first match against Dartford he said it was just another game, and fans got annoyed. We played them again later on, and he hadn't learned a single thing from before, so again said it was just another game.
The problem is 500 new fans disappeared silently, and quite a few of the loyal 500 will disappear too, and the club and manager dont seem to give a toss about what the fans think or want.
So rather than just moan about things, or ignore problems, I am trying to understand them and see what lessons there are to be learned so things don't repeat. Others don't do that. But as a wiser man than me wrote, "The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool". Maybe I am wrong about the Belfast background thing, maybe it is part of the reason. Moyes at West Ham also dismisses the "noise" from fans. That club is in a similar position to ours in the table, maybe it is just as simple as crap managers don't like to have people pointing out they are crap managers.
-- Edited by Johnny Hartley on Saturday 15th of April 2023 01:33:54 AM
Good post KOTR. I would like to go one stage further and take Belfast politics out of the ground by banning the No Surrender flag that is put on the Graham Hobbins stand wall on match days.
Good post KOTR. I would like to go one stage further and take Belfast politics out of the ground by banning the No Surrender flag that is put on the Graham Hobbins stand wall on match days.
Agree with all points stated above...
Never talk religion & politics...if you are a decent cabby, which KOTR is...the world is toxic enough without adding to it.
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''It is our duty to preserve the real values of this sport. And while we're around, that passion will be there''
Good post KOTR. I would like to go one stage further and take Belfast politics out of the ground by banning the No Surrender flag that is put on the Graham Hobbins stand wall on match days.
The manager talked the other day about growing up in Belfast, and the bombs. It made me think maybe that is the root of his problems as a manager. He grew up in a world divided of "us" and "them", protestants v catholics opposed, republicans v loyalists opposed, when actually at the end of the day people are just people, and things calm down once people realise that.
That view one can just dismiss a whole group of people shows when he talks of fans being stupid and just making noise that is not worth listening to comes from that sort of divided background. He has been in the club for a year, and some fans have been here 40 years or more, so who is more likely to know what they are talking about? Wise people realise how little they know, and how they can always unexpectedly learn from unlikely sources. He thinks the only football opinions to bother about are experienced ex players. But if you look at the playing careers of successful managers like Nagelsman, John Lyall, Arrigo Sacchi they played little or no first team football, but had the football intelligence many experienced players that become managers lack to manage players, fans, officials.
I said to him at a match the other day that I wanted him to do well, and for the team to do well. He only sees things in black and white, only sees things for or against, so didn't understand that grey area - that one can be constructively critical to help improve. I think his approach to the players matured as the season has gone on, less of the him against the team approach in interviews. If so, another learning point would be to realise fans are worth listening to, and often know things better than him, just as in some areas he will know some things better than fans, so value fans and then fans are more likely to value back.
Think we mixing our drinks here everyone.Garys flag has been a feature home and away for last 15 years and has no affinity to Feeney and has not been impacting the toxic atmosphere that we talking about. As previously stated that seems to be coming from the Mgt and related cohorts who are distancing the fans both directly and indirectly.lets not throw baby out with the bath water
I've no interest in politics, as I don't like or trust politicians who spend their lives telling people how to live their lives. And most religions share a common idea of treating each other considerately, so it is a shame such good messages like that get twisted by some people into weapons against other viewpoints. So it is sad name and dob sees things like that, far better to be sick of all that toxicity and not be a part of carrying it on forever, as life is too short for grudges. The flag is fine in my view, good luck to him standing up for what he believes in, just like everyone else can if they want to, and not forcing his views on anyone else. The point I was thinking of earlier is backgrounds shape people more than they often realise, sometimes positively or negatively. The season's nearly over, let's hope the club quickly makes changes to engage the fans more, rather than carry on ignoring the silent exodus.
Good post KOTR. I would like to go one stage further and take Belfast politics out of the ground by banning the No Surrender flag that is put on the Graham Hobbins stand wall on match days.
Agree with all points stated above...
Never talk religion & politics...if you are a decent cabby, which KOTR is...the world is toxic enough without adding to it.
Sean
Cant afford cabs these days but things must have changed. Up town always got the drivers opinion on Thatcher, Race, Europe, Labour, Tories, Wilson and Religion to name a few. Never entered the conversation as I would have ended up having to give more than 2/6d tip
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Ive been going to Welling since I moved to the area at the age of 9, almost 16 years ago. Many people around Welling United know me or of me. And its because the fan base has always been the same. The same people have seen the glory days of Jamie Day, Fazakerley, Dean Frost, Ashby etc and now we've been resorted to this **** on and off the field. A Steve Bruce-esque manager who has a crap playing style and then blames the fans when its going wrong. Theres no connection there anymore that was once there and flowing strong. I cant blame fans for not going anymore. I rarely go anymore. Partially to blame through work, but a large part down to there being no humanity between the club towards the fans anymore. I've been just once this season. ONCE. When at my peak, I mustve gone to about 30+ games per season. Ticket prices are ABSURD! £15 for the SIXTH tier of football. No community dialogue going on which Welling United used to be at the heart of. It's as bad as it gets right now (without being relegated). The club is walking a tightrope financially, morally and personality wise. Its awful. But like all good things must come to an end, so do bad. We will get out of this slump. Time may not be on our side, but crisis has been averted this season. We wont go down SOMEHOW. But everything from top to bottom needs a whole reshuffle this summer
Interesting comment about £15 admission. I just read a post on NLN/NLS facebook page about costs in both leagues. As much as I hate to say it £15 is roughly what most clubs at our level charge. Some in the depressed north charge upto £23 and get the crowds as well.
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