|
|
Post by Beloved Monkfish on Mar 13, 2022 7:28:34 GMT
Never has a chicken burger better summed up the state of a football club than the one photographed at the ground recently and widely shared on social media. It's everything about Stoke City FC in a bun. A half-arsed, "That'll do" attitude that runs through the club from top to bottom.
The problems run far deeper than Michael O'Neill failing to get an imbalanced squad to perform on the pitch.
The whole match day experience is well below the standard it should be. The music before the game is poor: the playlist seems to have not been changed for a decade. The reading out of the teams a good twenty minutes before the players come out rather than when the players are out massively reduces the atmosphere. Think back to the Premier League years. Opposition players would visibly shrink when their names were roundly booed seconds before kick off. Our players would visibly grow when cheered. Now we have to listen to Delilah blaring out way too loudly over a substandard tannoy system, which stops any kind of atmosphere being generated in its tracks. As we've seen recently, the food is abysmal, refusing to move with the times. Not good enough. And if you don't go down to the concourse for a bite to eat at half-time, what entertainment is there on offer from the stands? Absolutely none. Yes, we do a great job in the community, but do we really need to hear about it every week? When we have a special guest, such as Shawcross recently, the whole thing again is carried out as if the club only found out it was happening five minutes earlier. Not good enough. Many, many smaller clubs do it so much better. Apart from the football (which is persuading nobody to attend at the moment), what else is there to entice people to the club on match days?
The club has got a lot right over the years, but seems to be stuck thinking it's still 2010. Football, entertainment and the world have moved on.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eggybread on Mar 13, 2022 7:44:34 GMT
Never has a chicken burger better summed up the state of a football club than the one photographed at the ground recently and widely shared on social media. It's everything about Stoke City FC in a bun. A half-arsed, "That'll do" attitude that runs through the club from top to bottom. The problems run far deeper than Michael O'Neill failing to get an imbalanced squad to perform on the pitch. The whole match day experience is well below the standard it should be. The music before the game is poor: the playlist seems to have not been changed for a decade. The reading out of the teams a good twenty minutes before the players come out rather than when the players are out massively reduces the atmosphere. Think back to the Premier League years. Opposition players would visibly shrink when their names were roundly booed seconds before kick off. Our players would visibly grow when cheered. Now we have to listen to Delilah blaring out way too loudly over a substandard tannoy system, which stops any kind of atmosphere being generated in its tracks. As we've seen recently, the food is abysmal, refusing to move with the times. Not good enough. And if you don't go down to the concourse for a bite to eat at half-time, what entertainment is there on offer from the stands? Absolutely none. Yes, we do a great job in the community, but do we really need to hear about it every week? When we have a special guest, such as Shawcross recently, the whole thing again is carried out as if the club only found out it was happening five minutes earlier. Not good enough. Many, many smaller clubs do it so much better. Apart from the football (which is persuading nobody to attend at the moment), what else is there to entice people to the club on match days? The club has got a lot right over the years, but seems to be stuck thinking it's still 2010. Football, entertainment and the world have moved on. Without insulting everyone, doesn't this just sum up in general the attitude of the people of this city. |
|
|
|
Post by Beloved Monkfish on Mar 13, 2022 7:47:50 GMT
