After a season filled with hope and ultimately disappointment, the Grasshopper fans have continued to show their support to the club with the numbers through the turnstiles, but what view do they have on the Grasshoppers disappointing season?
Before the Grasshoppers travel for their final game of the season away to Darlington on Saturday I tried to get to the route of the fans disappointment, but also what they thought had to be done to both improve on this season, but also to see the club achieve its potential and realize promotion to the National Division Two.
Paul Smith, 34, an IT Technician said, “Alex Keay is defiantly the man to take us up, no doubt. But I would like to see more quality signings in the close season, we have a good young squad, but they are inexperienced and can’t grind out victories. We need match winners to compliment the likes of (Marcus) Jackson and (Darren) Wilson.”
This need for reinforcements is a recurring pattern in supporter’s opinions. Richard Tanner, 68, a retired teacher said, “Keay has done his best, but the squad is too thin and this was evident when the squad was decimated with injuries. He did well with what was available to him but more has to be done this summer to make sure we have enough quality to win games, but also enough quality on the substitute bench.”
But the fans have to think about the shoe string budget by which Alex Keay is running the team, the team do not pay players so signings such as Fylde’s Steve Nutt would always be unattainable, but quality youth players can be brought to the club at schoolboy level, but also on loan from bigger professional outfits such as Lee Imiolek. It is this route which Janice May would like to see the team continue to utilise and develop the youth at the club for a brighter future.
The 47 year old cleaner said, “This season the club has developed players for the long term. The season has been disappointing for supporters and players alike, especially the defeats to Fylde, but the Lancashire cup has allowed us to play our fringe youth players against tough opposition, and to be honest Fylde may have won the cup, but we have given our youth the best opportunity to shine on a grander scale in a few years.”
Fylde’s April double over the Grasshoppers brings some very harsh words from some supporters. After the pulsating 14-12 victory in December, the club had its first chance for seasons to record the league double over Fylde, but ultimately were disappointed 25-41 in front of the Lightfoot faithful. 46 year old, Jack Curtis said, “This fixture draws the most fans in the whole fixture list, no other teams can draw a crowd like that fixture with some fans only coming to the Fylde match. But to be honest we were out played. I may be in the minority, but personally I don’t mind losing as long as the players try, and to be honest all season the players have tried hard, we have just been unlucky and careless.”
The season’s final curtain will be drawn this Saturday, but the leagues final games is the reason for the fans frustration. A run of six league defeats in eight games and the Lancashire cup final defeat to the Preston Grasshoppers brought the Grasshoppers season crashing to a premature, trophy less end. Dave Guardan, 35, Plumber said “Due to the league restructuring, promotion was always going to be an uphill task this season, but the end of the season really ended any slim hopes we had. Quite admittedly they were slim, but the fans were clutching on to these straws of hope and the players just seemed to run out of steam, or just even give up when promotion was no longer an option.”
The ever present, ever faithful, ever hopeful Grasshoppers fans will continue to support their club next season, but for just how much longer will they tolerate disappointment?
The club may be a stepping block for bigger and greater things for players such as Lee Imiolek, but the fans would like to see their club achieve greatness and promotion.
The fans understand this season’s disappointment and their reasons, but for how much longer will they tolerate a season with no silverware?
As a fellow Lightfoot supporter, what is your opinion?
Leave your opinion below.
Before the Grasshoppers travel for their final game of the season away to Darlington on Saturday I tried to get to the route of the fans disappointment, but also what they thought had to be done to both improve on this season, but also to see the club achieve its potential and realize promotion to the National Division Two.
Paul Smith, 34, an IT Technician said, “Alex Keay is defiantly the man to take us up, no doubt. But I would like to see more quality signings in the close season, we have a good young squad, but they are inexperienced and can’t grind out victories. We need match winners to compliment the likes of (Marcus) Jackson and (Darren) Wilson.”
This need for reinforcements is a recurring pattern in supporter’s opinions. Richard Tanner, 68, a retired teacher said, “Keay has done his best, but the squad is too thin and this was evident when the squad was decimated with injuries. He did well with what was available to him but more has to be done this summer to make sure we have enough quality to win games, but also enough quality on the substitute bench.”
But the fans have to think about the shoe string budget by which Alex Keay is running the team, the team do not pay players so signings such as Fylde’s Steve Nutt would always be unattainable, but quality youth players can be brought to the club at schoolboy level, but also on loan from bigger professional outfits such as Lee Imiolek. It is this route which Janice May would like to see the team continue to utilise and develop the youth at the club for a brighter future.
The 47 year old cleaner said, “This season the club has developed players for the long term. The season has been disappointing for supporters and players alike, especially the defeats to Fylde, but the Lancashire cup has allowed us to play our fringe youth players against tough opposition, and to be honest Fylde may have won the cup, but we have given our youth the best opportunity to shine on a grander scale in a few years.”
Fylde’s April double over the Grasshoppers brings some very harsh words from some supporters. After the pulsating 14-12 victory in December, the club had its first chance for seasons to record the league double over Fylde, but ultimately were disappointed 25-41 in front of the Lightfoot faithful. 46 year old, Jack Curtis said, “This fixture draws the most fans in the whole fixture list, no other teams can draw a crowd like that fixture with some fans only coming to the Fylde match. But to be honest we were out played. I may be in the minority, but personally I don’t mind losing as long as the players try, and to be honest all season the players have tried hard, we have just been unlucky and careless.”
The season’s final curtain will be drawn this Saturday, but the leagues final games is the reason for the fans frustration. A run of six league defeats in eight games and the Lancashire cup final defeat to the Preston Grasshoppers brought the Grasshoppers season crashing to a premature, trophy less end. Dave Guardan, 35, Plumber said “Due to the league restructuring, promotion was always going to be an uphill task this season, but the end of the season really ended any slim hopes we had. Quite admittedly they were slim, but the fans were clutching on to these straws of hope and the players just seemed to run out of steam, or just even give up when promotion was no longer an option.”
The ever present, ever faithful, ever hopeful Grasshoppers fans will continue to support their club next season, but for just how much longer will they tolerate disappointment?
The club may be a stepping block for bigger and greater things for players such as Lee Imiolek, but the fans would like to see their club achieve greatness and promotion.
The fans understand this season’s disappointment and their reasons, but for how much longer will they tolerate a season with no silverware?
As a fellow Lightfoot supporter, what is your opinion?
Leave your opinion below.
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