[Football] Why are English football grounds so boring (compared to Europe)??

JonnyComeEarly · Mar 13, 2024

Having got back from Rome and also considering Anthens and Marseille, why have the FA managed to turn English football grounds into such a Health & Safety bore-fest?

I know the whole drum thing is marmite here, but the constant singing, multiple flares throughout the game, masses of flags and general euphoria at euro away games just makes games back here in england so dull

You can barely stand for long before being asked to sit down, absolutely no chance of a flare/smoke unless you want a ban, same for bottle tops!! And the classic terraces all gone, replaced with a set of clackers if you're lucky

I know tomorrow will be another special night at the amex and I cannot wait. But really wish the English football scene was a bit more raucous like our european counterparts

Will the English football ground ever see such passion again, or is this it?!

Roll on more euro away tours...

Milano · Mar 13, 2024

Welcome to the nanny state, it’s going to get worse, CCTV is everywhere and will continue until it covers literally everywhere, then add in facial recognition. Forget the nanny state, welcome to 1984.

JonnyComeEarly · Mar 13, 2024

Yes very true. Its as if football needs to be as sterile as possible here

Euro teams must come over and wonder what it's all about

el punal · Mar 13, 2024

I prefer the English version if you don’t mind. You know, the stiff upper lip jobs like beating Chelsea 4-1, or the last minute penalty against Man Utd 1-0 and 4-0 the season before. Oh, and the wins against Arsenal and Liverpool. The final minutes when we beat Marseille. I go to watch a game of football and enjoy the atmosphere the English way. For pyros and smoke bombs I’ll go to a Guy Fawkes gig. As for drums and orchestrated cheer leading - well you can stick that up your jacksie. Rule Britannia and all that. :drink:

Justice · Mar 13, 2024

It’s kind of hard to say as we have never done a full season following a European club. They must have a load of flat games to I would imagine. Ajax playing a load of noddy teams cant be much fun for an example. Our game v Roma was one of the biggest gates of the season for them.
I remember Rio Ferdinand jumping out his skin at a Milan game earlier this season when a loud banger went off saying what an atmosphere, really it’s a banger flares are ok a banger I don’t get.

portlock seagull · Mar 13, 2024

JonnyComeEarly said:
Yes very true. Its as if football needs to be as sterile as possible here

Euro teams must come over and wonder what it's all about

Did you regularly go to matches in the 70s and 80s around the country and abroad?

Weststander · Mar 14, 2024

Immediate thoughts.

- European trophy evening games under lights are more lively than run of the mill (non derby) league games anywhere. Was always the way, BBC and ITV aired European games in the 70’s and 80’s, magical.
- We played huge big city clubs, giving a distorted sample.
- The Italian national stadium looked a shit hole beneath the veneer, going by the photos.
- Many of these countries clubs collude with racist or violent thugs, allowing almost anything goes.
- In making the Amex a family affair, anyone seen as a rule breaker was singled out and banned. In the early years of zzzz football under Poyet and Garcia we watched from WSU front row steward/police hit squads constantly ejecting people. It seemed for things like persistent standing.
- Pricing. Arsenal started it. Modest income working class fans were squeezed out by exponential ticket price hikes compared to Highbury, replaced by Tarquin’s and Rupert’s.

Harry Wilson's tackle · Mar 14, 2024

JonnyComeEarly said:
Having got back from Rome

Let me stop you there.

Having just extracted myself from the back of Salma Hayek, while puffing on a Hoyo de Monterrey, and contemplating a nice glass of 1947 Château Cheval-Blanc. I say

f*** YOU. I have just found out I may not be able to make the game tomorrow, owing to some arse-biscuit cock up over Mrs T's work commitments.

And, exhale.

No f*** it, inhale.

And.....no offense meant. Can I still be knighted by Sunk?

The Fits · Mar 14, 2024

Because the 80s changed everything here in terms of football, the grounds and it's supporters.
And because you can get tickets for the best teams in Europe for under £20.

In England we are customers and customers that are massively restricted because of years of regulations.

GingerBeerMan · Mar 14, 2024

The Fits said:
Because the 80s changed everything here in terms of football, the grounds and it's supporters.
And because you can get tickets for the best teams in Europe for under £20.

In England we are customers and customers that are massively restricted because of years of regulations.

This is basically it. Because violence was so bad in the 80s the next 40 years was dedicated to methods to prevent it. It's pretty obvious the most violent are likely to also be the most vocal.

It also has never been an English way to support teams with flares, drums and huge banners. Every country has their thing, our thing is providing the highest quality football, and a huge football pyramid which is unrivaled anywhere in the world.

