[Albion] How to improve NS and Amex atmosphere?

[Moshe Gariani]

OK then, on a serious note.

Do you feel, genuine question, that singing is less inhibited where the participants have been indulging in a few light ales or something less legal and stronger?

I think I understand the question! Obviously for most people they are less inhibited after some sort of soothing medicament (my own pre-match warm up involves 500ml red wine on the train over and then a couple of pints of Harveys in WSU)...

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Unless they can't afford season tickets and the only ones who can are the 45+ crowd with more disposable income to pay for the costs.

Agreed that is a problem. I know families where the 45+ crowd will pay for their offspring to STH in the NS.

Otherwise it is £14 per game including travel for U18 (£22 per month DD) or £19.50 per game for U21 (£30 per month DD).

 

[BeHereNow]

Which block are you in at the moment? The best place to think about people being able to get together a bit better is towards the NW corner. This also has the advantage of linking best to WSU which has the most other potential.

N1F, in-front of the screen. Many of us have been there from the start after moving from H Block at Withdean.

I would say that I think the best position is central, that way we can get the whole stand singing.

We are quite central, but the NSK aren’t, they would have more impact if there were. Obviously, it doesn’t help that they are under the box.

Lately, I’ve been wondering that the reason why it isn’t as loud might be because of when the corner got filled in it covered up a lot of the acoustic sound shield above the turnstile area. I really hope that isn’t the case though.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Didn't realise you were WSU..

What does the West stand sound like to you? From the North I can rarely hear anything from it.
As I've mentioned above, when it gets going it's phenomenal, but that is probably once or twice a season

The thing I would say about the North ( and our fan base generally) is that it is predominantly middle - aged.
The lost generations count against us in this regard.

I see a lot more young blokes at away games than I do in the North stand.
The thing that is a worry is where are the youngsters, who are growing up with us now going to graduate to when they leave the family stand?
So in this regard I do support the idea of a singing section in the North.

 

[BeHereNow]

The main issues are:
the size of the stand
the fact that some people are there because it's the cheapest option, not because they want to add to the atmosphere.

I have seen people on here complain when we get outsung by away team's support.
that isn't often, but shouldn't be surprising when you weigh up that our "singing" stand is roughly the same size as the away fans.
One is full of fans prepared to travel and pay extra to support their team, the other watered down with people choosing the cheapest option.
And to be honest even the loudest away fans don't really generate an intimidating atmosphere.

It doesn't matter how many of the NS are singing it really isn't going to generate the levels of noise people want/expect.

I'm guessing that many of our away fans are WSU season ticket holders.
If you really want an intimidating atmosphere, get those stands to sing more, because when they do, it's one hell of a noise.

North Stand does need to be bigger, there is room behind it.

Atmosphere would be a lot better if the whole stand stood, that is so obvious, stewards don’t seem to allow it though.

Still, apart from the back rows, the North Stand is just like any other stand in the stadium, it’s not rowdy.

West Stand needs to sing more, when they get going is when we get proper loud.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

North Stand does need to be bigger, there is room behind it.

Atmosphere would be a lot better if the whole stand stood, that is so obvious, stewards don’t seem to allow it though.

Still, apart from the back rows, the North Stand is just like any other stand in the stadium, it’s not rowdy.

West Stand needs to sing more, when they get going is when we get proper loud.

Only been told to sit by a steward once ( FA Cup game following a complaint from a tourist that i was blocking her view)
So I don't think it's the Stewards...

possibly some other whingeing fans who don't belong there.
Safe standing would sort those out.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

It's more embarrassing that after 9 years of building-up our large fan-base at The Amex that an Albion fan still makes a disparaging "second team" comment.

I agree, but it is true

 

[rippleman]

Yes, I do but not all songs. There are a group of 7 of us who have been together for years. We're not all going to move no matter how much anybody wants us to.

And neither should you have to. We can't be pushing people out of their chosen seats to accommodate a singing section as that makes us no better than the scum up the road.

I think the moment has passed for something to be done so we can accommodate all the singers together. That should have been a consideration in the planning stages so the ST on sale for the first season or two in the middle blocks of the NS should have been "standing & singing". We've missed the boat and whilst I am a NS STH and I do stand and sing, I would resist any move by the club to force anybody to give up their seats.

Just to mention in the first 2-3 seasons before I got my NS ST, I was often to be found in WSU and it was noisy. There was singing. The "we're the NS, we're the WS" song in particular rocked the place. Now the WSU appears to have gone into its shell too. Dunno why. Wish I had the answer. But just to be clear, the answer is NOT a ****ing drum!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Only been told to sit by a steward once ( FA Cup game following a complaint from a tourist that i was blocking her view)
So I don't think it's the Stewards...

possibly some other whingeing fans who don't belong there.
Safe standing would sort those out.

I hope you never get ill or old.

 

[Live by the sea]

I thought when you left your teenage years, singing at football games was all a bit embarrassing.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I hope you never get ill or old.

Already old thanks.. and far from healthy.
I often feel like sitting down during a game, particularly when Thameslink have put on an 8 carriage train and I've been standing from London Bridge for an hour already

But I'm conscious that my ticket is in the North stand and standing should be the norm.
I certainly wouldn't tell a steward to make 2 or 3 other fans sit down so I could see..

