UncleBingo

Would anybody chip in for an Ashley baby balloon plastered with SportsRedirect? It could be flown at the ground for every home game.

This. Although I've wrapped in myself, I'm getting sick of 'stop going, it's the only thing that will work' mantra that gets repeated time and time again like it's a fact. No, it isn't a fact, it's just an opinion.

What a game, the sound when Tino's 3rd went it will live with me until my dying day....we were hanging on a bit at the end mind!

Going in late for the next TV game should be where they go next imho. Obviously the cameras would pick up on all the empty seats, but the match would have to be delayed for health and safety reasons which would impact on TV schedules. Keep doing that on televised games, and Sky/BT would stop putting us on the telly which deprives Ashley of his advertising. Walk in on 11 minutes to signify the number of years he has been there.

Fucking grim isn't it. Can you tweet them to @MaintainSjp please if you're happy for them to be used.

may be something in this i guess, last season was about exceeding expectations and so forth this season we've deliberately had the chair kicked out from under us by ashley, has probably had an impact on everyone Aye, last season was more of an unknown as we'd just come up (again) but actively sabotaging your own club this season really is peak Ashley, then again he's been doing it for years. To me it is understandable why the players will be demoralised this season. I guess everyone could see it happening apart from Ashley and his cronies. They played their hearts out last season and got us to a decent position in the league. Then what happens? The players all come out asking for the manager to be backed. Ashley won't do it because Rafa won't sign the contract because Ashley won't sanction improvements to the infrastructure. The result being that he is only allowed to bring a player in if one leaves. This leads to players like Ritchie and Gayle being unsettled because they don't want to leave and neither does Rafa want them to leave but he needs to improve the squad and is not allowed to add to it. Hayden wants to leave - even does the decent thing and actually puts in a transfer request - but is not allowed to leave because Rafa knows he will not be able to afford anyone better. Then comes the annual dispute with players over bonuses - supposedly based on unattainable targets. So why should the players feel motivated to repeat last season's efforts? The owner clearly isn't interested or grateful for last season or even capable of comprehending what an enormous effort it was from everyone. His attitude is if they finished 10th, then that cuts him some slack as they can afford to drop a few places. He has no interest in rewarding them or motivating them to do better than last year. And the players brought in? All from relegated clubs or ones that were involved in relegation battles. Along with the difficult start and the gradual realisation that this season is going to be even more of a struggle and certainly not one to enjoy - either by players or fans, then it is not hard to see why players are not performing to the same levels. I am sure they are giving their all but will have been subconsciously affected by Ashley's decision making. And Rafa's situation is probably the main issue. The players have all bought into him but if he leaves, where does that leave them? It has never worked when players know a manager is leaving and almost always, the manager does end up leaving before the end of the season. So what happens next? Palace and Leicester will be difficult, then it is Man Utd. Where will we be then? If Ashley wouldn't back Rafa with 12 months left on his contract why would he do it with 6 months left? Does that mean he sacks Rafa? I wouldn't be surprised if he is waiting for the opportunity just like he did with Hughton. And no doubt the next manager will be given significant transfer funds as another kick in the teeth for Rafa with the underlying message that it was all Rafa's fault for not signing the contract. Great post, absolutely nailed it.

The best thing that could happen now is Rafa is sacked imho. The Rafa haters get the manager they deserve (Allardyce/Sherwood etc.), and maybe it shocks some of the others into actually doing something. I agree with this. Hallelujah at last there we have it people finally realising what I said in July No, you said he should walk, sacking him.is completely different.

If you really strongly about it, cancelling your ST is definitely the way forward.....BUT it's not an easy thing to do, I know, I've just done it myself. However, if you do this, you still need to get involved in protests against Ashley. Walking away and washing your hands of it, then criticising those who are prepared to get of their arses and do something is not acceptable.....far too many know-it-all's out there who think they've done their piece and everyone else is wrong. If you've got something to say, come to the next Magpie Group meeting and share your expert knowledge with others. I came up for the first protest especially and watched the game in a pub, and i've been doing my bit online, not that i feel i have to justify myself. Good stuff, there needs to be more like you........there's also a fair amount of fans who think that by walking away they've done their bit, and that gives them the right to lecture and criticise others. Fuck that, like I say, if you think you're an expert on the situation, get involved.

