Sir Alex's shadow will curse Moyes' tenure

This is not a reactionary article. This is not a knee-jerk response to recent events, a hyperbolic statement of concern. These are opinions that I'll stick with for years to come.

David Moyes arrived at Manchester United with a whole new world in front of him, a massive opportunity, the greatest he'll ever have. His future was decided years ago, chosen by Ferguson as the man that he trusts the most to keep his Titanic afloat. 'Back your manager' were the words that resonated from Fergie's mouth at his farewell appearance as United manager. More eyes are looking at him than ever before. More hopes are pinned on his tenure than ever before.

What is the situation now for David Moyes? Well, much the same really. Millions of glass-eyed United fans are staring at him for results, expectations seem to be humungous but it's taking time to click. Fans can be quite reactinary nowadays, but nobody has condemned him to the sack this early (nor is there a case for such condemnation anyway).

Ferguson's legacy will ghost Moyes for years to come

It takes time, they say; it took time before and it will take time now. Comparisons are being drawn out between Ferguson and Moyes already: players used, formations, tactics, even press conferences. A picture of the defeated manager against West Brom, the focus directed to the object that shadows him, the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand, says it all.

What Sir Alex Ferguson did in Manchester was exceptional, and it will never be replicated again. Ferguson entered United in 1985, when they were shadowed by the great bolstering club of Liverpool, right in the middle of their glory years. It took five years after his appointment for him to claim his first prize, the 1990 FA Cup, and from then on, glorious prizes became a commodity at United. 27 years, 38 trophies.

However, times have changed since 1985, since the 'glorious 90s', as it has been dubbed the Red fans. Managers at the highest level are not given time to prove their worth. Clubs don't evolve over a period of 5 years, nor do clubs slowly sink into relegation. Football today is about instant success, revolutions and powerful owners.

You merely need to look at United's neighbours for proof of how much times have changed. Manchester City had a revolution in 2007, very much overnight when they signed Robinho for £32.5million, a Premier League record. Four years later, they beat United in the FA Cup semi-final, going on to beat Stoke in the final. The year after that, they pipped United to the title by goal difference.

Money dictates the game nowadays, not tactics, not individual talent, not a winning mentality. In my eyes, Ferguson was the last remnant of football before the inflated market.

For David Moyes, expectations dictate that he will have to match or come near to matching Alex Ferguson's tenure. This will be an expectation he will never fulfill. This is because money has such a sphere of influence on football, that the only way Moyes can bring glory to United is by spending huge amounts, matching his rivals. Not at one point in Ferguson's tenure has there been spending revolutions akin to the blue side of Manchester.

Moyes is not an idealist, a manager with a tactical mentality, a style of football. He keeps a ship afloat; Everton is proof of that. So his individual mind cannot drive United solely to glory.

I am not condemning Moyes to absolute failure. He will be given a minimum of three years at United in my opinion. Moyes will never move away from the casting shadow of Sir Alex Ferguson. It is too big, too sublime. This would be the case for almost any manager. In this, Moyes' job is a poisoned chalice.

The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand dominates Old Trafford. It is the foundation of their Theatre of Dreams. It is perfection. David Moyes is, and will always be, belittled by its grandeur. The long climb down from this summit has begun for Manchester United. I hope they are prepared.

This.

Soldado's strike gives Spurs the victory

Club record signing Roberto Soldado scored the winning penalty for Tottenham Hotspur on his debut, beginning Andre Villas-Boas's second season at the club with a win against promoted club Crystal Palace.

The first game of the season is always a special occasion for any club, whether that be a club challenging for European honours or a club appearing in the top division for the first time in eight years.  The vibrant reception that the Crystal Palace team received throughout the game, however, made this meeting particularly special. With any luck, this atmosphere will carry the Eagles this season in their attempt to avoid relegation.

Like many games last season, Spurs held most of the possession in midfield between the strong middle pairing of Mousa Demb ele and £17million-signing Paulinho, also making his first appearance for the Lilywhites. Both impressed throughout, controlling the tempo of the game and at times threatening the goal, with Dembele's shot in the first quarter almost breaking the deadlock.

Other close chances from Gylfi Sigurdsson and other debutant Nacer Chadli in the half were promising for Spurs, while the Pally's saw very little of the ball. With the surprise appearance from injury-threatened Jan Vertonghen in defence, this would be a common feature of the game. Despite this, the half ended all square.

