York City boss Gary Mills hits out at hecklers

York boss Gary Mills York boss Gary Mills

IRATE York City boss Gary Mills has hit out at the boo-boys who are threatening to sap the morale of key players.

Ahead of tomorrow’s League Two clash at Port Vale, where the Minstermen will bid to snap a five-game run without a win, the City boss rounded on the snipers who have criticised his men in recent matches.

Some sections of supporters heckled the team following their 3-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon at Bootham Crescent last Saturday and Mills was incensed with the treatment handed out to leading scorer Ashley Chambers when he was substituted midway through the second half.

Stressing how far the club had come in the last couple of years, Mills said: “What’s important for everyone connected with York City is that we are progressing.

“We’ve come a long, long way. We’ve come a long way with virtually the same set of players.

“What gets to me is Ashley Chambers getting booed off – or clapped off (for being taken off) – when he was brought off on Saturday.

“I find it amazing that a lad who has worked so hard for two years, and has played a major part in getting this club back to where it is, it astounds me that he actually gets clapped off.

“A lad who everyone knows anyway finds it hard, and has found it hard all through his football career, to have that confidence.

“A lad who scored a goal in the play-off final at Wembley to even enable us to be playing Port Vale tomorrow.

“He needs applauding when he is on the field. It’s things like that. We are progressing, together.”

Mills added: “They were cheering and clapping when he came off. I think it’s disgraceful, actually.

“I don’t want to start sending messages to fans because I think I know, in two years, how hard it has been to be sitting here saying we are going to be playing Port Vale.

“This hasn’t come easily. The fact is that we might have had a poor performance on Saturday and, in my opinion, the only poor performance this season. We might have had 25 minutes here and 25 minutes there occasionally, but we are still progressing.

“We are three points off the play-offs in League Two.”The City chief said: “Everybody is now saying, ‘What’s going wrong?’ It’s incredible. We have progressed unbelievably with the same set of players. Now if we continue to play like we did last Saturday, with poor performances, then it becomes an issue.

“But I think my players showed, along with myself, how we pulled together on Monday (in the 4-3 loss to Wimbledon in the FA Cup first round replay). People will say, ‘You still lost’. Yes we did. But we lost in extra time. It was another game in 90 minutes, with ten men, where we played really well and created chance after chance.”

With Scott Kerr suspended after being sent off in the cup replay, Mills said it was likely Daniel Parslow would reprise the midfield anchor role he carried out so successfully at the back end of last season.

City may be without Oli Johnson, who didn’t train yesterday with a stomach problem, but on-loan forward Alex Rodman will be available having been ruled out against Wimbledon. It is unlikely, however, that David McGurk will play a part.

“I know he has been sitting on the bench but I need to get him some games,” Mills explained.

“We are still trying to get him on a month’s loan and he needs that. I have got Clarke Carlisle, Chris Smith, Chris Doig and Dan Parslow, who can play here, there and everywhere.

“David needs to get out and play some games and it might be a case of dropping down a couple of leagues to get some.”

Comments(64)

dazthecat says...
12:21pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Well said Gary!!

PhilTopping says...
12:24pm Fri 16 Nov 12

People shouldn't boo individual players. It's hurtful and counter productive.

However, there are reasons why this is happening. A lot of it is down to the frustration of seeing a player in need of a rest, off form and not contributing yet getting game after game after game without any hint of being dropped.

There is another issue, a lot of our fans are dumb and reactionary. But the sensible ones look at Chambers and ask "what does he have to do to get put on the subs bench for a few games?"

Unfortunately for Mills football fans, the world over, are impatient. The majority don't think about last year or the last decade. Mills' frustration has been echoed by every football manager at one time or another.

Sir Alex says...
12:31pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Wow - strong words and rightfully so.

Looking forward to Vale tomorrow. Shamed to say its my first away game of the season but money has been a bit tighter. Big ground with a nice main stand of mostly concrete (couldn't afford all the seats!)

Have to watch the crosses coming in to their tall forwards. If Michael commands his area we should be good for a point say 1 - 1.. Come on lads!!

Wind Mills says...
12:36pm Fri 16 Nov 12

While I don,t agree with how Ashley was ironically cheered after being subbed. I can understand the fans frustrations with him.
Mills states himself that we are creating chance after chance and Chambers, et all miss a high percentage of these.

Northampton is a case in point, where he beat the defender on two occasions and then scuffed both attempts.

Yes he is our top scorer, but if he'd put half the chances created away he would be on double figures not just 6 goals.
Hes not the only player, but as a manager you should be picking your "in form " players not your favorites.

A short rest did him and his confidence a world of good last season and he came back a different player. Its that player we need back this season.

In Mills we trust.
CTID

chalkytalky says...
12:37pm Fri 16 Nov 12

So McGurk needs games and needs to go on loan... Yet all the loan signings we get in havent really been playing but get straight into our starting eleven?

long distance depressive says...
12:46pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Fans upset at shocking performance/bad result? well blow me down! If Mr Mills decides that certain players are undroppable then that's his call though if you look at results over the past couple of months then can he not understand the fans having the odd question?

