There's been a few threads on here recently which have involved people criticising things that club has (or has not) done (away shirt, merchandise etc) and other people rushing to defend the club, so I thought I'd see if a disussion could open up.



The question is - where is the line between raising a concern that something is not being done well, and whinging? Do the negative posters think that the club can't do anything right? Do the positive posters think the club can do no wrong?

I think it's just the nature of online forums. Hiding behind a username means that people can post their unedited opinions and not have to suffer any great consequences. I don't mind though, I'd rather have a few controversial posts to spark a bit of debate than everyone agreeing the "yes, the club have done 'X,Y,Z' wrong, but it doesn't make a great deal of difference to my life".



Due to my location I can't make FR meetings, but do you tend to find the same polarised opinions towards the club as on here?

Its a strange one this- Im a season ticket holder at both Salford & Utd. Things at Utd get me more wound up than anything- prices, corporate, not wearing poppies on their shirt for the Chelski game etc. but i kind of accept it as thats the way it is and onfield success is a great ditterant for moaning.



With Salford i feel a lot more closer to the club, like im part of it- i think thats down to its relative small stature and me living 5 minutes away so i constantly feel more let down by them when things dont go well. Its not that i dont feel like the club cant get anything right its just at times it seems like a headless chicken with no direction. Yes we've got plans for this that and the other but all the setbacks and negativity i keep hearing constantly leave me feeling frustrated and concerned for the future of the club.



The club in my opinion do more things right than wrong but we only hear about the wrong- other fans only hear about the wrong, so theres more negativity surrounding the club than positivity- hence all the moaning!



.....and breathe.

I agree with your post, re the Salford aspect & what is highlighted is very

very true.

Sometimes I feel that from some fans points of view, strangers looking on here will get the opinion the club do absolutly nothing right for the game or the fans.



Maybe a forum meeting through F/Reds, with club people is an answer, where you can come along & air your views, be they right or wrong in your eyes & get some answers from the club. Put suggestions forward & get replies as to if they are workable or not from the club.



On the other hand, some posters may be perpetual moaners, & always see the negative in everything & need to whinge(incidentally, I have one of those in my family, not Alan)



I think the club try, with limited resources, but they are never going to please everyone no matter what.

I've been asked to post this by KOTS who can't access the site at the moment

Does that mean that PR is failing badly then?

Great post mate

It's our club and when the people running it act in an amateur way it annoys me. Plus the current state of the team and the little hope of it getting better leaves me very frustrated. In these instances I feel compelled to moan on and off here. Club apologists over every single issue rile me as well.

The thing that stresses me out is what goes on off the field with regard to the stadium & i also feel that the people who run the club can sometimes be amateur to say the least, i know we cant afford to buy all these world class signings which is fair enough i can deal with that but what gets me angry is not knowing where the club will be in 3 years time, yes ill still be there if we play Swinton but for me i will not be able to rest until the stadium starts coming out of the ground, the fact its bin going on so long does test everyone's patience & i think its the not knowing where we will be in 3 years times that's triggers my anger.

As an person often involved as an apologist, I happen to agree an open debate is needed.



I defend when I feel is being derided without any look at the positives and/or the matter is discussed in one of the moaning-bandwagons (that I hear so often at work and in pubs). One says "x" is wrong and everyone joins in with criticism of "x".



Although I hope to be as Salford to my dying day as I am now, I realise that Rugby League is a minority matter and that Salford RLFC is a minor player in that area. The club tries hard and (for me) succeeds in a very contested and annoyingly hostile entertainment market. I often feel that some posters do not step back and see how pay-to-attend sports are doing in this age of pay-to-view-at-home. I think that we do well.



I also get annoyed when punters complain when our chair does not spend all his money: he has given enough (in my opinion) and, although perhaps open to criticism elsewhere, should not be judged as not caring.



I stopped going to United when I felt not wanted except as a paying customer. I never feel that at Salford.

There is one thing i would like to ask the club. Where has the money for the Myler deal gone? I just don't buy into this "its gone on ensuring the club don't go under" and "securing our finances for the coming season" blah blah blah. Remember folks we offered myler one of the best ever deals to be offered to a Salford player or so we were told. So where would we be now if Myler had accepted? Would we have even been able to afford a squad? Or would we have been willing risk everything for the sake of one player?

That's a difficult one now though becasue it's not the club that's building the stadium. What I would say is that the advertising of an £8million tender with a start date on it is the best news we've had on that subject since the public enquiry clearance.