Since irony doesn't apparently work with British audiences ...

[HatterDon]

... let me be more direct.

Here's where we are now as opposed to where we were when Felix left:

1. We've picked up 27 points from 14 matches.
2. We've moved up 11 places in the table.
3. We're regularly fielding a side that relies heavily on home-grown talent.
4. For the first time in years, we are young, pacey, and exciting.
5. For the first time I can remember, we play aggressively away from The Cottage.
6. We're playing attractive football
7. We have clearly a strong team ethic and solid spirit AND
8. All of this with a British manager with strong Fulham ties.

and despite all this -- what is easily the best run of form that I've seen in Fulham in 10-11 seasons -- there is no shortage of people on this site to denigrate our owner, our manager, our veteran international players, our young players pretty much constantly.

I don't know what some people want more than to support a club that builds from within and is so clearly on the up after 3 full seasons in agonizing decline. Perhaps there are some folks who are miserable because we're not in the Premier League regardless of what sort of product we're putting on the pitch. We have back to back matches where we win away to a team with a strong home record, and take apart a side with the best away record in the league, and all dozens of people can do is complain about our captain, our defense, our midfield, our strikers, our veterans, and our kids.

Or maybe it's just me. This squad is playing the best, most consistent football of any Fulham club I've seen since before McBride came on the scene. I couldn't be happier than I am right now, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds. I have to say, though, that the constant trashing of our players, our manager, and our owner is driving me away from this site. That bothers me because I hate to celebrate alone.  

[Forever Fulham]

There is much truth to what you wrote, above, Don.  But I think you went a tad too far.  We don't always play attractive football.  At times, in some games, our defense has been ugly.  Also, I don't know if it's fair to compare a win-loss-draw record in the Championship league with any record we had in the Premier league, with the exception of, say, the last two years under Jol.  That was some excruciatingly bad football.  We weren't big enough to set the world on fire in the EPL.  In the Championship, it's another story altogether.  We SHOULD be bossing this league. 

[HatterDon]

some might point out that 27 points rom 14 matches IS bossing this league. Your mileage may vary, of course.

[mitimo]

Why SHOULD we be bossing this league?  We have a team made up of 50% kids from U21 and U18s, NONE of our so-called professionals were brave enough to stay with us and see off the Idiot that put us where we are.
If we had even 50% of last years team (the triers who were deemed surplus to requirements) then yes we probably could expect to boss this league.  In the circumstances we have I fully agree with the sentiments of Mr Hatterdon, he is one of the few on here who makes sense when he posts.

[ChesterTheTabby]

Mr. HatterDon for President. A well spoken, encouraging, and straightforward thread. I completely and whole heartedly agree with your sentiments. Well said.

[GloucesterWhite]

I don't know which is worse: people always complaining about the team, or people always complaining about other members.
Merry Christmas.

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

I am so delighted with Kit and the team and find it  strange reading this board these days.

Well said Hatter  :54: and also for pointing out  that it is Irony

[MrProphet]

... let me be more direct.

Here's where we are now as opposed to where we were when Felix left:

1. We've picked up 27 points from 14 matches.
2. We've moved up 11 places in the table.
3. We're regularly fielding a side that relies heavily on home-grown talent.
4. For the first time in years, we are young, pacey, and exciting.
5. For the first time I can remember, we play aggressively away from The Cottage.
6. We're playing attractive football
7. We have clearly a strong team ethic and solid spirit AND
8. All of this with a British manager with strong Fulham ties.

and despite all this -- what is easily the best run of form that I've seen in Fulham in 10-11 seasons -- there is no shortage of people on this site to denigrate our owner, our manager, our veteran international players, our young players pretty much constantly.

I don't know what some people want more than to support a club that builds from within and is so clearly on the up after 3 full seasons in agonizing decline. Perhaps there are some folks who are miserable because we're not in the Premier League regardless of what sort of product we're putting on the pitch. We have back to back matches where we win away to a team with a strong home record, and take apart a side with the best away record in the league, and all dozens of people can do is complain about our captain, our defense, our midfield, our strikers, our veterans, and our kids.

Or maybe it's just me. This squad is playing the best, most consistent football of any Fulham club I've seen since before McBride came on the scene. I couldn't be happier than I am right now, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds. I have to say, though, that the constant trashing of our players, our manager, and our owner is driving me away from this site. That bothers me because I hate to celebrate alone. 

I get your points but number 6 certainly hasn't been the case for the majority of the games and the last paragraph as well is completely untrue we have been far from consistent in our performances.

There are a huge amount of positives but what's wrong with wanting more??? Where we are now is poles apart from when Felix was here but is that truly something to measure against? The Felix regime was a complete disaster and we shouldn't have been left in the situation we where in.

I don't get the timing of this post either? I'm seeing lots of positive posts. It seems your allowed an opinion as long as it's blind faith.

As for the title of the thread I best not get to upset or an aircraft carrier will be dispatched to the Thames in minute's

[blingo]

I've got a few shirts that need doing if any of you fancy doing a bit of irony.

It's the best run I've seen since I returned from Delhi.

[Peabody]

Well said HD but please don't tar all Brits with the same brush. We all know that there are certain posters who only come on when we lose and seem to delight in spreading thier negativety.

As for comment that we lack consistency, well you cannot change things overnight but I feel that we are slowly becoming consistent and we will soon be there.

[Berserker]

I've still got the Martin Jol signed shirt I won, never ironed it though

[Snibbo]

If you think this board is bad you should read the TIFF. Bloody rollerball/ pessimist would drive you insane with his constant carping and conspiracy theories. Yes, everybody has the right to an opinion but you wonder why some people bother following a club when all they do is complain. Attention seeking perhaps?

