All Doom and Gloom? There's Hope.

[Wanderboy]

In all the years following the Wanderers since Season 1 Game 1, I don't think we've ever reached a lower ebb than we did last night. Certainly, I don't think I've ever seen a poorer performance, nor felt so disengaged from the club than I did last night. Sure, there has been some shocking nights, never any more shocking than some humiliating losses to those chunts from the east.

Sure, we have had some poor seasons along the way. Any passionate fan of any club can accept the occasional season of mediocrity, possibly. Yet, we always seemed to bounce back when things got tough. We had an identity that we fought for and were proud of, and no matter how shite we were, the players and fans gave their all. We were WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS, and ******* proud of it.

Somewhere along the line, this passion and identity has been slowly eroded to the point of a rotting carcass of a formerly proud club. There have been many contributing factors, none the least being lack of positive on field results, FFA mismanagement of active support, poor recruitment of marquees and playing squads in general, the shift to a soulless stadium precinct of oval venues and over zealous (beyond wanker level) security and...….the list could go on.

3 seasons of complete mediocrity from the club, and guess what? The fans have voted with their feet. Attendances have plummeted. 

Since we've left Pirtek, life as a Wanderers fan has been, if nothing else and want of a better word, tough. Almost everything has appeared to conspire against us Much of it our own doing...…..but not all.

 

Going back to this thread title, I present the following links which I implore you all to watch as many of as possible.

This is what we need to get back to. Watching these vid's, and others, is what gives me a lift in these down trodden times. Sometimes we laugh at the premise that a return to our traditional home will be the answer to our woes. Don't anyone down play how important our earlier success relied upon this aspect of our club's short history, and the impact it had on support, both home and away. Is it possible that we can ever get back to these heady heights?

Enjoy this limited selection of videos. There's dozens more available. This is what I hope our club can return to. Videos 4 and 5 just show how huge we were. It's an embarrassment to see what we have now become.

 

 

[Hughesy]

The bar was set very high from the get go and we’ve been a victim of our own success ever since. The peak of our support in the second half of season 1 and into season 2 will be hard to recreate because it really was a once in a generation period - new expansion team, playing well, people finally getting the team we’d all wanted. I was at every one of those major games and trips and they were some of the best days of my life. It was the honey moon period. Numbers wise I think we will get back there but the intensity of support, unfortunately not. Some things you just can’t recreate but you can definitely create new experiences. It’s all peaks and troughs. The **** times makes the good times feel ******* amazing. This is sport folks haha

[sonar]

28 minutes ago, hughsey said:

The bar was set very high from the get go and we’ve been a victim of our own success ever since. The peak of our support in the second half of season 1 and into season 2 will be hard to recreate because it really was a once in a generation period - new expansion team, playing well, people finally getting the team we’d all wanted. I was at every one of those major games and trips and they were some of the best days of my life. It was the honey moon period. Numbers wise I think we will get back there but the intensity of support, unfortunately not. Some things you just can’t recreate but you can definitely create new experiences. It’s all peaks and troughs. The **** times makes the good times feel ******* amazing. This is sport folks haha

I agree with most of this but I tend to disagree with you about the loss of intensity of support not coming back. Over time I think it will.

The past three seasons have been played at grounds that are not our "real " home and the results on the pitch, issues with security ,getting to and from SOP all have meant the numbers attending have fallen but the member numbers remain fairly constant. The majority who were members from the beginning and helped bring the atmosphere are still members.

Going back to Parra will not by itself right what is currently wrong with side but will I feel bring back some atmosphere for us diehards that is missing from SOP. Personally. Parra is a better game day experience.easier to get to, better selection of eateries for those inclined. the RBB march to the stadium will be back  and we will play in a proper football stadium. For me, and many other I assume, SOP has never been home. 

All we really want is a side that is prepared to put in for the jersey and when that happens...and being an optimist it will happen.....game day and supporting the Wanderers will be as happy and intense experience as ever.