Even AndyD says...
1:00pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Two separate issues here. Firstly - I don't think booing an individual player during a game is every justified. Confidence is a fickle muse and easily damaged - to boo individuals is counter-production to what fans want; a successful team.

However, after the 0-3 reverse against (a poor) Wimbledon team, I don't think there is a ground in the country where a few boos would not have been heard. It was not just the result, its was the nature of performance which was utterly devoid of skill, drive and (seemingly at times) desire right from kick off. As just about everyone who was there has observed. Mills will recall at the end of the 1-3 reverse to Wycombe, only applause was heard because the display had been satisfactory. Fans are not idiots, they can tell the difference.

Btw, Gary, if you are reading this, can we have a less defensive attitude to Barry Parker in post match interview. You won't get a more gentle line of questioning, he is hardly critical, he is hardly Paxman! Also recall you are talking to FANS through him - you know, the wage payers/customers.

Look - FWIW - I think Gary Mills has done a great job, we play some cracking football and are surviving in L2 with a squad of players which largely comprise last season's Conference team. Individual player abuse is not on, Gary is right there. But I'd suggest that a sometimes overly defensive attitude at other times helps nobody. The odd boo of disappointment at the end of the game is nothing you won't see elsewhere - just let it go and keep doing a great job. Can't please everyone all of the time.

TerryYork says...
1:02pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Sorry, but this is slightly pathetic of Gary as much as I like the man. I personally was clapping Ashley off to try and encourage him it just wasn't his day but we have his back. You took some of the fans to be negative, so we all were, is that the deal now?

Also, you're not going to get cheers and high fives for losing 3-0 at home to a terrible team like Wimbledon, so where all that is coming from is not helpful too.

How about a word for the City fans at Wimbledon on Monday? Singing throughout and always behind the team, only for Ashley to walk off down the tunnel without any acknowledgement to us for spending 100 quid and four hours in a car there?

He's a professional footballer, getting paid a lot of money to kick a ball around. Why treat us, the vast majority who have his back, like that?

Concentrate on the positives, stop being wusses and let's push on.

YorkCityLuke says...
1:03pm Fri 16 Nov 12

I agree with Mills, although as the poster above has said he need not be so defensive about it.

It has always struck me as absurd when players (especially a player as sensitive to crowd reaction as Chambers) get booed off or heckled. He is a player who thrives on confidence, so in essence he will play better the more encouragement he is given. Fans who boo him off for putting in a poor performance are probably just increasing the damage done to the team: our club can certainly do without them.

RooBeck says...
1:03pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Sounds like Conference(North) for Dave McGurk - Harrogate Town, maybe?! Gary's comments are understandable but he shouldn't get too touchy on this subject, as he must know that all football clubs have fans who are fickle in such circumstances and will round on their team when the slightest thing goes wrong. That said, some frustrations have built-up over our lack of goals when playing at home and GM and his coaches need to try even harder than they already are, in finding the knack of more regular goal-scoring at Bootham Crescent! COYR.

RooBeck says...
1:07pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Sounds like Conference(North) for Dave McGurk - Harrogate Town, maybe and a good FACup run?! Gary's comments are understandable but he shouldn't get too touchy on this subject, as he must know that all football clubs have some fans who are fickle in such circumstances and will round on their team when the slightest thing goes wrong, but these are not reflective nor do they represent, the vast majority of fans. That said, some frustrations have built-up in recent weeks over our lack of goals when playing at home and GM and his coaches need to try even harder than they already are, in finding the knack of more regular goal-scoring at Bootham Crescent! COYR.

rogue84 says...
1:23pm Fri 16 Nov 12

I agree completely with Mills regarding personal abuse, completely out of order. Particularly in play (some sections of) the pop stand gave Chambers an awful amount of abuse last season.
All these lads play in the City shirt, while the game is being played we HAVE to support them 100%. I agree with some of the above posters that at the end of the match if people wish to boo, that's fine...but as a home crowd we need to be that 12th man.
Particular games in recent memory include Reading in the FA Cup, Doncaster the season we went down, Aldershot the season when they won the league, Luton in the play-off 1st leg in 2010 and subsequent games with them afterwards are all classic examples of the crowd putting massive pressure on the visitors and getting behind York.
The game when we beat Luton 3-0 last season, you could see from the first whistle their lot (Lawless particularly...teehe
ehee) couldn't handle the atmosphere. Save the abuse for the opposition, not Chambers.

TimYCFC says...
1:40pm Fri 16 Nov 12

As a City fan living in the South I wasn't at last weeks game and was gobsmacked to hear the treatment the team received.

Whether it's a small, mindless minority or the majority of the crowd, you need to get some perspective ! To be back in the Football League is what we spent 8 years dreaming about and now we've made it we're not just clinging on but actually pushing forward. This is an exciting time to be a City fan and we have a team we should be proud of.

So, can I ask that if you're going to the games then please will you actually support the team. And if you're a boo-boy who wants to act in that way, go follow some other club because it's the last thing we want or need.

long distance depressive says...
1:45pm Fri 16 Nov 12

When Reed came on at the same time Chambers went off there were some mock cheers aimed at Mr Mills because he was actually bringing Reed on for 10 minutes..not necessarily anything aimed at Chambers (who had pretty much disappeared by that stage anyway!!)

openallhours says...
3:13pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Do I thank Mills for getting us back into the League - of course, 100%.

