Naylor slags off Amex support

redoubtable seagull · Mar 23, 2016

Hotchilidog said:
A good point well made. It can be difficult to get worked up against the likes of Rotherham and MK. I think the hugeness of the Burnley game will generate a good atmosphere, as will the visits of Fulham and QPR and a couple of large away followings, and then we end up with a potentially season defining game against Derby on Bank Holiday Monday. The atmosphere should be much better for these games.

FWIW I still think we are being overly harsh on the Amex support, it can ALWAYS be better, but I still think we compare well to others in the division.

On the theme of away fans contributing to the atmosphere, the number of fans attending the Amex has dropped off considerably. We average just over 1000 (7th lowest in the league) whereas we averaged 1800 away fans in the first season (new ground being inevitable that numbers would be good). Sky moving fixtures does not help but there have been some very poor turn outs this season. Hopefully this will change with a couple of London clubs plus Derby to visit and this should help with create more of an atmosphere. I'd be surprised if Burnley bring more than 600 though.

Guinness Boy · Mar 23, 2016

Mellor 3 Ward 4 said:
Mullery used to complain in the 70s that the Goldstone was too quiet, so it's nothing new.

As Barber has said, our fans are, on the whole, fairly affluent, and with that are possibly somewhat reserved?

Solution, stick all the singers in the centre of the north stand would be a start.

There was an article in The Observer at the weekend about the decline of football in the North East that made the point that Sunderland make less in match day revenue over the whole season than Arsenal do in three games. We've clearly taken that on board in trying to get as many STHs on board as possible and, yes, those people will by and large have more cash. They won't always be silent though, as STH sections of the North and where I sit in the back few rows of WSU G Block are pretty noisy. Me, my son and our mates make as much noise as possible and try and get everyone else going but we also get pies and beers on the concourse as well as having our STs.

The issue this season is more that there is different pricing applied for almost every game between special offers and categories. You cannot base your assessment of attendance or atmosphere, as Naylor has, on a single game that was the most expensive, on a Tuesday night and rearranged twice. Nor can you on that ultimate football passion killer Monday Night Football.

A Saturday 3pm game with cheap tickets would have the stadium rocking but we can't do it for fear of annoying the STHs by pricing day-by-day cheaper and because Sky want to move all your games as soon as you have either a) success or b) a full stadium or c) both.

dazzer6666 · Mar 23, 2016

Peter Grummit said:
There are enough home fans at the Amex who want to sing to make a good atmosphere. The problem, as many have pointed out, is the co-ordination of their efforts on the same song at the same time.

So what we need is a prompt, a starter, that most can hear and gets things going #Together.

Now a drum could do that job. But to my ear (and I would wager most fans) a drum is monotonous, dull and tuneless. Frankly, dull.

Surely a better solution would be a really good trumpet or bugle player, starting songs rather like Billy does for the Barmy Army. The trumpeter would just need half-a-dozen "intros" that signal to people what and when to sing. The classic is the Call to Post https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_2QdFrcTFU that Billy uses to signal the Great Escape song.

This has the advantage of being both tuneful and penetrating - if he/she were sat on the NW shelf, then most in those 2 stands at least could clearly hear them. They could also be primed to start things up when things had gone quiet, allowing fans to start songs as now as well.

What do people think? It's got to be worth a try.

PG

Agreed, worth a try

Brian Fantana · Mar 23, 2016

dazzer6666 said:
Agreed, worth a try

Disagree. A trumpet or bugle would be as cringing as a drum.

Not Andy Naylor · Mar 24, 2016

BeHereNow said:
And how do you know this?

Because he's cursed with having to sit in the Selhurst press box for professional reasons on occasions, as I am. But I'd disagree with him about the atmosphere being a lot better. Sometimes it's louder, but I've been at games when it's been quiet, and a few people waving flags in one corner doesn't make it the Nou Camp. If anything I think the difference at Palace is the larger away support.

Dirk Lehmann's Python · Mar 24, 2016

redoubtable seagull said:
On the theme of away fans contributing to the atmosphere, the number of fans attending the Amex has dropped off considerably. We average just over 1000 (7th lowest in the league) whereas we averaged 1800 away fans in the first season (new ground being inevitable that numbers would be good). Sky moving fixtures does not help but there have been some very poor turn outs this season. Hopefully this will change with a couple of London clubs plus Derby to visit and this should help with create more of an atmosphere. I'd be surprised if Burnley bring more than 600 though.

Another one where the clubs match day prices are scandalous. They make every 'southern' team a category A game on the assumption big away followings will come down whatever and happily pay 32.50. They don't. Look at Reading, Charlton and Brentford this season. Their teams haven't been performing great so they've not been able to justify a big away turnout.

dazzer6666 · Mar 24, 2016

redoubtable seagull said:
On the theme of away fans contributing to the atmosphere, the number of fans attending the Amex has dropped off considerably. We average just over 1000 (7th lowest in the league) whereas we averaged 1800 away fans in the first season (new ground being inevitable that numbers would be good). Sky moving fixtures does not help but there have been some very poor turn outs this season. Hopefully this will change with a couple of London clubs plus Derby to visit and this should help with create more of an atmosphere. I'd be surprised if Burnley bring more than 600 though.

That's a really good point - would love to see much bigger away following, always improves the atmosphere. Pricing should be looked at.