[alexd]

Need the likes of Shaun and Lyle to truly engage with fans and dialoge/compromise with the RBB with pretty much everything except those things that are illegal not merely family unfriendly. Reinstate those banned for whims (swearing, being evicted for not seating in their seat, etc)

Stop pandering to non football community/press and stop bending over for the FFA. Victory was able to rebuild their terrace, so can we - but we need our RBB front and centre.....

Leaving sop/soulless will help, but people not only locations make WSW great !!!!!!

[Cynth]

I love your optimism Wanderboy and I agree wholeheartedly. 

It will take an effort from all to pull it back together. 

[StringerBellend]

23 minutes ago, Cynth said:

I love your optimism Wanderboy and I agree wholeheartedly. 

It will take an effort from all to pull it back together. 

I love the optimism but I don’t share it

the damage that has been done in three seasons won’t be fixed overnight

Winning team is the key

[Smoggy]

Just seen Wanderboy out and about in Dural.....

the darkest hour is just before dawn...if your going through hell...keep on going.....we will fight them on the beaches........!!! 

Edited February 3, 2019 by Smoggy

[marron]

no beaches in dural worse luck

[mintoff]

5 hours ago, marron said:

no beaches in dural worse luck

But there is at bondi !

[marron]

eh. let it burn.

[Jowel]

Just wait when the club announces that not all home games will be at Parramatta next season. 

And the fact they did not engage the fans about this.

the worst is yet to come. 

[mack]

Have the club even signed the agreement to play at Parramatta yet?

[Smoggy]

Just now, mack said:

Have the club even signed the agreement to play at Parramatta yet?

Dont....just dont....The new stadium is all i have 

[btron3000]

7 minutes ago, Jowel said:

Just wait when the club announces that not all home games will be at Parramatta next season. 

And the fact they did not engage the fans about this.

the worst is yet to come. 

If they put the derby at ANZ they better be prepared for a bunch of people asking for refunds.

[DCWSW]

Recently saw on Twitter someone suggesting that the club has a 10 year deal to play a derby a season at ANZ. Dont know how true that is. 

Given that ANZ apparently offsets hiring costs, it may be a method for the club to keep the membership price increase lower? 

Either way, there won't be many happy people if true.

[Prydzopolis]

57 minutes ago, DCWSW said:

Recently saw on Twitter someone suggesting that the club has a 10 year deal to play a derby a season at ANZ. Dont know how true that is. 

Link please, the who on Twitter is always key

14 hours ago, hughsey said:

The bar was set very high from the get go and we’ve been a victim of our own success ever since.

To the end of season 4, we finished at the top & made a grand final. From season 5 onwards we haven't known what it was like to go through a difficult period & experience when the going gets tough. Well we have gone through it now  

[Burztur]

1 hour ago, Prydzopolis said:

Link please, the who on Twitter is always key

To the end of season 4, we finished at the top & made a grand final. From season 5 onwards we haven't known what it was like to go through a difficult period & experience when the going gets tough. Well we have gone through it now  

Yup. Sauce pls. Need to shut that idea down fast.

[DCWSW]

Good old Roy

 

 

 

 

[hawks2767]

Whenever i'm feeling down I like to watch the musical chairs youtube clip from Season 1.

 

 

[Smoggy]

11 hours ago, btron3000 said:

If they put the derby at ANZ they better be prepared for a bunch of people asking for refunds.

Never setting foot at SoP again after this season....

[Hughesy]

11 hours ago, DCWSW said:

Recently saw on Twitter someone suggesting that the club has a 10 year deal to play a derby a season at ANZ. Dont know how true that is. 

Given that ANZ apparently offsets hiring costs, it may be a method for the club to keep the membership price increase lower? 

Either way, there won't be many happy people if true.

Pretty sure the kickback from playing at ANZ ended once the government bought it back. 

[Erebus]

How can you have a deal year deal if the medium term plan of the A-League is 14-16 teams home and away season - so no 3rd game.

Does that mean all our home derbies are at ANZ and not Parra? 

Would be hilarious if true. All you can do is laugh now.

[Smoggy]

2 minutes ago, Erebus said:

How can you have a deal year deal if the medium term plan of the A-League is 14-16 teams home and away season - so no 3rd game.