Have I enjoyed the Mills journey so far - immensley.

However, he should sack his PR department for this howler. Firstly, to turn on the fans that pay his wages is a disgrace, especially as he is the one who brings players in and picks the team (to be fair, the board have backed him all of the way). A simple 'stick with us' would have been far more apt (and non confrontational).

Secondly, for the first time in all of the years I've supported City, I've been in all 3 sides of the ground this season and there have been disgruntled fans in all of them (I repeat, I've never booed). That tells its own story.

Thirdly, a lot of players thrive on being booed as it motivates them to silence their critics. People boo for a reason.

Finally and I've said it before, Mills comes across as being stubborn and arrogant,and this will be his undoing. This might work well at small clubs like Grantham, Tamworth etc... but not here.

He should remember his last stint in league football before he gets on his highhorse (a relegation and a sacking) and although I will always be thankful for what he's done for City, he should perhaps look at his own shortcomings before trying to shift blame onto the fans.

Come on City!

walwynwasgod says...
3:19pm Fri 16 Nov 12

openallhours

Have you tried the 4th side of the ground, for all our sakes ?

Don't think Mills is having a go at all the City fans somehow.

Dr Brian says...
3:20pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Many fans showed their disgust at the performance by leaving before the final whistle I have never seen so many people trooping out 10 mins from the end.

I would not boo them but I will voice my protest by not attending the next home game - Perhaps a few boos is something we can live with but people not paying to go to see Gary's team is far more serious?

openallhours says...
3:24pm Fri 16 Nov 12

walwynwasgod wrote:
openallhours Have you tried the 4th side of the ground, for all our sakes ? Don't think Mills is having a go at all the City fans somehow.
Painful...

walwynwasgod says...
3:26pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Dr Brian

Some supporter you are mate. At least most of the boo-boys will be back. You've got to give them credit for that. Do you always miss a game when we play bad ?

openallhours says...
3:30pm Fri 16 Nov 12

openallhours wrote:
walwynwasgod wrote: openallhours Have you tried the 4th side of the ground, for all our sakes ? Don't think Mills is having a go at all the City fans somehow.
Painful...
Agony...

walwynwasgod says...
3:33pm Fri 16 Nov 12

openallhours

Take it easy old chap !

therealbroardsword says...
3:52pm Fri 16 Nov 12

To the boo boys f@ck off to man utd and do everyone connected to a proper,well run football club a favour!

THETELLEROFTALES says...
4:26pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Man City got boo'd off at half time in their last home game.

In the second half Mancini takes Tevez off and puts Dzeko on
Plan A changed to Plan B and bingo....a result.

It's not rocket science. Every York fan I know think York need a Plan B up front. [It's not about money, its all about having a mix of players with different strengths and abilities. This can be achieved even in a small squad.

Mr Mills is quite correct however in pointing out just how much the club has progressed during his tenure in office. All credit to him.

However football is a result driven business. It's ugly and cruel at times but the players must know their performances at home have been a little less than inspiring.

openallhours says...
4:48pm Fri 16 Nov 12

On another note, Gary's 'how far we've come' rant doesn't wash with me. Prior to his arrival we'd been to Wembley twice, play off semi-finals, FA cup runs (not that we'll have a cup run this season) etc... The club was moving forward but he makes out he's brought us up from lower than Conference North.

I've never predicted a City defeat, but his attitude is bound to have a negative impact on the team. The sensitive flower called Chambers had his league debut when he was 15. If he lacks confidence now, he always will do (although he always looks confident when he's out and about in town on a bender)!

Come on Gary, get it sorted!

billoofyork says...
5:16pm Fri 16 Nov 12

personally i have mixed feelings on this. i think the vast majority of the boos were out of frustration at us under performing at home for the third time in a week.
i don't think they were aimed at one individual player directly, certainly not from where i stand in the longhurst. the perfectionists from the pop and main stands may have different voices but i think the large majority of us are more than happy with the progress made under mills. those who are booing or heckling mills or chambers need to measure their own expectations

St.clarence says...
5:20pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Mr.Mills is starting to get annoyed now because things ain't going his way.He had a go at Barry Parker for quizzing him over his team selection now having a go at fans who pay good money for voicing there opinions.Simple solution get it sorted out on the pitch,starting with giving Jason Walker some help up front.

aitch11 says...
5:31pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Ah didums have the nasty supporters upset his precious players,Well Mr Mills if i was as crap at my job as they have been for the last few weks i'd be out of a job! Yes i pay my money to watch so i feel i'm enitled to vent my anger and if it upsets Mills,tough,

OLD - HEAD says...
5:35pm Fri 16 Nov 12

I have never booed a City team or player, but I can fully understand some peoples frustration. Gary Mills is just trying to gloss over some very poor home performances. People fork out their hard earned money to watch York City, and to be honest they have not had good value lately. There has been lot of frustration among some fans who hoped to see more of Jamie Reed on the pitch. Ashey Chambers has struggled lately but always, seems to get selected. So as someone has already pointed out, when Reed came on for Chambers, ironic cheers greeted that change. I dont condone it, but thats just the way some people reacted. Tough game tomorrow at Port Vale, anything other than a defeat, will be a good result. I see Oli Johnson is injured again, it must have been too much for him during his brief appearance on Monday - enough said!

localleaguelegend says...
5:46pm Fri 16 Nov 12

I hardly heard a peep of dissent in the Longhurst stand, maybe Gary should come and stand behind the goal to watch the game.