 

[Moshe Gariani]

N1F, in-front of the screen. Many of us have been there from the start after moving from H Block at Withdean.

I would say that I think the best position is central, that way we can get the whole stand singing.

We are quite central, but the NSK aren’t, they would have more impact if there were. Obviously, it doesn’t help that they are under the box.

Lately, I’ve been wondering that the reason why it isn’t as loud might be because of when the corner got filled in it covered up a lot of the acoustic sound shield above the turnstile area. I really hope that isn’t the case though.

The problem with the central area is that the other people in it have been there from 2011 and certainly won't want to move. So it is impossible to create a bigger group around where you are.

I think it is more possible further over in or towards the NW corner. I don't know how many seats are available in that area after renewal/non-renewal is complete. Possibly enough to accomodate the number wanting to move from other parts of NS or elsewhere (inc. a few teenagers graduating from FS). An influx of even 10-20 people really up for it into that area would be enough to start to make things work better. The club might need to help with some minor shuffling around within the area. Phase Two could then involve gradually building the identity of the area and allowing further inward/outward migration as people choose.

Is the elephant in the North Stand that non-NSK people just don't like the idea of moving to that area and joining together?

 

[oneillco]

I thought when you left your teenage years, singing at football games was all a bit embarrassing.

Well you thought wrong...

 

[Is it PotG?]

The club might need to help with some minor shuffling around within the area.

Really intrigued as to how?

"Dear Punter.

Do you sing? We have noticed you're getting on a bit, so we are moving you."

 

[Albion_Dave]

I thought when you left your teenage years, singing at football games was all a bit embarrassing.

I left my teenage years 32 years ago & do not find it embarrassing at all.

 

[oneillco]

I agree, but it is true

OK I'll inform my pal who moved to Brighton 30+ years ago from London (having supported Arsenal as a kid) and regularly went to Withdean, but then bought a season ticket at Falmer and now also goes to most away games and sings his head off, that his presence is no longer required...

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Didn't realise you were WSU..

What does the West stand sound like to you? From the North I can rarely hear anything from it.
As I've mentioned above, when it gets going it's phenomenal, but that is probably once or twice a season

The thing I would say about the North ( and our fan base generally) is that it is predominantly middle - aged.
The lost generations count against us in this regard.

I see a lot more young blokes at away games than I do in the North stand.
The thing that is a worry is where are the youngsters, who are growing up with us now going to graduate to when they leave the family stand?
So in this regard I do support the idea of a singing section in the North.

WSU was a really good place to be in 2011/12. Felt like the place of choice for many old school Albion fans and enthusiasm for singing was excellent. When it is rocking then the volume is louder than I have ever heard Albion fans anywhere.

The obvious point about hearing us from NS is that, especially these days, we only sing properly when you are already loud yourselves! There are some blokes who start chants and "Albion, Albion" very occasionally starts in WSU and gets taken up by NS but normally we just join in with what is coming from NS. I am at the North end of WSU and I guess it is different at South end. Appparently the atmosphere is good in SWC so there is probably more of a link up with them?

My enthusiasm for the NS getting going is that I know how it would be taken up by WSU again. The potential is still there but it needs igniting.

To be clear, with growing frequency the whole ground (apart from the police box echo chamber) has been a classic PL library. I know there are people who couldn't care less, but there are also plenty that can.

 

[blue-shifted]

I left my teenage years 32 years ago & do not find it embarrassing at all.

Longer than that judging by your photo

 

[Uh_huh_him]

The problem with the central area is that the other people in it have been there from 2011 and certainly won't want to move. So it is impossible to create a bigger group around where you are.

I think it is more possible further over in or towards the NW corner. I don't know how many seats are available in that area after renewal/non-renewal is complete. Possibly enough to accomodate the number wanting to move from other parts of NS or elsewhere (inc. a few teenagers graduating from FS). An influx of even 10-20 people really up for it into that area would be enough to start to make things work better. The club might need to help with some minor shuffling around within the area. Phase Two could then involve gradually building the identity of the area and allowing further inward/outward migration as people choose.

Is the elephant in the North Stand that non-NSK people just don't like the idea of moving to that area and joining together?

There is already a fair few singers in the North West Corner and NSK aren't exactly a long way from them already.
Surely it would improve matters by moving the other NS singers from central/ North East side ?

Or am i mis-understanding?

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Really intrigued as to how?

"Dear Punter.

Do you sing? We have noticed you're getting on a bit, so we are moving you."

Dear D179,

We are contacting a number of STHs in your area of the ground to see if you can help us with some small changes to your seat positions in order to accomodate other fans. There are several options of seats available for you to choose from including some very close to where you are and others in more central positions that you might prefer. If you have a pair of seats or more then we will obviously make sure we are able to keep you together.

There is absolutely no expectation that you will be willing to move. We completely understand if you wish to stay where you are but if you are happy to help us with this then, as a show of thanks, we can offer you a £100 cash discount on your ST for this season and a £50 voucher to spend in the club shop.

best regards
Barbs