Never has a chicken burger better summed up the state of a football club than the one photographed at the ground recently and widely shared on social media. It's everything about Stoke City FC in a bun. A half-arsed, "That'll do" attitude that runs through the club from top to bottom. The problems run far deeper than Michael O'Neill failing to get an imbalanced squad to perform on the pitch. The whole match day experience is well below the standard it should be. The music before the game is poor: the playlist seems to have not been changed for a decade. The reading out of the teams a good twenty minutes before the players come out rather than when the players are out massively reduces the atmosphere. Think back to the Premier League years. Opposition players would visibly shrink when their names were roundly booed seconds before kick off. Our players would visibly grow when cheered. Now we have to listen to Delilah blaring out way too loudly over a substandard tannoy system, which stops any kind of atmosphere being generated in its tracks. As we've seen recently, the food is abysmal, refusing to move with the times. Not good enough. And if you don't go down to the concourse for a bite to eat at half-time, what entertainment is there on offer from the stands? Absolutely none. Yes, we do a great job in the community, but do we really need to hear about it every week? When we have a special guest, such as Shawcross recently, the whole thing again is carried out as if the club only found out it was happening five minutes earlier. Not good enough. Many, many smaller clubs do it so much better. Apart from the football (which is persuading nobody to attend at the moment), what else is there to entice people to the club on match days? The club has got a lot right over the years, but seems to be stuck thinking it's still 2010. Football, entertainment and the world have moved on. Without insulting everyone, doesn't this just sum up in general the attitude of the people of this city. Yep, absolutely. I stopped short of putting that in my post, but was thinking it the whole way through. We're a club and city stuck in the past, while others are moving forward in new creative ways. |
|
|
|
Post by tomdickorharry on Mar 13, 2022 8:12:20 GMT
Great post and extremely accurate
Summed up by a LA in denial of the poor leadership and lack of strategy over many many yearās
No joined up thinking
Other towns and Cities are literally streets ahead
Difficult to see change coming ath ScFc or the wider Stoke on Trent conurbation.
Both are a non entity outside of the respective boundaries.
Enjoy the occasional day in the sun.
|
|
samuel32
Youth Player
Jack Clarke's Shorts
Posts: 367
|
Post by samuel32 on Mar 13, 2022 8:19:08 GMT
Never has a chicken burger better summed up the state of a football club than the one photographed at the ground recently and widely shared on social media. It's everything about Stoke City FC in a bun. A half-arsed, "That'll do" attitude that runs through the club from top to bottom. The problems run far deeper than Michael O'Neill failing to get an imbalanced squad to perform on the pitch. The whole match day experience is well below the standard it should be. The music before the game is poor: the playlist seems to have not been changed for a decade. The reading out of the teams a good twenty minutes before the players come out rather than when the players are out massively reduces the atmosphere. Think back to the Premier League years. Opposition players would visibly shrink when their names were roundly booed seconds before kick off. Our players would visibly grow when cheered. Now we have to listen to Delilah blaring out way too loudly over a substandard tannoy system, which stops any kind of atmosphere being generated in its tracks. As we've seen recently, the food is abysmal, refusing to move with the times. Not good enough. And if you don't go down to the concourse for a bite to eat at half-time, what entertainment is there on offer from the stands? Absolutely none. Yes, we do a great job in the community, but do we really need to hear about it every week? When we have a special guest, such as Shawcross recently, the whole thing again is carried out as if the club only found out it was happening five minutes earlier. Not good enough. Many, many smaller clubs do it so much better. Apart from the football (which is persuading nobody to attend at the moment), what else is there to entice people to the club on match days? The club has got a lot right over the years, but seems to be stuck thinking it's still 2010. Football, entertainment and the world have moved on. That first paragraph is superb. |
|
|
|
Post by flea79 on Mar 13, 2022 8:24:09 GMT
Get ange to read this at the next highly secret council meeting
|
|
|
|
Post by hcstokie on Mar 13, 2022 8:26:23 GMT
Great OP.
Glad someone has raised the playing of Delilah as an issue. It is totally cringeworthy, kills any existing atmosphere (usually none in fairness) and doesnāt engage the fans. Reading the team sheets would be much better as you say.
