Football's New Season: Hope Turns to Despair for Fans
Football’s new season is supposed to feel like Christmas morning. Fresh kit, fresh signings, fresh hope.
Then the paper comes off and, for a lot of fans, the box is empty.
Within a single weekend, supporters of Manchester United, Tottenham, West Ham and Rangers have already been dragged from excitement to exasperation. The season has barely started. The angst feels mid‑March.
United’s latest “new dawn” lasts 90 minutes
Manchester United fans had talked themselves into believing again. Third place under Michael Carrick, a squad that looked deeper, smarter, more balanced. A manager they could get behind.
“For the first time in years, I'm actually impressed not only by United's line-up, but the substitutes bench as well,” texted United fan Danny to BBC Sport before kick-off at Hull City.
On paper, this was the soft launch of a revival. New midfielders Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos in the door. Two promoted clubs in the opening two fixtures. A chance to swagger into the season, to look like a side that once treated these games as routine.
Instead, they were outplayed and beaten 2-0 by a Hull side that only came up through the play-offs but looked every inch the established Premier League outfit. The 13-time champions looked like the newly promoted team.
For supporters, it was a familiar punchline to a tired joke. Since Sir Alex Ferguson walked away in 2013, every flicker of progress has been sold as the start of something. Every one has dimmed.
“As a Man United fan for 38 years if the last 15 years have taught me anything it is not to be optimistic,” said Alec. “I laughed when I read how strong people thought our squad depth was. It's as deep as a toddler's swimming pool. Another long season ahead.”
Even the journey home turned into farce. While United were losing on the pitch, two trains back to Manchester were cancelled. Word filtered through the away end. Hull fans seized on it, chanting “You should have come in a taxi” at the 2,400 travelling supporters who had already endured enough.
The mood was grim. The season is one game old.
Spurs spend big, collapse fast
If United’s stumble jarred, Tottenham’s felt horribly on-brand.
After back-to-back 17th-place finishes, this summer was sold as the reset. A relegation escape on the final day last season, then a statement of intent: centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke, midfielders Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes among the arrivals. A spend of £237m and counting.
Spurs fans dared to imagine that money might finally buy them a way out of mediocrity.
Brentford tore that illusion apart in 90 ruthless minutes.
Tottenham, with Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Van Hecke and £100m man Tonali all starting, were dismantled 3-0 by their near neighbours. The price tags did not bring control, cohesion or bite. Brentford simply ran through them.
“Let's face it: Spurs have been through so many false dawns in the Premier League era that the only difference this time was the ludicrous amounts of money they've spent in the summer transfer window,” said supporter Mark.
Richard, another fan, barely blinked at the outcome. “United losing at Hull was a surprise, but Spurs? Not at all. Two 17th place finishes on the spin! Lots of money spent on bang average players, £85m on a player relegated twice the last two seasons! Not surprised at all.”
The club has tried a new route: spend bigger, aim higher. The early evidence? Same story, just a more expensive cast.
West Ham’s promotion dream hits the brakes
Relegation from the Premier League last season ended a 14-year stay and left West Ham fans bruised. The only consolation was the promise that the Championship might be a one-year detour.
Nuno Espirito Santo stayed. The board backed him. The Hammers smashed the Championship transfer record to sign Arne Engels and added Manor Solomon, Joel Piroe and Divine Mukasa. On paper, it looked like a squad built not just for promotion, but for a title push.
Two games in, anxiety is drowning the optimism.
West Ham have one point from six. They let a two-goal lead slip at Burnley, then lost 2-1 at home to Charlton. The promotion talk has gone quiet. The grumbling hasn’t.
“Will someone put Nuno out of his misery,” asked fan Les. “He got the tactics wrong last season and is doing the same thing again. He should have gone at end of last season playing like this. We deserve nothing.”
Mike, watching from afar, sounded no more forgiving. “Sat in Corfu, and like a lot of West Ham fans, unsurprised by our start to the season. No no Nuno. You've had 33 games. If you were the guy for Forest and Wolves, fine. But you ain't for us. But enough is enough.”
The investment says “promotion charge”. The table, even at this early stage, whispers something less flattering.
Rangers’ reset already under fire
North of the border, Rangers supporters had also allowed themselves to dream.
The club have spent heavily again, bringing in 11 new players. Derek McInnes arrived from Hearts after an eye-catching campaign and brought his captain, Lawrence Shankland, with him. New manager, new signings, new direction.
The reality has been brutal.
Rangers are already out of the Europa League, knocked out in the qualifiers by Jagiellonia Bialystok. They were booed by their own fans, and McInnes’ future is being openly questioned with the Scottish Premiership season barely under way.
Like West Ham, they have only one point from their first two league matches, against Dundee United and Hibernian. The tone from the stands is unforgiving.
“Rangers are going nowhere! What has McInnes been training these guys,” asked Bill. Graeme, a veteran of six decades following the club, did not hold back: “I have been watching Rangers for over 60 years and this is the worst team I have ever seen.”
Last season, Russell Martin’s reign unravelled after a stuttering start and ended with his sacking in early October. The sense of déjà vu is hard to ignore.
With August still not over, patience is already fraying at Ibrox. And they are far from alone. Across England and Scotland, clubs that sold hope all summer are being forced to confront the same uncomfortable question: how many more “new eras” will fans believe in?