When he took over at York two years ago, he altered the system during the game and changed the game frquently by doing so. Admittedly he was using players he was given, not his own, but we have seen how Gary can think on his feet and be succesful.

joejamestom says...
5:54pm Fri 16 Nov 12

I can understand GM rising to the defence of his players he has to be seen to publicly defend what is a mostly a young team who are bound to be sensitive to criticism. Given their generation no doubt they are linked every minute of the day to social media too. As professional footballers they will learn to blank it out but I too do not boo & jeer my own team a less than enthusiastic clap to welcome them back in is my personal expression.
Perhaps silence would be the worst comment but you know what I support GM the team & the club by choice & generally enjoy the entertainment on offer, this is a transitional team with a legacy of players from our fortunate promotion some are perhaps not quite there performance wise in LG 2 But GM will sort it out CMON CITY !!

djtswilson says...
6:29pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Football grounds the world over suffer from all kinds of abuse. The only way to eliminate it would be to check IQ at the gate, set a lower limit and turn the clowns away then the decent folk could watch a game and enjoy for the entertainment value and let the results take care of themselves.

cityforthepremier says...
6:51pm Fri 16 Nov 12

djtswilson wrote:
Football grounds the world over suffer from all kinds of abuse. The only way to eliminate it would be to check IQ at the gate, set a lower limit and turn the clowns away then the decent folk could watch a game and enjoy for the entertainment value and let the results take care of themselves.
Well said. The reason why York City has amounted to precisely nothing in 90 years of trying is that they are held back by some genuinely dreadful oxygen thieves in the stands. Hopefully when we move to a new stadium we can attract people of better character and these clowns will crawl back under their rocks.

Phil, Leeds says...
7:03pm Fri 16 Nov 12

I would never boo any of the current players, particularly those who did great to win us promotion.

However, Mr Mills needs to remember that the supporters pay his and the players wages and should get off his high horse and acknowledge the fans have a right to question him. The fans are upset we've only won 2 home games all season and that he persists in using Walker as a lone striker and refuses to use the prolific Jamie Reed.

cityforthepremier says...
7:14pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Phil, Leeds wrote:
I would never boo any of the current players, particularly those who did great to win us promotion.

However, Mr Mills needs to remember that the supporters pay his and the players wages and should get off his high horse and acknowledge the fans have a right to question him. The fans are upset we've only won 2 home games all season and that he persists in using Walker as a lone striker and refuses to use the prolific Jamie Reed.
Gate receipts are a fraction of club income, it is one of the great lies in football when fans say "we pay your wages". You don't.

Even AndyD says...
7:22pm Fri 16 Nov 12

cityforthepremier wrote:
Phil, Leeds wrote:
I would never boo any of the current players, particularly those who did great to win us promotion.

However, Mr Mills needs to remember that the supporters pay his and the players wages and should get off his high horse and acknowledge the fans have a right to question him. The fans are upset we've only won 2 home games all season and that he persists in using Walker as a lone striker and refuses to use the prolific Jamie Reed.
Gate receipts are a fraction of club income, it is one of the great lies in football when fans say "we pay your wages". You don't.
Erm...a fraction? What sort of fraction? I'd suggest it is a pretty sizable one - I don't see us on Sky each week, or having sponsorship packages with big business.

cityforthepremier says...
7:27pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Phil, Leeds wrote:
I would never boo any of the current players, particularly those who did great to win us promotion.

However, Mr Mills needs to remember that the supporters pay his and the players wages and should get off his high horse and acknowledge the fans have a right to question him. The fans are upset we've only won 2 home games all season and that he persists in using Walker as a lone striker and refuses to use the prolific Jamie Reed.
Gate receipts are a fraction of club income, it is one of the great lies in football when fans say "we pay your wages". You don't.
Erm...a fraction? What sort of fraction? I'd suggest it is a pretty sizable one - I don't see us on Sky each week, or having sponsorship packages with big business.
So we don't get a sizeable fee from Sky? Think you need to do some research young 'un!

