Five Years To Fix Knights

[Big Tim]

The big question is.... is it going to take longer to fix us on the park or off it?

The team is struggling at the moment, but much more concerning to my mind is the complete lack of engagement and care in the town these days.

Don't believe me, look at the lack of a major sponsor, the empty corporate boxes, the empty stands, the near death of this forum, and the fact that now-days the away crowd is often louder than the home crowd at Marathon. Could you imagine any of that even 5 years ago?

It seems even when we turn up we don't care that much.

A bunch of us tried for nearly 10 years to get some active support going, and we were finally getting there with a band and a pretty decent visual and aural presence in 2011 - and then the Tinkler lackies completely pulled the rug out and actively tried to kill it. Well, they succeeded, and now the place sounds like a morgue even when we are winning.

But at least the crowd is easy to control as they head for the exits early, and the knitting nanas don't drop a stitch because someone dared make some noise.

Tinkler has broken the link between the team and the town, I hope not irreparably.

Whoever takes over has a mountain to climb in pretty much every way. I can guarantee the fan base is the last thing they are thinking about though.

I am glad Tinkler is gone, because honestly I was starting to hate my club. Those of us here will be easy to win over, but how do the new mob win back those who maybe didn't turn up to every game but at least used to wish the club well.... but now just don't GAF? In other words, 90% of the town.

Furious.

Amen.

You know how I was with this club back in the day. With my move out of town, and the constant fight to vocalise support..... I gave up.

Have even sought advice on covering up my ink, because I dont care enough any more to have it shown to the world.

 

[Noname36]

I don't think Tinkler and HSG are the sole cause of the drop in engagement by the town...sure it's played a big part, but let's not forget we were struggling with the same issue well before Tinkler took over. I don't think we can under estimate what effect having a bloke like Andrew Johns and a team full of stars we used to have had on getting people passionate. Ask a neutral supporter what's the first thing they think of when they heard the words Newcastle Knights, and I bet the majority will mention the likes of Johns, Chief, Bedsy, Kennedy, O'Davis, etc. When we lost that golden age of players we lost a part of our identity so it's little wonder people have disengaged...especially when the club as a whole has continually changed so much.

Let's also not forget that people simply like a winner. Yes, Newcastle supporters are famous for going to games even when the side is going badly, but as Mac pointed out, post-Johns, even if a big crowed turns up it's like a graveyard. There's no passion there. I attended our semis against the Dogs and Roosters last year, and the Rooster's final in particular was the first time in a lot of years there seemed to be a genuine passion and electricity from Knights supporters. Kind of worrying that we had to go as far as we did for that to come back. It's a real pity we started this year the way we did on and off the field and Tinkler killed the atmosphere at the home games because there was real potential for the club to maintain the passion that a lot of people regained during our semis run last season.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I don't think Tinkler and HSG are the sole cause of the drop in engagement by the town...sure it's played a big part, but let's not forget we were struggling with the same issue well before Tinkler took over. I don't think we can under estimate what effect having a bloke like Andrew Johns and a team full of stars we used to have had on getting people passionate. Ask a neutral supporter what's the first thing they think of when they heard the words Newcastle Knights, and I bet the majority will mention the likes of Johns, Chief, Bedsy, Kennedy, O'Davis, etc. When we lost that golden age of players we lost a part of our identity so it's little wonder people have disengaged...especially when the club as a whole has continually changed so much.

Let's also not forget that people simply like a winner. Yes, Newcastle supporters are famous for going to games even when the side is going badly, but as Mac pointed out, post-Johns, even if a big crowed turns up it's like a graveyard. There's no passion there. I attended our semis against the Dogs and Roosters last year, and the Rooster's final in particular was the first time in a lot of years there seemed to be a genuine passion and electricity from Knights supporters. Kind of worrying that we had to go as far as we did for that to come back. It's a real pity we started this year the way we did on and off the field and Tinkler killed the atmosphere at the home games because there was real potential for the club to maintain the passion that a lot of people regained during our semis run last season.

Very nicely put!

 

[JENKO7]

Agree I'm based in qld and attend a game every year but from the first game I attended pre Tinkler the crowd was amazing with new cas tle chants etc, the last couple years the away team has been louder, no real atmosphere or chants, I've found it strange