Weststander · Mar 14, 2024

GingerBeerMan said:
This is basically it. Because violence was so bad in the 80s the next 40 years was dedicated to methods to prevent it. It's pretty obvious the most violent are likely to also be the most vocal.

It also has never been an English way to support teams with flares, drums and huge banners. Every country has their thing, our thing is providing the highest quality football, and a huge football pyramid which is unrivaled anywhere in the world.

Arsenal and Chelsea wave giant plastic flags made by the club, behind goals. Sums up the cringe.

Harry Wilson's tackle · Mar 14, 2024

The English think they have put one over the Frogs, Eyeties etc., since 1966.

Actually we have been bending over, screaming 'f*** you' and being repeatedly kicked into the sea, because we insist on being Europe's escape goats.

I'm surprised we haven't had a referendum to leave the Champion's league and the European Championships. Bring back Boris - he'll lead us to victory and freedom!

Kalimantan Gull · Mar 14, 2024

It's just noise though isn't it? Watching on the telly I thought they were largely bland atmospheres in Marseilles and Rome. Yes a lot of noise, an extreme amount of noise, and awe-inspiring to see at the start, but where was the connection with the game? Where was the ebb and flow and the crescendo as the home team attacked? Were there recognisable songs and chants? You couldn't hear the away fans at all, which seems to me to be lacking one of the key parts of a great atmosphere, the back and forth between rival supporters. Noise and pyro, fine, but an atmosphere is something to be savoured.

That's not saying that English atmospheres are generally much good in these days of allseater stadia, usually dull, but they can sometimes be amazing, and I'd take that anyday over the European version

Bry Nylon · Mar 14, 2024

I do miss an expertly luzzed bog roll though, emerging from the midst of swaying terrace behind the goal, looping over the crossbar and wrapping itself round the goalie’s ankles.

Albion my Albion · Mar 14, 2024

JonnyComeEarly said:
Will the English football ground ever see such passion again, or is this it?!

No, this is it. Like America the younger people insist on safety instead of fun. Except at Trump supporter political rallies then they want it to be absolutely violent. :-(

Stat Brother · Mar 14, 2024

There's a middle ground both sides are a long way from.

Overall the European experience has been a bit grim, in the main the EPL experience is somewhat soulless.

My main takeaway from this season is the alcohol ban is the best thing in football.
The fact 'we' can't cope watching football for 45 mins AND have beer would suggest all the other measures which makes our experience so sterile is probably for the best.

'We' can't have nice things.

Brovion · Mar 14, 2024

I think it's two things. Firstly yes we are still paying the price for the mass hooliganism of the 70s and 80s. Hillsborough was a direct result of that. Yes I know there was no trouble on the day but even with incompetent policing and stewarding nobody would have died if they hadn't been fenced in - and the fences were built because of hooliganism. Even the Goldstone had them. The whole "Sit down, shut up and just enjoy the Match Day Experience (TM)" culture that we have in the UK is a direct result of that.

Secondly the mainland Europeans have always been a bit different. Back in the 70s everybody and his brother used to bring air horns to matches. You could always tell when a match was being played in 'Europe' because the only crowd noise you could hear was a constant drone of "Paaaaaarp!", it was like being stuck in an enormous, angry traffic jam. Which side where they supporting? You couldn't tell.

Even though I wish we weren't so timid ultimately I do prefer our organic way. Yes it does mean that a lot of (all?) English grounds these days aren't a patch on their continental cousins when it comes to sheer noise, and as we all know they can often be utter libraries. But if the atmosphere is dynamic then the flip side of it is when it is good it is absolutely electric.

Guinness Boy · Mar 14, 2024

Palace tried bringing in a Euro atmosphere and everyone laughs at them. It’s just not how we watch football.

The big things we have are humour and reaction. There’s no wit, no banter, no ebb and flow overseas. Just the same song droning on, uninterrupted even when they concede a goal. English crowds are usually reactive, and while this makes the base atmosphere worse, it allows room to build, room for a funny new song or witty comment about an opponent or referee.

rebel51 · Mar 14, 2024

portlock seagull said:
Did you regularly go to matches in the 70s and 80s around the country and abroad?

He's talking abt now not in the 70s and 80s.70s and 80s was a total different kettle of fish, chaos and atmosphere all rolled into 1.

rebel51 · Mar 14, 2024

It should be pay ya money and be whatever the fk you want to be be when your in the stadium, loud, quiet, shit on ya sitting companion. That's my opinion as an oldie, I don't have the energy anymore to be loud and raucous during a game apart from some odd swear words. The young ones should be doing that and stop making you tube videos etc during a match. Add onto that as someone pointed out welcome to our nanny state. Rant over.

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[Football] Why are English football grounds so boring (compared to Europe)??

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