Atmosphere in 'the modern game'

[perseus]

Buzz in the Crowd

I have been to a handful of games over the years as a neutral and scores of aways games in the distant past.

With the exception of the visit to City ground when Forest was manager for Forest and a promotion Division 3 encounter at the Old Den, and WHL with a 48,000 crowd I think the Goldstone and the Amex was/is 10% better atmosphere than most crowds with 20,000 inside.

Back in the sixties and early seventies, a big matches (precious few) were electric and there was the roar which has disappeared. The Goldstone needed a big crowd because the noise blew away in the air.

 

[Pantani]

The German fans did what?

Unlike the UK, Germany never banned standing at football grounds, Indeed there is still plenty of terracing still in use over there. Safe standing was introduced as a solution for German teams playing in European matches where all seater stadiums were a requirement for all teams playing in the competition,

So no the German fans didn't campaign hard, refuse to go to games or protest in order to get safe standing introduced.

Any campaigning is against any future changes in arrangements.

Is that not the same thing? Campaigning so the change did not happen? We used to have standing now we do not. We did nothing about it, German fans did. The same as they fight against increased prices. I know you think you have been very clever here, but really you have missed the point. German fans fight as one to keep the things that are important to them, we cannot even have a discussion on what is wrong with modern football without arguing with each other, or blaming Paul Barber, now that is a reason to

If you are interested read this, this, and this (on prices)

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

, Palace matches are played out to a constant drum-beat.

I wish I supported Palace

 

[Guinness Boy]

I'd just like the club to be at the forefront of any safe standing/beer on the terraces/affordable pricing campaigns that would improve the whole Amex experience about 5 fold.

But please, can we not keep harping back to how the Goldstone was a packed, seething mass of frenzied uberfan creating a cauldron of noise? It really wasn't. We got promoted in 1987/8, off the back of Sir Garry Nelson's 589 goals, possibly the best season we had there after relegation from division one in 1983. Our highest league gate was 19,800 (and that was only because we needed to win to go up) and our average gate was 8,900. And this was BEFORE huge swathes of it were shut down in a state of total disrepair. A couple of years later and it really wasn't fit for purpose.

While that's undoubtedly true the Goldstone wasn't built for the 87-88 season. There are plenty of other examples earlier on of massive crowds and cracking atmospheres (off the top of my head Southampton in the cup the season before, the Cup Run, most of the first few seasons in the First Division, 33000 for the Blackpool home game where we got stitched up by Saints and Spurs) and plenty of other examples of drab games in front of disappointing crowds in the same era. Basically Brighton have always turned up for the big game or the big season but we're fickle as hell.

 

[el punal]

lol. Amex is shit.

Right then - let's all move back to Withdean and be one with nature.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

While that's undoubtedly true the Goldstone wasn't built for the 87-88 season. There are plenty of other examples earlier on of massive crowds and cracking atmospheres (off the top of my head Southampton in the cup the season before, the Cup Run, most of the first few seasons in the First Division, 33000 for the Blackpool home game where we got stitched up by Saints and Spurs) and plenty of other examples of drab games in front of disappointing crowds in the same era. Basically Brighton have always turned up for the big game or the big season but we're fickle as hell.

Not just v Blackpool but 30k + v Charlton only 4 days previous, some of the atmosphere at that time was incredible, the palace matches, 5-0 v Cardiff Boxing Day, Blackburn last home of the season and v Bolton our first win in the top flight,( I can still taste that smoke bomb)just to name a few

 

[Taybha]

Derby in the playoffs....

Yep i would go along with that

 

[Brovion]

Not just v Blackpool but 30k + v Charlton only 4 days previous, some of the atmosphere at that time was incredible, the palace matches, 5-0 v Cardiff Boxing Day, Blackburn last home of the season and v Bolton our first win in the top flight,( I can still taste that smoke bomb)just to name a few

Those are still the exceptions. I went to the vast majority of Goldstone matches between about 1972 and 1997 and most of the time the place was NOT a rocking cauldron of noise. Even in the 1st division after the novelty had worn off the atmosphere was generally poor (not helped by the North Stand losing its roof). We had our moments definitely, my two personal favourites are the League Cup games against Ipswich and Derby in the 76/77 season, but they were very much the exceptions and not the rule.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Those are still the exceptions. I went to the vast majority of Goldstone matches between about 1972 and 1997 and most of the time the place was NOT a rocking cauldron of noise. Even in the 1st division after the novelty had worn off the atmosphere was generally poor (not helped by the North Stand losing its roof). We had our moments definitely, my two personal favourites are the League Cup games against Ipswich and Derby in the 76/77 season, but they were very much the exceptions and not the rule.

That Derby game was amazing! As a child in the back of the car traveling home along the a259, the noise of the crowd seemed to still be ringing in my ears. The Sheffield Wednesday game where we gained promotion from the 3rd division was also memorable.

 

[wellquickwoody]

I'm not sure it does fit us though, considering - for at least the first 2-3 years certainly - the Amex has been FAR louder than the Goldstone.

The ground may be more noise friendly, the fans are far quieter.

 

[Brovion]

That Derby game was amazing! As a child in the back of the car traveling home along the a259, the noise of the crowd seemed to still be ringing in my ears. The Sheffield Wednesday game where we gained promotion from the 3rd division was also memorable.

That whole season was good, probably the best one. If your only experience of the Goldstone was between 1976 and about 1979 then yes, it probably did seem a rocking cauldron of noise!