However, the chance to break the deadlock came in the 49th minute when Dean Moxey handled in the area after blocking a cross from Aaron Lennon. Referee Mark Clattenburg did not hesitate in giving Spurs the penalty. The clinical Spaniard Soldado, who scored 30 goals last season in 46 appearances for Valencia, slotted the penalty in the keeper's right-hand corner with ease.

The Spurs defence proved a brick wall for Palace, one that they could not break down, despite the appearance for the wily Kevin Phillips and ex-Gunner Marouane Chamakh. They held the match for a 1-0 victory.

The most impressive display, however, did not come from any of the Spurs players, but from Aussie Mile Jedinak, Palace's skipper. Jedinak, a holding midfielder, patrolled the pitch with ease, breaking up many of Tottenham's attacks with strong tackles and interceptions. He received many plaudits during and after game, despite missing out on Man of the Match, which was given to Paulinho by Niall Quinn.

Spurs may not be fully happy with their performance. but they can be pleased that they got what they deserved. Whilst in many ways this victory away from home was reminiscent of Spurs last season, they also had something else in their style, a certainty that they would not be beaten. Should this be the case for the season, their target of a place in this years top four is likely to be achieved.

England expects

"England expects": the words that are repeated over and over at every single international tournament; the words that represent our desire to see our country play and play well; the words we all stand by. Last night, English football lost all expectation.

Ukraine away was played up as the most important fixture in our search for qualification. A win would all but guarantee our ticket to Rio next summer. A loss would be devastating. A draw would keep qualification most definitely alive going into our home games at Wembley, if not neccessarily setting it in stone.

To my utter dismay, it was the latter of those which our manager decided to aim for from the first minute.

Ukraine are not a nation known for their footballing class, nor will they ever I doubt. The Dombass Arena is, no doubt, an intimidating ground due to the loud eastern European, with loud cracks of flares and fireworks going off at random points, silencing the England faithful in the opposite corner of the ground. The England team though, full of professionals well-paid and well seasoned, should be prepared for such grounds. No matter what situations, England expected a win against the team in yellow.

The England team that former Fulham, Liverpool and Albion manager Roy Hodgson took to the Dombass was a weakened one, not at first by choice due to 'injuries', but certainly such weakness was increased due to the selection of James Milner.

Milner, now (regretably) a regular international and Premier League winner, is a consistent player, no doubt, but consistent at being average. Sure, tags of 'high workrates' and 'puts in a good shift' are ones Milner has earnt. Yet I have never seen a player so less befitting to the tag of 'world class' than Milner. He posseses no finesse, no style, no distuingishable talent, nor is he a game changer or match winner.

In that sense, James Milner is Roy Hodgson's playing representative. Hodgson is a manager who has never even come close to the heights of management, failing at his highest post at Anfield, nor has he won a domestic trophy. He is not known for any specific style of play, except perhaps grinding out satisfactory results.

What does this show for English coaching, or indeed the FA, that a man with very little credentials or talent in his profession can elevate to the highest post in Enlgish management?

Am I harsh to criticise Hodgson? Well, let me dissect the Ukraine game and we'll find out.

From the first minutes, England looked dodgy, with England's number one making a rash challenge on Ukranian striker Roman Zozulya in the box, the referee pointing for a corner and not to the penalty spot.

A flatly driven long pass into the box from midfielder Edmar opened up another chance for Ukraine in the box, to which England only just defended.

England's chances, however, were limited to a few long range shots and corners, with zero creativity coming from Jack Wilshere or Steven Gerrard. Rickie Lambert, a classic number nine, did not profit as a result and barely made a shot in the entire game.

As the game wore on, you would expect teams to settle down and become more confident on the ball. On the contrary, both teams became insufferably poor in midfield and with very little football played by England in the final third.

Ukrainian winger Konoplienka was by far the stand out player from this match, terrorising Spurs full back Kyle Walker all match. His bursts of pace and moments of skill, however, results in many clear cut chances. Walker, however, was suspect throughout the whole game. In fairness to him, the entire team were just as poor, even if England's faithful do like to scapegoat the Sheffield-born man.

