[Albion] Something HAS to be done about the home atmosphere

[Flounce]

The Chelsea version of our Skoda song the other night featured a Lamborghini

Was it about Sanchez?

 

[Flounce]

This (arm waving) is a trend I noticed a couple of years ago across a lot of crowds / teams and is very unbecoming. I think it says more about the people that go to football now, as a middle-class fancy, that it does about our fan base in particular.

I do agree the atmosphere at the amex is definitively meh and it's part of the reason I don't bother going any more.

Being able to have a beer in your seat would be a start. I don't think people need 6 pints to have a nice time but not being treated like children would be good, but then it get's spoiled by morons so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

I love the arm waving, it’s very continental and as we have so many Latins now it’s de rigueur surely?

Atmosphere’s have been the same since I started going to matches and it needs a combination of things to get things really going. Southern teams need to be successful and scoring or looking like scoring goals or in a late season relegation scrap, the ref needs to be shit, bad fouls on our players overlooked, opposition being favoured by ref, the opposition manager being a dickhead or opposition players shithousing for the atmosphere to ramp up. Not enough of those going on for the Amex to bouncing currently.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Albion atmosphere has always been crap since the first day I went in the 70s. It is what it is.

Agreed, I could probably count barley into double figures when games have at home have been raucous all the way through.
I always preferred going to away games, but during the 90s & early 00s we were not great away either to be fair.

 

[Hotchilidog]

In answer to the OP, something has to be done about these tedious home atmosphere threads.

Our home atmosphere is just fine compared to most of the league. We have an organic and somewhat reactive atmosphere that tends to respond to events on the field rather than the pathetic performative exhibitions you may find elsewhere and I am all for it.

Also does it have to be said again, that the acoustics at the Amex are weird, the sound does not really travel from the North to the South stand, hence the discrepancy in what people hear in different sections of the ground. From my perch in the WSU (north side) I could barely hear the Chelsea fans and the north sounded good.

If anyone is still moaning about the atmosphere just bloody sing yourself and make a contribution, every little helps.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Had a chap with a vuvuzela next to me in the SW, Corner. Got a few laughs from both sets of fans

Fantastic news!

Have long been an advocate of that wonderfully annoying instrument at football. Imagine what several thousand of those would sound like in the North Stand

 

[Simster]

Agreed, I could probably count barley into double figures when games have at home have been raucous all the way through.
I always preferred going to away games, but during the 90s & early 00s we were not great away either to be fair.

Indeed. I remember the FAC 6th round cup game at home to Southampton. 25,000 in the ground - the biggest since the Norwich FAC 6th round game in 1983 and a huge gate by the standards of the day - and you could hear a pin drop for most of it (not helped by the fact we conceded early and got comfortably beaten).

On the other hand, the 11,000 inside the ground for the last game vs Donny was the complete opposite. But that stands alone - I can't think of another game with an atmosphere anything like it at the Goldstone although there were obviously a few. In fact, unpopular opinion but I reckon we've had as many games already at the Amex as we had at the Goldstone where the atmosphere was genuinely electric.

 

[RandyWanger]

The atmosphere has to be organic, or it's tin pot like 'arsenal, arsenal, arsenal' and the rest of the happy clapping day tripping accommodating stadiums out there.

Brighton has a few issues, the North stand is way too small. The away team should never have been given the South. The North for what ever reason, can't seem to get organised to sing the same song at the same time so there's no chance the West or even the East can join in. Also, this tippy tappy walking pace sideways and backwards build up play doesn't help with atmosphere.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Right, this old chestnut (for the umpteenth time)

Firstly, on a personal level. I ain’t moving, I’ve been in that seat since the start and I’ll be the East Stands version of that stubborn bastard that wouldn’t sell his house to make way for a motorway thus bollocking up the whole project.

Secondly, do you seriously think that would generate more noise from the home support? It would merely increase the atmosphere of vocal away fans I.e Leeds, Forest, Newcastle. Palace even. Let’s face it, on a decibel level we’d get slaughtered.

Finally, the North Stand is not the centre of the universe, in the past many supporters groups have moved their singing areas, there is nothing to stop a group moving into the SWC to shake things up.

Like this?

 

[portlock seagull]

In answer to the OP, something has to be done about these tedious home atmosphere threads.

Our home atmosphere is just fine compared to most of the legal. We have an organic and somewhat reactive atmosphere that tends to respond to events on the field rather than the pathetic performative exhibitions you may find elsewhere and I am all for it.

Also does it have to be said again, that the acoustics at the Amex are weird, the sound does not really travel from the North to the South stand, hence the discrepancy in what people hear in different sections of the ground. From my perch in the WSU (north side) I could barely hear the Chelsea fans and the north sounded good.

If anyone is still moaning about the atmosphere just bloody sing yourself and make a contribution, every little helps.

This. Also some attendees and commentators on NSC even must just be plain dumb. Because we’ve been at the Amex 13 years and still (STILL!) they’ve not figured the reasons/variables out.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

On the other hand, the 11,000 inside the ground for the last game vs Donny was the complete opposite. But that stands alone - I can't think of another game with an atmosphere anything like it at the Goldstone although there were obviously a few. In fact, unpopular opinion but I reckon we've had as many games already at the Amex as we had at the Goldstone where the atmosphere was genuinely electric.

From games I went to I would add fans united, and the home game v Orient that year.

