Reclaim the Fan Base Campaign

Intelligent Fans? We Used To Be

Posted on 23. Aug, 2012 by Adam Smith


There was a time when Liverpool supporters were called “knowledgeable”. We’ve all heard it said by managers and pundits alike. “It’s an intelligent crowd at Anfield”. It’s something I’ve always taken pride in. The idea that we knew better than supporters of other teams. And for a time it was true.
 
But not any more.
 
It may be that we’re all a little bit jaded after the Hicks & Gillet era. It could be the influx of part-time supporters we’ve acquired since Istanbul and the commercial growth of LFC Plc. Or perhaps it’s just the Twitter generation. But, whatever it is, we’ve all become a little bit less understanding. A touch more impatient. And a lot more stupid.
 
I couldn’t watch the LFC v Hearts game as I was at the cinema. So I recorded it and avoided all forms of communication that might spoil it for me. And after 30 minutes I was feeling delightfully spirited. So I thought I’d have a look at what the temperature was on Twitter.
 
Mistake.
 
When did we all become so miserable? Christ you’d think the first XI was losing 5-0 from some of the stuff that was on there. Yes, Shelvey had a poor game. True Charlie Adam and Jay Spearing were…Charlie Adam and Jay Spearing. But we sent a relatively inexperienced side to a passionate Tynecastle with a partisan crowd and a team desperate to get a result against famous opposition. And for vast periods we controlled the game.
 
No we didn’t dominate for 90 minutes. No we weren’t slicing them open left right and centre. But what did you expect? Did you really think that a team made up of youngsters, new players and old timers would gel and become a prolific scoring machine?
 
We used to be intelligent. We used to know that some players would take time to adjust. But most importantly, we used to support our players. All of them. But the abuse I’ve seen aimed at Henderson & Downing since they joined our ranks has been disgusting.
 
Of course I get frustrated sometimes. Yes I moan and groan when Charlie Adam tries a Hollywood ball or deliberately trips someone because he’s too slow to catch them. But I don’t abuse them. And I do see the good stuff that they do.
 
I was at Wembley for the FA Cup Semi-Final against the Blues. I thought Downing had an excellent game. Always looking to open up spaces, make himself available, trying to find the attackers with intelligent balls. But when he was substituted the woman in front of me shouted “yeah, go on, f^*k off you! You’re sh*^e! And take Henderson with you! You’re a disgrace to the shirt!”
 
What? What are you talking about? How can you say that? El Hadj Diouf was a disgrace to the shirt. Michael Owen has sullied his name in our part of town with his consistent, mercenary behaviour. But Stewart Downing? A disgrace to the shirt? Get a grip.
 
But she’s not alone, of course. There’s hundreds of us. Thousands even. Hiding behind our keyboard. Ready to abuse any number of players for any number of reasons. Keen to say Rodgers should go because we lost 3-0 to West Brom after 2 dubious penalty decisions and a harsh sending off. The same people that wanted Rafa and Kenny out. The types that think Pat Nevin and Mark Lawrenson know what they’re talking about. Those that that will forgive Shelvey and Robinson anything but won’t let Henderson make a pass without getting on his back. The “fans” that think we’re getting relegated when we lose and that we’re going to win the league when we win.
 
I am feeling particularly sanguine about Liverpool this season. I’m ready to sit back and enjoy the ride. And I’ll tell you why.
 
We don’t have a squad full of depth and quality. We’re not going to get one any time soon. As has been said many times before, we don’t have a wheelbarrow full of cash. We can’t do a Man City and go and buy the league. And even if we could, did City achieve it overnight? If you think they did, just go and do a quick Google of when Sheik Mansour took over at the City of Manchester.
 
Matches like the one against Hearts tonight aren’t about wiping the floor with opposition. They’re about giving experience to players that need it. They’re about making sure people like Robinson, Kelly, Sterling, Adam, Spearing and even Carra can fit into the first team when we need them to. It wasn’t a strong starting XI but then did it need to be? No disrespect to Hearts but the team did what the team needed to do.
 
And, pray I don’t jinx anything by saying this, can you really envisage a time when that amount of first team players are all out at the same time? I can’t. But what is important is that when one or two of them pick up injuries their replacements are up to speed with how to play.
 
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been saying for ages that I’d love the manager of LFC to have a first team that he plays in the League and FA Cup and then a mixture of youth and reserve team players for the Europa League and League Cup. Well, for now at least, that’s exactly what Rodgers seems to be doing. So why are you complaining about it?
 
The other reason I’m more than happy to just watch how things work out is that we need to give the manager time. It’s as simple as that. We’re on our 4th manager in as many years and this time we have to stick with the plan. Right now Liverpool are not a top 4 side. We’re a top 8, maybe top 6 side. We can hopefully push those in the Champion’s League spaces but nothing more than that. Our divine right is no longer to challenge for the title.

But we can get there. If we have faith in Rodgers. If we let him, slowly but surely, implement his style of play. If Liverpool can control games the way Swansea did but be a little bit more deadly in front of goal then it won’t be long before we’re back amongst the big boys. But we have to bide our time. We have to take the taunts of United and Everton fans for a little bit longer. It’s hard, but it has to be done. I don’t think Kenny should have gone and many don’t think Rafa should have. But they have. So we need to move on. And the best way to move on is to move forward. We have a glorious history that we should never forget, but our future is a myriad of possibilities that I can’t wait to discover.
 
Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes. But it can be destroyed in hours if those that love to complain get there way. We live in the world of 24 hour news. The press are desperate for something to happen to drag someone down. And right now Liverpool FC are not flavour of the month. If we aren’t in the top 4 by October then the tabloids will be straight in there with reports of “dressing room unrest” and “Liverpool fans not sure about Rodgers”. But we can’t let them bring us down to their level.
 
So next time you go to say something about LFC just stop and think. Are you about to call Downing a waste of space or say Rodgers isn’t good enough to manage the club? Then, just minutes later will you call Everton fans “bitter”? Well not in my name.
 
I’m starting a campaign to reclaim the fan base. I’m sick and tired of moaning and whingeing. I don’t want any more stupid people supporting my club. It’s time to be intelligent once more. It’s time to throw off the shackles of negativity and show the world once more why we are the most knowledgeable fans around. Join me. Follow me on Twitter and #reclaimLFC
 
@adam_smith_82

http://www.kopsource.com/intelligent-fans-we-used-to-be/

An excellent piece and I wish him well in spreading the word. We don't have that aura as supporters that we once proudly had and it's going to be hard to get it back.

I couldn’t watch the LFC v Hearts game as I was at the cinema. So I recorded it and avoided all forms of communication that might spoil it for me. And after 30 minutes I was feeling delightfully spirited. So I thought I’d have a look at what the temperature was on Twitter.
 
Mistake.

Funny that. I was sat watching it at home and decided to visit the match thread on here.

Mistake.

Good article, you just have to look through some of the pages in the Anfield atmosphere thread in the kop to see the problems with some of the modern fanbase.