Hodgson made some unconvincing substitutions in the second half, bringing on Ashely Young for Jack Wilshere and Tom Cleverley for Theo Walcott. As you would, neither contributed anything notable to the game.

The game finished all square, with most people struggling to pinpoint the exact words to describe the performance. Whatever it was, it left me ditraught at the ninety minutes of my life I would never get back. As ever, cheers Roy.

Many Englishman understood the slightly positive implications of the result, in a whole 'job done' attitudes whom many adopt. Many, however, expected more.

Me? I have lost all sense of expectation. Ever since Hodgson took charge at the Euros, England's football have resembled the same negative style of football. Players from the 'best league of the world' lacked flair and composure, often outdone by Ukrainians. Players who have been in the international setup for years and years lacked cohesion with thier teammates, as if they had been thrusted together for the first time. No creativity. No depth. This is what I have come to expect from England now.

English football is near beyond any treatment. While countries even as small as Belgium overtake us in every sense, England remains in purgatory. Hope? What hope? Expectation? What is there left to expect? We have been left for dead due to the attitudes of the FA. And yet, it is up to them to revive English football. Or else, The only thing "England expects" will be disappointment.

Born To Play For Spurs

On the 1st September 2013, Gareth Bale completed his move from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid for a reported world record fee. Whilst Madrid followers from all around the world rejoice in the glory of another galactico signing, Tottenham fans are left in a flurry of emotions. As a Spurs fan, it's up to me to unravel this situation.

In Bale's first season for Spurs, he was playing left back and the only thing I can remember for certain is his immaculate speed down the flanks. Was he destined for greatness at that point? Of course not. Bale's debut season was very depressing, potentially soul-destroying for the young man, especially when he hadn't won a fixture with the Welshman in the side for his first 27 starts. Safe to say, I wasn't expecting much from him.

The first time I really began to notice Gareth Bale as anything as a player was midway through the 2009/10 season. That season as a whole is littered with glorious moments, but the most promising player out of all the bunch was our skinny Welsh left back. Bale was beating players down the left flank like no other, and creating problems for almost every team in the league. He showed drive and ambition; he wanted to succeed. To think, he could've been outed by Harry Redknapp to Nottingham Forest or Birmingham in January if it weren't for a few cameos in December! Funny old game, football.

Bale excelled the next season. In October, the man was the leading star in our Champions League debut season. After Bale put three past Julio Cesar and Inter Milan with his left foot, he put in a world class performance in the return fixture at White Hart Lane, known to all the Spurs fans by the song we sung that night, 'Taxi for Maicon'. That was one of the great European glory nights at White Hart Lane. Seeing that moment makes me long for Champions League again. As for Bale, I said that night that he was destined for greatness and that soon, all the top teams would want him. He went on to win PFA Player of the Year for the first time that season.

The 2011/12 season was not one where he wowed the millions, but one where he tried to find his place in the team. He was first put in a central role that season, but quickly shifted back to the left flank when Redknapp could not bring the best out of him. I always found Bale was at his best when he drove through defences, whether it be in the centre or the left, torturing them, ripping them apart. From an early age, he always had that in his locker. Proof? Goals last season came usually from a drive through the defence or the more majestic long shot.

In the 2012/13 season, Gareth Bale started it as a world class player and ended it a superstar. 31 goals in all competitions, many games and points won for Tottenham and many YouTube-compilation-worthy moments, drew comparisons between the Welshman and Cristiano Ronaldo, to many people the best player in the world (in my opinion, he is the most exciting player). From the very start, Bale set the house alight, scoring a wonderful free-kick against Croatia for Wales. The moment that will live in many Spurs fans hearts will be the last minute winner against West Ham at Upton Park, leading him to embrace Andre Villas-Boas on the touch line. Both manager and player admit their partnership brought the best out of the Welshman. To me, it was one key element that allowed this to happen: confidence. How confident must he have been to take that shot at Jaaskeleinen from 30 yards out, rather than chip it in the box? How confident must he have been to step up to that free kick against Lyon, winning the game and the first leg for Spurs? How confident must he have been to think he could curl in shots from all places, impossible to 99% of the football world? AVB gave Bale the confidence to deliver the impossible.

