Hibernian Emotional Breakdown (a message to Terry)

[One Day Soon]

Last week I started a thread titled 'Hibernian Emotional Overload'. So this is the sequel and is aimed primarily at Terry Butcher who, we are told, reads .net.

I want to try to describe where I am in relation to my club now that the season is over and the very worst has happened. Maybe it is where a lot of other Hibernian brothers and sisters are too. It is important that you understand what we are feeling and why.

Many supporters no longer want you as manager, others do. Either way, ultimately whether you stay on or not can only be decided by Rod Petrie and/or Leanne Dempster. This is written on the assumption that you are staying.

The anger towards you is partly because of what has happened to us this season obviously, but it goes far deeper than that. You are paying a price for relegation, for eye-bleedingly awful football and for the successive failure of the last few years. In other words it isn't just what has happened on your watch, it is also an accumulated anger and hurt in relation to what has happened under the preceding managers.

I'm not going to presume to tell you how to manage the team, train players etc. That's your job and you know it far better than me.

What I am going to talk about is what we the fans need if trust is going to be re-established in some way.

1. If I were you I would make my 'marquee' signings early (assuming that there are to be any). We need a statement of intent from the club but, unfortunately, an actual 'statement' isn't going to do it. In fact words of any sort will simply aggravate the situation. So, actions speak louder than words.

2. Very smart start on the clear out.

3. Football on the deck. If you want to buy some early good will then the fastest route to our restless Hibernian football souls is to clearly demonstrate that hoofball is dead and a passing game with width and pace is what we are getting next. I don't know how you deliver that or the players to do it, but believe me that is where the sweet spot is.

4. Have a word with the marketing people. No more overblown and cliched campaigns on the season ticket front. This is a classic example of where less is more. I'd go for 'Easter Road - Redemption'. Easter is about redemption, Easter Road is where we play and the club needs to redeem itself. It strikes the right contrite tone too.

5. You should consider writing into the contracts of all new players that they are expected not to use social media to in any way discuss the club.

6. A series of regular meet the fans open days might not be a bad idea, for you and the squad. Partly to build direct connections and to let people understand what you are about but also for a more significant reason. We really need to see that the players understand what the fans are all about and what we feel for the club. We need to see that the players aren't just wage takers, separated from the passion of the supporters for the club.

7. We have in the past been fobbed off - or feel that we have - by vague allusions to long term plans. This is now a world where people are far more informed and far better connected to one another though, so we see through that sort of thing right away. It is a hostage to fortune but you should think about setting out some clear and explicit goals. Knowing what exactly you are working toward and over what timescale makes it a lot easier for us to support that path, even if we don't fully agree with it. Tell us nothing and we start to make our own assumptions.

8. This last part is the hardest and by far the most important. I don't have any idea how you achieve it. It feels as though the spirit of our club is damaged. As supporters we cannot see an energetic, unified, purposeful club that is being lead strongly in all departments on and off the pitch. In other words, this is a battlefield where we cannot see our standard so that we can rally to it. We need a leadership that we can stand fast to and feel proud of. You need to find a way to give this club back its footballing soul and self belief.

I took my children to their first Hibs game on Sunday. I could not believe that they witnessed such an awful display. I felt betrayed by it. I place most of the blame for that on the shoulders of the squad that has served us so poorly this season. What troubled me far, far more than anything else though was the effect of that game and everything that led up to it on such a loyal support. People looked bewildered. They looked - and sounded afterwards in conversation - as though their emotional bond with the club was shattered. And that I think is the core challenge here - restoring faith. We need something to believe in again.

So like all good leaders the need falls to point the way and inspire belief. Here is your biggest challenge. Tell us now what your story of Hibernian is. Not big talk or big claims, not just what you want to achieve - tell us how you plan to get there, tell us what the journey is that you intend to take us on, and how.

We have travelled a long road and as supporters we know what our story of Hibernian is. We know it and can remember it from hundreds of moments - from our first game through to Sunday's painful debacle. The joy and the pain shared along the way with friends, relatives and - sometimes in those great wild goal scoring moments - shared too with complete strangers wearing Hibs colours.

