Closer to the end

[London Demon 259]

So disappointed, and increasingly fearful for the Club. It seems we’re headed for another down period. I don’t like the chances of supporters staying with the Club this time. There’s a limit to the number of times you ask people to believe only to disappoint them.  

[grazman 7,436]

This is my 40th year barracking for the club.  In that time they've finished bottom four more times than they've made the finals.  I can hardly will myself to watch them anymore.  I could have barracked for North Melbourne like my father and seen premierships or Essendon like my mother and seen premierships or Hawthorn like my older brother and seen premierships, but I picked Melbourne ...phark! 

Edited July 5, 2020 by grazman

[Age 485]

I can’t see us continuing as we are. With our performance being a drain on the league, we don’t have people watch us or want to watch us. It’s only a matter of time  till we are moved on somewhere else. 
 

[ICU2 Jerry Jerry 257]

In my 37 years we've finished the H&A season in the top 4 on 2 occasions 

 

Utterly pathetic 

[rufus 1,162]

Feel sorry for neutral people who pickup the TV guide and see the Demons are one of the featured teams. Just know you aren't going to get a battle worth watching and it couldn't possibly be worth watching.

[deebug 1,754]

We are all feeling the same, we have gone back wards again.

The whole club needs a kick up the [censored], i have followed this club since i was 5 years of age, now in my 50s, i think it's time to give it up?

[Half forward flank 1,022]

Something is lost in my supporting. I cannot put my finger on it. I think it is lost hope. I used to be the supreme optomist and would always back us in footy comps sometimes costing me any chance of winning. Lost a few bob with TAB and sportsbet over the years. Never again no matter how juicy the odds. 

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

Over to Bartlett and Pert

Get stuck into that FD 

Start now. It’s broken (again)

[dl4e 5,851]

8 minutes ago, deebug said:

We are all feeling the same, we have gone back wards again.

The whole club needs a kick up the [censored], i have followed this club since i was 5 years of age, now in my 50s, i think it's time to give it up?

I agree with you but the real problem is we never give up. We are MFC junkies which has to be one of the worst addictions known to man.

[Engorged Onion 10,216]

How lovely it was to come on to the site after a pretty deflating loss, and find this thread.

Lovely in the fact that there is no anger, just acceptance of the inevitable of the cycle of this club.

I cannot be bothered to dissect individual players, critique Goodwin and the FD, or even analyse the game plan.

It genuinely genuinely genuinely feels like we've gone back 8 years.

Not that anyone knows me, or care really, but I'm opting out of the rest of the season, and the reason I am expressing this, is that I dare say I will not be the only one. 

Are we at our lowest ebb? Probably not, but jeez, as a country member who has only a few links to the Melbourne City itself... I seriously need to ask myself why would I choose to continue to fund an entity that gives very very little joy.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Engorged Onion

[KingDingAling 3,758]

47 minutes ago, London Demon said:

So disappointed, and increasingly fearful for the Club. It seems we’re headed for another down period. I don’t like the chances of supporters staying with the Club this time. There’s a limit to the number of times you ask people to believe only to disappoint them.  

I'm not fearful, but I am frustrated by the direction of the club, and the level of acceptance to just make up numbers. If we do have a list capable of winning a premiership then we shouldn't be fearful of making moves now. Goodwin isn't the man, we know that. So we either have the list capable or we don't, and if we don't, then why did we sell our future for our current list? Those in charge at present traded away quality picks for the list we have, and not only are we no better off, they even traded away quality picks we don't have. I have supported this club also for 35 years. I know its not the red and blue that makes these decisions, and the club that I do support and have fallen in love with, will see out this period. No point changing, but I see why Norm was frustrated.

Edited July 5, 2020 by KingDingAling

[Age 485]

30 minutes ago, Half forward flank said:

Something is lost in my supporting. I cannot put my finger on it. I think it is lost hope. I used to be the supreme optomist and would always back us in footy comps sometimes costing me any chance of winning. Lost a few bob with TAB and sportsbet over the years. Never again no matter how juicy the odds. 

