As I packed my gym bag for my afternoon session after work, I thought about the T-shirt I took to wear and what the words on it stood for. I pondered its meaning and significance. It seems that the words on the front may mean something to me, but I’ve realised, to some, it is just lip service. I’m talking about the “Stronger Together” T-shirt, which has also been a phrase put on other merchandise.
When it came out, after the club’s momentum last year, supporters snapped it up as they all wanted to be a part of the “stronger together” campaign. They all felt that they, too, believed in this mantra and wanted to show the world how “stronger together” the club is. Now, when the club is faltering, it seems that some are storing the merchandise away because now, when the club needs supporters to be “strong” and do it “together”, it doesn’t fit their narrative anymore. They are only prepared to be “stronger together” when the club rises, not when they are not.
How hypocritical is this? Do supporters feel that now that the club’s narrative has changed, where there is an even more vital need to be “stronger together”, this mantra is only worthwhile spouting when the club is successful? What underlying meaning do the words “stronger together” have that I am just not seeing because now the club is not as successful? Am I missing a hidden phrase or word that implies that “stronger together” is only when the club is successful does this phrase have meaning and a purpose?
I wore my T-shirt and matching jumper and am not ashamed to show my support. The words “stronger together” mean that together, we can create a strong and supportive environment that enables the club to know that there are those out there who support it in its endeavours to become a strong club, one that we can do together.
If you only see this as being a mantra when the club is rising, then it shows, to me anyway, the true nature of who you really are. Because as the saying states, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” which implies that when conditions become difficult, those with a strong will and character are more determined to succeed and support those that are down, to rise them back up . Michael Jordan stated that, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Success does not come in a way we want or in a certain time frame. If we have embraced the phrase “stronger together” in the past, we must also embrace it now. When it is needed the most.
#GOBLUES!
SPORTZ 