Our club, its reputation, its history and its future is a very precious thing to us. It is in our life stories, in the stories of those who went before us and will be in the stories of those who will follow after us. We don't just 'go to the game' on a Saturday afternoon as a lifestyle choice. This club helps to define who we are and we in turn as a family of Hibernian supporters are the spirit of our club. So we need to be able to believe that it is held in hands that feel the rhythmic pulse of Hibernian blood flowing through its past, present and future.

Over to you Terry.

[nic81]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Last week I started a thread titled 'Hibernian Emotional Overload'. So this is the sequel and is aimed primarily at Terry Butcher who, we are told, reads .net.

I want to try to describe where I am in relation to my club now that the season is over and the very worst has happened. Maybe it is where a lot of other Hibernian brothers and sisters are too. It is important that you understand what we are feeling and why.

Many supporters no longer want you as manager, others do. Either way, ultimately whether you stay on or not can only be decided by Rod Petrie and/or Leanne Dempster. This is written on the assumption that you are staying.

The anger towards you is partly because of what has happened to us this season obviously, but it goes far deeper than that. You are paying a price for relegation, for eye-bleedingly awful football and for the successive failure of the last few years. In other words it isn't just what has happened on your watch, it is also an accumulated anger and hurt in relation to what has happened under the preceding managers.

I'm not going to presume to tell you how to manage the team, train players etc. That's your job and you know it far better than me.

What I am going to talk about is what we the fans need if trust is going to be re-established in some way.

1. If I were you I would make my 'marquee' signings early (assuming that there are to be any). We need a statement of intent from the club but, unfortunately, an actual 'statement' isn't going to do it. In fact words of any sort will simply aggravate the situation. So, actions speak louder than words.

2. Very smart start on the clear out.

3. Football on the deck. If you want to buy some early good will then the fastest route to our restless Hibernian football souls is to clearly demonstrate that hoofball is dead and a passing game with width and pace is what we are getting next. I don't know how you deliver that or the players to do it, but believe me that is where the sweet spot is.

4. Have a word with the marketing people. No more overblown and cliched campaigns on the season ticket front. This is a classic example of where less is more. I'd go for 'Easter Road - Redemption'. Easter is about redemption, Easter Road is where we play and the club needs to redeem itself. It strikes the right contrite tone too.

5. You should consider writing into the contracts of all new players that they are expected not to use social media to in any way discuss the club.

6. A series of regular meet the fans open days might not be a bad idea, for you and the squad. Partly to build direct connections and to let people understand what you are about but also for a more significant reason. We really need to see that the players understand what the fans are all about and what we feel for the club. We need to see that the players aren't just wage takers, separated from the passion of the supporters for the club.

7. We have in the past been fobbed off - or feel that we have - by vague allusions to long term plans. This is now a world where people are far more informed and far better connected to one another though, so we see through that sort of thing right away. It is a hostage to fortune but you should think about setting out some clear and explicit goals. Knowing what exactly you are working toward and over what timescale makes it a lot easier for us to support that path, even if we don't fully agree with it. Tell us nothing and we start to make our own assumptions.

8. This last part is the hardest and by far the most important. I don't have any idea how you achieve it. It feels as though the spirit of our club is damaged. As supporters we cannot see an energetic, unified, purposeful club that is being lead strongly in all departments on and off the pitch. In other words, this is a battlefield where we cannot see our standard so that we can rally to it. We need a leadership that we can stand fast to and feel proud of. You need to find a way to give this club back its footballing soul and self belief.

I took my children to their first Hibs game on Sunday. I could not believe that they witnessed such an awful display. I felt betrayed by it. I place most of the blame for that on the shoulders of the squad that has served us so poorly this season. What troubled me far, far more than anything else though was the effect of that game and everything that led up to it on such a loyal support. People looked bewildered. They looked - and sounded afterwards in conversation - as though their emotional bond with the club was shattered. And that I think is the core challenge here - restoring faith. We need something to believe in again.

So like all good leaders the need falls to point the way and inspire belief. Here is your biggest challenge. Tell us now what your story of Hibernian is. Not big talk or big claims, not just what you want to achieve - tell us how you plan to get there, tell us what the journey is that you intend to take us on, and how.

We have travelled a long road and as supporters we know what our story of Hibernian is. We know it and can remember it from hundreds of moments - from our first game through to Sunday's painful debacle. The joy and the pain shared along the way with friends, relatives and - sometimes in those great wild goal scoring moments - shared too with complete strangers wearing Hibs colours.

