To begin with I have never wholly accepted the oft put forward argument that the Away support has had any significant bearing on the away form of ICT - I have always considered that we are a small bunch of fans who really enjoy the away experience, get "jolly" in whatever terms you may wish to ascribe to but were / are deluded to even consider that we do have an influence on the team.
I also have to concede that, although I have rarely been a welcomed figure at ICT by the "management", I find the home environment quite "boring" and "restrictive" and TBH "unfulfilling" - plus in these days of financial constraint I am loathe to spend the spondoolachs on trips to Sneck - and save ma pennies fer as many away games as possible. I get a real "buzz" away from home which - of course - may be due to the phenomenal winning streak.
But watching the team - at the end of last season and through this season - there is only what I can describe as a "togetherness" between the away support and the team and I now really do feel that it has a distinct influence on the "on the field" away performances. The players quite clearly respond to chants and their "reactions" at all the final whistles this season only supports a theory that they are buoyed by the positivity and non stop encouragement of the away support.
So am I being deluded or is the away support a 12th man ? Please do not get into the "how do we transform the TCS" aspect as that has apparent easy solutions but doesnt !!
And fer once - please have a serious focus on the responses.
To begin with I have never wholly accepted the oft put forward argument that the Away support has had any significant bearing on the away form of ICT - I have always considered that we are a small bunch of fans who really enjoy the away experience, get "jolly" in whatever terms you may wish to ascribe to but were / are deluded to even consider that we do have an influence on the team.
I also have to concede that, although I have rarely been a welcomed figure at ICT by the "management", I find the home environment quite "boring" and "restrictive" and TBH "unfulfilling" - plus in these days of financial constraint I am loathe to spend the spondoolachs on trips to Sneck - and save ma pennies fer as many away games as possible. I get a real "buzz" away from home which - of course - may be due to the phenomenal winning streak.
But watching the team - at the end of last season and through this season - there is only what I can describe as a "togetherness" between the away support and the team and I now really do feel that it has a distinct influence on the "on the field" away performances. The players quite clearly respond to chants and their "reactions" at all the final whistles this season only supports a theory that they are buoyed by the positivity and non stop encouragement of the away support.
So am I being deluded or is the away support a 12th man ? Please do not get into the "how do we transform the TCS" aspect as that has apparent easy solutions but doesnt !!
And fer once - please have a serious focus on the responses.