[Albion] what to do about the home atmosphere?

[BN41Albion]

In some countries people the fans believe that they and their singing carries the performances on the pitch. In some countries, people believe that the players should make the fans sing. Cultural differences. It is what it is.

Not been to England but judging from what the microphones pick up its similar in most stadiums.

It is cultural differences at the end of the day. Having been to a fair few games abroad, I'd say we're more involved in what's going on on the pitch than in other countries, hence atmospheres ebb and flow with the game. Last night was so turgid to watch - it went very quiet. Suddenly a bit of drama with Sanchez off and it got everyone up and excited again. We have a wider variety of chants here compared to other countries though when the atmosphere is good, more witty I guess and certainly more 'banter' between home and away fans. At the Amex we could do with moving the away fans closer to the North,. That would 100% improve the atmosphere, but the club would never have that in a million years unfortunately.

 

[m@goo]

aware I'm playing with fire by starting this thread here maybe, and I'm not having a pop at the fans or reincarnating the 'early leavers' threads of yesteryear.

But God, home games are depressing these days. not even because of the result. but the atmosphere was flat from first minute to the last today, and generally has been pretty much since fans came back. the north stand try, but I think we managed two rounds of 'albiiooonn' today followed by utter silence for the rest of the match. and the problem is that this is the norm nowadays, and I definitely think it transfers to the players.

genuinely I'm not sure how we fix this, and this thread is pretty much asking for what suggestions people may have, I know people slate drums and singing sections as tin pot, but it's at the point now where the home atmosphere is genuinely making home games unenjoyable anymore.

I think it sounds poorer than it really is when you're there because when you listen on MotD it sounds pretty good.

 

[Justice]

Not having a star player doesn’t help Knockhaert used to get the Amex crowd up on their feet.

 

[BLOCK F]

Where do you sit?

From the NS I had a great view of Lamptey getting in circa three stunning crosses, beating men for fun as the first half wore on. Wasted by no or half asleep team-mates.

Spot on about BW, many of us said that was why Arsenal paid £50m and we’d miss it.

Beckenbauer-esque, strolling out, within a split second turning defence into a great attack. Called the “transition” these days, vital in the modern game.

I would be surprised if Webbo isn’t back as a starter for the next game, he can certainly bring the ball out of defence.

 

[Seagull]

you are talking about the " oh look he's pulling his jumper " " which ones Bissouma..?" "is it time to go yet...( 76th minute).?"
"my knittings getting wet " " that tea was horrible" brigade.

Perhaps it's hardly surprising that in going from 7,000 to 30,000 crowds in the Amex era that many fans are in this category I guess. Comfy seats, large prawn sandwich.

 

[Wozza]

We should have been the ones chanting "Attack! Attack! Attack, attack, attack!"

I'm never going to be roused by, for example, a free-kick on the half-way line ending up back with our keeper.

I fully appreciate the idea of 'building from the back'. We're good at it. But... it's dull, isn't it?

If every team did it, I could see calls of a basketball-style rule, outlawing passbacks over the half-way line.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

Well the answer sure as hell isn’t PB being ‘embaressed’ by some of our support, or saying that they are ‘purporting to support the club’.

BHA has become more ‘Emirates’ than Arsenal, and will continue to do so until boisterous, passionate support is encouraged and not frowned upon.

As you brought up Paul Barber, I will respond in a way I would expect him to see things...

Boisterous, passionate support isn't to be frowned upon, snorting cocaine in the bogs* then fighting your own fans is!




* Paul Barber may not use the word bogs, possibly preferring Gentlemen facilities.

 

[Washie]

The atmosphere was good against City when we were really giving it a go.

For about 10 minutes before and after we scored. You saw a massive uplift in play when we got louder. We need to get behind the players more when they need it.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Howe with 9 men behind the ball

We all letting this slide, then? Eddie "all out attack, unconfirmed yet as manager" Howe?

 

[Surf's Up]

You seem to be implying the home atmosphere was once good.


We are and always have been, irrespective of where home games have been played, a reactive crowd.
If there's nothing to react too we sit meekly in near silence.

That will never change.

I've been an Albion fan for 65 years and this was, is and always will be the way it is.

 

[Surf's Up]

.......except Sheffield Wednesday at home in the 2016 Championship playoff game

 

[nickbrighton]

Well the answer sure as hell isn’t PB being ‘embaressed’ by some of our support, or saying that they are ‘purporting to support the club’.

