One way to satisfy the fans..

[flyingtiger1013]

http://reuters.excite.com//article/20051025/2005-10-25T140524Z_01_EIC550705_RTRIDST_0_ODD-FOREST-FANS-DC.html

LONDON (Reuters) - Nottingham Forest manager Gary Megson came up with a novel way of punishing his under-performing soccer players over the weekend when he made them face disgruntled fans in the changing rooms.

The former European champions, now languishing in the third tier of English football, were two goals down to Yeovil Town at halftime when a pair of fans aired their grievances to Megson.

Rather than ignore them, the manager invited them to get it off their chests with the players after the game.

Long-suffering fans John Emener and Andrew Peel thought he was joking, but Megson proved as good as his word following the 3-0 defeat.

"(Megson) was walking to the dugout and I said 'Come on Gary. There's hundreds of fans who have traveled hours to watch us being outfought and outplayed in every department,'" Emener told Tuesday's Times newspaper.

"He turned around and said 'I agree. That's exactly what I have just told them. Do you want to come in at the final whistle and tell them yourselves?'

"I though he might change his mind, but to his credit he kept his word, he just told us nothing abusive or personal.

"Their performances away to Swindon, Barnsley and Yeovil were unacceptable. I hope they got the message."

Forest, who last week lost to conference club Woking in a cup competition involving lower league sides, are 11th in the third division after being relegated from the second division last season.

Another way to satisfy the fans...

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - IF Elfsborg will refund the admission fee and traveling costs to soccer fans who attended their crushing 8-1 defeat at newly-crowned champions Djurgarden in the final game of the Swedish premier league season, the club said Tuesday.

Elfsborg admitted their performance at Djurgarden was "unacceptable," and promised to refund ticket and travel expenses to fans who made a round-trip of around 435 miles to Stockholm to watch the game.

"We wish that we had been able to say that it depended on external factors, but there are no excuses, no explanations. We were just bad," the club, who finished the season in seventh place, said in a statement.

"We want to apologize to all our supporters, members and sponsors and the volunteers who work for our organization."

"8-1 will be ringing in our ears for the coming five or six months," Elfsborg said.

Djurgarden had clinched the league title the previous week.