That is our problem right now. Football clubs sell memberships based on hope. We've had some hope at various times in the past but we just seem to snuff out the hope as quickly as it comes around. 

Even if we were losing but were playing exciting football there could be some excitement around the club and you could sell it to kids and get them on board. We don't have excitement, we play boring football, we continually lose and just seem to fall further and further into irrelevance. 

Kids, as well as most people today, want things now, they don't want to wait. What new members will accept another rebuild?

[Half forward flank 1,022]

6 minutes ago, Age said:

That is our problem right now. Football clubs sell memberships based on hope. We've had some hope at various times in the past but we just seem to snuff out the hope as quickly as it comes around. 

Even if we were losing but were playing exciting football there could be some excitement around the club and you could sell it to kids and get them on board. We don't have excitement, we play boring football, we continually lose and just seem to fall further and further into irrelevance. 

Kids, as well as most people today, want things now, they don't want to wait. What new members will accept another rebuild?

So true. I expect we have an ageing membership too. 

[spirit of norm smith 16,469]

6 minutes ago, Half forward flank said:

So true. I expect we have an ageing membership too. 

Yes that’s definite.  

[Brownie 5,981]

8 minutes ago, Age said:

That is our problem right now. Football clubs sell memberships based on hope. We've had some hope at various times in the past but we just seem to snuff out the hope as quickly as it comes around. 

Even if we were losing but were playing exciting football there could be some excitement around the club and you could sell it to kids and get them on board. We don't have excitement, we play boring football, we continually lose and just seem to fall further and further into irrelevance. 

Kids, as well as most people today, want things now, they don't want to wait. What new members will accept another rebuild?

My great grand father was captain in 1876.

Supported the club for 50 years now.

Interstate member for at least the last 10.

I can't bring myself to donate anymore.

I have previously, because I believed the club could succeed.

As I said to my wife tonight, I no longer have hope that this club can survive or succeed.

Watching Brayshaw, Oliver Melksham etc this year, they've lost hope too.

I'll keep buying a membership but I think this club is toast.

 

[Half forward flank 1,022]

52 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

How lovely it was to come on to the site after a pretty deflating loss, and find this thread.

Lovely in the fact that there is no anger, just acceptance of the inevitable of the cycle of this club.

I cannot be bothered to dissect individual players, critique Goodwin and the FD, or even analyse the game plan.

It genuinely genuinely genuinely feels like we've gone back 8 years.

Not that anyone knows me, or care really, but I'm opting out of the rest of the season, and the reason I am expressing this, is that I dare say I will not be the only one. 

Are we at our lowest ebb? Probably not, but jeez, as a country member who has only a few links to the Melbourne City itself... I seriously need to ask myself why would I choose to continue to fund an entity that gives very very little joy.

Take it easy. We are sometimes cruel to those who speak their mind on here. I reckon we are at our most dangerous low ebb I can recall s the power people in the Club are so sure they are on the right track. Hard core supporters less so.

[praha 11,240]

5 minutes ago, Half forward flank said:

Take it easy. We are sometimes cruel to those who speak their mind on here. I reckon we are at our most dangerous low ebb I can recall s the power people in the Club are so sure they are on the right track. Hard core supporters less so.

Our lowest ebb in my time supporting (30 years now) is easily the end of the Bailey and start of the Neeld era. We are not there yet but the wheels look very close to falling off.

When we lost to Hawthorn in round 3 two years ago, it seemed then that something was amiss. We got bullied and destroyed that day. I know it's small in the grander scheme of things, and we ultimately had a strong year, but something about that game stands out for me. Along with Round 23 2017. What we've seen last year and to start this year seem to be the long term effects of those specific matches. Again, I know they are isolated matches in a large data set, but we got an early look in at what the absolute worst of this team looks like.

I'd argue we haven't "regressed". We have regressed from a peak in 2018, sure, but I think that realistically, we are seeing the true reality of this coach and team. 