[snarks]

Irony works very well with the British, in fact we invented irony, and sarcasm come to that, and lets not forget tradition.

In all of those things we excell, but better than that we love a good moan. Still I have to agree, we could do without the constant negativity, but my god, Parker did not have a good first half on Saturday.

[TonyGilroy]

I agree Don.

I'm enjoying watching this team more than any other since Tigana's promotion season. The potential is enormous and everything is being done the right way.

[PakistaniWhite]

Ok is it me but this season reminds me of the 99-00 season when we were supposed to get promoted but didnt and then we came roaring in 00-01 season to really storm the league.

[domprague]

I would say that you've not really got the hang of this football forum lark but instead I will point you to a topic I've just started called 'Happy'.

... let me be more direct.

Here's where we are now as opposed to where we were when Felix left:

1. We've picked up 27 points from 14 matches.
2. We've moved up 11 places in the table.
3. We're regularly fielding a side that relies heavily on home-grown talent.
4. For the first time in years, we are young, pacey, and exciting.
5. For the first time I can remember, we play aggressively away from The Cottage.
6. We're playing attractive football
7. We have clearly a strong team ethic and solid spirit AND
8. All of this with a British manager with strong Fulham ties.

and despite all this -- what is easily the best run of form that I've seen in Fulham in 10-11 seasons -- there is no shortage of people on this site to denigrate our owner, our manager, our veteran international players, our young players pretty much constantly.

I don't know what some people want more than to support a club that builds from within and is so clearly on the up after 3 full seasons in agonizing decline. Perhaps there are some folks who are miserable because we're not in the Premier League regardless of what sort of product we're putting on the pitch. We have back to back matches where we win away to a team with a strong home record, and take apart a side with the best away record in the league, and all dozens of people can do is complain about our captain, our defense, our midfield, our strikers, our veterans, and our kids.

Or maybe it's just me. This squad is playing the best, most consistent football of any Fulham club I've seen since before McBride came on the scene. I couldn't be happier than I am right now, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds. I have to say, though, that the constant trashing of our players, our manager, and our owner is driving me away from this site. That bothers me because I hate to celebrate alone. 

[PokerMatt]

The irony in the title of this thread hasn't been lost on me. Well done.

[nose]

... let me be more direct.

Here's where we are now as opposed to where we were when Felix left:

1. We've picked up 27 points from 14 matches.
2. We've moved up 11 places in the table.
3. We're regularly fielding a side that relies heavily on home-grown talent.
4. For the first time in years, we are young, pacey, and exciting.
5. For the first time I can remember, we play aggressively away from The Cottage.
6. We're playing attractive football
7. We have clearly a strong team ethic and solid spirit AND
8. All of this with a British manager with strong Fulham ties.

and despite all this -- what is easily the best run of form that I've seen in Fulham in 10-11 seasons -- there is no shortage of people on this site to denigrate our owner, our manager, our veteran international players, our young players pretty much constantly.

I don't know what some people want more than to support a club that builds from within and is so clearly on the up after 3 full seasons in agonizing decline. Perhaps there are some folks who are miserable because we're not in the Premier League regardless of what sort of product we're putting on the pitch. We have back to back matches where we win away to a team with a strong home record, and take apart a side with the best away record in the league, and all dozens of people can do is complain about our captain, our defense, our midfield, our strikers, our veterans, and our kids.

Or maybe it's just me. This squad is playing the best, most consistent football of any Fulham club I've seen since before McBride came on the scene. I couldn't be happier than I am right now, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds. I have to say, though, that the constant trashing of our players, our manager, and our owner is driving me away from this site. That bothers me because I hate to celebrate alone. 

In true british style I think you are right and not yet quite right at the same time.

For me I agree the transformation is incredible and shows what can be done. But like in Kit's after match interview on Radio London, I think he alluded to the fact the performance V wednesday was not quite as good as the scoreline suggested and IMO we were a tad fortunate to go in 2 up at half time. If wednesday would have been a touch more clinical in finishing it could have looked rather different. Not all the players are totally the standard we would like but the team spitrit and work ethic are incredible.
We are definitely heading in the right direction and I am very happy and optimistic... once we achieved 3 0 we certainly turned on the style and for the first time in years we really showed what we could do and gave wednesday the run around the way watford did to us.
Some of the critisism is very unfounded and i am totally stunned at how negative people can be when we are so clearly on the right lines... when I say player X, Y or Z didn't have a good day it is because I know they can do better or because we have better alternatives... but fo me recently it has been detail not substance ..... I can baearly wait for the bournemouth (unfortuanetly can't go) but that wikll be a great test of where we actually are.
The performance more than the result will be important, but a 1 0  against the run of play win will do!!!!!!!

Happy Christmas.

[Kent Cassandra]

Yes HD I agree with your points but the ironical thing is that you can make comments about our humour living in a irony free country!!!   I have shied away from this site a couple of times but have now realised that most people are happy with what is going on now. There is a whole different ambience at the ground when you speak to fellow fans and I believe that the moaners are in the minority, A lot of the Chelsea fans that I know still moan and they are top of the premiership so take it all with a pinch of irony.

[VicHalomsLovechild]

I don't know which is worse: people always complaining about the team, or people always complaining about other members.
Merry Christmas.

That's us. We're not happy unless we are complaining. So if the board's full of moans and groans then we're happy. Kind of ironic isn't it! Merry Christmas all  049:gif