Bale's transfer saga has left a bitter aftertaste in the mouthes of many fan. The non-stop coverage from Sky Sports bored most football fans from the first minute, reporting any story from the most unreliable of sources, including many of the Marca, despite admitting it is Madrid's mouthpiece, a tool to engineer transfers. Real Madrid approached this transfer thinking they could claim Bale without any questions asked, known from the moment Florentino Perez said the player was 'born to play for Real Madrid'. The transfer rumour mill was non stop, all the papers looking for a breaking news exclusive. In the middle of it, there was a young Welsh boy who just wants to play football. I will never blame Bale for the way he had to leave. I blame the rotten way the media report transfers. From the gossip columns to the Deadline Day with Jim White, the whole thing is enough to drive you suicidal.

I hoped for most of the window that Bale would wear the Lilywhite shirt again, but that hope vanished when we began looking at Erik Lamela, expensive and talented to be touted as Bale's replacement, sought with money that could only come from one place: Madrid's back pocket. For 100 million Euros, I believe it was out of the best interests of the club for Levy to accept and reinvest, make the squad stronger with players that can drive Spurs to the top of English football (...hopefully).

Bale leaves White Hart Lane after six years, four of which will live in our hearts forever. In his statement to the fans, Bale said 'I have had six very happy years at Tottenham but it's the right time to say goodbye. We've had some special times together over the years and I've loved every minute of it. Tottenham will always be in my heart.' As a young Spurs fan, writing this with warmth in his heart and a tear in his eye, I can safely say that no player in my lifetime has brought more ecstasy and glory that Gareth Bale. My only wish that in his wake, Tottenham's future will be filled with moments of glory akin to last season. The club move forward, and we, as fans, will have to as well. But as Danny Blanchflower said many years ago, the game is about glory. There is no player that lives up to that mantra than Gareth Frank Bale.

I wish him well.

Where does this leave Ade?

Last season, there were two players in our squad that Spurs fans failed to tolerate last season and would not never succeed in meeting expectation. Last season, the same two players in our squad once played for Arsenal. William Gallas made notable errors in defence last season, and with the clock ticking on his successful career, he would surely not regain form as quick as our other centre backs. Emmanuel Adebayor scored a baron 8 goals in all competitions for Spurs last term, symbolising our never ending goals problem, our lack of dinner-finishing between the posts. Whilst Gallas is no longer at the club, Adebayor very much remains a Spurs player.

With the introduction of Roberto Soldado to the squad, where exactly does Ade fit into AVB's plans? Will he feature at all this season? Will Ade have to pay the price for his lack of goals?

At the end of last season, a reporter posed a question to AVB: 'How would you rate Emmanuel Adebayor's season, bearing in mind his lack of goals?' AVB calmly replied 'very good'. Ask the average punter down Tottenham High Road the same question and they probably would reply with the much more negative 'Sh*t, get the lazy tw*t out of Spurs, AVB is a mug to play him'. This appreciation from AVB made me conclude that he does believe the Togolese striker fits a role in his side, just not the role that satisfies fans, as clearly shown by the hashtag '#ThingsMoreUsefulThanAdebayor' trending after our exit to Basel in the Europa League.

Adebayor's role last season in his starting position was not of a direct number 9, probably a role which appeases fans a lot more (hence Jermain Defoe's popularity), but rather of a striker that creates space by making distracting runs, drifting wide to keep possession of the ball and dropping into midfield to keep the flow of play going. Perhaps the most telling games of this style was Inter Milan away and Fulham at home (both played in the same week). Against Inter, we started both Ade and Defoe; whilst Ade was making runs, holding up play and trying to cope with the solid Inter back line, Defoe did... nothing. Defoe's inaction was met with his substitution after half time, leaving ex-Arsenal striker to score the vital away goal that put us in the next round. Against Fulham, all the players noticeably lethargic, Adebayor made many good runs for Defoe, worked his arse off on the wings and made chances... Defoe missed a sitter in the final minutes that would have gave us the draw. After almost every match, Adebayor was criticised by fans and by pundits alike.

But what about this season? Roberto Soldado is our record signing and, even on a simple PR basis, AVB will have to select the Spaniard above Adebayor and Defoe (he is after all the superior player). This will confine Ade to the cup matches, probably shared out between him and Defoe, leaving the two to fight for their place in the team. Many people have called for one or the other to be sold this summer, disregarding what happened last season when we went in with only two recognised strikers, claiming we ought to replace the sold striker. This, to me, seems pathetic. Why sell a striker comfortable in the squad just so he can be replaced? Some people would have rather had the accused rapist Loic Remy than Adebayor. Let that sink in.

