Today - Biggest Home Support since?

redoubtable seagull · Dec 28, 2016

Most grounds have a poor home atmosphere unless there is something important riding on the outcome of the match. Away at Middlesbrough and the two play off games against the Massive last season were phenomenal for home fan atmosphere. I've only done a handful of aways so far this season but none have stood out.

redoubtable seagull · Dec 28, 2016

This atmosphere question would be easily solved if the North Stand sang with one voice. It's odd to have two separate groups of hardy, committed singers who seem to be at odds with each other.

worthingseagull · Dec 28, 2016

Hope Mr Barber reads this - perfect

kingcole said:
It's been said by myself and others before. We need the visiting fans adjacent to the North. It's been done at other grounds and it works.

Visitors should have the ESL from the NE corner. There is a natural divide here and have them extend half way along the East Stand as required. We can then move the family stand away from both the obscenities of the North and the visitors and have them located from E1H round to half the south stand with the rest of the south stand permanently available for home fans. It's better IMO also to have our fans behind BOTH goals.

This change would also mean the whole of the family stand can be as one without currently being split as it is now.

And would mean a wicked atmosphere

Stat Brother · Dec 28, 2016

kingcole said:
It's been said by myself and others before. We need the visiting fans adjacent to the North. It's been done at other grounds and it works.

Visitors should have the ESL from the NE corner. There is a natural divide here and have them extend half way along the East Stand as required. We can then move the family stand away from both the obscenities of the North and the visitors and have them located from E1H round to half the south stand with the rest of the south stand permanently available for home fans. It's better IMO also to have our fans behind BOTH goals.

This change would also mean the whole of the family stand can be as one without currently being split as it is now.

And would mean a wicked atmosphere

Wow wow wow lets not get carried away here.

I think the atmosphere at the AMEX is fantastic and any change that would move me from one of the very best (and cheapest) seats in the stadium, in line with the 6 yard line perfectly positioned for second half rampaging right wing play, would ruin everything for everyone, esp me.

Eeyore · Dec 28, 2016

kingcole said:
From my Vantage point at the Northern end of the ESL it is very evident that there are two groups singing in the North, and rarely support each other. Has the judge moved from the police box to the big screen area?

As for empty seats, it will be natural that the family stand have empties as parents have numerous reasons why kids can't make it. These reasons are clearly exacerbated for evening games and at this time of year I suspect some kids will be away, some with the 'other' parent and some will simply wanna stay at home and play with their new toys whilst watching the game on the TV out of the corner of their eye. This isnt a bad thing, except.....

The family stand has the highest number of absentees, but at the same time is one on the top 'in demand' areas of the ground.
The spaces and obvious availability issues solve themselves with the implementation of a fit and proper season ticket exchange system. But in addition to that, such a system needs to be properly promoted. Very few will have known about the ST exchange for this game. And although the ESL is the most severely affected by empties, I could see hundreds across all stands, including the WSU, North and WSL in addition to a many in the 1901 middle tier (especially the wrap around the south).

I don't think the club should even consider penasling those STH's who don't attend games but I think they should have some form of sanction if said STH continually is absent and does not offer their ticket for exchange. Obviously, for such a system to be functional, the club needs a fit and proper ST Exchange whose workings have been properly communicated.

Had such a scheme been in place yesterday, I estimate another 1500+ tickets would have been available which would have more than satisfied demand. Instead we have a game that was sold out a week before kick off with empties galore!

On a side note I have no idea why the (now seemingly standard) 5 columns of segregation was sufficient in the middle of the south, yet in S1A the covered area was larger and then there were also close to another 100 empties which formed part of an unnecessarily overlarge sterlie area. Why were these not offered for sale?

Enjoyable read, although I would suggest that the east stand may have a more elderly population. It follows that many would miss matches from time to time. I admire their loyalty. I used to sit next to an old fella up there who was good value but he missed a lot of games. Understandable really.

Stat Brother · Dec 28, 2016

Guinness Boy said:
Funny you mention Cardiff. Ninian Park was mental for big televised games but I went to the new stadium for the first time this season for our 0-0 and Christ, what a morgue. One drum and about 10 people singing three times in 90 minutes. We totally outsung them even with the two competing groups turning up (actually got a good left side / right side war going). So we're not reactive away, just at home. And the Amex atmosphere is nowhere near as bad as other grounds (Loftus Road was also terrible last season whereas yesterday QPR sang a lot). So something needs to change to kick that atmosphere up a notch at home...

