Honest discussion about the atmosphere

[FlamingLip]

We're all football fans here, and I'll keep going to games as it's my hobby, but if the whole English football supporting community are honest with ourselves, it's just not a very exciting sport to watch any more is it?

If you get chance to watch any match from 15-20 years ago then do it, Sky show them regularly. It was like a different sport. End to end football has disappeared now. The roar when a ball is played down the channel for a winger/striker to run on to is all but gone because teams don't do that any more (remember that sound when the kop stood up and all the seats sprung back, when was the last time you heard that?). Tackling is now a rare thing. We barely even see crosses. There's literally nothing to get excited about any more unless there's a goal, and guess what, in the top division you can't even celebrate that until the scoreboard tells you you can 4 minutes later!

When was the last time you saw a "humdinger of a game" as they used to call them. They don't happen.

Hopefully this is just the current fashion, and it changes at some point. I fear though, that the atmosphere at English games will be a thing of the past by then, and won't ever really come back.

This mainly covers it I think. We're in a new Blades era. We can routinely wheel out the excruciatingly predictable merry-go-round of excuses (1. Oppo's small fry = not worthy of an atmosphere 2. A lot riding on the game = too nervy to make a noise 3. Both sides cancel each other out = nothing to get excited about).

We're top of the league, exceeding vast majority of our expectations and the atmosphere is reliably non-existent. It's bonkers. Folk obviously care, but not in a way which motivates to create any real atmosphere.

 

[Proper Blade]

The culture of going to matches in this country is permanently different now. People don't go to create an atmosphere and most don't care if the ground is silent.

This is the way it is now (it has been like this for at least 10 years) and beyond safe standing I don't see how or why it would ever change.

 

[FlamingLip]

The culture of going to matches in this country is permanently different now. People don't go to create an atmosphere and most don't care if the ground is silent.

This is the way it is now (it has been like this for at least 10 years) and beyond safe standing I don't see how or why it would ever change.

I don't think standing would change things too much.

 

[alcoblade]

The culture of going to matches in this country is permanently different now. People don't go to create an atmosphere and most don't care if the ground is silent.

This is the way it is now (it has been like this for at least 10 years) and beyond safe standing I don't see how or why it would ever change.

This is mostly true. However, there are still several thousand people on the kop who do want to create an atmosphere. It's spoilt because they're now so separated, and the atmosphere would improve tenfold if that could be solved.

 

[Proper Blade]

This is mostly true. However, there are still several thousand people on the kop who do want to create an atmosphere. It's spoilt because they're now so separated, and the atmosphere would improve tenfold if that could be solved.

Yeah, hence safe standing. It would create an obvious place for like-minded fans to gather.

Mind you, I was in the safe standing section at Wembley and most people there weren't singing or making any noise. So who knows...

 

[dn5 shaun]

The audience on strictly made more noise

Turn telly down then, or even better turn that shite off.

 

[Fjortoft's Aeroplane]

Is there a cokey blokey bloke subsection?

You put your house keys in,
You take your house keys out,
You do the cokey blokey then
You scream n shout

THAT'S WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT!

OOOH COKEY BLOKEY!
OOOH COKEY BLOKEY!

Knees bent arms stretched Ra Ra Ra!

 

[Sean Thornton]

You put your house keys in,
You take your house keys out,
You do the cokey blokey then
You scream n shout

THAT'S WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT!

OOOH COKEY BLOKEY!
OOOH COKEY BLOKEY!

Knees bent arms stretched Ra Ra Ra!

Not keen on this remix……..

 

[YES Blade]

Yeah, hence safe standing. It would create an obvious place for like-minded fans to gather.

Mind you, I was in the safe standing section at Wembley and most people there weren't singing or making any noise. So who knows...

I honestly don’t think it would make much difference, you’d still end up with a flat atmosphere if nothing is happening on the pitch.

Paul Merson was in the studio for an NFL game of all places. He said that George Graham used to tell them to get a shot in early, he didn’t care if it didn’t go in because it would get the crowd going.

