Now is the time to move on

Sat on the train out of Boro' on Saturday I was as dissapointed as the next man. Sunday I was still tweeting about Mike Dean and being bombarded with abuse and p*** taking by Palace fans. Monday morning nothing had changed, and since then Dale's card has been upheld.

Within a couple of days we kick off against Sheff Wed.

Now is the time to move on, to be counted and focus on just one thing, winning the play-offs. We always batter fans that bleat about their teams bad luck, we bleat about poorly supported clubs and fans that don't get behind their team, and yet a great many of us, myself included, have been doing just that.

For the sake of the club, the spirit of the players and the atmosphere Friday and Monday we must move on, so take a few minutes, give it a big shrug and let's start now to get behind the team, beat Wed and win the final.

I assume you wrote the article .

Funny, I was just about to start a new thread with the content below. A bit trite I know, but along the same lines as what you've said:

There is such a toxic atmosphere on here at the moment. There has been since the final whistle went on Saturday. I usually come on NSC as a bit of a release, to take my mind away from work and the usual every day stresses of life for a moment. Granted, my use of NSC has gone up in recent weeks given the promotion push, as have my overall stress levels. The forum had been very addictive. I had been worrying about the Boro game so much so I wasn't sleeping, I couldn't concentrate on work, and I was snappy at home. But since Saturday, despite the outcome, I'm sort of glad that it is over. Like a weight has been lifted. However, I have gone from angry, to sad, back to angry, and then sad again, just like the majority of you probably have.

But the way some have reacted online to the outcome of the Boro game has seen us go from the darlings of the division, surprising everyone with our performances and final league position, to a club where people now believe the majority are bitter, twisted, and resentful fans and who people would have the upmost delight at failing in the play-offs. Some posts beggar belief. Social media doesn't help. Any Tom, Dick, and Harry can open a Twitter account and hurl abuse at a rival clubs' fans. However, so many people are quick to tar the vast majority of fans with the same brush as a few idiots. Suddenly, apparently all Brighton fans and everyone associated with the club are ****s; every Burnley supporter lives in a shanty town; and all Boro fans who dare stand up and argue against us about the red card must be blind, mad, or stupid (coining a phrase there from General Blackadder). When you post something online, yes it's personal views and opinions, but there is an argument that it can also be interpreted as representative of our club. We have all been guilty of posting things on Twitter in the heat of the moment but what we need to do now is be bigger men and women and say well done to both Boro and Burnley. We have played our part in what has possibly been the most epic finale of any division ever.

At the start of the season I looked at the fixtures list and saw Derby and Boro as the final two and thought "Christ, I hope we don't need to win those to stay up". And look what happened. We finished the joint top scorers in what is one of, if not the most highly competitive division in the world. We are a bloody good side with quality throughout all areas on the pitch and on the bench.

Now, the Mike Dean thing - we cannot afford to feel sorry for ourselves for any longer. A lot of fans seem to be focussing all their energies on something that we cannot change, despite feeling so aggrieved, angry, and frustrated about it. It's done. It was not a red card. It was the wrong decision, although the debate will rage on. The man made a mistake. Yes, he has a face which looks like a slightly less tanned General Ackbar but that's no reason to continue with this witchhunt. As a club we have been through so much worse this season. So much worse. We don't need a dose of perspective. We have had plenty of that for one season.

During these down moments, that's where the growth takes place. The real challenge of growth, mentally, emotionally and spiritually comes when you get knocked down. That's why we need to get up off the canvas, dust ourselves off and start again. We need to build collectively one final time, from the stands to the players on the pitch, for one last push. And we need to do it with immense pride of those players who have surpassed all expectations this season.

The hysterical pant pissing over the red card is getting really boring.

It reminds me of that scene in Airplane, I really wish we could do something to shake people back into reality - the reality that we're in a play-off semi in two days that nobody gives a sh*t about

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Best thread in ages....bored senseless of the complaining.

If the ref had sent off Whiteside in 83 we may have beaten Man U and qualified for Europe. Just can't let go

symyjym said:

If the ref had sent off Whiteside in 83 we may have beaten Man U and qualified for Europe. Just can't let go

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It took me 30 years to get over that grudge !!