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Stoke City - Newcastle


Aeris
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The idea that the team spirit was a hangover from Hughton which has only recently expired is a nonsense.

 

I might be wrong (as I have no idea what goes on between players and in the dressing room), but the team spirit that came from Hughton era seemed to develop from a trench mentality that was rightly taken against the constant southern press heckling we received at the end of, and post, the relegation season. It was in the stands as well, where there was a togetherness about the fans. When we came back up, from the outside it looked like the players (particularly the ones who had been a part from the relegation season) had something to prove to those journalists, to the people who had given them jip for over a year. I think that this continued when Pardew took over and into last season where the doubters were continually saying 'their luck won't last'. It seemed to spur the players on, I know it did me as a fan. I wanted them to give the southern journalists a massive 'fuck right off' by just quietly going about our business and upsetting the expected trend near the top of the table.

 

It was as if this season began with those journalists holding their tongues this time round, and giving us due credit for last year. It would be lazy to say that because of this, the team have no motive and togetherness as a team who are against the odds, but it does appear to have upped the expectations (mind, not to the extent that MOTD and Sky etc. charge toon fans with the 'infamous level of expectancy "up there"') of some fans, and consequently divided some of the fans. Like I said, I have no idea what the dressing room may be like - to what extent they take notice of press criticism - but certainly I think the spirit of the fans as one unit has lessened due to the peak of last season followed by the current trough in this campaign.

Edited by ADP
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