Iām not sure whether the reluctance to improve the matchday experience comes from the board, but based on comments on here the majority of fans think significant improvements could be made. We donāt even need to be innovative, just copy what most other clubs are doing!
|
|
|
|
Post by tinofspam on Mar 13, 2022 8:32:09 GMT
Bring back the half time cross bar challenge with Pottermus giving it the bigun when he has a mascot race
|
|
|
|
Post by The Toxic Avenger on Mar 13, 2022 8:38:32 GMT
āItās everything about Stoke City FC in a bunā is a phenomenal line.
|
|
|
|
Post by svengaliinplatforms on Mar 13, 2022 8:38:35 GMT
Great OP. Glad someone has raised the playing of Delilah as an issue. It is totally cringeworthy, kills any existing atmosphere (usually none in fairness) and doesnāt engage the fans. Reading the team sheets would be much better as you say. Iām not sure whether the reluctance to improve the matchday experience comes from the board, but based on comments on here the majority of fans think significant improvements could be made. We donāt even need to be innovative, just copy what most other clubs are doing! They do still announce the team sheets, only it's done about 20 minutes before KO, when there's no-one in the ground, by a bloke who wouldn't sound out-of-place doing The Shipping Forecast. |
|
|
|
Post by iancransonsknees on Mar 13, 2022 8:38:37 GMT
Never has a chicken burger better summed up the state of a football club than the one photographed at the ground recently and widely shared on social media. It's everything about Stoke City FC in a bun. A half-arsed, "That'll do" attitude that runs through the club from top to bottom. Same as it ever was. |
|
|
|
Post by theonlooker on Mar 13, 2022 8:39:15 GMT
"I couldn't help thinking a shit on the floor would cheer the place up a bit"
|
|
|
|
Post by tcdobinghoff on Mar 13, 2022 8:58:48 GMT
Iām not sure whether the reluctance to improve the matchday experience comes from the board, but based on comments on here the majority of fans think significant improvements could be made. We donāt even need to be innovative, just copy what most other clubs are doing! [/quote]
They do still announce the team sheets, only it's done about 20 minutes before KO, when there's no-one in the ground, by a bloke who wouldn't sound out-of-place doing The Shipping Forecast.[/quote]
The Shipping Forecast is very atmospheric.
|
|
|
|
Post by svengaliinplatforms on Mar 13, 2022 9:02:56 GMT
Iām not sure whether the reluctance to improve the matchday experience comes from the board, but based on comments on here the majority of fans think significant improvements could be made. We donāt even need to be innovative, just copy what most other clubs are doing! They do still announce the team sheets, only it's done about 20 minutes before KO, when there's no-one in the ground, by a bloke who wouldn't sound out-of-place doing The Shipping Forecast.[/quote] The Shipping Forecast is very atmospheric. [/quote] I agree. I just don't think it's what we should be going for... |
|
|
|
Post by ersaurebot 1, 000, 000 views on Mar 13, 2022 9:04:30 GMT
Can we talk about Jonty Sargent?
|
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 13, 2022 9:24:53 GMT
Can we talk about Jonty Sargent? Can we not. |
|
|
|
Post by withnall on Mar 13, 2022 9:32:12 GMT
The shipping forecast used to scare me.
Always sounded like impending death.
|
|
|
|
Post by dave1 on Mar 13, 2022 9:45:29 GMT
Get ange to read this at the next highly secret council meeting Defo one for the next council meeting this..... |
|
|
|
Post by xchpotter on Mar 13, 2022 9:55:58 GMT
If the crap on the pitch was improved I dare say the deficiencies in the match day would hardly be spoken about. We know that Stoke fans will accept rubbish and this is why itās so frustrating because even if the club made half an effort to get things right that would satisfy the majority. As so well covered in the original post, itās just a malaise that everyone shrugs their shoulders at. The problem is that the next step after malaise is decay and I donāt think we are a millions miles from that.