BHA has become more ‘Emirates’ than Arsenal, and will continue to do so until boisterous, passionate support is encouraged and not frowned upon.

what would you have him say- he is happy with that element of the crowd fighting and shouting racist abuse? dont take that headline out of context- he isn't embarrassed by the home support, he is embarrassed by the dick heads. If you mean by boisterous, passionate support a load of thugs fighting and hurling abuse,( and that is what you implied) and it is perfectly clear that is what Barber was talking about then I think you should join them in being banned

Big difference between getting behind your team, and being a completer ****wit.

 

[Washie]

Should we create a singing section like H block used to be? Whenever you bought tickets, you were told this was the singing and more noisy area. putting the singers together can really raise the noise of the stadium. All the games I've been to, i can barely hear anything. But when the north is heard, the rest of the stadium do try to join in. Do as was similar back then, make token gestures for fans to sit down. Send a steward to tell the fans to sit down, people sit for 10 seconds, then stand again. Technically you're following the law by telling people to sit down.

 

[BN41Albion]

I've been an Albion fan for 65 years and this was, is and always will be the way it is.

As is the case with most sets of fans in this country. As [MENTION=38333]Swansman[/MENTION] said, its a cultural thing, hence we've never never gone in for ultra style support in this country, bar a few hundred youngsters at a few clubs.

 

[One Love]

Change the same old failed tactics against a bottom side that we've seen so many times now that we all know what the game is going to become.

 

[Seaview Seagull]

Where do you sit?

From the NS I had a great view of Lamptey getting in circa three stunning crosses, beating men for fun as the first half wore on. Wasted by no or half asleep team-mates.

Spot on about BW, many of us said that was why Arsenal paid £50m and we’d miss it.

Beckenbauer-esque, strolling out, within a split second turning defence into a great attack. Called the “transition” these days, vital in the modern game.

You may be right about BW but that's done. Actually I've seen Webster do a good job of transition many times. I hope he will soon be a first pick again soon.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Yeah, fans play a huge part.

It's all part of growing as a club. Too many people attend that are there to be entertained rather than support the team. Opposite to the Withdean years, which was the most successful period in our club history.

I don't think this will change until the kids growing up now as die hard Albion fans mature... so Potter needs to prepare the team for moaning and groaning Albion plastics, and how to mentally prepare for that.

You're not even going. They can't hear you yell at the telly.

 

[Guinness Boy]

A lot to pull out, much of which has been said before but:

1) Singers are split everywhere which is not the case away. Two different crews either side of the North who can't hear each other. I noticed at the City game the NSK under the police box had totally disappeared by 85 mins and yesterday it was empty there on 40 minutes. Presumably all off to refill their hooters. There are also a few songs and certainly a lot of passion where I am (back of G in the WSU) but I doubt many can hear us from there - we're too far away.

2) As stated all over this thread most English crowds are reactive. Brighton almost always are. The exceptions are the big games. Even at the much vaunted Goldstone it was like that. Southampton in the Cup QF in 86 was mental and you had to be in the ground at 1.30 to get a good place in the NS. Ditto the Bristol Rovers promotion game and Arsenal cup games a year later. By 88 we probably had average crowds of 8-10,000 at most games and 200 singing max. In the Amex era see Sheffield Weds playoff, Palace games, Wigan and the odd must win PL game against a big club and, er, that's it. Partly because of 1)

3) We were absolute garbage yesterday. So I don't blame anyone who wanted to bunk out for a pint or couldn't get motivated. 1+2 = 3.

We've always had decent away support though. At first this season it was really good to be back "home" and some kind of normality but I'm already craving away games for a bit of edge and atmosphere that we seem unable to create and that may have been blunted further by yesterday's programme notes.

 

[BNthree]

I think it sounds poorer than it really is when you're there because when you listen on MotD it sounds pretty good.

It has been said plenty of times before but the acoustics in the stadium are weird and can mean the sound doesn't travel well. Where I am in family area I can't hear police box guys at all and often hear the away fans better than the north.

 

[LamieRobertson]

“One”. You have emphasised my point entirely. In the Micky Adams and.Barry Lloyd ere every single player had a chant.

You talked about influential..so I said one….now you’ve gone on about every player..make your mind up