How far does your loyalty stretch?

[Neil]

Loyalty has two strands in my view: firstly, the loyal fan who wants success and is prepared to question things and hold their club to task and secondly, the fan who, regardless of circumstances, accepts and trusts the process.
Both types of loyal fan are equally staunch, but the fan that accepts everything and trusts those in control are more associated with the past. It's almost a form of deference. We all, at some stage of our football supporting life, allow a club to govern our moods and well being. When we are young, if our team loses, it spoils our weekend. As we become older and more cynical, we realise that a bunch of 22 year-olds, with all their hormones and moods, should not be determining our fate. Football is a fragile game in terms of success and failure, so why have our psychological state balancing on a single goal? We all have to realise that a football manager (at any club) makes decisions for himself, not for the masses. We attach ourselves to clubs, but we (the fans) are the most important stakeholder at most clubs and therefore, we have the power to influence. Therefore, if we don't, we waste a huge opportunity. So, it is possible to be loyal, but also to show your dissatisfaction and to refuse to accept everything that's placed in front of us. That doesn't make us disloyal, it creates an environment where the club's management are accountable to the people that provide the club with valuable income. A non-league club should represent the community and fans should feel they have a say in what goes on. Very few clubs allow that sort of privilege to fans, but there is an urgent need to create genuine community clubs. If fans feel they have a stake, you buy real loyalty from those involved.

[DarrenW]

Loyalty has two strands in my view: firstly, the loyal fan who wants success and is prepared to question things and hold their club to task and secondly, the fan who, regardless of circumstances, accepts and trusts the process.
Both types of loyal fan are equally staunch, but the fan that accepts everything and trusts those in control are more associated with the past. It's almost a form of deference. We all, at some stage of our football supporting life, allow a club to govern our moods and well being. When we are young, if our team loses, it spoils our weekend. As we become older and more cynical, we realise that a bunch of 22 year-olds, with all their hormones and moods, should not be determining our fate. Football is a fragile game in terms of success and failure, so why have our psychological state balancing on a single goal? We all have to realise that a football manager (at any club) makes decisions for himself, not for the masses. We attach ourselves to clubs, but we (the fans) are the most important stakeholder at most clubs and therefore, we have the power to influence. Therefore, if we don't, we waste a huge opportunity. So, it is possible to be loyal, but also to show your dissatisfaction and to refuse to accept everything that's placed in front of us. That doesn't make us disloyal, it creates an environment where the club's management are accountable to the people that provide the club with valuable income. A non-league club should represent the community and fans should feel they have a say in what goes on. Very few clubs allow that sort of privilege to fans, but there is an urgent need to create genuine community clubs. If fans feel they have a stake, you buy real loyalty from those involved.

Great post Neil.

Believe the club has opened up a hell of alot since when I first began supporting the club in 1993 which is great to see. The community initiatives etc brilliant just wish they had come sooner.

One thing is in 29 years I dont recall any manager being called for being sacked by the support. We are a loyal bunch and im especially a Burkey loyalist as he has been there all through my tenure as a supporter (running Baldock inbetween playing and managing). I also believe he is still the best man for the job 100% without any bias. His success in the last 10 years especially 2017 was astounding really. Not to mention 2018 and the cup run.

Anyone with a memory like me will know plenty of clubs we have played in the last 30 years are playing at much lower or worse still gone out of business. We are fortunate to still have a club playing at a decent level and solvent for reasons mentioned.

For that I feel we should be thankful we are not one of those playing much lower or gone bankrupt.

[russell]

I can't agree with the notion that having a tantrum on the Internet about a non league team losing is somehow a noble way to behave... If this is a more modern way of supporting a team (it seems to be for a lot of 'elite' clubs) then I'll stick with the old method

[Neil]

Who said anything about tantrums, Russell? Measured and objective criticism - nothing wrong with that.

[MichaelD]

Double post

[MichaelD]

Thinking back to the 1970s & 80s before social media, there was plenty of criticism of the team when performances were not up to standard. The manager in the dugout could not fail to hear supporters opinions. Look at the records from the time, for every great cup run there were periods of defeat after defeat. We never could build on a good run, hence avoiding relegation became a good season.
There were times when player recruitment was difficult and the standard of player was no better than today.
Future success will never come with an attitude that we might fall down the leagues, or even go bankrupt. In many ways, success is always easier from a lower base. Success for Hitchin is still avoiding relegation, and a top ten finish is a great season. Mark Burke is the perfect manager for the club - not great but not terrible. He only reaches very good when he has very good players, like many other managers. If he was manager of a team aiming for promotion, he would have long departed.
Success for Hitchin would be stagnation for other clubs. Hitchin FC is what it is - things will not change significantly while the club is run as it is.

[russell]

I think I'd draw a distinction between complaining at the game in the heat of the moment and posting on the Internet. A lot of the enjoyment of football is people in the crowd having a moan and letting off steam and often makes for great entertainment! Trying to whip up artificial rows on the Internet for no reason other than to draw attention to yourself is totally different in my opinion.. In all walks of life now there seems to be a lived reality and also a toxic 'debate' raging online whether its about Megan Markle, politics, football, etc that just creates a bad atmosphere and doesn't reflect the way people actually interact in person

[Neil]

I couldn’t agree more, Russell.

[Chris_N]

I think I'd draw a distinction between complaining at the game in the heat of the moment and posting on the Internet. A lot of the enjoyment of football is people in the crowd having a moan and letting off steam and often makes for great entertainment! Trying to whip up artificial rows on the Internet for no reason other than to draw attention to yourself is totally different in my opinion.. In all walks of life now there seems to be a lived reality and also a toxic 'debate' raging online whether its about Megan Markle, politics, football, etc that just creates a bad atmosphere and doesn't reflect the way people actually interact in person

[Greenfinch]

Unbroken loyalty is one thing,but support for the club through thick and thin is paramount,and our supporters have been doing that for more than 150yrs, and will continue to do so whatever league we play in.