Yesterday I read something very sad. Manny Road has left the bloggy ranks. I don't know if you ever visited the site, but it was home to good writing, good jokes, and good opinions. After having complained about Megson for a very long time (haven't we all?) he has finally had enough and won't be supporting the club until Megson leaves. He is about the third Wanderer who I know who has done so.
Our club has become so repugnant the even born and bred Wanderers are wandering away, and although I promise you (and it's on the internet, so it's practically a blood oath) that I won't do so, I can't say I haven't been tempted. Our club is marked by apathy and negativity in the dressing room (so the media tells me), on the pitch, and in the stands. Even compared with just a year ago the atmosphere, and quality of football is lower.
I remember last Boxing Day (December 26 for you Americans) I traveled the 40 or so miles from my Gran's to Anfield to watch my side lose 3-0. There were only 2,000 or so of us Bolton fans, yet we kept singing the whole game and were jolly and enjoyed the game, despite being thoroughly outplayed. If you see Bolton fans now they all look as though they need to be put on a suicide watch.
As Chris from Manny Road points out, the worrying thing isn't the boos or jeers, it's the lack thereof. Either they've gone into a comatose state from the mind numbing football, or they've just gotten used to it. When fans begin to accept this is when we have a big problem.
So I won't walk away. I won't quit. Most importantly I won't quit bitching about this. This is a club who not too long ago was in Europe. We shouldn't settle for this mediocre football, which makes Championship sides blush. Mark my words Megson, you can't drive me away or put me to sleep. I make an internet oath that I will continue blogging, I will continue bitching, and I will outlast Gary Megson. I will follow this team to the Championship and below if need be (oh God, please don't need be).
Megson's job may be safe for a while yet, mostly because he and Phil Gartside, our chairman, seem to be pretty close. Big Sam said he left the club because there wasn't ambition, and presumably that's coming from Gartside. He's probably just as much a part of the problem, after all he seems just fine with what we have now. So I will begin bitching about Gartside as well. Oh yes, nobody at Bolton Wanderers Football Club is beyond my bitching now.