|
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 13, 2022 10:03:26 GMT
If the crap on the pitch was improved I dare say the deficiencies in the match day would hardly be spoken about. We know that Stoke fans will accept rubbish and this is why itās so frustrating because even if the club made half an effort to get things right that would satisfy the majority. As so well covered in the original post, itās just a malaise that everyone shrugs their shoulders at. The problem is that the next step after malaise is decay and I donāt think we are a millions miles from that. Why do we generally just accept it? I donāt, so canāt understand the mentality at all. Itās as big a problem as the owners too because it allows them to get away with it. Like when we were relegated and thousands of fans clapped that team off. I knew we were properly fucked then. Such submission. Such weakness. |
|
|
|
Post by wakeypotter on Mar 13, 2022 10:18:10 GMT
If the crap on the pitch was improved I dare say the deficiencies in the match day would hardly be spoken about. We know that Stoke fans will accept rubbish and this is why itās so frustrating because even if the club made half an effort to get things right that would satisfy the majority. As so well covered in the original post, itās just a malaise that everyone shrugs their shoulders at. The problem is that the next step after malaise is decay and I donāt think we are a millions miles from that. Why do we generally just accept it? I donāt, so canāt understand the mentality at all. Itās as big a problem as the owners too because it allows them to get away with it. Like when we were relegated and thousands of fans clapped that team off. I knew we were properly fucked then. Such submission. Such weakness. You donāt accept it I donāt accept it but thereās a lot on here do. Some think oh well mon is a work in progress In mon we trust someone put yesterday. I mean some will accept any shit. The likes of me and you and some others have higher standards. Others just think itās ok to be shit (work in progress) bull |
|
|
|
Post by iancransonsknees on Mar 13, 2022 10:59:26 GMT
When Johnny Vaughan and James Brown had their show on Talksport their saying was always 'Don't let the football spoil a day out at the football.'
Fans of about 86 league clubs need to adopt that attitude for the sake of their own sanity.
It means bugger all, Stoke don't care about the experience any of us encounter at the match be it on the pitch or off the pitch, never have done and never will do. The last thing that people working for a football club want to do is engage with and deal with the fans, you're what makes their life difficult.
The sooner you can reconcile yourself with this the sooner you conclude why you still put yourself through it. If you go to a football match expecting to enjoy the experience then you're certainly deluded, especially if you follow Stoke! You definitely can't affect it so why get worked up?
I go to see my old man, I'll buy our season tickets go to the matches but I'm at the point now where I've no idea who we're playing from one week to the next. I have zero interest in the game any more outside of Stoke and my Fantasy League team and I believe that's probably a healthy attitude in this day and age. Premier League, Champions League, World cup - it's all over blown media driven dross designed to make rich people richer and to rot your brain.
Still be there next week though š
|
|
|
|
Post by terrorofturfmoor on Mar 13, 2022 11:13:45 GMT
When Johnny Vaughan and James Brown had their show on Talksport their saying was always 'Don't let the football spoil a day out at the football.' Fans of about 86 league clubs need to adopt that attitude for the sake of their own sanity. It means bugger all, Stoke don't care about the experience any of us encounter at the match be it on the pitch or off the pitch, never have done and never will do. The last thing that people working for a football club want to do is engage with and deal with the fans, you're what makes their life difficult. The sooner you can reconcile yourself with this the sooner you conclude why you still put yourself through it. If you go to a football match expecting to enjoy the experience then you're certainly deluded, especially if you follow Stoke! You definitely can't affect it so why get worked up? I go to see my old man, I'll buy our season tickets go to the matches but I'm at the point now where I've no idea who we're playing from one week to the next. I have zero interest in the game any more outside of Stoke and my Fantasy League team and I believe that's probably a healthy attitude in this day and age. Premier League, Champions League, World cup - it's all over blown media driven dross designed to make rich people richer and to rot your brain. Still be there next week though š As far as football goes, I have no interest in it whatsoever anymore other than Stoke...... And they seem hell bent on getting shot of me as well!!! š Sad times, I never thought for one minute that I'd fall out of love with the game.... I would say "beautiful" game, but there's nothing beautiful about it anymore!!! |
|
|
|
Post by stonecoldstokie on Mar 13, 2022 11:35:11 GMT
I completely agree with this and have thought the same for a number of years, I know this is football and what happens on the pitch is the most important element of any club but now the football is poor you notice more off the field issues as well.