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Cost of football has driven grass roots fans away, it's been well documented on here in the past , if you can't accept that then you're one of the new breed of trendy theatre type /tourist followers that have attached themselves to the game and who are largley responsible for a crap atmosphere IMHO
regards
DR

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

That whole season was good, probably the best one. If your only experience of the Goldstone was between 1976 and about 1979 then yes, it probably did seem a rocking cauldron of noise!

Bournemouth at home when we came from 3.0 down to draw 3 .3 in front of 10k
regards
DR

 

[Stat Brother]

While that's undoubtedly true the Goldstone wasn't built for the 87-88 season. There are plenty of other examples earlier on of massive crowds and cracking atmospheres (off the top of my head Southampton in the cup the season before, the Cup Run, most of the first few seasons in the First Division, 33000 for the Blackpool home game where we got stitched up by Saints and Spurs) and plenty of other examples of drab games in front of disappointing crowds in the same era. Basically Brighton have always turned up for the big game or the big season but we're fickle as hell.

While we're having a moment of brutal honesty it would be remiss to not point out the nature of the crowd that did turn up.
Fickle as hell, absolutely.
100% partisan NEVER.

Our fans have always needed a scapegoat, whether the manager or a certain player.
I guess we should say the players were fortunate that for a stage it was the board.

Nevertheless a small minority of 'boo-boys' have always felt the need to get on someones back.
Unfortunately in a drab and disappointing crowd, if fans want to make their opinions known there was no other noise to stop everyone else knowing those opinions too.

 

[Stat Brother]

Bournemouth at home when we came from 3.0 down to draw 3 .3 in front of 10k
regards
DR

That night it was pi$$ing down, when Chappers smashed the last goal into the North Stand.
I can still remember the spray coming off the net and being caught in the floodlights.

We didn't have many like that, unfortunately.

 

[Barham's tash]

Bournemouth at home when we came from 3.0 down to draw 3 .3 in front of 10k
regards
DR

I absolutely loved that game. Is there nothing better in football than seeing your team recover from a seemingly impossible position to get at least a point. Especially when it happened in that manner with the thunderbolt from Ian Chapman. Awesome (and I mean that in the literal sense, not the modern overused sense of the word.)

Really surprised to see that this wasn't one of the games included in the round up of previous Albion v Bournemouth encounters.

 

[Justice]

Being branded customers is really not helping matters, as atmospheres go I would have to say the 1-0 win at Palace under MM was one of best in recent times the whole day out was like an 80's flash back.

 

[narly101]

Whichever way you paint it, football is no longer the grass roots game anymore we remember from the 70's and 80's. Gradually over time the influence of Sky, the break away of the Premier League, and ultimately the corporate greed of the game has taken precedence. I particularly applaud his comments about the fickle nature of fans, because of the money sentiment. Fans are paying a high price to watch a game of football in the flesh and they want to be entertained.

I did find it funny that a man like Mourinho "complained" about the noise. What the hell does he expect.

 

[rippleman]

Blame Barber all you want but it is the politicians (and by definition those of us who let them get elected) that are at fault here, not one Championship chief executive. You want standing at football? Write to your MP, join the FSF safe standing campaign refuse to sit down and shut up, but please do not bring Paul Barber in to it.

You can defend Barber all you want...but here are some quotes by him on safe-standing:-

[URL http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/barber-on-safe-standing-1356443.aspx[/URL]

http://www.northstandchat.com/showthread.php?265745-Safe-standing-a-response-from-Paul-Barber

And again:-

"At the Amex we have worked very hard to ensure that all areas of the stadium are as safe, welcoming, and inclusive to as many people as possible and therefore a standing area goes against that philosophy on a number of levels and so it's not a direction we wish to take."

And from Paul Camillin:-

The club does not support any move for “safe standing” in football stadia and is not considering such a move for the American Express Community Stadium. We have just spent over £100 million developing a state of the art all-seated football stadium, recently named best new venue in the world. One of our main aims was to make the stadium fully inclusive for anyone who wishes to watch and enjoy football, regardless of their age, sex, height, or physical condition, and for them to do so in an atmosphere that is conducive to comfort, great views, and good behaviour. This is in stark contrast to standing areas where a large percentage of the general football watching population are excluded because they would be unable to actually see the pitch. In turn, standing areas create the potential for poor behaviour to go undetected and unresolved. As a club that is doing all it can to promote a family event atmosphere within the stadium and on its approaches, this would be a backward step.

Do you really believe that individuals contacting their MPs will drive a change in legislation and attitudes? It needs to come from the clubs. And ours refuses to even consider joining.

Take a look here:-

http://www.fsf.org.uk/campaigns/safe-standing/who-backs-safe-standing/

Why aren't senior figures in our club making those comments. Why are they so dismissive of what the fans actually want? As you will have read, our club regard safe standing as a "backward step"!

Barber (or his appointed spokesman) is putting the "No safe standing at the Amex" message out there. So who do you want me to bring into it eh?

 

[Mellotron]

The ground may be more noise friendly, the fans are far quieter.

They just aren't. Back at the Goldstone it was ONE group of lads who sang. If you stood near them in the North, it sounded loud. The rest of the Goldstone was a complete library. At the Amex you get chants from all corners of the ground. In the first couple of seasons it was genuinely deafening in WSU at times. Never like that at the Goldstone.