Lobster focaccia

[blade too long]

we are doing cow heel in a cockle jus
and pan aux dripping con sal

we can be posh

 

[bromtom]

Couple of league trophies, eight FA Cups, Cup Winners Cup, UEFA Cup, some league cups.

They built a stadium with the thought of having regular Champions League football and success which is the problem, very presumtuous based on a couple of decent seasons.

Will it be helpful having 15,000 empty seats when they're playing Qarabag on Thursday nights in the Europa League, or when it's sat idle if they don't qualify for Europe?

You're right when you say trophies are trophies, but we're not building a new FA Cup winners 1925 Kop that holds 18K. You need to be winning trophies now.

I think they've got a bit carried away.

 

[Rodley]

I went to watch Valencia CF at home the other week as they happened to be playing whilst we were there.

It was about two-thirds full, maybe even less as there were plenty of empty seats around where we were sat up in the Gods. Even so, that whistling thing that a lot of European fans do when the opposition have the ball...fucking hell. I've never heard a din like it. Great to witness.

Something else I noticed. They put a decibel meter up on the big screen to encourage fans to make as much noise as possible. It worked a treat and it sounded fantastic but I couldn't help thinking how contextual it was. If a club did that over here they'd have the piss ripped out of them for being tinpot, yet we fawn over how loud and raucous the crowds are at various clubs across the continent even though a large number of them have stuff like a decibel meter or a band (Valencia had both).

If someone is banging a drum at Borussia Dortmund they're a hero. If someone brought a drum to Bramall Lane they'd be wearing it before half time.

Fuck all to with the OP; just a thought of mine. If we're talking catering, Valencia didn't sell alcohol in the ground and I certainly needed a beer after the number of fucking stairs we had to climb to get to our seats. Marks lost for that.

Yep not sure Spain would top of my list for continental atmospheres, although would love a trip to the Mestella before it goes. It’s subjective club to club Germany, Holland / Belgium, Scandinavia, France all have atmospheres which are very decent and at their best are different gravy compared to over here.

We just need to grab the best bits of their fan experience - a proportion of reasonably priced / cheap tickets for home games, safe standing for those that want it, fan parks & club bars for the fans.

 

[BarcaBlade]

I think you're right by the way, this is the new face of football and all clubs will need to improve their match-day experience if they want to keep fans coming through the turnstiles over the coming decades and compete with lots of other "entertainment" options that people have to choose from these days.

Somewhat contradicts the fact that people can't get tickets unless they have 40,000 loyalty points. It's not necessary and fans would happily come through the turnstiles for the simple pleasure of seeing a game of football.

It is only necessary in order to ensure that those limited fans coming through the turnstiles are bilked of as much of their cash as possible. For every fan prepared to pay €100+, you can push out someone who only has €30 to spare.

 

[BushBlade]

They built a stadium with the thought of having regular Champions League football and success which is the problem, very presumtuous based on a couple of decent seasons.

Will it be helpful having 15,000 empty seats when they're playing Qarabag on Thursday nights in the Europa League, or when it's sat idle if they don't qualify for Europe?

You're right when you say trophies are trophies, but we're not building a new FA Cup winners 1925 Kop that holds 18K. You need to be winning trophies now.

I think they've got a bit carried away.

They didn’t though. They built the stadium based on their waiting list and the NFL requirements (because the NFL is partly funding it). They had to upgrade WHL somehow and the NFL deal, corporate hospitality and sponsorship made the numbers stack up.

 

[guancheblade]

Yep not sure Spain would top of my list for continental atmospheres, although would love a trip to the Mestella before it goes. It’s subjective club to club Germany, Holland / Belgium, Scandinavia, France all have atmospheres which are very decent and at their best are different gravy compared to over here.

We just need to grab the best bits of their fan experience - a proportion of reasonably priced / cheap tickets for home games, safe standing for those that want it, fan parks & club bars for the fans.

You all want to try a trip to the Bombonera for a Boca Juniors home game. Bramall Lane will feel like day 1 at the crucible in comparison.

 

[Bert]

Big game at The Lane, under the lights, a few controversial decisions, Blades playing well, but up against it, getting stuck in, on the attack...

You can stick the foreign games atmosphere, Bert wouldn't swap that for any of them.

Just out of interest, can you tell when the atmosphere is ramped up Silent Blade?

 

[shorehamview]

You all want to try a trip to the Bombonera for a Boca Juniors home game. Bramall Lane will feel like day 1 at the crucible in comparison.

I'd still feel like a guest at the wrong party, even though it's really intense there. I remember nights like when Jags went in goal and we beat Arsenal, I wouldn't swap times like that for any other night at any other club, because they aren't my club.

 

[Silent Blade]

Just out of interest, can you tell when the atmosphere is ramped up Silent Blade?

Feeling the noise

 

[guancheblade]

I'd still feel like a guest at the wrong party, even though it's really intense there. I remember nights like when Jags went in goal and we beat Arsenal, I wouldn't swap times like that for any other night at any other club, because they aren't my club.

I'm sure that very night you mention there would have been neutrals at the ground who would have been impressed by the atmosphere. Just because you're not a fan doesn't mean the atmosphere isn't awesome.

 

[Maidenhead]

I see you can get a nice little package for their game against Olympiakos for a mere £499 per person.

To be fair to Spurs that price does include the V.A.T.

 

[Digs blade]

And a free Eric Dier autograph now your talking

 

[BanbridgeBlade]

Nothing to do with corporate but was at the nfl on Sunday. What a stadium, plenty of food & drink outlets on the concourse & the quick pour bottom up system for beer means hardly any queues.

Not sure where away fans are but if we’re upper tier opposite “the wall” some seats have a very shit view of the closest goal

 

[Bartleby]

you can get crabs though. Depending on how choosy you are about your "Bladedbird".