I think Wilder should encourage a few early shots rather than 10 minutes of the defence passing it from side to side.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Kop. People near me. Women. children, old men, phone scrollers, late arrivals, early leavers, 37th minute refreshment seekers, silent types.

Oh how I’d love to sit with a group of highly rumbunctious blokey blokes.

That plus annoying vapers.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

This is mostly true. However, there are still several thousand people on the kop who do want to create an atmosphere. It's spoilt because they're now so separated, and the atmosphere would improve tenfold if that could be solved.

The simple answer is to have the stewards throw out anyone sitting or not singing - it's not that our fluorescent friends have anything else to do.

 

[alcoblade]

Yeah, hence safe standing. It would create an obvious place for like-minded fans to gather.

Mind you, I was in the safe standing section at Wembley and most people there weren't singing or making any noise. So who knows...

Don't confuse safe standing with unrestricted seating. It's the latter that's needed for a good atmosphere, and it won't happen.

What safe standing might do is encourage the cardboard cutouts to move elsewhere - eventually.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Have to admit that separate sections on the kop for blokey, cokey and wokey is rather appealing!

 

[raimond]

We're all football fans here, and I'll keep going to games as it's my hobby, but if the whole English football supporting community are honest with ourselves, it's just not a very exciting sport to watch any more is it?

When was the last time you saw a "humdinger of a game" as they used to call them. They don't happen.

The day before the derby match I went to Donny v Notts County to watch Billy v Didzy to get in the mood (Didzy was injured, Billy was shite incidentally).

Absolute cracker of a match- both sides tried to play decent stuff, challenges went in and it became a real end to ender which got the fans going too. Great atmosphere in the end, genuinely exciting stuff.

I'd agree that the style of football doesn't help as there's nowt to really get you jumping up and shouting so you're relying more on singing. Abroad where the pace of football was always more patient they rely on their ultras to get it going in a more organised way- we'd turn our noses up at that.

Add in it becoming a less working class sport (on the whole) with a different mix of fans and more choice of entertainment around, plus so many folk becoming more insular and obsessed with their phones (he says, typing on his phone) it's different and quieter at any ground you go to.

Shite but it is- it's more sanitised and I s'pose there's also fewer working class blokes who've worked all week in the factory dreaming of letting off a bit of steam at the weekend. Bit less to get frustrated and wound up about in IT or a call centre isn't there? People probably have a bit less fire in their bellies altogether don't they?

 

[borg elite]

Don't confuse safe standing with unrestricted seating. It's the latter that's needed for a good atmosphere, and it won't happen.

What safe standing might do is encourage the cardboard cutouts to move elsewhere - eventually.

Spot on and the reason why most people on here voted the noughties as having the best atmosphere compared to other decades. Largely due to unreserved seating on G and H blocks on the South.

 

[reedy63]

I disagree with some people's opinions, to which they are entitled. Squad-wise, I do not think Burnley and Leeds are miles in front of us. Burnley got lucky against us on boxing day. A terrible referee decision led to them counter-attack and scoring then a massive fluke for the second goal. Fine margins as Chris Wilders says. Leeds beat us fair and square at their ground. only lost three games in the league. Still in the top two at the halfway point of the season. with a lot of smaller squad than most in the championship. Now we have new owners of the club by now Chris Wilder will have an idea of what budget He has been given by the new owners.No doubt Chris has given them an idea of who he wants to sign in the January transfer window,5 players at least to bolster and improve us. A centre-back and a forward are a must in my humble opinion. I think there is a Peterborough player Chris wants to sign as well. I am sure we will continue our great start to the season and get back up to the Premier League. Obviously, can we stay up we will hopefully find out. UP THE RED AND WHITE WIZARDS.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I disagree with some people's opinions, to which they are entitled. Squad-wise, I do not think Burnley and Leeds are miles in front of us. Burnley got lucky against us on boxing day. A terrible referee decision led to them counter-attack and scoring then a massive fluke for the second goal. Fine margins as Chris Wilders says. Leeds beat us fair and square at their ground. only lost three games in the league. Still in the top two at the halfway point of the season. with a lot of smaller squad than most in the championship. Now we have new owners of the club by now Chris Wilder will have an idea of what budget He has been given by the new owners.No doubt Chris has given them an idea of who he wants to sign in the January transfer window,5 players at least to bolster and improve us. A centre-back and a forward are a must in my humble opinion. I think there is a Peterborough player Chris wants to sign as well. I am sure we will continue our great start to the season and get back up to the Premier League. Obviously, can we stay up we will hopefully find out. UP THE RED AND WHITE WIZARDS.