The best thing that could happen now is Rafa is sacked imho. The Rafa haters get the manager they deserve (Allardyce/Sherwood etc.), and maybe it shocks some of the others into actually doing something.

If you really strongly about it, cancelling your ST is definitely the way forward.....BUT it's not an easy thing to do, I know, I've just done it myself. However, if you do this, you still need to get involved in protests against Ashley. Walking away and washing your hands of it, then criticising those who are prepared to get of their arses and do something is not acceptable.....far too many know-it-all's out there who think they've done their piece and everyone else is wrong. If you've got something to say, come to the next Magpie Group meeting and share your expert knowledge with others.

The one before Spurs was covered and that was outside the ground. Protests outside SJP need to be done on all TV games as the will get coverage. Delaying the kick off and affecting TV scheduling times should be the next action imho.

That's the back of me with my daughter, she was very bored by that point.

You going to that evening at the Irish club next month fella?

Good turn out which was swelled when match goers joined in.....like others have said, most people were very positive about it. Was with my daughter so couldn't get right at the front, but spotted a couple off here.

This.

Getting relegated is, at this moment in time, THE most viable way to get rid of Ashley. I'd think Rafa will leave at the end of the season regardless. We need to be relegated and more importantly - not be promoted. (If getting rid of Ashley is the number 1 requisite.) Sorry, but that's complete bollocks imho. We have been approached 5-6 times by parties willing to buy us, and not one of those was when we were in the Championship.

If you're there today, please get pictures of any areas of broken facilities/decay/grime etc. and upload them to @MaintainSjp on Twitter. Cheers

Grew up watching Big Night Out after a night in the boozer and I've always been a massive Reeves & Mortimer fan.......Athletico Mince is right up my street.......British Managers Club and Barry Homeowner are my favourites.

i think this is our biggest hope for a sale myself, that whole side of things drags him down to the point he just wants no other bother especially if TMG etc. keep going for his businesses Agreed, his greed could most definitely be his downfall.......and that's why the pressure must be kept up and then intensified.

This.

This Eddie Rutherford fella seems a few sandwiches short of a picnic to me rather than a Bishop PR merchant. Not happy with the journalist either, will be having words with him in due course.

Yep. They'll whitewash the facts, but not the stadium. Cunts.

That Musgrove fella ran the story in the Chron, used my pictures but didn't use my statement.......just loads of blather from the stadium manager. The whole article is an absolute heap of shite. Check out @IfRafaGoesWeGo’s Tweet:

Aye I kna. Listened to a bit of it again earlier to make sure I didn't sound a tit haha. Anyone else thinking of going tomorrow? I bought myself a share but work commitments & location means I can't attend. My godson works in central London, so I think he's going to go along.

Also beating Chelsea 4-2 in 1994. Just watching the YouTube highlights that are linked, Jesus, no way we'll ever get a pen that soft ever again. I was at that game. That little weasel Dennis Wise was having words with Rob Lee(?) as he was about to take that penalty. I’m not sure if that’s when we started hating Wise but i remember he got loads of abuse for the rest of the game and every match after that. Hate for Wise goes back further than that. The little scrote chased Mirandinha at the final whistle after a Wimbledon cup (?) game. Thought better of it after a crowd surge in the Stawberry corner and a certain young (now very, very...ahem...sensible and not so young) fan jumping the fence with every intention of chinning him. To be fair, Mirandinha did ask for it by booting Beasant up the arse when he wasn't looking after the final whistle. Funny as fuck watching him get chased by half a dozen Wimbledon players.