I think it will be the responsibility of the fans to show a little extra tolerance in the stands, just one of the things that Dave_S139 says. Read on for more.
We are inching ever so slowly towards a new season for Pompey and indeed a new era – one way or another. The World Cup is now well underway and by the time we know the winner many clubs will be more than a week into their pre-season training programme. For Pompey fans, the dilemma remains, to buy or not to buy. Season Ticket sales have understandably been slow – around one thousand at the last count I believe – and many fans have been hanging on until the last minute of the renewal window in the hope that progress could be made with regards to ownership and, more generally, seeing some positive activity towards rebuilding the future of Portsmouth Football Club.
Alas, this is taking longer than any of us want but assuming that many will still be prepared to part with their £300 or £400, what are we expecting in return for our money?
Football fans can be super-critical at the best of times but especially when it seems there is plenty of cash sloshing around at their club. But things are very different now at Pompey and, as a result, expectations need to be lowered. So, once we have bought our tickets, where are our tolerance levels set? Do we simply want a club regardless of what happens on the pitch, and be able to turn up and watch our team win or lose, or even lose and lose? Do we expect to struggle and hopefully just survive, avoiding a further drop into league 1? Or do we expect mid-table or better? How long will it be before the fans start to give the manager and the players (whomever they may be) some serious stick for less than favourable results?
Hopefully the new manager will quickly be accepted by the supporters; we need to appreciate that he has a difficult act to follow and in even more difficult circumstances than his predecessors in some ways. As for the players that he is able to bring in – yes, they will be his choices but will they be his preferred choices or will the monetary handcuffs that he is forced to wear mean that he has to ‘settle’ for those of a lesser quality.
Can we, the Pompey fans, deal with that and react in a reasonable, sensible and rational manner to what is going to be set before us. I think at the very least we deserve 100% effort on the pitch. Whether or not we get much more than that this season remains to be seen.
As supporters, let’s not contribute unnecessarily to our own downfall. It would be an easy trap to fall into and at the moment the entire club (players, staff, fans etc.) have enough to deal with without us shooting ourselves in the foot at the same time. Whatever happens, it’s going to be a tough season and whilst the manager and players attempt to do their bit on the pitch – successfully or unsuccessfully – I think it will be the responsibility of the fans to show a little extra tolerance in the stands.
Hopefully, that won’t be too much to ask from me or anybody else.
Play up Pompey.
Written by Dave_S139.
The views within this article are the views of the individual who wrote and submitted this piece, sometimes solely theirs. They are not necessarily shared by the Vital Pompey Site Journalists.
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