I noticed this with how lacklustre the club handled our 150th anniversary year, that should have been a special season with lots of events, merchandise and memorial occasions throughout the season yet weāre given a sub-standard shirt from adidas, no retro range and a free t-shirt on the last day of the season to wear while watching former players shake Peter Coates hand.
The stadium has been allowed to deteriorate with outdated facilities, lack of painting, no real thought to the match day experience and dreadful cheap catering despite living in a world now where people want locally grown healthier foods and drink. We live in a county that has independent food producers and breweries yet we get served generic brands with no local connections or individualism, itās boring, bland and stale!
We have owners who are multi-millionaires as do the likes of Leicester yet we are ran like a bargain basement club where the cheapest option is always the first option.
|
|
|
|
Post by flea79 on Mar 13, 2022 12:29:18 GMT
I completely agree with this and have thought the same for a number of years, I know this is football and what happens on the pitch is the most important element of any club but now the football is poor you notice more off the field issues as well. I noticed this with how lacklustre the club handled our 150th anniversary year, that should have been a special season with lots of events, merchandise and memorial occasions throughout the season yet weāre given a sub-standard shirt from adidas, no retro range and a free t-shirt on the last day of the season to wear while watching former players shake Peter Coates hand. The stadium has been allowed to deteriorate with outdated facilities, lack of painting, no real thought to the match day experience and dreadful cheap catering despite living in a world now where people want locally grown healthier foods and drink. We live in a county that has independent food producers and breweries yet we get served generic brands with no local connections or individualism, itās boring, bland and stale! We have owners who are multi-millionaires as do the likes of Leicester yet we are ran like a bargain basement club where the cheapest option is always the first option. Denise couldnāt give a stuff about the club, itās for her brother and husband too play with and keep them away from 365 where the real money is! And old man Coates sometimes turns up at the ground and tells them they have all done very well like itās grace brothers We have good owners but they lack the ambition to move us forwards in a meaningful way. |
|
|
|
Post by xchpotter on Mar 13, 2022 12:46:02 GMT
If the crap on the pitch was improved I dare say the deficiencies in the match day would hardly be spoken about. We know that Stoke fans will accept rubbish and this is why itās so frustrating because even if the club made half an effort to get things right that would satisfy the majority. As so well covered in the original post, itās just a malaise that everyone shrugs their shoulders at. The problem is that the next step after malaise is decay and I donāt think we are a millions miles from that. Why do we generally just accept it? I donāt, so canāt understand the mentality at all. Itās as big a problem as the owners too because it allows them to get away with it. Like when we were relegated and thousands of fans clapped that team off. I knew we were properly fucked then. Such submission. Such weakness. I honestly donāt know the answer to that question. Maybe itās fear of change and the unknown, maybe itās being conditioned in Stoke on Trent to be content with second best, I just donāt know. I donāt believe in fantasy dreams, but surely itās acceptable to aspire to be better, to want to win, to want to evolve to want to create a legacy and achievement that can be passed on through generations? These are normal things to want and we sure as hell are no where near them now, but as you say, I just donāt know why some so readily accept mediocrity and failure. |
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 13, 2022 12:49:48 GMT
Why do we generally just accept it? I donāt, so canāt understand the mentality at all. Itās as big a problem as the owners too because it allows them to get away with it. Like when we were relegated and thousands of fans clapped that team off. I knew we were properly fucked then. Such submission. Such weakness. I honestly donāt know the answer to that question. Maybe itās fear of change and the unknown, maybe itās being conditioned in Stoke on Trent to be content with second best, I just donāt know. I donāt believe in fantasy dreams, but surely itās acceptable to aspire to be better, to want to win, to want to evolve to want to create a legacy and achievement that can be passed on through generations? These are normal things to want and we sure as hell are no where near them now, but as you say, I just donāt know why some so readily accept mediocrity and failure. It is. But even the manager is bemoaning expectation. And he knows he can get away with it because the fans are so damn easily pleased. And then you have the curious case of people defending MON and saying the issue above him. And I agree, the board are a massive issue and have been for years. Suggest anything against them though and itās āoh we canāt do thatā. So itās just stay as it is. Makes me want to scream. |