Defoe will always be the fan's favourite, no matter how low a conversion rate he has (one of the lowest in the league at just over 10%) and how little of a supporting role he chooses to carry out. Adebayor will always be a gooner to some fans' eyes. That's how football fans are (until they score of course, then it's irrelevant). But I don't see Ade being forced out of the door in these last few weeks, not when searching for a replacement would result in a lot of unnecessary effort on the club's part. Perhaps that's because I don't despise him like many of you do. Perhaps it's because I remember what he did for us in the 2011/12 season. Perhaps it's just a moment of optimism. However, should he stay, Emmanuel Adebayor will influence Tottenham's season in some way, as he had done last season too. His appearances will continue to divide Spurs fans, but as the saying goes, the end justifies the means. Who knows? We might even be singing this number again.

"Adebayor, Adebayor... This is the best club you've ever played for."

Soldado

Let me take you back to September 1^st, 2008. Dimitar Berbatov had just signed for Manchester United for £30million. Meanwhile in North London, Tottenham Hotspur had just been forced to sell the most talented striker in the Premier League. Although not out of pocket, Tottenham would find it hard to replace the Hungarian. Who would have known that the search for Berbatov's replacement would have lasted almost five years, three managers and £83million to find?

The journey begins with Juande Ramos and the signing of Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow for £14million. Although clearly a talented player, the Russian's three-and-a-half seasons at Spurs were mixed and inconsistent, struggling to fill the role Berbatov left behind, scoring 42 goals in 113 appearances for Spurs.

Jermain Defoe returned to White Hart Lane in January 2009, despite only leaving Spurs the year before for Portsmouth, for almost £16million. A fan's favourite, Defoe had a fantastic 2009/10 season, scoring a whopping 24 goals in 43 appearances, key to the Lilywhites finishing fourth place. However, similar form has alluded Defoe since then, a modest 41 goals in 111 appearances.

Robbie Keane was the second player to resign for Spurs for £12million in 2009 after an unsuccessful spell at Liverpool. Before leaving, Robbie Keane was one of Tottenham's most liked and most consistent strikers, scoring 107 goals in 282 appearances. However on his return to the Lane, Keane only scored 14 goals in 49 appearances. He left Tottenham for good in 2012 for LA Galaxy for £1.5million.

Peter Crouch signed for Spurs in 2009 from Portsmouth for £10million. Crouch scored some very memorable goals for Spurs in his time there, including the goal against AC Milan, putting Spurs in the quarter final of the Champions League in their first attempt, and the goal that put them their in the first place against Manchester City. Crouch was never a regular scorer for Spurs, representing a serious goals problem for Spurs at the time.

Emmanuel Adebayor became Harry Redknapp's next striker signing in 2011 on loan from Manchester City for the 2011-12. He enjoyed a great first season for Spurs, scoring 18 goals in 37 appearances, as well as 12 assists. He made the deal permanent in August 2012 under the new management of Andre Villas-Boas. AVB did not enjoy the same success with Adebayor up front, with the striker only scoring 8 goals all season, despite playing a very important forward role in the side.

I've had to take you through the whole plethora of Spurs strikers since 2008 so you can truly grasp how much of a struggle it has been to find Berbatov's replacement. The main problem has been finding a striker who can score 20 goals a season whilst being consistent. As we saw with Defoe in 2009/10, if you could find that striker, you could get into the Champions League. Adebayor would have worked in 2011-12 if it weren't for the freak accident of Chelsea's Champions League win, denying Spurs their place. Last season, the problem was not as nearly as intensive as previous seasons due to the goal scoring record of Gareth Bale; Spurs made their highest total points tally of 72 points. Due to the impeccable form of other club, this problem still managed to cost us Champions League football.

With the signing of 28-year-old Roberto Soldado from Valencia though, I feel this problem will finally cease to exist. The Spanish striker has scored 20 goals or more for the past three seasons in La Liga, as well as scoring 6 goals in 11 appearances for Spain. What's more, Soldado will not need to adapt to the Premier League; the type of player he is already relies on positioning and physicality. He possesses the ability to lead the forward line, as well as beating the final man, something many strikers in the England lack. Complaints with age will be quickly put to bed when I tell you how old Robin van Persie was when he signed for United: 29. RVP's signing won United the league.