CHISSY1 says...
7:31pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Poor lambs,pathetic,its a game,played by men or should be.

rupertbehr says...
7:31pm Fri 16 Nov 12

It was inevitable, .......Millsy had to come out and support his players,
(and rightly so !)
He's made it abundantly clear this is no sweeping generalisation about City support,
but focusing solely on the moronic element within our midst .......
...yep even we ave em !!!!
Stick with it Mr Mills.
The silent majority are with you all the way. Good luck for tomorrow.

tomwillo1 says...
7:48pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Agree with the gaffer 100%, we've played 4-3-3 since he arrived were not going tochange it after one defeat after all the success we have had! The boo boys are the glory supporters that wont have seen us play at a in the non eague only at wembey whn they thought they'd come out! Hope the boo boys get lost and go back to watching a premier league club!! Also Chambers puts in a shift every game, runs his socks off for the side and is a constant threat!! So im sick of the costant critiscism he gets from so called'supporters' GET BEHIND THE LADS. COME ON CITY!!!!!

garnham says...
7:55pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Yes everyone we are now plying in a higher league & it's tough !! Well that's a surprise is it not ?
We all have to step up to the standard set by all our opponents I for one think the whole club is making a very good start to life in the football league.

The secret is to support the lads & the management. Those who explode into a frenzy of anger & abuse should go shopping on match days.
I for one remember the last time we completed in this league.. 11 years ago now ? The home fan support was always behind the team.
Home match day needs to step up the league standard as most of the home fans are still living in the conference !!
The club can do without the paying public that think their opinion is the solution & deliver it with a very strong attitude.

I have posted before not many home supporters have played at this level so how come they think they know better ?
Keep up the good work Gary
C'mon Home supporters step up your game !!!

YorkCityLuke says...
7:59pm Fri 16 Nov 12

To anyone spouting the age-old 'we pay good money for the privilage' argument - stop going if you're not enjoying it. Simple as that. Stop ruining it (and shaking the player's confidence) for everyone else.

thirsky says...
8:05pm Fri 16 Nov 12

As soccer fans we are passionate, fickle, perfectionists and react spontaneously in a negative way when things aint going right. We have always been this way long before Gary Mills or any manager came and will continue to be so long after he or any of his successors have gone. Booing is bad but irrespective of earlier successes now is now and and as has been said many many times we have had little to get excited about when City play at home this season. It is as if we are totally unable to play in any other way or with any other players. Had City been getting decent results at home last weeks reverse against Wimbledon would have been put down to a temporary lapse. No, this was just the tip of iceberg, it had been coming for some time based on previous home performances.

dazthecat says...
8:45pm Fri 16 Nov 12

rupertbehr wrote:
It was inevitable, .......Millsy had to come out and support his players,
(and rightly so !)
He's made it abundantly clear this is no sweeping generalisation about City support,
but focusing solely on the moronic element within our midst .......
...yep even we ave em !!!!
Stick with it Mr Mills.
The silent majority are with you all the way. Good luck for tomorrow.
Your last statement sums it up perfectly. At Bootham crescent the majority are silent, so the idiots are heard louder. The handful of fans that made it to the Wimbledon replay were louder than anything at BC this year. The atmosphere at BC seems to be so acidic because the only time you ever hear anything its groans or boos

openallhours says...
8:48pm Fri 16 Nov 12

YorkCityLuke wrote:
To anyone spouting the age-old 'we pay good money for the privilage' argument - stop going if you're not enjoying it. Simple as that. Stop ruining it (and shaking the player's confidence) for everyone else.
I've spent nearly £200 following York this month.

Can you get me a refund pukey?
(and I hope you've told Mummy and Daddy that you're on the computer again).

goreds says...
8:53pm Fri 16 Nov 12

There are plenty of City fans at games who don't say boo to a goose but as soon as a City player makes a mistake they are up in arms.
I keep my misgivings private and try and stay positive at games - don't boo the one you love !
Millsy is a good bloke and a good manager - he's not perfect but we owe him too much and personally I expect even more - this coud be a 'golden age' for City.

Even AndyD says...
9:01pm Fri 16 Nov 12

cityforthepremier wrote:
Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Phil, Leeds wrote:
I would never boo any of the current players, particularly those who did great to win us promotion.

However, Mr Mills needs to remember that the supporters pay his and the players wages and should get off his high horse and acknowledge the fans have a right to question him. The fans are upset we've only won 2 home games all season and that he persists in using Walker as a lone striker and refuses to use the prolific Jamie Reed.
Gate receipts are a fraction of club income, it is one of the great lies in football when fans say "we pay your wages". You don't.
Erm...a fraction? What sort of fraction? I'd suggest it is a pretty sizable one - I don't see us on Sky each week, or having sponsorship packages with big business.
So we don't get a sizeable fee from Sky? Think you need to do some research young 'un!
There is always one. TV money from the FL is about £700k, isn't it? Money from gates will be about £1.3m. If you think the latter is not a 'sizable fraction' - then perhaps you wouldn't mind donating a similar percentage of your salary to a charity of my choosing!? Young 'un!

Some old bloke says...
9:29pm Fri 16 Nov 12

I found cityforthepremier's assertion that fans don't pay anybody's wages quite surprising. An average gate paying an average £17 per person per match over nearly 30 matches (including friendlies and cup matches) must produce about 1.5 million quid per season (and this is not including profit from 50-50 draw tickets, refreshments, shop sales, possible play-off matches, etc). If it doesn't help pay anyone's wages, where does it go? Also, does Sky TV give the club more than that?
Having said that, I don't think the manager should shy away from expressing an honest opinion just because fans contribute to his salary.I think he is right to have a go at the minority of fans who only seem happy when they're booing. On the whole I don't think it makes the team play better.

cityforthepremier says...
9:35pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Phil, Leeds wrote:
I would never boo any of the current players, particularly those who did great to win us promotion.