|
|
|
Post by danceswithclams on Mar 13, 2022 12:56:39 GMT
I honestly donāt know the answer to that question. Maybe itās fear of change and the unknown, maybe itās being conditioned in Stoke on Trent to be content with second best, I just donāt know. It's definitely a Stoke on Trent thing. The most introspective, backwards-looking city I've ever encountered. We routinely put up with shit in a walks of life and anyone who questions the status quo or strives for more is dismissed as an agitator or fantasist. The whole city is beleaguered by this attitude (summed up perfectly by the current way the football club is being run) and, sadly, I don't think it's something that it will ever dispense with in order to push itself forward. It permeates everything - politics, education, culture. |
|
|
|
Post by dutchstokie on Mar 13, 2022 13:00:09 GMT
When Johnny Vaughan and James Brown had their show on Talksport their saying was always 'Don't let the football spoil a day out at the football.' Fans of about 86 league clubs need to adopt that attitude for the sake of their own sanity. It means bugger all, Stoke don't care about the experience any of us encounter at the match be it on the pitch or off the pitch, never have done and never will do. The last thing that people working for a football club want to do is engage with and deal with the fans, you're what makes their life difficult. The sooner you can reconcile yourself with this the sooner you conclude why you still put yourself through it. If you go to a football match expecting to enjoy the experience then you're certainly deluded, especially if you follow Stoke! You definitely can't affect it so why get worked up? I go to see my old man, I'll buy our season tickets go to the matches but I'm at the point now where I've no idea who we're playing from one week to the next. I have zero interest in the game any more outside of Stoke and my Fantasy League team and I believe that's probably a healthy attitude in this day and age. Premier League, Champions League, World cup - it's all over blown media driven dross designed to make rich people richer and to rot your brain. Still be there next week though š Weāre in the same mound mateā¦.. Iāve had 4 opportunities to come over and watch this seasonā¦ā¦ I would have jumped at it earlier but I just think ā Iāll have a day out with the kidsā instead. The lad always says ā who are you playing today thenā I always turn round and say ā oh weāre losing to ( insert team here)ā¦ā¦ā Hilarity ensues but it shouldnāt be like that Thatās just wrong |
|
|
|
Post by terrorofturfmoor on Mar 13, 2022 13:04:07 GMT
I completely agree with this and have thought the same for a number of years, I know this is football and what happens on the pitch is the most important element of any club but now the football is poor you notice more off the field issues as well. I noticed this with how lacklustre the club handled our 150th anniversary year, that should have been a special season with lots of events, merchandise and memorial occasions throughout the season yet weāre given a sub-standard shirt from adidas, no retro range and a free t-shirt on the last day of the season to wear while watching former players shake Peter Coates hand. The stadium has been allowed to deteriorate with outdated facilities, lack of painting, no real thought to the match day experience and dreadful cheap catering despite living in a world now where people want locally grown healthier foods and drink. We live in a county that has independent food producers and breweries yet we get served generic brands with no local connections or individualism, itās boring, bland and stale! We have owners who are multi-millionaires as do the likes of Leicester yet we are ran like a bargain basement club where the cheapest option is always the first option. Denise couldnāt give a stuff about the club, itās for her brother and husband too play with and keep them away from 365 where the real money is! And old man Coates sometimes turns up at the ground and tells them they have all done very well like itās grace brothers We have good owners but they lack the ambition to move us forwards in a meaningful way. "you've all done very well..."  |
|
