The alternative course of action now...

[genome]

I don't think I've even heard a single Stam out chant (though I didn't go to Millwall)

There was a chorus of "you're getting sacked in the morning" after Millwall's 2nd

From the Millwall fans.

And joined by Reading fans

[BKnumber6]

The best way for Stam to improve the atmosphere for his players is to tell the fans to boo him, Let him take the flack - A chant of Sacked in the morning or Stam Out is going to make it clear to the players that they are not the ones being blamed/booed and that will probably be better than gerneric boo's which may affect them.

Or....don't boo at all and get behind the team and the manager. I don't like Stam, never have if I'm honest but any kind of booing will be detrimental to what we ultimately want to achieve, which is staying up.

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

There was a chorus of "you're getting sacked in the morning" after Millwall's 2nd

From the Millwall fans.

And joined by Reading fans

This is fact. I'm in Y24 and I could hear and see people in Y25 & Y26 signing this.

[Theroyalbox]

I think people are missing the point of this post, im not saying not booing will fix everything but there is only a certain amount we can do to help the team, and that is not getting on there backs not booing or jeering them, and it might just might make the difference

[72 bus]

From the Millwall fans.

And joined by Reading fans

This is fact. I'm in Y24 and I could hear and see people in Y25 & Y26 signing this.

Deaf club 7 ?

[Victor Meldrew]

I'm sorry l don't buy this we are shit fans and it's our fault and the atmosphere is making the team shit! They are well paid, selected individuals, prepared and groomed by a manager to give of their best in a cohesive way! When that happens we get excited, in adversity we get vociferous towards the other team, OUR opponents! It's a circle and the professionals are underperforming!

Can only agree with you. As an example, Monaco regularly play to home crowds of less than 10000. I have no idea what atmosphere they generate, but it won't be anything like Old Trafford etc. The Monaco players certainly seem unaffected by playing home matches in such an environment given they are 2nd in the French Ligue 1.

It really is the responsibility of the players and management, in the first instance, to galvanise the fans and give them something worth shouting about. After all, the fans are paying to be entertained. I cannot think of another example in the "entertainment industry" where the paying customers are expected to galvanise the performers to perform.

A better example might be Wimbledon of old.
Even in the Premier League their home support was often no bigger than 5,000 or so and when the big sides came to town they would outnumber the home support by two or three fold.
They managed to stay at the highest level of our game for many years but as a group of players they spurred each other on as did the different managers Gould and Bassett.and even won a cup final.
It couldn't have been the volume of home support that got them results against the big boys-it was determination and pride in performance and effort.
I have always thought that chanting, cheering etc. does more in terms of improving the "matchday experience" for us fans than it does to encourage the team to perform better.
As a PR exercise managers and players always say what a difference it makes to the players and their performance but I have never believed it-I see it, as strap says,that the players do something good or aggressive and fans join in and in doing so we are all in it together but to say that the fans need to do their stuff first is the wrong way round.

Our current manager and players (other than the one big hug from Gunter with his manager when he scored a goal-Gunter looks the sort to like a hug))show no outward signs of togetherness-with breaks in play they don't talk to each other and when we lose a goal everybody just walks around with their heads down or doing their favourite hobby of pointing.
They follow the manager's view that it is always somebody else's fault.
It was good to hear Lee Johnson come out on Saturday and say that it was his fault that they only drew their game after leading 3-0.
Can anybody see Stam or any of his players come out with that?
Was it the fault of Bristol City fans that they stopped encouraging their team leading them to only draw the game?

Let us hope that this break away in the sun brings a bit more camaraderie and resolve
otherwise IMHO we are down.

[Eaststandman]

Boils down to give us something to cheer about and we will bloody well cheer then doesn't it? Take the piss and underperform and we will most likely express ourselves negatively! I've always believed Parky's run to the east stand and his enthusiasm took a modest amount of talent above and beyond the normal, whatever happened to the pride and raw get into them attitude? Surely not all the entire squad would be affected at the same time so the common denominator is???????? JP for me!

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

And joined by Reading fans

This is fact. I'm in Y24 and I could hear and see people in Y25 & Y26 signing this.

Deaf club 7 ?

Probably due a 'whoosh' here but in the words of the virgin Mary; Come again?

[Denver Royal]

The best way for Stam to improve the atmosphere for his players is to tell the fans to boo him, Let him take the flack

Well, that's what he said last weekend...

"Nobody is happy with the situation. The fans need to understand if the players feel more comfortable playing away rather than at home then maybe the supporters are giving the wrong signal. They can be negative to me, but they need to support the players. It's not a problem if they want to be negative against me."

"It's difficult for me to take defeat. But I'm not hurt by how people react towards me. I take pride in what I'm doing and I want to win every game. I want to have results in everything I do. By not having the results I feel very disappointed. And I'm not saying I'm just disappointed in the players. I'm the first one to look at myself and how I'm doing. I ask whether I bring enough."

Speaking about the rumours regarding Leeds, he replied: "I knew Leeds were very interested in getting me in last season, but I made the decision to stay here. I still felt I had a lot of nice things to do over here with the new owners coming in."

