Need To Unite
Sunday, 19th Jan 2003 00:00

The Fans Are Split - We Need To Unite

Home > Story Index >Fans Split Over Flynn Future

Defeat at York on Saturday was the Swans sixth successive defeat and with the ailing side now six points adrift at the bottom of the league, fans are turning more and more in their numbers against the current management regime. Only two weeks ago, a poll suggested that 78% of fans were behind Flynn but now the same poll suggests that 70% of Swansea fans are advocating a change in management.

But of course this is Swansea City and nothing is as simple as that. Mathematics comes into any decision in more ways than one. There is an argument that the club cannot afford to rid us of Brian Flynn and we have people in that camp and there is also the fact that with 20 games left are we too late to change the management for it to make any difference?

And then we have a third camp of Flynn supporters. Those that believe that we have the right man at the helm at this moment in time and that we are at the moment just unlucky and sooner or later that luck will turn. Of course there are those that then argue we felt that luck would turn in the championship season and it didn't - we just kept on winning!!!!

However, it is the majority that seem to be in the Flynn Out corner and we now have talks of meetings and protests against the current regime. For a personal opinion, I do not back either of these courses of action as I don't see what they can achieve but people's frustrations are understandable and whichever of the three camps that you fall into none of us want to see Swansea City relegated from the football league.

It is clear that the fans are not united at the moment over Brian Flynn but we must also remember that we are united behind the team and we must keep the fighting between ourselves out of it. I don't agree with a protest and I express that opinion but please it's best to remember to do it in a constructive and calm way expressing your opinions - it doesn't make the other people wrong does it?

This is going to be an emotional time for all of us as fans because of the severity of our league position and a split in opinion is expected most of the time at most clubs - be it over a player, manager, playing style or whatever but let's remember that come 3pm on Saturday we all want the same thing.

What does concern me is the lack of voice from the Supporter's Trust. Only this weekend I have received four e-mails from various fans asking what the trust are doing to express the fans views to the board. I hope, like these fans hope that they are doing so but the voice of the fans is not talking to it's ordinary members on the street and that concerns me. These people will be hurting like the rest of us but we were sold the trust concept as the way forward for the club and we have given to them when we have been asked to - we now need them to give back to us by talking to us about what they are saying on our behalf. Am I asking too much with that statement? The trust Q& A forum shows plenty of questions and many unanswered and you really start to realise why they have their critics. I will always accept that the trust board is made of people who have full time jobs and other committments (I have sat for a short period on this board and gave my seat up for that very reason) but you have to be there through the bad times as well as the good times like the recent overwhelming success of the loan player scheme.

It's not easy times and nothing is ever going to be perfect but we all want to sustain league football in Swansea for longer than the next four months and when we have a voice on the board then that voice has to be talking on our behalf as well as telling us what it is saying on our behalf. Could we have a response please?

Whatever your feelings at the moment I think Flynn is here for the duration and although I wouldn't say it makes me happy I believe we have to live with it and work with it. A protest and a meeting may help vent some anger from those that want to attend but I honestly don't believe that it will make any difference to who sits behind the door marked 'manager' (or have we splashed out on a Director of Football sign?)

Facing the harsh reality we have 1800 minutes (plus stoppage time) to save our league souls - can EVERYONE give it all they have.

THE JACKS ARE STAYING UP (Please!)

You can comment on this article by visiting the Message Board or you can contact the author directly by clicking here