For adoring fans, even small and brief interactions with their favourite players hold substantial value, a fact known by most but one that still hasn’t dawned upon a number of Footballers.
Players ignoring fans, or in some instances, failing to acknowledge their existence, has become a common sight over the last couple of weeks, with a notable example being this shocking clip featuring the Arsenal squad and a young supporter.
The awful sight has unfortunately made a reprise, as the clip was essentially recreated by the players of Leeds United.
The Peacocks are currently battling relegation having endured a horrific campaign which saw the departure of Jesse Marsch midway through the season.
Leeds sit at 16th place on the table, with just a single point separating them from 18th placed Leicester, who have a game in hand.
Given the dire state of the side and the unsettled managerial situation, many have written Leeds off, with the only exception being their fans of course.
The Elland Road faithful have stuck by their side throughout the season, and while there have been occasional protests from disgruntled supporters, the fanbase have largely reaffirmed their support for The Whites.
Sadly, the players have failed to reciprocate with their performances on the pitch, and before their game against Bournemouth on Sunday, they outright disrespected the fans through a frankly inexcusable gesture.
It all occurred as the Leeds squad were leaving the team hotel to head to the Vitality Stadium.
To cheer on the side during these troubled times, a pack of Leeds fans gathered near the hotel’s entrance to see off the team.
The small crowd included a number of younger fans equipped with notepads, who hoped to get an autograph of their favourite players, and maybe grab a picture with them.
Sadly, none of their hopes came to fruition, and instead, they were ignored entirely by the players they came out to support.
It came to light through this shocking clip captured by a travelling fan, one that displayed the players walking past the fans in an orderly fashion, while failing to even greet a single supporter.
They strolled past the fans without offering up even a hint of appreciation or acknowledgement, some even had headphones on with their eyes last-focused on their phones.
The most heartbreaking sight from the entire clip was watching the young-spectacled fan who stood near the beginning of the queue.
He waved to the players as they walked by on numerous occasions, only to be neglected carelessly.
To cover for the players’ indifference, a bouncer essentially hid the little boy from view by standing directly in front of him, which sums up the mess perfectly.
Naturally, fans online were left enraged by the side’s antics, and many called them ungrateful and disrespectful.
A number of Leeds fans reacted by sharing clips and photos of Marcelo Bielsa, who was always very gracious when it came to fan interactions and would’ve never allowed this to happen under his watch.
Marcelo Bielsa:
"The only people who cannot be replaced are you, the fans. The people who don't ask for anything in return, only emotions."
Takes seconds to give the kid a high five and he’ll remember that for years. The state of this club.😔 #LUFChttps://t.co/dRTirkEpfd
The clip appears to have left a detrimental impact on the relationship between the players and fans, one which was already teetering on the edge of breaking down.