[Forbury Lion]

The best way for Stam to improve the atmosphere for his players is to tell the fans to boo him, Let him take the flack - A chant of Sacked in the morning or Stam Out is going to make it clear to the players that they are not the ones being blamed/booed and that will probably be better than gerneric boo's which may affect them.

Or....don't boo at all and get behind the team and the manager. I don't like Stam, never have if I'm honest but any kind of booing will be detrimental to what we ultimately want to achieve, which is staying up.

The booers are going to boo, might as well take one for the team and get them to boo him

[Forbury Lion]

This is fact. I'm in Y24 and I could hear and see people in Y25 & Y26 signing this.

Deaf club 7 ?

Probably due a 'whoosh' here but in the words of the virgin Mary; Come again?

signing/singing

[ROYALJOE]

From the Millwall fans.

And joined by Reading fans

This is fact. I'm in Y24 and I could hear and see people in Y25 & Y26 signing this.

I was singing it STAM OUT!, nothing will change till he leaves we will keep losing till hes gone soon he's gone the better IMO

[SCIAG]

I'm sorry l don't buy this we are shit fans and it's our fault and the atmosphere is making the team shit! They are well paid, selected individuals, prepared and groomed by a manager to give of their best in a cohesive way! When that happens we get excited, in adversity we get vociferous towards the other team, OUR opponents! It's a circle and the professionals are underperforming!

Can only agree with you. As an example, Monaco regularly play to home crowds of less than 10000. I have no idea what atmosphere they generate, but it won't be anything like Old Trafford etc. The Monaco players certainly seem unaffected by playing home matches in such an environment given they are 2nd in the French Ligue 1.

It really is the responsibility of the players and management, in the first instance, to galvanise the fans and give them something worth shouting about. After all, the fans are paying to be entertained. I cannot think of another example in the "entertainment industry" where the paying customers are expected to galvanise the performers to perform.

A better example might be Wimbledon of old.
Even in the Premier League their home support was often no bigger than 5,000 or so and when the big sides came to town they would outnumber the home support by two or three fold.
They managed to stay at the highest level of our game for many years but as a group of players they spurred each other on as did the different managers Gould and Bassett.and even won a cup final.
It couldn't have been the volume of home support that got them results against the big boys-it was determination and pride in performance and effort.
I have always thought that chanting, cheering etc. does more in terms of improving the "matchday experience" for us fans than it does to encourage the team to perform better.
As a PR exercise managers and players always say what a difference it makes to the players and their performance but I have never believed it-I see it, as strap says,that the players do something good or aggressive and fans join in and in doing so we are all in it together but to say that the fans need to do their stuff first is the wrong way round.

I think it's pretty difficult to unpack the extent to which a louder crowd has a positive impact on the players.

I also think the three of you have missed the point being made. The issue isn't so much that the fans are often quiet, it's more that our fans are often noisily negative. Senior players have felt the need to have angry words with the fans when they start booing in the middle of a passing move. It is actively undermining the players.

[Woodcote Royal]

We can boo and moan and stamp our feet but the long and short of it is that he will be here until the last kick of the last game.

It's looking like you could be right

So, as this slow motion car crash heads towards a bend known as The Third Tier of English Football, I'm supposed to turn up and cheer the same ineffective sh!te that got us here in the first place.

I have an alternative. No abusing the players, with most of whom I have the utmost sympathy, but just staying away while the club that has chosen to ignore it's fanbase, along with all obvious signs that it will be a minor miracle if this team, under Stam, avoids relegation, just carries on regardless.

You're right, all I could do is stamp my feet but why the fcuk should I

These people are paid more than most of us can dream about and, collectively, have conspired to spend £13m on a squad that finished 3rd last season and turned it into prime relegation fodder

Furthermore, it's looking increasingly like these people really don't give a fcuk what any of us think and, again, all I can do is stamp my feet, hurl abuse at the players who I don't see as being at fault or, just stay away.

As I've said elsewhere, I've happily invested a minimum £400 a year in this club for at least 18 years and it will end if we suffer a totally avoidable relegation with Stam still in charge. Should they come to their senses in the near future and remove him, I will back the players to the hilt and renew my ST regardless of the division we find ourselves in.

The ball is in your court, RFC

[AthleticoSpizz]

Within the past twenty years RFC have (more often than not) had some kind of involvement in something “interesting” at the end of the season (beit a play-off spot, highest ever finish, promotion or relegation).

We are not where we want us to be, but at least we will have yet another ‘grandstand finish’ to look forward to/endure.

Being the cock-eyed optimist that I am....for that I am bizarrely grateful.

Whatever happens, next season will be the one to look forward to come August.

[Victor Meldrew]

Can only agree with you. As an example, Monaco regularly play to home crowds of less than 10000. I have no idea what atmosphere they generate, but it won't be anything like Old Trafford etc. The Monaco players certainly seem unaffected by playing home matches in such an environment given they are 2nd in the French Ligue 1.

It really is the responsibility of the players and management, in the first instance, to galvanise the fans and give them something worth shouting about. After all, the fans are paying to be entertained. I cannot think of another example in the "entertainment industry" where the paying customers are expected to galvanise the performers to perform.