Does that mean all our home derbies are at ANZ and not Parra? 

Would be hilarious if true. All you can do is laugh now.

They wont be laughing when no one shows up....seriously if derby at ANZ then just boycott...

[Erebus]

oh for sure. Why would you give away home ground advantage withSFC having 2k fans in a corner to having 35k at ANZ (lol as if) and letting SFC have up to 15-20k there and close to a 50/50 split in support?

Yet our away derby will be limited numbers at the SCG?

Makes no sense.

[Edinburgh]

36 minutes ago, Erebus said:

oh for sure. Why would you give away home ground advantage withSFC having 2k fans in a corner to having 35k at ANZ (lol as if) and letting SFC have up to 15-20k there and close to a 50/50 split in support?

Yet our away derby will be limited numbers at the SCG?

Makes no sense.

So, it's definitely happening then!

[DCWSW]

ANZ Stadium twitter account got back to me and they state that there's still lots to be played out. 

WSW are still negotiating with WSS in regards to the stadium deal. 

ANZ Stadium is scheduled for refurbishment from early 2020 as well. 

[Keithie]

Not sure about hope

doing small things right makes for a great club , attention to detail !!

try sending an email to the wanderers under the heading "contact us" on the website,  it goes no where for goodness sake !!!!!.

Try ring them and if you go on hold you get a message from Vedran saying "its all ok while you are waiting I will tell you about the memberships going on sale in August 2018 for the 2018/1019 season." bloody Amateur and flows through to whole club

YL grandfinal lost 1-3 shining lite for us

A-league lost 1-5  won 2 games full season 

WWL lost 1-4    won 1 game full season

total 12 against 2 for 

how disgraceful is that for a           ""big club""

[Davo]

We're not really a big club when you look at results. I copied and pasted the league tables from wikipedia into excel for each of the seasons since WSW began and it doesn't look great.

A-League:

There have been 179 regular season games since we started, we have 244 points out of a possible 537 with a win percentage of 36%. By points we're the 6th best team with Melbourne City in 7th only 3 points behind. We have a total goal difference of 12.

W-League:

There have been 84 regular season games since we started, we have 70 points out of a possible 252 with a win percentage of 23%. By points we're last, have a goal difference of -71 and have 25 less points than City even though we've played 36 more games than them.

Y-League:

There have been 86 regular season games since we started, we have 130 points out of a possible 258 with a win percentage of 47%. By points we're 5th with a total goal difference of 14 (at least we're not the AIS/FFA Centre of Excellence with a goal difference of -122).

 

If you put it all together Sydney FC are first (they're top in all three leagues). We're 7th, ahead of only Newcastle, Central Coast and Wellington. By win percentage we're also 7th with 36% (8th if you include the Canberra United W-League and Y-League teams). When you consider that our A-League team has had a 1st and two 2nd place finishes and our Y-League team has won stuff it shows how low the lows really are.

[Smoggy]

We won the ACL, everyone in the club thought how great that was and we totally dropped the ball from then on.

Also never underestimate the jealously when we won the ACL as a newish club...we have been operating in a hostile media environment ever since after initially being the dogs bollocks that saved the comp...

No...the last 3 or 4 years show how ******* amateur this club has been from top to bottom....

You invest your passion and loyalty in to a club. but that should never be taken for granted as this club seems to do....

Edited February 4, 2019 by Smoggy

[Hughesy]

 

6 hours ago, Erebus said:

oh for sure. Why would you give away home ground advantage withSFC having 2k fans in a corner to having 35k at ANZ (lol as if) and letting SFC have up to 15-20k there and close to a 50/50 split in support?

Yet our away derby will be limited numbers at the SCG?

Makes no sense.

It’s the good old Aussie way. Administrators shitting themselves at the thought of people missing out in a small to mid sized stadium so moving it to a bigger than appropriate venue for the sake of 5k more people attending. 

That’s the only possible reason I can see for a derby being kept at ANZ and I reckon it would be the FFA driving that if anything. Other than that, there is literally nothing in it for WSW to play away from Parra.