However, Mr Mills needs to remember that the supporters pay his and the players wages and should get off his high horse and acknowledge the fans have a right to question him. The fans are upset we've only won 2 home games all season and that he persists in using Walker as a lone striker and refuses to use the prolific Jamie Reed.
Gate receipts are a fraction of club income, it is one of the great lies in football when fans say "we pay your wages". You don't.
Erm...a fraction? What sort of fraction? I'd suggest it is a pretty sizable one - I don't see us on Sky each week, or having sponsorship packages with big business.
So we don't get a sizeable fee from Sky? Think you need to do some research young 'un!
There is always one. TV money from the FL is about £700k, isn't it? Money from gates will be about £1.3m. If you think the latter is not a 'sizable fraction' - then perhaps you wouldn't mind donating a similar percentage of your salary to a charity of my choosing!? Young 'un!
The idea that "we pay your wages" is about as stupid as it comes. You wouldn't say that to a public sector worker when you've got to queue at the hospital, talk to a policeman or go to see your kids' teachers, so why would you say it to a football manager? You have also failed to account for the losses the club makes who are covered by the owners not the whinging fans. Would you give away fans' an opinion about the way the team is run because they also "pay the wages"? Pure idiocy.

Even AndyD says...
10:13pm Fri 16 Nov 12

cityforthepremier wrote:
Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Phil, Leeds wrote:
I would never boo any of the current players, particularly those who did great to win us promotion.

However, Mr Mills needs to remember that the supporters pay his and the players wages and should get off his high horse and acknowledge the fans have a right to question him. The fans are upset we've only won 2 home games all season and that he persists in using Walker as a lone striker and refuses to use the prolific Jamie Reed.
Gate receipts are a fraction of club income, it is one of the great lies in football when fans say "we pay your wages". You don't.
Erm...a fraction? What sort of fraction? I'd suggest it is a pretty sizable one - I don't see us on Sky each week, or having sponsorship packages with big business.
So we don't get a sizeable fee from Sky? Think you need to do some research young 'un!
There is always one. TV money from the FL is about £700k, isn't it? Money from gates will be about £1.3m. If you think the latter is not a 'sizable fraction' - then perhaps you wouldn't mind donating a similar percentage of your salary to a charity of my choosing!? Young 'un!
The idea that "we pay your wages" is about as stupid as it comes. You wouldn't say that to a public sector worker when you've got to queue at the hospital, talk to a policeman or go to see your kids' teachers, so why would you say it to a football manager? You have also failed to account for the losses the club makes who are covered by the owners not the whinging fans. Would you give away fans' an opinion about the way the team is run because they also "pay the wages"? Pure idiocy.
Ah - the frantic back-tracking moment. Look - I think Mills is a fab manager, I'm grateful for the superb football we've watched and I'd no more boo a player than I'd remove my own appendix with a spoon. But before he insults Barry Parker for asking a question the fans might want to hear the answer to, he might want to recall his profession is run for and paid for by people who pay to 'consume' football. That is all.

cityforthepremier says...
10:17pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Even AndyD wrote:
cityforthepremier wrote:
Phil, Leeds wrote:
I would never boo any of the current players, particularly those who did great to win us promotion.

However, Mr Mills needs to remember that the supporters pay his and the players wages and should get off his high horse and acknowledge the fans have a right to question him. The fans are upset we've only won 2 home games all season and that he persists in using Walker as a lone striker and refuses to use the prolific Jamie Reed.
Gate receipts are a fraction of club income, it is one of the great lies in football when fans say "we pay your wages". You don't.
Erm...a fraction? What sort of fraction? I'd suggest it is a pretty sizable one - I don't see us on Sky each week, or having sponsorship packages with big business.
So we don't get a sizeable fee from Sky? Think you need to do some research young 'un!
There is always one. TV money from the FL is about £700k, isn't it? Money from gates will be about £1.3m. If you think the latter is not a 'sizable fraction' - then perhaps you wouldn't mind donating a similar percentage of your salary to a charity of my choosing!? Young 'un!
The idea that "we pay your wages" is about as stupid as it comes. You wouldn't say that to a public sector worker when you've got to queue at the hospital, talk to a policeman or go to see your kids' teachers, so why would you say it to a football manager? You have also failed to account for the losses the club makes who are covered by the owners not the whinging fans. Would you give away fans' an opinion about the way the team is run because they also "pay the wages"? Pure idiocy.
Ah - the frantic back-tracking moment. Look - I think Mills is a fab manager, I'm grateful for the superb football we've watched and I'd no more boo a player than I'd remove my own appendix with a spoon. But before he insults Barry Parker for asking a question the fans might want to hear the answer to, he might want to recall his profession is run for and paid for by people who pay to 'consume' football. That is all.
But it isn't, as we've established. The owners pay the wages, not the fans. York City is a private company just like any other. You wouldn't walk into Marks & Spencers and tell the shop assistants that they are doing a bad job because you pop in once every 2 weeks to buy a sandwich. Perhaps you would, I wouldn't.

henleazeyorkie says...
10:30pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Hate to think about what this thread would be like if we were in Aldershot / Barnet / Lincoln / Stockport / Macclesfield's position............
......