 

[Justice]

I still believe we only have 10-12k hardcore following just as it’s been for the last 40 years.
I’ve seen old work colleagues at the Amex that used to laugh at me trekking over the country in our lower league days they didn’t show any interest in the club whatsoever.
Some of the best atmospheres I have enjoyed the most have been with smaller away crowds at far away places. The Goldstone like the Amex was always patchy.

 

[herecomesaregular]

Why, oh why, do people get so angsty about this reoccuring issue?!!

There is no "on" button for atmosphere. It's just a combination of several not-unusual factors. We are now more than ever a Southern town full of many non-Sussex born and breds, many of whom Brighton is still 2nd-club. We aren't historically a working class "football town" like a Northern one surrounded by other clubs nearby. Football isn't a working class sport anymore, a ticket is very expensive, cutting out many loud and lairy fans and teenage males. We are also very family and not-just-males orientated (a good thing imo). You think the "loud" areas of grounds abroad are not totally dominated by pissed up males in cheap seats, cmon?!! The change in English football post stadium disasters and hooliganism has also changed the dynamics (another good thing).

Football has changed in this country and for this club and anyone, like the OP, who thinks little ol Brighton with it's TINY (compared to all other clubs) North Stand can regularly generate wonderful atmospheres is pissing in the wind! We do occasionally generate a brilliant atmsophere (I can think of many times the Amex was rocking, particularly those first games at the stadium) but it needs several factors to click and this won't happen often.

And manufactured atmosphere with drums, flag bearers and a bloke with a loud hailer can f*** off btw.

 

[Beanstalk]

I'm probably the only one but I thought last night, given the reduced attendance, was actually decent. Really don't get these people that get a bee in their bonnet about home atmosphere.

Not at all.

The upturn in atmosphere at home has been one of the most fun things under RDZ in my opinion. Fans are way more vocal than they were previously.

I think that fans like the OP see the European fan stuff and think "that should be what English football is like" but it's not, it never has been and never will be. We are a country of football fans that are interested in what happens on the pitch first and foremost and that is what defines the atmosphere, we will never have mass choreographed fan culture here.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Not at all.

The upturn in atmosphere at home has been one of the most fun things under RDZ in my opinion. Fans are way more vocal than they were previously.

I think that fans like the OP see the European fan stuff and think "that should be what English football is like" but it's not, it never has been and never will be. We are a country of football fans that are interested in what happens on the pitch first and foremost and that is what defines the atmosphere, we will never have mass choreographed fan culture here.

Yup all of this.

 

[brighton_tom]

If people have genuine suggestions regarding things that could be done to improve match day atmosphere then please email the fan advisory board.... fanadvisoryboard@brightonandhovealbion.com

Match day atmosphere is something they have been specifically asked to look into by Mr Bloom.

I know some sneer at the purpose of the FAB but nothing will change if you dont take positive actions.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Why, oh why, do people get so angsty about this reoccuring issue?!!

There is no "on" button for atmosphere. It's just a combination of several not-unusual factors. We are now more than ever a Southern town full of many non-Sussex born and breds, many of whom Brighton is still 2nd-club. We aren't historically a working class "football town" like a Northern one surrounded by other clubs nearby. Football isn't a working class sport anymore, a ticket is very expensive, cutting out many loud and lairy fans and teenage males. We are also very family and not-just-males orientated (a good thing imo). You think the "loud" areas of grounds abroad are not totally dominated by pissed up males in cheap seats, cmon?!! The change in English football post stadium disasters and hooliganism has also changed the dynamics (another good thing).

Football has changed in this country and for this club and anyone, like the OP, who thinks little ol Brighton with it's TINY (compared to all other clubs) North Stand can regularly generate wonderful atmospheres is pissing in the wind! We do occasionally generate a brilliant atmsophere (I can think of many times the Amex was rocking, particularly those first games at the stadium) but it needs several factors to click and this won't happen often.

And manufactured atmosphere with drums, flag bearers and a bloke with a loud hailer can f*** off btw.

Too much is made about the traditional northern fans.
They are as badly hit by the changing nature of football as we are.

St James Park was deathly silent on Saturday.
The only time we heard them was booing at the officials (or it may have been our "game management") at the end of teh game.

I daresay that when they are playing well, they are 20 times louder than our average, but that doesn't mean they are any less reactive than us.

Atmosphere is totally down to events on the pitch.
Not whether you are a traditional northern fanbase or not.

 

[Superphil]

If the North stand chaps could get over tradition and move their wobbly arses over to the top of the east or west stands, nearer to a roof, the noise would double in volume... wouldn't it?
Do we have any acoustic experts on here? Seems common sense to me.

If the north stand chaps could sing the same song at the same time there would be an improvement.

 

[Bry Nylon]

The atmosphere has to be organic

Well, if nothing else that would bring in a few more folk from Lewes

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

I missed five aways this year so can't vouch for all Prem teams, but none particularly stood out, unlike Forest last season which was seriously impressive. We were discussing this on the way back from Newcastle, which was the worst home atmosphere I'd heard there, and came to the conclusion that Luton was the best. Helped, of course, by being 2-0 up in a heartbeat. Worst were West Ham and Liverpool, although they were also the two worst away atmospheres I've been part of for a long time. In summary, all clubs have their good and bad days.

 

[Bodian]

Until they scored Chelsea only sang on a few occasions to take the piss out of us: “is this a library?”

And that really does exemplify the acoustics issue. I watched on a stream, and when the Chelsea fans started singing that, it was during a period when we had actually been making, and were making, quite a bit of noise. The 'football in a library' chant was only just audible amongst the rest going on.

So, quite clearly, they were not hearing the noise from the home fans in the South Stand.