Dread to think of the meltdown amongst our fans if we were genuinely back to the days when the likes of Saints put 80 on us.

Pretty much the same for me.
My love for the game has lessened over the years, obviously, I must be really getting old.

My "obsession" has totally gone, and replaced by, not so much apathy, more, it's on, I'll watch.
Not had a season ticket for about 10 years (at first due to job insecurity, now, if it's televised, I'll watch it at home, but go to the others). Away games went years ago. I just got peed off with giving up 7 hours of my life to watch them in deepest, darkest Yarkshire, throw my tea down my neck, and.meet up with the same mates in the Time Square, an hour later, on a Sunday night.
I'd struggle to identify most of Wigan/Stains/Leeds side if they walked past me in the street. likewise the likes of Patton/Johnson /Wilde etc. Bar our close season signings, I've no idea which club has signed which players.

Aussie RL bores the bottom off me, and I fear we're following suit. yardage/territory obsessed.
Like the dear departed Yed, scooting from dummy half, bores me to tears when it's done constantly. There's a time and place, not for the full 80 minutes.

I didn't go to Wembley because
a)I'd just got back from holiday, the afternoon before
b)My previous 3 visits, I'd been surrounded by bandwagon jumping scrotes who had no idea/interest what was going on.
c)Travelling
d) I thought it was going to kick off, massively
e) I couldn't be ar5ed

Those todgers on Sky really get on my nipple ends

Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE my club, and, if the circumstances are correct, I'll defend them to the hilt, but Smith is starting to grate on me. The smug grin, the lack of a plan B, capitulations when he is the coach, the way he treats certain players, be they established internationals, or local lads. He's certainly got his favourites, and I don't like that. His reluctance to play virtually all the back division in their natural positions.
My patience with him is running thin. I don't want him sacked. FFS, he's the best Wire coach I've seen, since 79. I just feel he's on easy Street, and feels himself bombproof.We've regressed MASSIVELY since 2013's GF.

The fact that we're still top of the table, and got to a CCF, tells me volumes about the level of SL.

Come on, Smith. Earn your corn, and turn our club into trophy winners, again.

Good post. Funny how things change. When I was kid, throughout the 80's I'd be at all games home and away, all home A team games and even watch the first team train at Lousher's Lane and Victoria Park. As soon as the game had finished on Sunday I was looking forward to the next one. Wigan week was massive. Certain players were heroes to me, John Bevan, Jacko, Boyd, Eccles, Roberts even Hesford. It may be age but that devotion has gone. I just don't feel it like I used to, no matter how much hype there is and people saying how good a product it is. Last home game I went to was Huddersfield in the League - I was bored stiff.

Not sure it's a melt down, just people being honest about how they feel. It's a refreshing change from the "Im more of a fan than you" / "you're not a real fan" posturing we normally get. Maybe the powers that be in the game need to have a think about why fans of long standing are disenfranchised.

Would you have come on here posting all this had we won last Friday against Wigan?

In answer to your question, you see I didn't start the thread, I responded to it. So the timing is in response to the OP. I also did not mention the Wigan game in my posts. Also a clue was in my opening sentence "I went through something similar a few years back".

I've posted a few times about how dull I find the current game and how my interest has waned. I envy you if you still have the fire in the belly for all things Wire. Please don't be under the illusion that I somehow cannot stomach a single defeat of which, as you correctly state, there have been many worse in the past. I guess that in my fourth decade of watching it has all worn a bit thin, and, well priorities change - there are other things to do.

The others will need to reply on their timing.

A good win or draw on Friday will soon put our demons to bed & the Wire will be mighty once more.

The whole game is suffering at the minute with excessive injuries & stop gaps are having to be made with youngsters who are not ready being shoe horned into most teams. The RFL though needs to look at ways of attracting future talent before it is too late & mediocrity sets in. Once that happens it will be too late for some clubs.

I'm afraid it's part of growing up, not many retain the enthusiasm of youth. I'm still Wire to the core but there are more important things in life...was still totally gutted on Friday though.
I have to remind myself how poor we were last season to put it all into perspective..

I along with my mates would watch the players train on Loushers Lane a little earlier though we used to think we were Parry Gordon, Jackie Melling, and Brian Brady all rolled into one, like yourself that was our week waiting for the next game If I'm really honest I still do all be it there have been more downs than ups as you say that was part of following the Wire, but nothing like last Fridays feeling no words can explain it I'm only just coming round, so at least I must still care, nothing is going to change so hold my hands up to Wigan get back to reality see what players are available, to late for major change so I hope and believe Wire will put something together over the next couple of weeks.

Good post. I can't quite put my finger on the feelings after Friday. In the past we could always rest on being plucky underdogs and be really proud of the performance (Wembley 1990, Premiership 1986 etc). Under early Smith 2009-2013 you could see something building and nice pots along the way underlined that. I guess I don't think anything is building any more. Worst of all you could see that loss to Wigan coming a MILE off.

Come on get yourselves up for it.....(Graham Taylor )

Ive got.my season ticket for next year already.

with Wire doom and gloom is only ever temporary. ....sure it's always never far away, but fall out of love with the game. ...never...ever..ever. ...

If I ever feel bad about Rugby league I watch football. ..and It puts things into perspective. ...I'm a big liverpool fan but football is as dull as ditch water.....despite Roberto Firmino and his bleached whitened teeth.

And Lefty the NRL isn't as bad as people make out ....the rules need changing to encourage expansive rugby.
.Melbourne storm are dull. ....horrendously so. They grind out games I hate watching them. ...you simply wouldn't pay to watch cameron smith or cooper cronk. ... that's why canberra raiders need to win this weekend it will save The NRL.....

It won't happen the raiders will offload all over the park trying to play entertaining rugby and the storm will simply wait for errors or penalties take the two every time and simply strangle the life out of the game. ....

that's all that needs addressing. ....fatty vautin commented on a clip of the raiders free flowing rugby and said" it's like going back to the 80's." ....its not quite but it's definitely how the game should be played and needs to be played. ...

I don't go to away matches as it's unfair on my family to devote every weekend to rugby but I don't feel any less passionate than I did when I was 17....

Greatest game in the world ....We shouldn't run it down because we aren't winning ..

Agree with your last sentence Flying Biscuit, Fridays game took some getting over perhaps because we were there with a realistic chance but I would rather be there than not.

I'm absolutely alright with it now, in fact, it could be a blessing in disguise. Whether that be in the short term in regards to the Play-off semi final and Grand Final (if we get there) as they are the two most important games of the season where we might have gained a new found realisation and thus determination going into those games; or longer term with regards to the attitude and application of certain players or even the coach where the top brass have seen enough with regards to some of them or him, after last Friday.

In the grand scheme of things I thought that thread we had last week about the 'if Carlsberg did rugby league then beating Wigan at home to win the League Leaders Shield would be it' was a bit small-time in all honesty as we have another go at it next week anyway and the bigger games are still to come in October. Plus in no way did last Friday come anywhere near the disappointment of the 2013 Grand Final. I've still not got over that if I'm honest, whereas I was over Friday night by Saturday afternoon.