Last year the argument was if 2018 was the anomaly. It most definitely was.

[SPC 3,551]

This is a hard thread to read cause I also feel the same.. each time we cycle this way, I get angry, demand change but ultimately accept I am rusted on... 

I have felt over the last 15 months I have lost the connection to the club.. even the social media and other normal excitement doesn’t strike a cord. I’m numb to the MFC and numb to the AFL. Doubt I will follow the Dees post 2020 and the AFL much after that. My dad died of a heart attack and was an extremely passionate supporter- dont want to follow in his footsteps.

[BW511 2,673]

Even 2018 we weren’t a good side all year long, we just got on a flukey run.

Never in my 35 years have we had seasons of continual strong games, let alone multiple years like Geelong, Sydney, West Coast, Hawthorn, Brisbane, Collingwood, Essendon all have.

There’s a level of entitlement within the MFC and it’s never going to be erased. We don’t have the fight required to be great

Edited July 5, 2020 by BW511

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,249]

1 hour ago, Half forward flank said:

So true. I expect we have an ageing membership too. 

The Club would be attracting very few new supporters. Why would any person choose to support MFC other than for family type reasons? And even then, some kids may refuse to support MFC because of the team's longstanding lack of success. 

The Club is a laughing stock.

How many supporters, let alone members, will the Club have in 10-20 years time? I suspect that a high proportion of supporters/members are oldies like me. We may have dropped off the perch by then. Or be in nursing homes.

I started following the Dees in 1968. Zero success until the John Northey years. And that success was limited. There were a few years where the Club could have pinched a flag, but sadly it didn't happen.

I am a cheerful soul. I'm not angry, just slightly wistful. I am so jealous of Bulldogs' fans who saw their time just pinch a flag along the way. Something I'll never see. 

Excuse these ramblings... 

 

[rjay 24,943]

I haven't watched the game yet but will flick through later tonight.

Made the decision not to watch them live anymore so I don't have to waste my time...I can fast forward through adds and breaks and get it over with.

Also know the result so don't need to waste any nervous energy.

I just don't have it in me to watch live any longer.

In some ways life would be easier if the club just disappeared all together.

Currently it's a slow lingering death with the occasional flicker of hope.

[Beetle 4,660]

I sat with my old man today, who played reserves during the late 50s golden years and he literally apologised to me, for making me follow the MFC.

He is now 80 and resigned to the fact he will never see another Premiership, but is worried I will never see one in my lifetime at 44.

I was resigned to the fact I probably won’t see one years ago...yet I can’t walk away from this diabolical [censored] club!

I almost wish we’d just fold or relocate. My weekends are so much more enjoyable when I’m not thinking about the MFC.

[Buzzy 992]

1 hour ago, SPC said:

This is a hard thread to read cause I also feel the same.. each time we cycle this way, I get angry, demand change but ultimately accept I am rusted on... 

I have felt over the last 15 months I have lost the connection to the club.. even the social media and other normal excitement doesn’t strike a cord. I’m numb to the MFC and numb to the AFL. Doubt I will follow the Dees post 2020 and the AFL much after that. My dad died of a heart attack and was an extremely passionate supporter- dont want to follow in his footsteps.

I've got to a horrible point in my life where I want them to lose by a lot, as there isn't any other way to get change in the club than by truly bottoming out.

The lack of leadership in this team and in the box is staggering.  Nobody wants to stand up and make a real statement.

The worst thing is that no matter how good our effort is, we are still going to be undone by our lack of skill.  That's why I feel like this crop is in a hopeless situation.  Any returns we get are not sustainable with this mix of players. 

There's going to be another 5-8 years of this for sure.  Yuck.

 

[Age 485]

I’ve had some time to reflect and believe we are being impatient. We are only 56 years into our rebuild, we’ve got to give it time.

[Nelo 813]

It hurts to admit but we probably are irrelevant as a club. I’ve mentioned before but none of my children follow Melbourne, and we will probably lose a whole generation of supporters due to a long period of poor performance.