Will Smith is a long-time soccer fan who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.

By Will Smith

Special to FrontRowSoccer.com

I have been a Metrostars/Red Bulls fan since before the team ever played a game.  In fact, I was a fan of the team before it had a name. You could even say I was a fan when the team was just an idea.

I have been through some ups and many, many downs since the beginning and despite many changes, both on and off the field, one thing has remained the same:

My team has the most annoying fans in MLS.

I realize that is quite a statement considering how truly annoying fans of NYCFC, DC, Seattle, Atlanta, Toronto and Philly are. That said, we are the tops… or the bottom if you will. Why, you ask? The answer is because we cannot ever be made happy. We are truly miserable people.

You need proof? Here goes:

1) When we played at Giants Stadium, fans insisted on a soccer specific stadium. We got it and we still complain. Now we just complain it’s too crowded getting out of the lot.

2) When the original owners of the team showed repeatedly that they were clueless, we demanded new ownership. We got it. We still complain.

3) The fans demanded big money, big name players. We got Donadoni, Lothar, Branco, Youri, Henry, Juan Pablo, Cahill and Marquez. We complained we needed to sign young, local talent.

4) When we signed young local players like Muyl and Meara and Etienne Jr., fans complained we needed to sign young international talent.

5) When we signed young, international talent like Kaku and and Josh Sims, fans clamored for big name signings.

Make up your minds, folks.

Here’s some other things Red Bulls fans complain about and my suggestions to our miserable fan base:

1) Mediocre attendance – Just bring some friends out with you. You have friends, right?

2) Parking – Then take the train.

3) The train – Ok, then drive.

4) The food – Eat at home. Stadium food will kill you, anyway.

5) The cost of jerseys – They are always on sale at the end of the season, ok? I bought a blue BWP jersey for $20 on the last day of the season two years ago

For all the complaining fans do about Red Bull as an owner, please note that since they have come on prior to the 2006 season:

1) We have won three Supporters Shields

2) We have made the playoffs every year since 2010

3) We play in a beautiful stadium of our own

4) We have brought in big names, developed local talent, built an Academy, drafted well, signed youth internationals and unearthed finds like Danny Royer and BWP

5) The team has been consistently entertaining

6) They have developed several players who play for the USMNT.

Admittedly, Red Bull has not delivered an MLS Cup but, by and large, they have served as well as owners. Conversely, my fellow fans are non-stop whiners who wouldn’t know what they want if it bit them.

Would I like to see a big name, impact signing that drew bigger crowds? Of course I would. However, I know that if we signed Leo Messi, some in the fan base would complain he was too old and too short.

Enough already. Stop complaining. Just support the team and try to have fun. Stop being annoying.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.