Our club, its reputation, its history and its future is a very precious thing to us. It is in our life stories, in the stories of those who went before us and will be in the stories of those who will follow after us. We don't just 'go to the game' on a Saturday afternoon as a lifestyle choice. This club helps to define who we are and we in turn as a family of Hibernian supporters are the spirit of our club. So we need to be able to believe that it is held in hands that feel the rhythmic pulse of Hibernian blood flowing through its past, present and future.

Over to you Terry.

:tbgwa:

[GlasgowHibee]

Best post I've read on this forum.

[Hibby_Paul]

Great post, you should print that off and post it to Hibs marked for butchers attention.

Would hope he take's the great and balanced points on board, you'd deserve a reply too!

[truehibernian]

Brilliant post that

Can we please please please get that wee Irish lad to do Hibs TV and media ? I need some cheeky chappiness, some Irish cheer and wit, some youthful energy on the screen.........not a guy who sounds like a drugged version of Barry Scott from the Cillit Bang ads

[Beefster]

Well said, ODS.

[Pretty Boy]

I seriously hope TB reads that post.

[Kaiserclem]

Great post. Here's hoping. Butcher reads this or is shown it anyway as I totally agree with the clear out today and good on him for it. Phase 1 complete (nearly) so now over to phase 2. He does say in yesterday's statement that he assures us we will see different performance next season, that May or may not mean style but we need to let him get his players in. Don't get me wrong, his tactics and subs have been dire. Harris is simply not good enough and should never have featured the last few months. Come on Terry / Malpas, get them signed ASAP!

[stoneyburn hibs]

Excellent post ODS, hopefully it is read by the hierarchy.

[JBloggs1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Last week I started a thread titled 'Hibernian Emotional Overload'. So this is the sequel and is aimed primarily at Terry Butcher who, we are told, reads .net.

I want to try to describe where I am in relation to my club now that the season is over and the very worst has happened. Maybe it is where a lot of other Hibernian brothers and sisters are too. It is important that you understand what we are feeling and why.

Many supporters no longer want you as manager, others do. Either way, ultimately whether you stay on or not can only be decided by Rod Petrie and/or Leanne Dempster. This is written on the assumption that you are staying.

The anger towards you is partly because of what has happened to us this season obviously, but it goes far deeper than that. You are paying a price for relegation, for eye-bleedingly awful football and for the successive failure of the last few years. In other words it isn't just what has happened on your watch, it is also an accumulated anger and hurt in relation to what has happened under the preceding managers.

I'm not going to presume to tell you how to manage the team, train players etc. That's your job and you know it far better than me.

What I am going to talk about is what we the fans need if trust is going to be re-established in some way.

1. If I were you I would make my 'marquee' signings early (assuming that there are to be any). We need a statement of intent from the club but, unfortunately, an actual 'statement' isn't going to do it. In fact words of any sort will simply aggravate the situation. So, actions speak louder than words.

2. Very smart start on the clear out.

3. Football on the deck. If you want to buy some early good will then the fastest route to our restless Hibernian football souls is to clearly demonstrate that hoofball is dead and a passing game with width and pace is what we are getting next. I don't know how you deliver that or the players to do it, but believe me that is where the sweet spot is.

4. Have a word with the marketing people. No more overblown and cliched campaigns on the season ticket front. This is a classic example of where less is more. I'd go for 'Easter Road - Redemption'. Easter is about redemption, Easter Road is where we play and the club needs to redeem itself. It strikes the right contrite tone too.

5. You should consider writing into the contracts of all new players that they are expected not to use social media to in any way discuss the club.

6. A series of regular meet the fans open days might not be a bad idea, for you and the squad. Partly to build direct connections and to let people understand what you are about but also for a more significant reason. We really need to see that the players understand what the fans are all about and what we feel for the club. We need to see that the players aren't just wage takers, separated from the passion of the supporters for the club.

7. We have in the past been fobbed off - or feel that we have - by vague allusions to long term plans. This is now a world where people are far more informed and far better connected to one another though, so we see through that sort of thing right away. It is a hostage to fortune but you should think about setting out some clear and explicit goals. Knowing what exactly you are working toward and over what timescale makes it a lot easier for us to support that path, even if we don't fully agree with it. Tell us nothing and we start to make our own assumptions.

