[theo_luddite]

Seems Fulham turned up in injury time. We should see out these games but the way we defend, missing chances will always bite us on the arse.

[EastLondonTerrier]

What a load of rubbish. First things first, the game itself. Poor first-half, buttercup and scanz once again our only outlets. Butts had a few good shots saved by their keeper but other than that we barely threatened and neither did they. Second half was an actual football match, scanz outstanding, hogg harried, won tackles, played simple balls, did his job. Whitehead for me isn't justfiying his place in the team. Would rather have dempsey in there as atm we lack so much urgency in the middle. Decision-making in the game was also a huge concern, too many times misplacing a pass when a break was on or just not going forward and playing it pedestrian and slow. Davidson was my MOTM. Outstanding performance. Got forward, crossed well, and was hugely dependable when called upon in defence even when bunn gave him absolutely no cover. Wells usual lightweight self but popped up with a good finish. Fulham were shocking make no bones about it, we should have won this game. Scanz had a one-on-one he could have scored from but he was being pulled back as he shot so harsh to say he should have scored and bunn drew a good save from their keeper. Murphy looks a more than capable replacement. One world-class save from a free-kick late on I thought after 'this is what will win it for us' but alas town find a way to cock it up. He was vocal and screamed at our stupid defence's mistakes time and again. Smith is a huge liability and clearly the fact he has virtually no competition for his place has made him complacent. Lumbering, pondersome and almost lost possession in stupid positions several times. Put rest of defence under pressure. Their goal was completely avoidable, long punt forward, lynch and hudson go for the same ball and their lad bangs it in when it drops. Schoolboy defending. We simply cannot have half our defence playing as poor as that otherwise we will continue to leak goals at crucial times. Hudson and lynch always look like a piece of mis-communication or error will cost us a goal, that is simply not good enough.

Now for the other issues. Support outstanding, must have had 2000 there at a guess, but the behaviour by some of our fans has made me ashamed to feel a part of this football club. Granted fulham were stupid to oversell this game as clearly more town fans turned up than they expected but the fiasco that occurred when they tried to get people into their seats where huge numbers were clearly in the wrong seats and taking other peoples was shambolic, resulting in a group of fans standing in the gangway during the second half, clearly with no consideration for other town fans. I almost got in a fight with one of them I was so angry at what was going on. It shocked me as a 21 year old that I would seem the rational one to try and reason with a group of 30-55 year old grown men who obviously were ready for a bit of action and were looking for a fight. Exactly the same lot turned up at QPR. Big london day out, get so half-cut most couldn't see, let alone stand and then proceed to sing that classic chestnut 'londons a shithole, I wanna go home'. Wit clearly isn't their strong point. Not being funny, but Huddersfield ain't exactly mayfair. One cretin got right in the face of a poor steward who must have been about my age, intimidating him and waiting for him to try and provoke him. Disgusting behaviour from adults, I don't care who else tries to put opposing opinions on this thread, granted there were no immediate troublesome issues that would make the stewards try and make the people at the top sit somewhere else but the accusations of aggression from town fans by stewards was pure nonsense, they were simply trying to do their jobs and town fans clearly love to bait and antagonise stewards to make them seem like their bollocks are a bit bigger. This is in addition to the appallingly racist chants of 'yid' at ross McCormack from a large section of our fans when he got the ball in addition to a vile chant about him being jimmy savilles son. I'm tempted to report this to the football league but I haven't got the stomach to rat on my own football club. If we play like our second half performance, we should be okay provided we can perhaps buy someone to add to our leaking defence but the actions of a group of town fans today completely overshadowed the game IMO and was a disgrace to the football club. Fulham must think we are a bunch of in-breds.

[sloppyattheback]

First half dished up was the usual stale we're here a point at best Powell dross and we created nothing other than speculative distance efforts, Fulham looked average at best, though they had a pace and will to push forward instead of dawdle like Town do in possesion.

2nd half we were much brighter Scanz, as above, had a chance i didnt see the pull back but he connected with his left foot and we had more of the ball in crazy energy sapping heat, christ I must have dropped a stone watching.

Wells poached a loose ball in the box in true striker fashion, him dropping deep or out wide or challengine 2x 6' centre halfs isnt his game but I like the way he just gets on with and gives his all, yes he might be light weight but play the ball to him or in front of him and at this level he's a handful, he needs a target man taking the knocks to give space and chances.

Seen the goals now and yes 90 mins+ panic centre half defending gave their chap a simple knock down and time to ram it past Murphy who had saved on 89 mins superbly the 25 yarder flying to his top left, hoped that was good enough to notch us a win on the road.