I think the current 'issue' stems from the inevitability of our games.
They'll be no problems v Newcastle, Wed and if all things remain the same, even Reading.

I'm sure 3/4's of Middlesborough's home matches will have a very different atmosphere this season to last, and they're in the arse end of nowhere.

Stat Brother · Dec 28, 2016

The penalty for upgrading tickets ought to take into account the amount of 19:45 kick off's we've had.

I accept a simple upgrade can be used as a 'cheap cheat place holder', but the family stand crowd and kick off times are not compatible.

Halfway through the season, I think we've had 5 Saturday 3pm kick offs.
People shouldn't be upgrading childrens seats for 3pm Saturday games, but it's conceivable someone could have used all their allocation by the Villa game in mid November.

Football can't have it both ways.
It can't faff around with the kick off times and complain about people being unable to make the kick off times.

Nixonator · Dec 28, 2016

I feel like those who criticise our home atmosphere should really get to some away games to compare. The mighty St.James park was an eye opener with the HUGE turnout of 49k (more like 39k) that managed to cheer both their goals and a few seconds after, and that was their lot. Oh and shockingly the ground half emptied starting 10mins before FT, another issue people seem to think is unique to us.

Our away averages are probably something like 7th in this league because of the vast distances to travel, but despite our numbers we must be right up there for keeping the noise going throughout. Compare that to QPR yesterday where they had about 30 people 'singing' and most of the time it was 'shhhh' (were they shh'ing themselves? aren't they obliged to bring an atmosphere with them? :shrug:

) or Norwich where they brought c3k and could barely hear them (before the trouncing).

If we could somehow consolidate the away support we have into the middle of the North then things would be different, as it stands we're spread out throughout the ground. Safe standing could be a good thing to bring people together, but will they want to give up their seats?

Soulman · Dec 28, 2016

redoubtable seagull said:
This atmosphere question would be easily solved if the North Stand sang with one voice. It's odd to have two separate groups of hardy, committed singers who seem to be at odds with each other.

I think this has been mentioned many times, but here goes again.......when the PBC start singing chances are they might not hear the singing from the NE side, and visa versa. What it needs is for the two fractions to move towards the middle.

kingcole · Dec 28, 2016

Brighton Lines said:
Enjoyable read, although I would suggest that the east stand may have a more elderly population. It follows that many would miss matches from time to time. I admire their loyalty. I used to sit next to an old fella up there who was good value but he missed a lot of games. Understandable really.

It's true the ESL does have a good number of more elderly supporters, whoever, these fans generallly are located in the centre blocks. These are the blocks that split the family stand. They are also the blocks which house the 1901 area that is not fully utilised.

The empties are from families in blocks E1A, E1B, northern half of E1C and E1G.

As a side thought, whilst my brain is working overtime. Move those who have 1901 seats in the ESL to the West Middle or let those who want to stay in the ESL partake in this following proposal.......

Make the current Seven Stars bar and currrent ESL 1901 hospitality area and restaurant as one.

Sell optional hospitality on either a match by match basis or a season long basis to those with tickets in the ESL.

This would also enable the club (if the away fans were moved as suggested earlier) to offer away hospitality.

This would mean current 1901 east standers who don't want to move can still enjoy hospitality. It also means that instead of £12 for entry to a pub (that you cant access at half time) for a little more, the full hospitality package can be offered. Make it kid friendly too. If you want a bar/pool/indoor area with kids too. Should be plenty of space. And probably only needs a couple of 100 a game to take it up to justify it

Bean · Dec 28, 2016

Bozza said:
There weren't anywhere near that though, were there? I was a #BadFan and watched on TV and the number of empty seats was quite noticeable.

Probably the best populated area was the South Stand, not surprisingly I guess, as those people bought a ticket for that specific game.

Eh? The ground looked absolutely rammed from where I was sat (East lower).

perseus · Dec 28, 2016

Darlington, Aldershot, Rochdale in the early Division 3 days of the sixties. Remember the last two. Not sure ff any Chelsea fans were allowed into the Cup match?

