When Did You Lose The Passion?

Watching Chorley today reminded me of watching Bolton in the 90s. Not just because we smashed the opposition but because there was passion both on and off the pitch.

The Chorley players seemed to give a shit about actually winning the game rather than daydreaming about being back at home counting their money.

The Chorley fans got behind their team and you could feel the anticipation on the terraces long before the goal deluge began. There weren't the moans and groans that followed every minor mistake like at the Macron, and there was more noise being made by 250 Chorley fans behind the goal than 15,000 fans make at Bolton.

So why is it so exciting watching Chorley? Is it simply that they're challenging for promotion, something that many of our fans have simply never experienced or long forgotten? Or perhaps it's because the Chorley fans can still dream about playing in the Football League and ultimately the Premier League whereas Bolton have been there and apart from the early days, not really enjoyed it that much.

I think most of us have lost some of our passion for BWFC. We might still go to games or spend Saturday afternoon glued to Nuts Radio, but after a defeat does it really matter like it once did?

Can you remember when you realised you'd lost the passion? Can you pinpoint it to something? Do you think you can get it back?

Towards the last days of the Allardyce era, I was starting to bore of it all.

The football wasn't the best, the day out was no longer what it used to be, as, of the twenty odd of us who used to go home and away, there were only about three or four left and instead of starting off at one o'clock and going right through 'til the wee small hours, we'd started meeting at the Reebok at half two, watching the match and then going home straight after.

And I was starting to begrudge paying thirty quid for a ticket.

I just wasn't enjoying it the same and by the time Megson arrived and brought his own particular brand of "football", I decided there were far more rewarding ways of spending my Saturdays.

I'm still a Bolton fan and always will be, but the days of me putting them before everything else are over and will never return.

And if I'm honest, I resented the fact that I was being asked to pay stupid ticket prices just so a bunch of footballers could all buy a new Bentley every month.

The wages paid now are obscene and that's a big part of why I won't pay to go and watch football nowadays.

Under the Allardyce/Megson era we were watching PL football, the best players in the world were playing at the Macron then, at three hundred quid for a season ticket or thirty quid a game,did people really moan about the price?

Haven't lost the passion. Although I have to admit it wears thin when I see players like feeney, craig davies, trotter and danns turning out for this great club. The lack of passion shown over the last 5 years has started to rub off..

I'm not getting into a big debate about this because we've already done it to death on here but I will say this:

Just because it was "PL football" doesn't mean it was worth paying to watch at times.

And that's where Whittam's Chorley thing comes into play.

scottjames30 wrote:Under the Allardyce/Megson era we were watching PL football, the best players in the world were playing at the Macron then, at three hundred quid for a season ticket or thirty quid a game,did people really moan about the price?

The football on offer under Megson was utter shite, it wasn't worth 50p a ticket.

I go to a football match to be entertained, not to stare at the opposition.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

scottjames30 wrote:Under the Allardyce/Megson era we were watching PL football, the best players in the world were playing at the Macron then, at three hundred quid for a season ticket or thirty quid a game,did people really moan about the price?

The football on offer under Megson was utter shite, it wasn't worth 50p a ticket.

I go to a football match to be entertained, not to stare at the opposiA

And Coyle, And Freedman!!!!!!!

I lost it in three stages.

First when Lee was appointed as the replacement for BSA. He hadn't a clue.

Then the appointment of Megson.

Then after a honeymoon period with Coyle it all just went tits up after the FA Cup semi final fiasco against Stoke. Once Coyle's idiocy got us relegated I just didn't care in the way I used to care. There was a time when a defeat spoiled my weekend. Not any more.

My Passion has waned with Age, it's more about having the Patience and Tolerance to keep on going to watch us, luckily our home form as improved but thank fuck i don't go to many away games.

Banks of the Croal wrote:My Passion has waned with Age, it's more about having the Patience and Tolerance to keep on going to watch us, luckily our home form as improved but thank fuck i don't go to many away games.