Support I thought 1200, very vocal very supportive, give me 1200 there to back the team anyday V 2700 on a jolly boys outing like last season. I had to sit in the overspill area as my seat was taken, it was the stewarding (from my view) that antagonised a lot, they allowed about a dozen seats in the first half but then pushed back at HT allowing just 4 seats free leaving many of the same group stood in the aisles and the stewards didnt seem to want to move them nor direct them elesewhere. We saw what happened at Millwall last year when Russ was invited to leave early for persistent standing, difficult one as yes many have had a skinful since the early morning train and tend to be in small tight groups of mates.

The McCormack (could be any ex Leeds player) Y baiting will always be there, RM rubbed it in our noses at Bellend Road during the 4-1 drubbing and the Jimmy Saville chant is just something town fans can throw at leeds without any comeback currently, that will blow over, so I'd lighten up a little and keep your ink dry ELT.

So a good point on the road in barmy 90 C temperatures where we were gallantly defeated last term.
Some lads were saying they'd met a group off Villa fans were commenting that Town fans seemed to be allover London, on their trains from Mancs thru the midlands, perhaps they thought we had 3000 following the team today.

[EastLondonTerrier]

First half dished up was the usual stale we're here a point at best Powell dross and we created nothing other than speculative distance efforts, Fulham  looked average at best, though they had a pace and will to push forward instead of dawdle like Town do in possesion.

2nd half we were much brighter Scanz, as above, had a chance i didnt see the pull back but he connected with his left foot and we had more of the ball in crazy energy sapping heat, christ I must have dropped a stone watching.

Wells poached a loose ball in the box in true striker fashion, him dropping deep or out wide or challengine 2x 6' centre halfs isnt his game but I like the way he just gets on with and gives his all, yes he might be light weight but play the ball to him or in front of him and at this level he's a handful, he needs a target man taking the knocks to give space and chances.

Seen the goals now and yes 90 mins+ panic centre half defending gave their chap a simple knock down and time to ram it past Murphy who had saved on 89 mins superbly the 25 yarder flying to his top left, hoped that was good enough to notch us a win on the road.

Support I thought 1200, very vocal very supportive, give me 1200 there to back the team anyday V 2700 on a jolly boys outing like last season.  I had to sit in the overspill area as my seat was taken, it was the stewarding (from my view)  that antagonised a lot, they allowed about a dozen seats in the first half but then pushed back at HT allowing just 4 seats free leaving many of the same group stood in the aisles and the stewards didnt seem to want to move them nor direct them elesewhere.  We saw what happened at Millwall last year when Russ was invited to leave early for persistent standing, difficult one as yes many have had a skinful since the early morning train and tend to be in small tight groups of mates.

The McCormack (could be any ex Leeds player) Y baiting will always be there, RM rubbed it in our noses at Bellend Road during the 4-1 drubbing and the Jimmy Saville chant is just something town fans can throw at leeds without any comeback currently, that will blow over, so I'd lighten up a little and keep your ink dry ELT.

So  a good point on the road in barmy 90 C temperatures where we were gallantly defeated last term.
Some lads were saying they'd met a group off Villa fans were commenting that Town fans seemed to be allover London, on their trains from Mancs thru the midlands, perhaps they thought we had 3000 following the team today.

Sloppy, both stewarding and crowd behaviour did nothing to solve the issue, I saw no aggression from any steward, I was sat down in the ticket I had bought and was right next to where all of it took place, their actions may have been daft to move town fans at half time but some of the behaviour towards them was downright appalling. A player gives you a bit of stick because he's getting abused all game and you call him a paedo and make a racial slur at him all game? Do me a favour, we're not in 1984 anymore. Come up with something witty, not tarnish our club with that reputation. I'll lighten up when I hear a chant worthy of wit or something approaching it. We're normally good at that. Clearly we reverted to Neanderthal language yesterday. I'm glad I didn't grow up during the 80s when some of those 50 year olds were 20 year olds, God knows what we chanted at Leeds fans then and I'm disappointed more town fans haven't spoken up about this post-match. 

[sloppyattheback]

If you're 21 ELT then agree we're from different times and therefore we do have different perspectives. Because the early 80's were on regular occsasions seriously bad the events yesterday dont really register on my radar, yet I hear / read regularly the only point of conflict at a game is usually fans v steward and on occasion, drink related again, fan on fan conflict. My lad is 18, travels everywhere with me since aged 4 and I'm chuffed he hasnt had to witness nor get involved in incidents and scrapes me and my mates came through from teenage years , however the footy was so much better 79-85 at least when our travelling support was a higher % of the 7000 gates we averaged then.

The songs that get churned out now stem from the singing section or from the Kilner side, does anyone challenge them ?? the Hudds/Kirklees area in general aint exactly an oil painting (i;m born dewsbury I should know) yet the cringeworthy 'shithole' chant has been doing the rounds for nearly 10 years now- hate it but it spills out every away game, probably from young lads who have never had the fortune to travel extensively and get out and about of their locality. The more modern Soccer am types have a lot to answer for trying to be witty/dark humour chants - I preferred the more direct and to the point non PC approach of " You're going home in a st Johns ambulance" - joke !

