Happy atmosphere

[jose_d_blade]

The post on booing Quinn got me thinking

Am I getting old and romanticizing things or was the lane a lot louder and more songs sung than there is today?

I’ve always sat at front of cop near goal but it just doesn’t seem the same these days.

I remember singing for our strikers by name Deano etc this almost seems to have been replaced now with booing poorer players although I do remember a few own goals that led to this.

Ok I know there was more trouble then saw more fights on the cop just prior to Basset’s departure but don’t half miss the rush of one song ringing around the stadium or did I dream that?.

I tend to think as we became more of a family club a lot of the louder maybe not always well behaved fans left, I started to sing along with a song started at back of cop in a dull spell last season only to be stared at by the fans with children sat around me like I had two heads and yes it was a clean song.

I also ended up sat in the 2nd tear of the away end with my lad and nephews it was like a morgue I was sat in the middle of people who seemed like they were fishing rather than watching a game,

I know I am going to get some stick for this .

But hey ho it’s only an observation

utb :thumbup:

 

[Sensiblade]

It got quieter when we got into the Prem and alot of 'new' fans appeared, they thankfully have stuck around for the sake off attendences but they just don't make any noise.

 

[Bath Blade]

It's not unique to us. Atmosphere at every ground was better back when we had standing and this won't change while ever we retain all-seater stadia.

I think the booing, however, is again endemic around the whole country due to the way society has changed. People are generally much more impatient and more willing to be vocal when things aren't going as they want, even if it is counter-productive.

 

[oaklandrdblade]

It seems strange that the Government/FA won't consider the return of safe standing as they have in many stdiums in Germany. These grounds still meet the requirements for international matches as seats can be installed when necessary.

Maybe the only way round it while we have all seater is to have some areas of non reserved seating so that mates can sit together rather than being spread out all over.

 

[Revolution]

I think the booing, however, is again endemic around the whole country due to the way society has changed. People are generally much more impatient and more willing to be vocal when things aren't going as they want, even if it is counter-productive.

I also think people see booing/criticising as their right given the amount they now have to pay to get in and the amount the players are paid. It is not like the 1950s when you were watching people who in many cases were paid the same as you were.

I also think that things haven't changed as much as people think on the booing front. 20 years ago John Gannon was getting far worse than Quinn is now.

 

[Nuttyboy]

I to agree with Jose d Blade. I used to be on the old John street stand in the early Bassett day's up to us being promoted back to the old 1st division ( now premiership). Then went on the Kop for the atmosphere, because while on John street the noise from there used to so loud it was great. I can remember the early Eighties being on the Kop with all the different songs & also at winter times the Blades fans having a fire in the middle of the Kop at half time to keep warm ( good old days), by burning toilet rolls & paper & watching the police come over get a god warm from it then order the Blades fans to put the fire out, can anybody else remember this.

The South Stand was always the quiet stand I wonder if the fans you are talking about are the ones that left that stand when the BBC started going on their in the 90's after the John Street was rebuilt as a family stand.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

It seems strange that the Government/FA won't consider the return of safe standing as they have in many stdiums in Germany. These grounds still meet the requirements for international matches as seats can be installed when necessary.

Maybe the only way round it while we have all seater is to have some areas of non reserved seating so that mates can sit together rather than being spread out all over.

It isn't the government particularly, but is the football authorities and the clubs. They couldn't give a toss about atmosphere, noise levels or anything else connected with this, but do care passionately about income streams, profit margins and squeezing every penny out of supporters. A reduced income for standing areas has no appeal......at the moment!

 

[DuncDisorderly]

It isn't the government particularly, but is the football authorities and the clubs. They couldn't give a toss about atmosphere, noise levels or anything else connected with this, but do care passionately about income streams, profit margins and squeezing every penny out of supporters. A reduced income for standing areas has no appeal......at the moment!

I think that you should also remember, and don't for god sake start a 'who was at fault at Hillsborough' thread, but in Germany they didn't have to carry 100 odd dead people of the terraces. All seater was brought in for a reason, and its seems to be getting forgotten in the 'ooo, big nasty football clubs robbing us blind, stealing our atmosphere'* argument.

Whilst I can accept there was something really enjoyable about being on terracing, but there were many, many occasions where people were hurt, and of course lost their lives. We're were treated like cattle, and the whole 'I want to stand-up' thing seems to be coming from the youngsters who can't sit still for two minutes anyway, always back and forth for another Coke or Hot-dog...


BU In-joke No.26 - Any mention of 'atmosphere' in a posting can be replied to with a reference to Russ Abbott, without any embarrassment.

 

[Hugh Nitedite]

Agree with you Dunc that all seating was brought in for a reason but it wasnt really the standing that caused the tragedy at hillsoro, it was the fact that supporters were being caged in like animals and there was nowhere to escape, i dont see any reason why safe standing cant be introduced without the 10ft high fence , i dont think either that it would mean a reduced income stream as clubs would get more relatively more fans in the same size area, i for one would like to see it back to some degree because i doubt theres another group of consumers out there faced with ever more restrictions and less choices than your average football fan.

 

[oaklandrdblade]

, i dont think either that it would mean a reduced income stream as clubs would get more relatively more fans in the same size area, .

Not quite sure that is the case in Germany. It is certainly a lot more civilised than the 'old days' with more barriers so as to to stop the surges etc. I would just like to see the choice brought back. Peresonally I would probably end up sitting down most of the time in the BLUT as my 7 year old daughter has just become a regular and that is the best view in the ground for her.

 

[Grecian2000]

It would be a bold man indeed to bring back standing in this country after '89.

If anything happened then that person would be hung, drawn and quartered for not learning from the past.

 

[rachyblade]

I find the atmosphere is better and louder when we have a lower attendance (not including cup games).

I do agree though that the atmosphere has got quieter. I can remember when I didnt know what to sing as there used to be two songs going on at once on the kop and where I sit is roughly in the middle.

Saying all this though, we havent had that much to sing about recently so maybe it will pick up this season.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

It would be a bold man indeed to bring back standing in this country after '89.

If anything happened then that person would be hung, drawn and quartered for not learning from the past.

If they want to give me the job, I'll take any subsequent flak gladly! I would welcome the opportunity to debunk the myth, sitting = safe; standing = unsafe, once and for all.

As for learning from the past, never erect pens again, make standing areas much smaller (The Kop in the old days, when you could surge from top to nearly bottom or more likely end up in the big channel in the middle was way too big), increase the number of barriers within that section and make sure they are all below any seated areas are just a few changes. Many of the problems associated with previous problems are connected with ticketing, entrance and controlling numbers in given areas. The modern computer controlled ticketing and entry systems have solved all these issues and supportes now are settled into the culture of buying tickets before the game, rather than paying on the gate and entry without a ticket is nigh on impossible.

£80k a year and I'm there!