Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 8:28 am  

"We need to toughen up across the board," Smith said post-match. We need to make sure we’re doing our own jobs really well. We’ve all got to take responsibility for that and at the moment we know it’s not good enough."

Tony Smith HDM 23.03.24

The mould is set gentlemen and the people that run the club on our behalf are not going to change their minds no matter how much we whine and protest. Smith is trying to build a culture of collaboration and like it or not, it is our responsibility to support the current set up in any kind of weather. We know that we are the best supporters in rugby league (despite what the noveau riche of East Hull shout). I am not suggesting that we become a bunch of happy clappers but criticise where necessary in a positive manner. If you feel that the players, coaching staff, CEO or owner aren't deserving of our support that's fair enough. But surely we all love this club enough to get behind it for the sake of the loved ones who indoctrinated each of us, the badge, the heritage, the tradition and our responsibility to one another?

Some of the best times I've had as a supporter have been when the team are dire but the passion and unity amongst supporters has endured. It's what makes the successful times all the sweeter. I don't buy into this modern culture of everyone stamps their feet and gets what they want, when they want it. It is time to turn the morgue that is the MKM into a fortress, simply turning up and sitting there quietly is not an option. Let's fulfill our match day responsibilities and get behind the team vociferously. If we get hammered, nobody can then criticise the lack of support.!!

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 8:59 am  

It's a bit disingenuous and lazy IMO to label those losing patience as spoilt whingers.

I've been a regular supporters for 30 odd years and a passholder for most. I've seen objectively worse times than this on the pitch eg out of the top flight. The difference now is that there is no hope of winning a match unless it's against part time London and in all likelihood a massive humiliation. In the same way supporting a successful, or at least competitive, team inspires pride and optimism, associating with a team that are out of their depth qualitywise, ill-disciplined, disorganised and likely to lose every game by at least 30 points does the opposite.

The real sticking point for me is that there is no tangible plan or green shoots. Nothing to get on board with in terms of realistic squad quality improvement other than some vague "you'll have to be patient" deflection.

So without significant new investment the choice seems to be either to keep going at the foot of the table, accepting a win ratio of 10% but surviving in SL due to the club's size, or dropping down a league or two and finding a new home. Not so much "it's the hope that kills you" but the complete lack of it.

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 9:07 am  

You miss my point Mrs Barista which I probably didn't convey very eloquently. I got a bit Brave heart by the time I'd finished typing!) . I'm doing my fair share of being a spoilt whinger myself. My point is that it won't get us anywhere and we would be better off focusing our frustration on being the loyal, passionate, vocal group of supporters that we know we are...thereby responsibility as supporters achieved and over to you Messrs Pearson and Smith.

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 9:35 am  

EtonStreetRifle wrote:

You miss my point Mrs Barista which I probably didn't convey very eloquently. I got a bit Brave heart by the time I'd finished typing!) . I'm doing my fair share of being a spoilt whinger myself. My point is that it won't get us anywhere and we would be better off focusing our frustration on being the loyal, passionate, vocal group of supporters that we know we are...thereby responsibility as supporters achieved and over to you Messrs Pearson and Smith.

Interesting posts but I have to say that Loyalty is never in doubt!!!

However I do admire your sentiments what's more make no mistake Mrs B gets it as well, for there is little doubt that many on here will always support their club and be there whatever. Some of us with 60 odd years of pass holding behind us never stop loving the club and that's something that we will take to our grave with us. We have been on here for over 20 years often defending the club against the spoilt whingers during lives that have seen us in some real holes and minutes away from folding and yet it is a club that has provided the best day we ever had in our lives.

So make no mistake we'll always be there for our club. But the fact is even for the most hardened supporters the current situation is soul destroying. In the last week at least six guys have stoped me in Beverley and said "I'm keeping my pass I love the club Pete, but I can't face going anymore at present". I try to gee them up but in my heart of hearts I feel the same. The thought of going on Friday is way too much for me but god bless those who are going.

We have seen bad times but even in the worst there were green shoots of optimism. Something to cling to and signs of better times ahead. But I think now when I look inwardly at how I feel I can't remember feeling so helpless about the lack of passion the lack of any sort of leaders on the field, the lack of direction in attack and organisation in defence. I don't think a lot of the players think like I do anymore. That plus the fact that no one away from the playing side wants to speak to us, the folks who have invested so much in the club. But the absolute killer is that of a club that no matter who plays for it who manages it and who owns it continues on in the same inherent culture year on year and this time, with our last two rounds of recruitment and more important the players that have left there just sees to be no way out!!