There was 3 whole empty blocks of seats between the town fans and the neutral section it wouldn't have been a hardship to open up a block properly and create a corden with the stewards in that top section of seating only, yet head steward decided to take the stance to squeeze everyone back across, a couple were ejected I saw.

You go week in week out too you can judge which 3-4 away fixtures attract this type of crowd you might want to select your seats with this in mind, last season I was down the front getting wet all quiet yesterday up the back as our seats had gone and a bit more lively.

Have a good sunday.

[ARTERRIER]

I was there yesterday and didn't see any problems. Aside from an altercation, where there were a few verbals but nothing else.

Onto the game, the first half, the less said about that the better, both teams were crap.

Second a slight improvement, but still not great, we took the lead but failed to get a second to kill the game off, we never really showed much ambition to get a second, although the Fulham keeper did make two great saves after we had taken the lead from a Scannell header and a Bunn shot but other than that nothing really much. The equaliser, we should have had a free kick for a foul on Bun when he's in the corner trying to run the clock down, although he did foul the Fulham player immediately afterwards. Thing is though, we don't defend the ball properly, confusion between Hudson and lynch who had fairly decent games and Smith allows the Fulham player to dart in unchecked, he even had time to take the ball down on his chest and lash it home. Frustrating and so bloody annoying grrrrrrrrrr.

[EastLondonTerrier]

the shit-hole chant is stupid but I can live with it. It's not hurting anybody, it's just a chant devoid of intelligence and reeks of banal stupidity. Give me 'you only work in the summer' at bournemouth fans any day of the week, that's a proper chant. What I can't sit abide by and watch is blatant and nasty racism, which is what it is, lets make no bones about it. Yid is racist. My Dad is 62 and probably went to town matches during that era and he said he witnessed a lot worse than what I've saw, telling me stories when you just couldn't go to some town games or a particularly vile story where a group of town fans ambushed an opposition fan after a game and beat him to death. The opposition team name I forget but that kind of stuff scares me enough that I won't just sit here and not vent my anger at us. We are a better club than that. We haven't got 'family club of the year' several times for no reason. Thankfully these instances are usually few and bar between, I did hear one individual chant during a minutes silence for manager keith alexander at a gillingham game that 'hes a black bastard' years ago but its now limited to abusing ex-leeds players. Last year at fulham I was down the bottom and everyone decided to stand up for the whole game so my old man decided to go near the top to avoid this situation but we didn't manage to avoid the problems once again. London games used to be a great occasion, loads of town fans enjoying themselves and singing their hearts out, now it seems like a big day out for some who love to start a bit of trouble and then complain at the day out they're getting, which is a huge shame. Stewards were daft to do what they did, but their club sold them down the river with trying to police an overspill, with some fans seeing a chance to put it on a bunch of people on part-time jobs and intimidate them to make them seem a bit bigger. I think saying 'no one challenges them' as an excuse is poor show even if you're not excusing them, we need to do more as a club to root this out. Calling an ex-leeds player a yid is one level away from racially abusing a black player with the n-word. It's 2015, I hope this is the last time I have to say this at a town match.

---

Smith has no competition for his place and has got complacent. Was awful all game yesterday. Investment should be made to get a right-back who can compete with him or another centre-back to challenge hudson and lynch as atm are we trusting wallace or crainie to come in for them and be just as good? Powell doesn't trust them.

[Lord Snooty]

I've stopped shouting Yid at Leeds players because people misinterpret the abuse. Hard to explain now but originally it was a slur on the spazzy way Leeds fans couldn't pronounce their own name. They clearly used to shout Yids Yids Yids every time they got a corner. The irony of Leeds fans complaining of this being racist now is laughable seeing as their chants back then were the most racist of anybody.
But like you say, ELT, it's not appropriate now so let's stop it.

[EastLondonTerrier]

Agreed thank you snoots. I'm sure a lot of people who chant it aren't racist but were chanting it for your reason or just joining in not knowing the racial connotations of the word. We aren't arsenal, West Ham or millwall fans who have chanted it at Tottenham. We should not chant it. I love a good chant as much as the next man but if we can cut out the anti-Semitic and paedophile chants, it's not a massive ask is it. It also doesn't help that I've heard fans call Leeds fans sheenies which of course means frugal which is another Jewish stereotype so it all becomes worse the more you think about it. It's sad this is young telling the old how to behave but I guess it's a generational thing.

[Lord Snooty]

It is a generational thing, you're right. Back in the 80s, chanting offensive stuff at the opposition really got under their skin and was an advantage to the team. Anybody who saw Pompey keeper Peter Mellor's reaction to the Cowshed's chants about his wife will agree.
It's not on today though. I've just been rebuked on Twitter about a cheap remark about Moeen Ali dodging the champagne spray at the Ashes celebrations. You can't say owt without somebody getting offended.
Or more likely getting offended on behalf of somebody else.