Shiggy
Well-known member
Some might raise eyebrows at this question thinking the obvious answer is yes, but consider this. The setup for the first 10 or so games of the season wasn’t right. Players were gelling, Critchley a new manager in his first job with little back room staff, it was obvious it was going to take time for things to settle. Over the course of the season, the players have been given the time needed to improve massively, which we’re now seeing come to fruition.
I’m not sure whether this would’ve been able to happen as quickly if fans were there. While most of us appreciate the difficulty of this division, there is a section of our fanbase (as seen on here, social media etc) who have grumbled for most of the campaign, and if they had their way Critchley would’ve been sacked before Christmas and half the squad shipped out in January.
My mind goes back to the home game against Ipswich. That result was a kick in the teeth, but I firmly believe the atmosphere in the ground that day would have been extremely sour, and probably would’ve killed the confidence of the players and coaches even more. This kind of reception from the crowd can influence board members, coaching staff and players alike in a negative way. While I understand it can also go the other way and be used as motivation, and that this is part of the game at the professional level, I think with this particular group, they were probably lucky to walk off the pitch in an empty stadium.
By avoiding that, the players (a lot of whom had little league 1 experience at the beginning of the season) have been able to get to grips with new coaching styles and the standard of league 1 in a *relatively* low pressure environment.
At the beginning of the season, I thought we needed fans in, to help the players establish a sense of affinity with the club that you can only gain through interaction with fans. Now, as the season has progressed, I’ve changed my mind. I think that by having no fans, significant progress has been made that perhaps would’ve been hindered by the pressure of a repeatedly impatient crowd, which I believe we would have had probably up until the Hull game at home.
I’m sure a lot will disagree, and I want to make clear that I obviously believe fans need to be in the ground asap. My main point is; under the particular circumstances we have faced, I actually think in the long run, this particular group has been given the time required to come together and become the side we all knew they could be, without the external pressure of a hostile crowd, and I think this has been hugely beneficial.
I’m not sure whether this would’ve been able to happen as quickly if fans were there. While most of us appreciate the difficulty of this division, there is a section of our fanbase (as seen on here, social media etc) who have grumbled for most of the campaign, and if they had their way Critchley would’ve been sacked before Christmas and half the squad shipped out in January.
My mind goes back to the home game against Ipswich. That result was a kick in the teeth, but I firmly believe the atmosphere in the ground that day would have been extremely sour, and probably would’ve killed the confidence of the players and coaches even more. This kind of reception from the crowd can influence board members, coaching staff and players alike in a negative way. While I understand it can also go the other way and be used as motivation, and that this is part of the game at the professional level, I think with this particular group, they were probably lucky to walk off the pitch in an empty stadium.
By avoiding that, the players (a lot of whom had little league 1 experience at the beginning of the season) have been able to get to grips with new coaching styles and the standard of league 1 in a *relatively* low pressure environment.
At the beginning of the season, I thought we needed fans in, to help the players establish a sense of affinity with the club that you can only gain through interaction with fans. Now, as the season has progressed, I’ve changed my mind. I think that by having no fans, significant progress has been made that perhaps would’ve been hindered by the pressure of a repeatedly impatient crowd, which I believe we would have had probably up until the Hull game at home.
I’m sure a lot will disagree, and I want to make clear that I obviously believe fans need to be in the ground asap. My main point is; under the particular circumstances we have faced, I actually think in the long run, this particular group has been given the time required to come together and become the side we all knew they could be, without the external pressure of a hostile crowd, and I think this has been hugely beneficial.