Perhaps we should simply have a motto

"Improve every year or else". No, hang on, can't do that because another 100+ clubs have the same idea

skilly says...
11:11pm Fri 16 Nov 12

We reach the promised land of the football league and all of a sudden GM has become the pantomime villain in some fans eyes. Get real and appreciate where we are. This group of players have given us so much to cheer, he is taking us in the right direction and we should get behind the whole team, stop rounding on individual players, give them encouragement. COYR

Even AndyD says...
6:19am Sat 17 Nov 12

If we are using your analogy, CityPremier, it goes like this. It is Saturday and I buy a sandwich in M&S and its absolutely awful - stale, etc. I don't complain, but quietly bin it as (and this is true!), I love M&S food and know it will be better next time.

But when I get home, I find the local M&S manager in the Press slagging York people off because a minority had the gall to ask why their sandwiches were dreadful last Saturday. Same day I bought mine.

THEN...then I might think, I didn't need that! Its a tad unfair!

I am not saying GM isn't an excellent manager. I'm not saying fans don't moan occasionally and I certainly don't condone slagging off individual players (or the M&S shop assistants to use your analogy). What irks a little is a rant towards paying customers which was (imho) out of all proportion.

But we can all be defensive - time to move on.

openallhours says...
8:21am Sat 17 Nov 12

Had the weirdest dream last night. I dreamt I was watching City and we'd just scored. During my celebration, I was tapped on the shoulder by another fan who told me that my celebration was wrong. What do you mean I replied? He said in an eerie manner 'we don't do it that way here'. And why is that I responded, to which he said 'because Gary doesn't like it', and with that there was a loud bang. I looked around, and there was less than 100 people watching the game. There was no stadium, we were on a muddy field in the middle of nowhere and there was only one player I recognised... Chambers. I asked the fan who'd warned me about my celebration, what's happening, where are we, how's this happened?. He said 'we're just a Sunday league club now. The club didn't want fans who questioned the way things were done, and when more and more people stopped coming, the owners pulled the plug'. Then he said with a big smile 'at least we've got good fans now, no rif raf, we're a happy bunch (he was clapping at this point). We're behind the team 100% and always will be. More important', he said, 'the manager is always right!'.

duffy says...
8:53am Sat 17 Nov 12

Bloody hell, 54 posts for a Mills overreaction to a few fans booing one of the worst home performances in years. God that would never happen at any other football club would it ?

Theapplesarecoming says...
9:19am Sat 17 Nov 12

A freind told me apparently a few matches ago he was in the seating stand that you access from the longhurst ( can't remember the name) and apparently chambers came to take a throw in, a "fan" shouted chambers!! He looked round and the fan shouted your s.hit! Apparently He just turned around and kept playing Bit it must have got him a bit , personally I think chambers is great and im all behind him

Theapplesarecoming says...
9:27am Sat 17 Nov 12

Oh jus hears apparently it wasn't a throw in he was just near the stand , Anyway..

redwhiteblue says...
10:00am Sat 17 Nov 12

Over reaction as normal - think about it. You have just watched your team beaten three nil - your ten outfield players have had a nightmare of a game - ten minutes after the game Barry Parker sticks a microphone up your nose and says - 'do you think you picked the wrong side today'. Turn the tables - you come home from work, your wife has just left you for your best mate - Barry Parker arrives at your door and asks - 'why has your wife left you for your best mate?' - how would you react in two seconds? A smack in the mouth is not the answer!!!
It's water under the bridge now - get behind the team, the manager, but most of all this great club called York City - 80% of our fans will do that, let's not fall apart, lose our manager and end up back in the conference for another eight years.
At the start of the season we all stated 'we need to consolidate, retain our league position' - I personally think we are more than capable of doing this under GMs guidance - therefore we don't need the back stabbers.

YorkCityLuke says...
11:38am Sat 17 Nov 12

openallhours wrote:
YorkCityLuke wrote:
To anyone spouting the age-old 'we pay good money for the privilage' argument - stop going if you're not enjoying it. Simple as that. Stop ruining it (and shaking the player's confidence) for everyone else.
I've spent nearly £200 following York this month.

Can you get me a refund pukey?
(and I hope you've told Mummy and Daddy that you're on the computer again).
Did you actually read what I said? Stop wasting your money. Don't go. Also - I don't believe you do spend so much on matches, I think you're a liar and a troll, and that your 'support' for City extends only as far as winding people up on this site. FACT, as you do enjoy saying.