Regardless of the strength of the squads of Leeds and Burnley we really didn’t hurt either of them. Their forward players are definitely better than ours and defensively they were solid against us and/or we created nothing of note.

 

[NotFallowfieldBlade]

Passy, passy bollox footy has made football boring. I'm all for passing and moving, being progressive and using it as a means to attack, but we also need to see players run at their men. So many teams just pass it sideways and backwards with little off the ball movement as well. As for wide men and wing backs who get the ball, look up and just pass it backwards every fcking time, like clockwork .

Also can someone tell me the benefit of the defenders being in line with the goalie when he has the ball, getting it off him, then eventually hoofing it up the field, when the goalie could have done that anyway? If the goalie does it then as least the defensive line is up the field. Makes zero sense.

There are many different factors why football crowds in the UK are quiet, and style of football is just one of them. Crowds in many european countries are so noisy it's embarrassing for fans in the so called home of football.

Absolute waffle if you have watched any game above bottom half championship standard by a team not managed by Steve Evans or Mick McCarthy every single half-decent team does this and in every league in Europe this is how they play football

Perhaps it is that people who have this thought process don't understand that it isn't 2002 and the best way to play football is not to hoof the ball up to Wayne Allison and feed on scraps

Also two passing teams plaaying attacking football is far more entertaining than you hoof oh no you hoof back and forth

 

[reedy63]

To be fair I can't argue against that, Houston Blade However, I still think we will finish in the top two. with more signing coming in January.

 

[reedy63]

on a different note, the new owners should get rid of the one-ticket per-supporter rule. and allow supporters to purchase tickets for family and friends.

 

[brownblade]

We're all football fans here, and I'll keep going to games as it's my hobby, but if the whole English football supporting community are honest with ourselves, it's just not a very exciting sport to watch any more is it?

If you get chance to watch any match from 15-20 years ago then do it, Sky show them regularly. It was like a different sport. End to end football has disappeared now. The roar when a ball is played down the channel for a winger/striker to run on to is all but gone because teams don't do that any more (remember that sound when the kop stood up and all the seats sprung back, when was the last time you heard that?). Tackling is now a rare thing. We barely even see crosses. There's literally nothing to get excited about any more unless there's a goal, and guess what, in the top division you can't even celebrate that until the scoreboard tells you you can 4 minutes later!

When was the last time you saw a "humdinger of a game" as they used to call them. They don't happen.

Hopefully this is just the current fashion, and it changes at some point. I fear though, that the atmosphere at English games will be a thing of the past by then, and won't ever really come back.

More and more I'm getting this point about there not being as much to shout about.

But in terms of enjoying the Football, it's worth noting your argument has shades of "the bands I liked in my day were real music".

 

[raul]

20 years ago I was up and down singing and screaming like a good un. 20 years later, I do so only occasionally - ie a goal or hurling abuse in the direction of the referee.

Why the change? I'm 20 years older. That's it really. Time for young uns in their 40's to pick up the baton.

 

[haich1889]

Family friendly & politically correct does not enhance atmosphere. i go with my daughter & she will never be as loud or vocal as me.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

I have seen this crop up a few times on here, particularly since COVID, but we need to start having a proper, open and honest discussion about the atmosphere at Bramall Lane at the moment and we need to do it without getting touchy and defensive.

I know this is quite a delicate subject because it is not a nice thing to have to admit and I think that is probably why the recent posts about this have been met with some negativity and so many excuses.

We need to come to the terms with the fact that the atmosphere at home games over the past 3/4 years has just not good enough and it is becoming borderline embarrassing.

