Tekel Towers » For all those who say modern day Arabs are 'fickle'

Tek · 15/9/2015 11:22 pm

Here's a 'Final Hurdle' from 1992 complete with a front page mocking our Greatest ever Manager...Jim McLean.

My point?

Utd fans and football fans in general have always been a fickle breed.

Jackie's actually had more support than most tbh.

Remember afterall club legend Paul Sturrock only lasted TWO matches into the 2000/2001 season after the previous seasons form carried onto the new season.Another club legend in Billy Kirkwood lasted only three matches into 96/97 despite taking us back up at the first time of asking (albeit by the skin of our teeth).

The whole arguement from some more 'mature' Arabs of 'imagine if they had messageboards in my day' are somewhat skewed and entrenched in false romanticism imo.

Arab_plumber · 15/9/2015 11:36 pm

Jackie has been spared rather fortunately by the fact ST is bailing out and grabbing as much as he can without spending anywhere near what was required.

All fans are fickle, it's the nature of the beast lol

Fidel_Castro · 16/9/2015 11:25 am

ST will keep the gloves on until the Jets deal is signed in October.

He wants to portray an image of stability at this side of the planet so that our Aussie cousins do not have any doubts about doing the deal.

After that, then anything can happen.

Viva la Revolucion!

Tangy · 16/9/2015 2:19 pm

Jackie and pals to take over nuj? One can only dream.

16/9/2015 6:38 pm

Tek wrote:
Here's a 'Final Hurdle' from 1992 complete with a front page mocking our Greatest ever Manager...Jim McLean

The whole arguement from some more 'mature' Arabs of 'imagine if they had messageboards in my day' are somewhat skewed and entrenched in false romanticism imo.

As a 'mature' Arab I can remember chants of McLean must go in January 1976 during a humping off Motherwell (and Jim's brother Willie who was 'Well manager at the time came over and gave the fans a bollocking about it at full time - well guess we know who was right in hindsight ).

So I doubt anyone has any doubts about what happens when a manager doesn't produce.

What's struck me though is the level of anger aimed at JM, can't think of any manager having had such a hard time of it before.

Macho Man · 16/9/2015 7:54 pm

I'll admit I'm fickle. My heart lies with the club. Not with the manager or the chairman.

If they are doing something to hurt the club then fuck em. Fuck em in the ass with a tube of Pringles.

The way things are just now I feel I am more Dundee United than either of them.

Tek · 16/9/2015 8:51 pm

scarpia wrote:
What's struck me though is the level of anger aimed at JM, can't think of any manager having had such a hard time of it before.

Scarpia i was at Fir Park in Aug '98 when just about the entire away support shouted 'Tommy GTF...Tommy Tommy GTF' everytime wee Tommy ventured out the dug-out.And we were sitting right behind him in the Main Stand that day.

I also experienced the unpleasant spectacle of seeing a few bellends give Jim McLean absolute Dog's abuse at Airdrie's ground at full time of a 0-0 draw v Queen's Park.

I'm not convinced the level of animosity McNamara's experiencing is unprecedented tbh.I don't think a Manager has lost quite so large a percentage of his support before though.Add to that the fact the bad form is now prolonged over 2 seperate seasons.It is adding to the turmoil.

As i said above normally when that situation arises the trigger is normally pulled pretty damn quickly.

The heat will turn to Thompson soon if this continues much longer.

Sieb22 · 16/9/2015 9:36 pm

I remember going up to Ross County in 98 (I think!) as well in the league cup when County was an established lower league club, we got beat 2-0 and as soon as the 2nd goal went in there was a rush of about 50 United fans running in the stands from behind the goals to our dugout to give Tommy a verbal hammering. A shite night and a shite journey home.

Tek · 16/9/2015 10:28 pm

Sieb22 wrote:
I remember going up to Ross County in 98 (I think!) as well in the league cup when County was an established lower league club, we got beat 2-0 and as soon as the 2nd goal went in there was a rush of about 50 United fans running in the stands from behind the goals to our dugout to give Tommy a verbal hammering. A shite night and a shite journey home.

Bottom line is all these Arabs who seem to think we had a more tolerant support in the past are talking pish and are viewing the past through rose-tinted specs.

Only difference is they never had the internet in those days.

Arabnophobia · 16/9/2015 10:41 pm

scarpia wrote:
Tek wrote:
Here's a 'Final Hurdle' from 1992 complete with a front page mocking our Greatest ever Manager...Jim McLean

The whole arguement from some more 'mature' Arabs of 'imagine if they had messageboards in my day' are somewhat skewed and entrenched in false romanticism imo.
As a 'mature' Arab I can remember chants of McLean must go in January 1976 during a humping off Motherwell (and Jim's brother Willie who was 'Well manager at the time came over and gave the fans a bollocking about it at full time - well guess we know who was right in hindsight ).

So I doubt anyone has any doubts about what happens when a manager doesn't produce.

What's struck me though is the level of anger aimed at JM, can't think of any manager having had such a hard time of it before.