8. This last part is the hardest and by far the most important. I don't have any idea how you achieve it. It feels as though the spirit of our club is damaged. As supporters we cannot see an energetic, unified, purposeful club that is being lead strongly in all departments on and off the pitch. In other words, this is a battlefield where we cannot see our standard so that we can rally to it. We need a leadership that we can stand fast to and feel proud of. You need to find a way to give this club back its footballing soul and self belief.

I took my children to their first Hibs game on Sunday. I could not believe that they witnessed such an awful display. I felt betrayed by it. I place most of the blame for that on the shoulders of the squad that has served us so poorly this season. What troubled me far, far more than anything else though was the effect of that game and everything that led up to it on such a loyal support. People looked bewildered. They looked - and sounded afterwards in conversation - as though their emotional bond with the club was shattered. And that I think is the core challenge here - restoring faith. We need something to believe in again.

So like all good leaders the need falls to point the way and inspire belief. Here is your biggest challenge. Tell us now what your story of Hibernian is. Not big talk or big claims, not just what you want to achieve - tell us how you plan to get there, tell us what the journey is that you intend to take us on, and how.

We have travelled a long road and as supporters we know what our story of Hibernian is. We know it and can remember it from hundreds of moments - from our first game through to Sunday's painful debacle. The joy and the pain shared along the way with friends, relatives and - sometimes in those great wild goal scoring moments - shared too with complete strangers wearing Hibs colours.

Our club, its reputation, its history and its future is a very precious thing to us. It is in our life stories, in the stories of those who went before us and will be in the stories of those who will follow after us. We don't just 'go to the game' on a Saturday afternoon as a lifestyle choice. This club helps to define who we are and we in turn as a family of Hibernian supporters are the spirit of our club. So we need to be able to believe that it is held in hands that feel the rhythmic pulse of Hibernian blood flowing through its past, present and future.

Over to you Terry.

Read this and was in tears! :tbgwa:

[Kevinb]

Well said, we need players like Sauzee. Heart ,soul and passion

[Alfred E Newman]

Well said.

[Alfred E Newman]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Read this and was in tears! :tbgwa:

Aye?

[bawheid]

Great post ODS and I feel sorry for you that your kids first Hibs game was that one. Awful.

My concern is that we had all of this after May 2012. The promises of change... never again... etc etc. Well the club has only gone and dished out something 100 times worse.

There's a real job to be done to get this club back on its feet.

[ArmadaleHibs]

That is by far in a way THE best post I've ever read on this site. 10/10

It's exactly how everyone of us feel and exactly what we want to hear.

Well done

[JBloggs1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Aye?

Aye, struck a cord for me! I would have thought that would bring the emotion out in anyone no?

[Hibby Gav]

I just hope this gets to him...please print and post....
thanks ODS !

[Ship Hibs]

Never congratulated someone on a thread before but that's poetry mate. If anyone lives near Butcher that should be printed off and put through his letterbox

[nic81]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Aye, struck a cord for me! I would have thought that would bring the emotion out in anyone no?

It did with me too, lump in the throat

[Springbank]

Excellent post.

As for the footballers in our team since 2009 at least, I struggle to consider them as sportsmen.

The bigger the support they got the more they shrank, the more they looked like they'd been found out, as frauds more interested in expensive champagne corks than champagne football.

Whether its terry or not, and I'd be inclined to keep him, let's get back to playing sport, to win, to play football, find a man, try a trick, pass, move, maybe even score.

Hibernian FC, from the Capital

[WhileTheChief..]

Terry, if you've read this far, i'll keep it simple, resign.

[trev the hat]

Fantastic post

[VivaHiberña]

Excellent post: laid out what has to change and how, didn't just scream for blood. You made it sound that simple I'm almost thinking its doable.

[MacGruber]

Great post. Replying to say completely agree and also to bump it back up to the top of the page! Hope this reaches Terry.

[Centre Hawf]

[Hibernia&Alba]

Tremendous work, ODS. You've covered many pertinent points.

Terence, if you do read the forum and if you're a man of honour, you must leave now. Your tenure has been a shambles.

[nellio]

Fantastic post. Well thought out and well written. Well done.

[The_Horde]

Oh what the hell. LTYF!












Just kidding, cracking post my friend.

[The Green Goblin]

Great post. Superb. Please print it and send it to TB at the club.

[GreenLake]

Thank you for taking the time to write this. Your kids are very lucky.