Geestar · Mar 24, 2016

dazzer6666 said:
Agreed, worth a try

Brian Fantana said:
Disagree. A trumpet or bugle would be as cringing as a drum.

I would rather a trumpet occasionally pop up than a constant bang of a drum! It would have to be done well though....Barmy Army esque

Tom Hark Preston Park · Mar 24, 2016

Horribly sad all these well-meaning attempts at manufacturing atmosphere. The only atmosphere worth having comes from the collective buzz of the crowd. Which for whatever reason we just don't do at the Amex. Just feels like Twickers Lite usually.

Moshe Gariani · Mar 24, 2016

Tom Hark said:
Horribly sad all these well-meaning attempts at manufacturing atmosphere. The only atmosphere worth having comes from the collective buzz of the crowd. Which for whatever reason we just don't do at the Amex. Just feels like Twickers Lite usually.

Agree with the first two sentences. Disagree with the last two sentences.

One thing we do very well at The Amex is "collective buzz" and it only feels like Twickers Lite SOMETIMES.

At other times it feels like a magnificent top end of the Championship football ground - well filled with Albion fans, happy to be there, excited at watching our team, and making plenty of noise... let's hope for this during the last 4 home games.

dazzer6666 · Mar 24, 2016

Tom Hark said:
Horribly sad all these well-meaning attempts at manufacturing atmosphere. The only atmosphere worth having comes from the collective buzz of the crowd. Which for whatever reason we just don't do at the Amex. Just feels like Twickers Lite usually.

At least you can have a beer in your seat there......

dadams2k11 · Mar 24, 2016

We need CLAPPERS. It has worked for Leicester

Hotchilidog · Mar 24, 2016

dadams2k11 said:
We need CLAPPERS. It has worked for Leicester

Ironically they have. Leicester manage to maintain a racket even when not singing because of the damn things.

Geestar · Mar 24, 2016

Naylor would be an east stander

BeHereNow · Mar 24, 2016

Not Andy Naylor said:
Because he's cursed with having to sit in the Selhurst press box for professional reasons on occasions, as I am. But I'd disagree with him about the atmosphere being a lot better. Sometimes it's louder, but I've been at games when it's been quiet, and a few people waving flags in one corner doesn't make it the Nou Camp. If anything I think the difference at Palace is the larger away support.

Seems like a fair comment from someone who has actually experienced both grounds. I bet when the whole of Falmer sings "Albion", it's louder than their ground trying to belt one out.

jezzer · Mar 24, 2016

its been the quietest season at the Amex compared to previous ones, and considering we`ve hardly lost compared to last season, when we hardly won, it is frustrating, but I think that's because the singers have quietened down due to being dispersed now around the ground and due to lack of motivation, from the stuffy gits that seem to have infiltrated nearly all parts of the ground who actually moan when people sing, weve had stand up arguments in wsu last season with some fans who wanted us to shut up and one bloke this season sticks his fingers in his ears when my son starts singing, once people feel awkward to stand or sing you stop bothering. In an ideal world? - a terraced singing section on a 2nd tier of the north stand for about 4-5000 fans, but it will never happen.

oneillco · Mar 25, 2016

Tom Hark said:
Horribly sad all these well-meaning attempts at manufacturing atmosphere. The only atmosphere worth having comes from the collective buzz of the crowd. Which for whatever reason we just don't do at the Amex. Just feels like Twickers Lite usually.

Having recently experienced first hand the embarrassing atmosphere of an England match at Twickenham I can unequivocally say that your "Twickers Lite" comment is bollox. The AMEX is no worse and often much better than most other modern stadiums for atmosphere; I suspect that you don't go to many other grounds if you say otherwise...

Colonel Angus · Mar 25, 2016

jezzer said:
its been the quietest season at the Amex compared to previous ones, and considering we`ve hardly lost compared to last season, when we hardly won, it is frustrating, but I think that's because the singers have quietened down due to being dispersed now around the ground and due to lack of motivation, from the stuffy gits that seem to have infiltrated nearly all parts of the ground who actually moan when people sing, weve had stand up arguments in wsu last season with some fans who wanted us to shut up and one bloke this season sticks his fingers in his ears when my son starts singing, once people feel awkward to stand or sing you stop bothering. In an ideal world? - a terraced singing section on a 2nd tier of the north stand for about 4-5000 fans, but it will never happen.

Totally recognise all of this, particularly the point about the dispersal (and dilution) across all areas of the ground of the fans who were sang regularly before the Amex.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Mar 25, 2016

oneillco said:
Having recently experienced first hand the embarrassing atmosphere of an England match at Twickenham I can unequivocally say that your "Twickers Lite" comment is bollox. The AMEX is no worse and often much better than most other modern stadiums for atmosphere; I suspect that you don't go to many other grounds if you say otherwise...

Swing Low

Nixonator · Mar 25, 2016

Colonel Angus said:
Totally recognise all of this, particularly the point about the dispersal (and dilution) across all areas of the ground of the fans who were sang regularly before the Amex.

Don't really see a solution other than the capacity of the NS being increased, which we've been told (or at least they're making out) is an impossibility, until perhaps PL riches. Can't be any more impossible than trying to get those around me to sing though.

I'd move there if they increased it, no home end should look the same size as the away end.

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