I know people want different matchday experiences and it is not for everyone to be stood in the Kop singing for 90 minutes, and I know that many bring their young families and do not want it to be too rowdy.

But since COVID, for the most part, it has been truly awful and I think over the past year or so even the sections of the ground that have been doing their best to inject a bit of noise have slowly started to give up.

I personally want a raucous atmosphere for my matchday experience and I, like many others, probably fell in love with this club as a kid for that reason.

I know our identity as blades is built around the fact we support a proper club, with proper, honest down-to-earth, loyal fans, hailing from what I think is the best stadium in the world and I love us and our fans to bits. But the fiery cauldron, which only 9 years ago, Mauricio Pochettino described as the best atmosphere has ever experienced in England, is slowly becoming a myth that at the moment feels so far away.

I completely get that it can’t be amazing every week and when its 0-0 or cold or a midweek game it might not lend itself to being lively in the stands but since COVID I can probably count on one hand the amount of times when I have left thinking wow that was class today. And why should we only make noise when Man City are in town or when our centre half is clattering someone or the ref is bad? Or only when we are playing a brand of football we deem ‘proper’? I just don’t see it as valid to say ‘ah well we need to be entertained first…’.

What are we going to do about it? Obviously a club like ours should and would never go down the cringe faux ultras route of clubs like Boro, which is just not compatible with English fan culture in my opinion. But this issue is not going to be resolved by excuses and getting touchy about this.

I think the only solution I can see is if safe standing is brought in, which by all accounts is absolutely miles off, but at least this way, those that want this sort of matchday experience can be catered for and those that don’t can also be catered for.

Would be good to hear some honest thoughts on this.

UTB

Three words you never want to see….”we need to”.

 

[VictoryBlade]

I honestly don’t think it would make much difference, you’d still end up with a flat atmosphere if nothing is happening on the pitch.

Paul Merson was in the studio for an NFL game of all places. He said that George Graham used to tell them to get a shot in early, he didn’t care if it didn’t go in because it would get the crowd going.

I think Wilder should encourage a few early shots rather than 10 minutes of the defence passing it from side to side.

And that is the point, I'm sorry to say but the Blades at the moment are really boring! I'll give you an example of a player who would get you excited and off your seat...............................Colin Morris......................superb. Its as if football players have forgotten how to run at teh oppostion?

 

[Westran]

I've sat in the same seat on the kop for 12 years now. When it's empty there's a better atmosphere, everyone knows eachother, nobody is afraid to sing. On boxing day I had an old fella with his old Mrs, they must have been 75, never seen them before, and a family with young kids behind me. It just wasn't the same. More fans doesn't mean a better atmosphere, I think the only way to get a better atmosphere is to have safe standing or a designated section for those who want to make a racket. Everyone else will feed from it, but it's difficult to generate an atmosphere when you don't want to unsettled Fred and Mary, or if you're worried about standing up because of the kids that won't be able to see anything if you stand up all game.

 

[Houston_Blade]

To be fair I can't argue against that, Houston Blade However, I still think we will finish in the top two. with more signing coming in January.

If we repeat our results from the first half of the season we’ll be fine. The quality and quantity of signings we make are one of the keys, particularly if we lose Souttar, Souza, Arblaster for lengthy spells and have to rely on whichever forward is half fit every week. It’s going to be a challenge.

 

[ancientblade]

Regardless of the strength of the squads of Leeds and Burnley we really didn’t hurt either of them. Their forward players are definitely better than ours and defensively they were solid against us and/or we created nothing of note.

your correct but if we bring 4 quality signings in next january we will give both leeds and burnley better games in the return matches imo and think the atmosphere at the leeds home game in february will be back to the hostile electric lane atmosphere of a few years ago

 

[BangorBlade]

Sounds very quite at the Lane today on tv

 

[RWE]

Might get shot down for this but I think a big part is what are we cheering for really? To go up and get tonked every week? Even if we managed to stay up in the Prem, it’s such a shit league (something I think we can all agree on) but a necessity to keep the club alive and progressing. I agree with some of the posters about the style of English football, it really is drab now, too tactical and overanalysed.