Other managers have had the same or worse fae the stands bud. This internet caper is new and creates a magnified new found grief unknown, felt or influenced before. Blown up and spread across the fan base and media.
Whether this helps get rid of the bad quicker or causes more internal grief remains to be seen.

Edmond Dantes · 16/9/2015 11:02 pm

All the other managers were gone before this given a similar results ratio

So the internet thing doesn't wash in influencing those in charge, if it happens it happens -it only demonstrates to those reading that there are like minded people outwith attending the games and discussing it then.

Arabnophobia · 16/9/2015 11:14 pm

Edmond Dantes wrote:
All the other managers were gone before this given a similar results ratio

So the internet thing doesn't wash in influencing those in charge, if it happens it happens -it only demonstrates to those reading that there are like minded people outwith attending the games and discussing it then.

True ED. Probably makes those in charge more defensive, annoyed and stubborn whilst the shared opinion continues to divide the unity that was less affected before the online influence.

17/9/2015 6:51 pm

Tek and Arabnophobia

Hadn't forgotten other managers getting a hard time from the terracing/stands my first was Jerry Kerr - a more polite Kerr must go rather than GTF back then - and agree that what we're seeing is the discontent playing out on a daily basis on social media and being magnified as a result.

I would disagree wrt the level of.....criticism...piled on JM though, but would have to concede that it's hard to tell if it's this particular situation or the social media thing that's the main cause (compared to previous).

Arabnophobia · 17/9/2015 7:45 pm

This situation is unique for sure. Influenced by factors unexperienced previously. Some outside the managers control and others within.

The online aspect probably doesn't have any effect on match days as it's the place we go to support. Online folk discuss and offload.
Agree some stuff is over the top.

No fan has ever really thought he has the tactical masterclass or complete respect/fear in the dressing room. Mix that with taking a financial cut in the biggest clear out in club history and loosing the finals. Add in his lack of passion fae the dugout, his history with celtic and all that goes with it and his digs at the internet fans and it's no surprise he's getting it tight.

There is no main cause bud. Some are maybe harsh and out of his control.

I want rid. I also want him to prove us all wrong to want him gone. That would take changing what he is still determined not to.

PatReilly · 17/9/2015 8:17 pm

His standing with the fans is probably not recoverable. Only an opinion, but I get the feeling that even a decent run of results (however unlikely) won't see him paid grudging respect.

The situation has gone too far, and fans can see through all the talk issued through and by the media. The Parkhead cup final and the Perth Morris injury match made my mind up, and anything seen since hasn't swayed me. Maybe Jmac has the wrong assistants behind him, but it's gone too far for his reputation among the support to recover.

Sieb22 · 17/9/2015 8:55 pm

OT-ish, but how good was The Final Hurdle, I do miss it.

Arabnophobia · 17/9/2015 9:07 pm

Sending out Simon Donnelly to weakly echo his thoughts of confidence and fine fuckin lines is embarrassing.
They don't sound like they believe themselves.
Doesn't help when they claim that what they are doing doesn't require a shake up or radical change.
Heard a radio report saying that jmacs not worried about loosing his job and if things continue the same we might need a squad cull. WTF! Ken that you can't believe all reported or most media but that pissed me right off. I'm nae manager or tactical wizard but if you believe that you don't need to change yer coaching approach or tactics after the last 6 months???
Again, hopefully I am far off and he/they prove us wrong but I don't have much hope and fuckall belief left.

Arabnophobia · 17/9/2015 9:10 pm

Sieb22 wrote:

OT-ish, but how good was The Final Hurdle, I do miss it.

We need the humour and style they medicated us traumatised Arabs with back then more than ever right now bud!

Arabnophobia · 17/9/2015 9:17 pm

17/9/2015 9:20 pm

Sieb22 wrote:

OT-ish, but how good was The Final Hurdle, I do miss it

First thing I used to do when I got into Frews before the match in those days was to check if there was a new TFH out

Tek · 17/9/2015 9:42 pm

The Final Hurdle was a great read.

In the days before Tekel Towers,Utd Mad,Twitter and various different fan blogs it was a great source of reading the thoughts of other Utd fans.As said above by Scarpia,it was always done with good humour too.

Used to often make the journey on the bus from Dundee to Lanarkshire go much quicker for me.

I reckon it would still sell quite well tbh.

Arabnophobia · 17/9/2015 9:55 pm

Tek wrote:
The Final Hurdle was a great read.

In the days before Tekel Towers,Utd Mad,Twitter and various different fan blogs it was a great source of reading the thoughts of other Utd fans.As said above by Scarpia,it was always done with good humour too.

Used to often make the journey on the bus from Dundee to Lanarkshire go much quicker for me.

I reckon it would still sell quite well tbh.

We need a new online version!!!

If we loose the cheeky humour we associate the game and culture with and replace it with only online opinions and arguing the best part of our culture might twist away into something none of us like or want to be associated with.
Resurrect the humour and give us an online version of The Final Hurdle for the sake of our sanity!

Billy_Hainey · 17/9/2015 9:56 pm

Does anyhody have any of these to hand? Wouldna mind having a read thru them for old times sake.