A better example might be Wimbledon of old.
Even in the Premier League their home support was often no bigger than 5,000 or so and when the big sides came to town they would outnumber the home support by two or three fold.
They managed to stay at the highest level of our game for many years but as a group of players they spurred each other on as did the different managers Gould and Bassett.and even won a cup final.
It couldn't have been the volume of home support that got them results against the big boys-it was determination and pride in performance and effort.
I have always thought that chanting, cheering etc. does more in terms of improving the "matchday experience" for us fans than it does to encourage the team to perform better.
As a PR exercise managers and players always say what a difference it makes to the players and their performance but I have never believed it-I see it, as strap says,that the players do something good or aggressive and fans join in and in doing so we are all in it together but to say that the fans need to do their stuff first is the wrong way round.

I think it's pretty difficult to unpack the extent to which a louder crowd has a positive impact on the players.

I also think the three of you have missed the point being made. The issue isn't so much that the fans are often quiet, it's more that our fans are often noisily negative. Senior players have felt the need to have angry words with the fans when they start booing in the middle of a passing move. It is actively undermining the players.

Come off it m8-one incident with Blackett for a few minutes hardly makes our crowd "noisily negative".
Ours is one of the least hostile crowds in the country and it takes something to produce the reaction to the helpless and hopeless Blackett impersonating a focused footballer.

The "angry words with the fans"-presumably you are referring to tweets made by Gunter and McShane.
We don't want tweets from players, we want maximum effort and a bit of personal responsibility on the pitch rather than moans from players and managers about a few (and it is only a few) booing from time to time.
Once again it is a good example of our predicament being everybody else's fault-it isn't, it is down to the manager and players.

[Theroyalbox]

A better example might be Wimbledon of old.
Even in the Premier League their home support was often no bigger than 5,000 or so and when the big sides came to town they would outnumber the home support by two or three fold.
They managed to stay at the highest level of our game for many years but as a group of players they spurred each other on as did the different managers Gould and Bassett.and even won a cup final.
It couldn't have been the volume of home support that got them results against the big boys-it was determination and pride in performance and effort.
I have always thought that chanting, cheering etc. does more in terms of improving the "matchday experience" for us fans than it does to encourage the team to perform better.
As a PR exercise managers and players always say what a difference it makes to the players and their performance but I have never believed it-I see it, as strap says,that the players do something good or aggressive and fans join in and in doing so we are all in it together but to say that the fans need to do their stuff first is the wrong way round.

I think it's pretty difficult to unpack the extent to which a louder crowd has a positive impact on the players.

I also think the three of you have missed the point being made. The issue isn't so much that the fans are often quiet, it's more that our fans are often noisily negative. Senior players have felt the need to have angry words with the fans when they start booing in the middle of a passing move. It is actively undermining the players.

Come off it m8-one incident with Blackett for a few minutes hardly makes our crowd "noisily negative".
Ours is one of the least hostile crowds in the country and it takes something to produce the reaction to the helpless and hopeless Blackett impersonating a focused footballer.

The "angry words with the fans"-presumably you are referring to tweets made by Gunter and McShane.
We don't want tweets from players, we want maximum effort and a bit of personal responsibility on the pitch rather than moans from players and managers about a few (and it is only a few) booing from time to time.
Once again it is a good example of our predicament being everybody else's fault-it isn't, it is down to the manager and players.

I think for myself its less about being incredibly hostile and more about being supportive, because as it stands I genuinely don't see us avoiding relegation and they are not gunna sack him are they

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

Deaf club 7 ?

Probably due a 'whoosh' here but in the words of the virgin Mary; Come again?

signing/singing

Bloomin' predictive text!

[SCIAG]

Come off it m8-one incident with Blackett for a few minutes hardly makes our crowd "noisily negative".
Ours is one of the least hostile crowds in the country and it takes something to produce the reaction to the helpless and hopeless Blackett impersonating a focused footballer.

The "angry words with the fans"-presumably you are referring to tweets made by Gunter and McShane.
We don't want tweets from players, we want maximum effort and a bit of personal responsibility on the pitch rather than moans from players and managers about a few (and it is only a few) booing from time to time.
Once again it is a good example of our predicament being everybody else's fault-it isn't, it is down to the manager and players.

No, I mean players swearing at fans when the fans jeer at a backwards pass. I don't have Twitter.

It's hard to accuse any of our players of less than maximum effort. Shame we can't say the same of the fans.

Yes, it isn't everyone - but it's a large enough number to generate significant noise. Fans can be booing a few second before we score because we're being patient and working the opportunity. It's clearly affecting some of the players.

[Denver Royal]

...moans from players and managers about a few (and it is only a few) booing

You are one of the few that I've actually seen differentiate between 'the fans' and 'only a few'. One might conclude then, that Stam's comments have not been directed at 'the fans' in general, but rather only a few. (A distinction that seems lost on some, or at least one they like, and choose, to continually ignore in their narratives. And perhaps, of those few, maybe only a couple are 'insulted on a weekly basis'.)