The atmosphere at the Rotherham game in the early seventies was second to none (subjective). For sheer home numbers the Rochdale game was unsurpassed (gates closed with thousands locked out). For tickets sold Chelsea was 57K plus. (22K notional, as we had to pay for the reserve match as well).

Hastings gull · Dec 28, 2016

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
Big home crowds? Reading (who were top) in the early 70s was massive. Me and my brother were hanging off the fence at the junction of the West and the South west corner - couldn't get any closer - and all we saw was the keeper fetching the ball out the back of the net.

Yesterday was odd - we arrived late, and as we apprpached the ground there was what sounded like a smallish short cheer. We were convinced that must have been the visiting fans celebrating a goal. Then when we got inside we found it was Baldock's wonder goal. Was the cheer *that* weak or does the ground simply swallow the sound?During the game it seemed noisy enough to me.

I had to leave early last year at the Derby match, and no one at the station had heard any cheering for Wilson's late late equalizer. Perhaps the way the stadium has been constructed is deliberate so as not to disturb the villagers; might that have been one of the conditions of permission to build being granted? Just speculating -I really don't know.

Hastings gull · Dec 28, 2016

perseus said:
Darlington, Aldershot, Rochdale in the early Division 3 days of the sixties. Remember the last two. Not sure ff any Chelsea fans were allowed into the Cup match?

The atmosphere at the Rotherham game in the early seventies was second to none (subjective). For sheer home numbers the Rochdale game was unsurpassed (gates closed with thousands locked out). For tickets sold Chelsea was 57K plus. (22K notional, as we had to pay for the reserve match as well).

I am sure that this was the time when the Albion fans who went to Peterborough got their tokens or whatever at the Station up there from a club director, after some observations that those who went to the away match would lose out, as they would not be attending the reserve team match. These antiquated arrangements seem so long ago now.

Return of the Rev · Dec 28, 2016

Bozza said:
There weren't anywhere near that though, were there? I was a #BadFan and watched on TV and the number of empty seats was quite noticeable.

Probably the best populated area was the South Stand, not surprisingly I guess, as those people bought a ticket for that specific game.

wow! if the ROTR had said that :ohmy:

there would be a lynching

Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews · Dec 28, 2016

I'd say the Blackpool match (78) 33,000+ This must have included very few Blackpool

I haven't read the whole thread but the Norwich match was mentioned (28k?) but that included about 6000 carrot crunchers

Grassman · Dec 28, 2016

Bozza said:
Probably the best populated area was the South Stand, not surprisingly I guess, as those people bought a ticket for that specific game.

But you don't see the WSU on telly, do you? As always, it seemed pretty packed from where I was sitting and that was in the WSU, so I reckon our beautiful bit of the ground was the most populated.

Cheeky Monkey · Dec 28, 2016

Grassman said:
But you don't see the WSU on telly, do you? As always, it seemed pretty packed from where I was sitting and that was in the WSU, so I reckon our beautiful bit of the ground was the most populated.

As has probably been said already, the entire West looked as though it had a few hundred seats empty, if even that, which for a 13-14k capacity stand is bloody impressive, likewise the North wasn't much off capacity and the South full I think (couldn't see the East fully). Late arrivals for kick off, half time early leavers/late returners, plus those who leave up to 15 minutes before the final whistle all add to a somewhat distorted sense of the numbers in the ground, especially from a TV perspective.

Bozza · Dec 28, 2016

Bean said:
Eh? The ground looked absolutely rammed from where I was sat (East lower).

The ESL wasn't rammed.

I think we've established on these kinds of threads before though that it's not very easy to judge the bit of the ground that you're actually sitting in yourself.

Return of the Rev · Dec 28, 2016

Bozza said:
The ESL wasn't rammed.

I think we've established on these kinds of threads behind though that it's not very easy to judge the bit of the ground that you're actually sitting in yourself.

From my front room It looked a decent turnout but the empty seats in the esl didn't look great,need the cameras facing the west stand really :moo:

As for atmosphere the amex aint great as there are no big games because the regular crowds are only a few thousand below capacity!

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