Strangely enough, there actually seems to be more atmosphere at away games. It's probably because we are all penned in together in a smaller area but I tend to enjoy away games more than home games, especially if we get a result.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

scottjames30 wrote:Under the Allardyce/Megson era we were watching PL football, the best players in the world were playing at the Macron then, at three hundred quid for a season ticket or thirty quid a game,did people really moan about the price?

The football on offer under Megson was utter shite, it wasn't worth 50p a ticket.

I go to a football match to be entertained, not to stare at the opposition.

We beat spurs 4-2 or 3-2 under Megson, great game, Bale was playing for them, i think we drew with City 3-3 all the great games were under Megson believe it or not, fair point we did watch some shit, but so do UTD, who we beat under Megson.

There's something about the Wanderers that gets me going regardless of the division, quality of the team or financial mess we're in at the time so it seems I can't avoid feeling passionate about the club.
It has been a very masochistic journey and the bastards have put me through hell and back but if the passion had gone, I'd walk away - but so far I haven't.
The worst of it is I half know what to expect and the Ipswich game was a prime example inasmuch that I knew what a miserable shithole it is and I knew we'd lose but I went anyway. I could have just burned £85 and stayed in my comfy armchair but I went and got pretty much what I expected.
I'm trapped.

wanderlust wrote:There's something about the Wanderers that gets me going regardless of the division, quality of the team or financial mess we're in at the time so it seems I can't avoid feeling passionate about the club.
It has been a very masochistic journey and the bastards have put me through hell and back but if the passion had gone, I'd walk away - but so far I haven't.
The worst of it is I half know what to expect and the Ipswich game was a prime example inasmuch that I knew what a miserable shithole it is and I knew we'd lose but I went anyway. I could have just burned £85 and stayed in my comfy armchair but I went and got pretty much what I expected.
I'm trapped.

It's a short step from that to "He hits me because he loves me - it's my fault!" - get out now!

like a lot of the regulars on here i've seen us in all 4 divisions and my favourite times have been in the lower leagues and seeing us beat the big boys on occasion.

I wouldn't say i've lost the passion, i could have quite easily decided when i moved to Manchester that it would be too much trouble going but i've persevered even with all the fannying around on trains and rail replacements. It does bother the wife as well now that we have kids as well it can interfere with weekends but i just can't see myself not turning up at the Macron.

Breadman wrote:

wanderlust wrote:There's something about the Wanderers that gets me going regardless of the division, quality of the team or financial mess we're in at the time so it seems I can't avoid feeling passionate about the club.
It has been a very masochistic journey and the bastards have put me through hell and back but if the passion had gone, I'd walk away - but so far I haven't.
The worst of it is I half know what to expect and the Ipswich game was a prime example inasmuch that I knew what a miserable shithole it is and I knew we'd lose but I went anyway. I could have just burned £85 and stayed in my comfy armchair but I went and got pretty much what I expected.
I'm trapped.

It's a short step from that to "He hits me because he loves me - it's my fault!" - get out now!

"You just don't understand! I love him and he loves me really! He doesn't mean to do it"

You have to be a masochist to follow any team. I lost my enthusiasm for the game once and didn't go to games for over 10 years, a combination of reasons but obscene wages and other priorities were the main ones. These days I have a different perspective, I enjoy the game, especially if we win and don't let it ruin my day / weekend / week / life when we lose. Some may view that as not having enough passion but I look forward to match day again and would still go regardless of the division while I feel the same way.

Its a weird one.

I went home and away during the 80's. 95% of those games were in Divisions 3 and 4. But I absolutely loved it. Every match day mattered and the adrenalin rush was ever present.

My favourite time watching my beloved club was the Rioch era. Absolutely amazing times.

Okocha, Djorkaeff, Campo, etc then kept that going for a few more years. Loved watching that team.

But, for some strange reason, I still stick with it. I am always proud to say I support Bolton when I am asked. Guess it is just in my blood after so many years.

TODAY. 

I just got it back.

A late added time equaliser at home against the worst team in the league hasn't restored my passion.