Clapping the opposition off the pitch.

[Spiros]

I remember one game at Priestfield when Marco Gabbiadini scored a hat-trick against us (for Darlington?) and basically dominated the game. He was applauded off - and I think the sponsors gave MotM to the non-playing substitute.

I also remember us getting a good ovation at West Ham when we lost in the cup there a few years back as a L1 side. Not just a few of their fans near the tunnel, pretty much the whole ground. By all means give the oppo dogs abuse before and during the game - and after if they warrant it. But have the class to show a bit of respect when its deserved and Bristol warranted it on Saturday IMHO

 

[pearl]

Out of interest Buzzer, did you join in with the post match love in at Meadow Lane a few seasons back when we won League One?

Their fans had a pitch invasion for staying up ( like us against Stockport) and them coming over to us for a "You are staying up"... "You are going up"...call and response effort finished off that season nicely for me.

I remember that ... everyone was on the pitch

 

[Thunder Bolt]

We applauded Wrexham fans, and they applauded us for the red card protest after the final game in the league in 2004.

 

[Iovan The Sweeper]

I took this clapping of the Brizzle as in a similar vein as when we clapped off Yeovil a couple of seasons back. They were underdogs on the day against us but gave a really account of themselves so we in turn showed some respect.

No harm done in my book.

I don't see a contradiction between the odd moment of respect for opponents, individual or collective, and making a decent noise in support of your own team. Both are possible. You may be able to get at an individual player perhaps, if their character's not right (certainly I'd agree we got to Pritchard), but the idea that an entire team of professional players can be 'intimidated' by the noise of a crowd into playing below par is a fiction fans like to tell themselves, and can only happen to a side that's not going to be good enough to win anyway. Remember Mark Beeney at the old Den? Did he look intimidated? The atmosphere in that ground for the away leg of the play-offs in '91 was something else, but we still won the damn game. So yeah, make a noise, get on the oppos' backs, hand out dogs' abuse to certain individuals who deserve it, but it's still OK to show a bit of respect, from time to time. Doesn't make us sh*t fans.

Exactly for both of these.

Both the Yeovil and Bristol City games preceded the 'lap of appreciation' by Albion. Their players were last off the pitch, so there was opportunity and reason to clap them off. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember any other opposition team being clapped off the pitch at Falmer. Wrexham perhaps? Were Watford clapped off when they won promotion that day (sealed on their coach journey back) - I don't think so. It's a rare occurrence, and as others have mentioned - a classy thing to do if it's been earned. But it doesn't mean that Falmer can't produce a pulsating atmosphere to drive us on.