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 9:55 am  

I post on here infrequently but have visited daily for a number of years. I respect both your points of view (Mrs B and Wilf) and don't doubt your passion for our great club. I agree that this is just about the worst hole we've been in and feel as hopeless as you do but unlike the pass holders you mention, I think that now is exactly the time not to vote with your feet but is the time to get there and get behind the badge. Being recognised as and recognising ourselves as being great supporters may well be all we have left. For instance, by doing this at Caravan Park next week it will at least prevent us from enduring the "we can see you sneaking out diatribe from the scum! We can't outplay them so let's out sing them!

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 10:37 am  

The Dentist Wilf wrote:

Interesting posts but I have to say that Loyalty is never in doubt!!!

what's more Mrs B gets it as well, for there is little doubt that many on here will always support their club and be there whatever. Some of us with 60 odd years of pass holding behind us never stop loving the club and that's something that we will take to our grave with us.

Just before Christmas my brother in law died in his early 80's. He lived in Hull for all his life and was an FC fan from an early age. He was a pass holder for over 60 years and went to away games until a few months ago. He just loved the club and made many friends in supporting the club

My sister arranged his funeral including the live internet transmission of the service which I viewed at midnight here. The casket at his request was wrapped in 'Old Faithful' regalia with his Hull scarf and the old match shirt which he wore for years.

I asked him once about his affection for the club and he answered that following Hull had given him so many wonderful memories for which he would forever be thankful and grateful and that he would continue to support them through thick and thin till he couldn't any more.

I know there are many Hull FC fans today just like him!

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 10:43 am  

EtonStreetRifle wrote:

You miss my point Mrs Barista which I probably didn't convey very eloquently. I got a bit Brave heart by the time I'd finished typing!) . I'm doing my fair share of being a spoilt whinger myself. My point is that it won't get us anywhere and we would be better off focusing our frustration on being the loyal, passionate, vocal group of supporters that we know we are...thereby responsibility as supporters achieved and over to you Messrs Pearson and Smith.

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 12:11 pm  

EtonStreetRifle wrote:

I post on here infrequently but have visited daily for a number of years. I respect both your points of view (Mrs B and Wilf) and don't doubt your passion for our great club. I agree that this is just about the worst hole we've been in and feel as hopeless as you do but unlike the pass holders you mention, I think that now is exactly the time not to vote with your feet but is the time to get there and get behind the badge. Being recognised as and recognising ourselves as being great supporters may well be all we have left. For instance, by doing this at Caravan Park next week it will at least prevent us from enduring the "we can see you sneaking out diatribe from the scum! We can't outplay them so let's out sing them!

Let’s out sing them, Jesus Christ

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 12:14 pm  

I think the biggest problem with fans getting behind the club (which is a great sentiment by the way) is that the fanbase is so divided at the moment. I'm not just talking about the "happy clappers" and the "doom mongers" but fans just seem to be split about everything at the moment. You just have to look on here and on social media to see that there's a real lack of unity about what is going on and what can be done. You have some blaming Smith and the coaches with calls to bring Radders back, some blaming the players and saying to sack the lot of them, some blaming James Clark and saying he should be sacked too, others blaming Adam Pearson and saying he needs to sell up, also those blaming the fans saying we're not been supportive enough.

Now of course everyone has got an opinion and are entitled to it but I think the fact that there are so many different opinions and fans pulling in so many different directions at the moment really does make the idea of everyone uniting behind the common cause something of a pipe dream. I do also think that the club itself has caused this division not just in the results and performances on the pitch but also in the lack of engagement with the fans. It feels like there is a huge disconnect between both sides with only Smith speaking out with what is increasingly sounding like empty platitudes and one player each week bigging up the work done in training ahead of the next incoming defeat. We rarely hear from Clark and Pearson and that's usually only to sell us something.

What we really need is for some transparency. For Pearson to ideally tell us exactly what the situation is, what our aims are, how we are going about achieving those and how long they think it will take to do that. Just lay it out to the fanbase with honesty and frankness. Yes, there'll always be those that don't like what they hear but if the club actually attempts to engage with us, maybe it will pull the majority together again.

Re: Smith - should he stay or should he go? : Sun Mar 24, 2024 12:18 pm  

Cuddleclub wrote:

Let’s out sing them, Jesus Christ

I know, this is how bad it has become. But at least we'd be sticking together as a support base and fulfilling our stakeholder responsibilities. Better than sitting there like corpses I would have thought?