Roberto Soldado will bring to Spurs what they have lacked since Berbatov, what would have pushed them on to bigger and better things, what would have put them with England's elite. He will be a regular goalscorer. He will make good out of Tottenham's fantastic midfield. He will be a game changer. My prediction is simple: should Soldado score 20 or more goals this season, Tottenham will be in the top four.  

Change (Revive The Lane)

I rarely go to the lane, but when I do, I feel the same excitement every time. Walking up to the ground, pictures of the players lining the streets, the hooky merchandise shops, watching the hundreds of fellow fans walk by me, or simply seeing the cockerel on every piece of clothing – home. But, more than anything, it's the White Hart Lane itself that stirs my emotions. I look upon that beautiful green grass as if it were my home, where I truly belong, where I'll always belong. That will never change.

I recall the last time I went to White Hart Lane. Basel at home, 4^th April 2013. There was an air of expectation going around the ground. I thought we would outclass them, I won't lie. After all, we had just beaten Lyon and Inter Milan, and romantically I thought this would be our year for European glory. The game itself was poor, with most of the chances going to Basel, but I'm not going to dissect the game. It's the fans that stood out from that game.

It was just so flat. I heard a lot of talk about silence at the lane, a lack of atmosphere, but you can never get a grip of how silent it is till you go. The few songs that were song that night were quiet and were very distant from where I was sitting. I tried to join in but only a whisper came out. Even our supposed anthem 'Oh when the Spurs' was sung very lightly. When they scored, I could only hear the Swiss in the away stand, leaving us staring blankly at the pitch – that silence could've lasted a lifetime. For 95% of my experience, all I could hear was the murmuring of fans. Let me share with you a few inspiring quotes:

'Gallas is shit, why doesn't he just retire?'

'Adebayor is fucking useless. AVB is a mug if he can't see that.'

'That Icelandic, what's his name, useless (said just before he scored the equaliser).'

'Why are we even the Europa League? Pointless competition.'

'I pay (x-amount of money) a year for this.'

As a young fan going to the Lane, this is about as depressing as it gets. What's worse is, these people calls themselves fans. Supporters who don't support and just complain can't be supporters at all, just pricks. It was a nauseous atmosphere, toxic and contagious. This has been the attitude for the last few years now. Now it's time for change.

Why should people pay literally hundreds to watch Spurs, turn up and be greeted with such a negative atmosphere? How is it fair on the young fans going to the Lane for the first time? Do they not deserve the right to hear the roar of the Lane? Consider these questions when considering to join this movement.

Revive The Lane is a plethora of ideas new and old, but mostly it's about change. It's about converting the sickening silence and the leering judgement of the present into songs, chants, happiness, an expression of love for the game. It's about going to football matches and escaping the rottenness of reality. Past the turnstiles, our lives didn't matter any more: it was all about the beautiful game. It's about letting the glory and the shite unfold, not like a theatrical production, but like we're part of it as well, like we have a hand in the glory and in the shite. It's about realising that our support does influence the players. Think about Fulham and how little we did to get the players going! Revive The Lane is about putting the 'support' back in supporter.

But it's more than that. It's about thousands of us coming together and uniting for the common cause. Since the conception of the Premier League, fans have increasingly become a commodity, customers that come and go and are always replaceable. Clubs don't look to fans for guidance till they're deep in the mire (look at Portsmouth, look at the Plymouth). It's time for that to change. We must become a mass again. Lowering ticket prices, safe-standing and bringing back the drum can only happen if we unite, say 'YES' and say 'NO' to the club. Revive the Lane is about bringing us together.

I implore you all to join us. These ideas have been furiously discussed on The Fighting Cock Podcast (@LoveTheShirt), formulating in the 1882 movement who want to bring the escapism of going to football matches back to the Lane. I implore you to become involved in 1882 events (such as the Espanyol pre-season game at the Lane on the 10^th August). The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust (@THSTOfficial) are the only legitimate voice of fans inside the club, so it's vital that you become involved with them.

If you truly want change, make your voices heard in more than one way. Stand. Sing. Support. Your club needs you.