Ghost Football

The Aberdeen team that played at Pittodrie yesterday was a mere shadow of a football team, a spectre that was barely there in spirit, let alone body. The way that they lost goals to Hamilton, they might as well have been chasing shadows too for all the effect that they had.
There were honourable exceptions, as you might expect, not least Duff and Young who battled away, and the three subs who came on looked like the had the energy to contribute something but it needs a whole team to be up for it to achieve anything. Collectively the team was rank, with one of the worst offenders being Mulgrew, who somehow avoided stick whilst Mark Kerr - who never hid, was always involved and always made himself available for a pass, was mercilessly hounded.
Yes, Kerr misplaced passes through the game, something he really shouldn't do and needs to work on wherever he plays next season, but he did not deserve the barracking that he got for much of the second half. What player is going to improve his performance if he gets pelters from his own fans?
Kerr is the most prominent example this season, but loads of our players have been subjected to baying from a fair few people in the crowd. What makes people think that they will get players to play better or to care for the club and the shirt if they are under the cosh of abuse all the time? Do people think that the manager and coaches can't see it when a player is screwing up or under performing? Do they not think that these might be the best ones to do something constructive about it? Aren't they the ones paid to sort it?
Here's a wee story about a hugely successful Dons' player of the past who got the negative treatment: Back in November 1970 Davy Robb said: "I've always gone on the field to give 100% effort - but the crowds have never given me the same measure of support. It doesn't worry me now, but we often speak in the dressing-room about how the spectators tend to single me out for criticism." Lucky for us that the Brush didn't let it get him down, because he went on to give tremendous service to the Dons, scoring 96 goals in the process including the winner in the 1976 League Cup Final. Imagine if he had decided to ply his trade elsewhere because of the duffers who gave him stick.
This has been a lousy season with some lousy performances flecked with great football here and there and of course we don't want to go through that again, but surely there is more chance of a stronger team if people get behind them. Criticise by all means, constructively though - why try to tear apart that which you love? Maybe the boo brigade on the terraces were ghosts too, ghosts like to boo.