cityforthepremier says...
1:36pm Sat 17 Nov 12

openallhours wrote:
Had the weirdest dream last night. I dreamt I was watching City and we'd just scored. During my celebration, I was tapped on the shoulder by another fan who told me that my celebration was wrong. What do you mean I replied? He said in an eerie manner 'we don't do it that way here'. And why is that I responded, to which he said 'because Gary doesn't like it', and with that there was a loud bang. I looked around, and there was less than 100 people watching the game. There was no stadium, we were on a muddy field in the middle of nowhere and there was only one player I recognised... Chambers. I asked the fan who'd warned me about my celebration, what's happening, where are we, how's this happened?. He said 'we're just a Sunday league club now. The club didn't want fans who questioned the way things were done, and when more and more people stopped coming, the owners pulled the plug'. Then he said with a big smile 'at least we've got good fans now, no rif raf, we're a happy bunch (he was clapping at this point). We're behind the team 100% and always will be. More important', he said, 'the manager is always right!'.
I also had a weird dream. I dreamt that I was watching York City and we were losing every week and the crowds were bad. Then, some guy came in as manager, and all of sudden my dream changed and we were winning. And then, even more strangely, I dreamt we won twice at Wembey in 8 days and the streets of York were full of happy faces. But then, in the next part of the dream, we were still good but lots of people appeared from the woodwork who wanted the team to go back to being bad again. Every time the team lost, which still was hardly ever, the people tried their best to destroy the success by trying to drive away all the good people. Fortunately when I woke up this is where the dream stopped, hopefully the peope in the dream will wake up too before it gets to the next stage.

duffy says...
1:45pm Sat 17 Nov 12

redwhiteblue wrote:
Over reaction as normal - think about it. You have just watched your team beaten three nil - your ten outfield players have had a nightmare of a game - ten minutes after the game Barry Parker sticks a microphone up your nose and says - 'do you think you picked the wrong side today'. Turn the tables - you come home from work, your wife has just left you for your best mate - Barry Parker arrives at your door and asks - 'why has your wife left you for your best mate?' - how would you react in two seconds? A smack in the mouth is not the answer!!!
It's water under the bridge now - get behind the team, the manager, but most of all this great club called York City - 80% of our fans will do that, let's not fall apart, lose our manager and end up back in the conference for another eight years.
At the start of the season we all stated 'we need to consolidate, retain our league position' - I personally think we are more than capable of doing this under GMs guidance - therefore we don't need the back stabbers.
But the overreaction and dragging things out has actually come from Mills in this case ?

twang says...
2:56pm Sat 17 Nov 12

Gary

Results led business

Results at home have been rubbish

Enough said

Thanks for what happened last season, but that was last season.
The board gave you a chance to improve the squad, what did you do, bring in players on load that have gone back to there clubs cos they wernt good enough, the only good player brought in Coulson is crocked for the season (All the best Michael) Non league players can get you out of non league, but you need a percentage of those players which can handle league football and then some strenghthening, we didnt get the strenghthening only more non league standard players'
The league players brought in Bully gone to non league as hes not good enough in League 2
Sorry Gary thanks for what you have done, now its time to sort it out.
Get down off the high horse admit home form is rubbish and do something about it not just criticise those that see, what you dont seem to see.
Results are results we aint getting them.

Sorry to be blunt its about time Barry Parker started to go this way.

PositiveFootball says...
5:46pm Sat 17 Nov 12

openallhours wrote:
Had the weirdest dream last night. I dreamt I was watching City and we'd just scored. During my celebration, I was tapped on the shoulder by another fan who told me that my celebration was wrong. What do you mean I replied? He said in an eerie manner 'we don't do it that way here'. And why is that I responded, to which he said 'because Gary doesn't like it', and with that there was a loud bang. I looked around, and there was less than 100 people watching the game. There was no stadium, we were on a muddy field in the middle of nowhere and there was only one player I recognised... Chambers. I asked the fan who'd warned me about my celebration, what's happening, where are we, how's this happened?. He said 'we're just a Sunday league club now. The club didn't want fans who questioned the way things were done, and when more and more people stopped coming, the owners pulled the plug'. Then he said with a big smile 'at least we've got good fans now, no rif raf, we're a happy bunch (he was clapping at this point). We're behind the team 100% and always will be. More important', he said, 'the manager is always right!'.
You should (1) go on a creative writng course (2) see a psychiatrist (3) wake up and smell the roses.

openallhours says...
6:23pm Sun 18 Nov 12

PositiveFootball wrote:
openallhours wrote: Had the weirdest dream last night. I dreamt I was watching City and we'd just scored. During my celebration, I was tapped on the shoulder by another fan who told me that my celebration was wrong. What do you mean I replied? He said in an eerie manner 'we don't do it that way here'. And why is that I responded, to which he said 'because Gary doesn't like it', and with that there was a loud bang. I looked around, and there was less than 100 people watching the game. There was no stadium, we were on a muddy field in the middle of nowhere and there was only one player I recognised... Chambers. I asked the fan who'd warned me about my celebration, what's happening, where are we, how's this happened?. He said 'we're just a Sunday league club now. The club didn't want fans who questioned the way things were done, and when more and more people stopped coming, the owners pulled the plug'. Then he said with a big smile 'at least we've got good fans now, no rif raf, we're a happy bunch (he was clapping at this point). We're behind the team 100% and always will be. More important', he said, 'the manager is always right!'.
You should (1) go on a creative writng course (2) see a psychiatrist (3) wake up and smell the roses.
writng? Perhaps you should go on a spelling course.

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