Effects of attendance on players

[Barney]

Not a "fans fault" thing in any way, I think it's incredible we're getting as many through the gates as we are in our fifth season in this division.

One side of this argument might be that playing in front of a bigger crowd makes for more effort, better atmosphere and a lot of encouragement etc. which is all well and good when you're playing well. When you're not playing so well however, the hostility can only have a negative impact on performance.

Personally I think players playing in front of a lower volume of fans are less inclined to feel as much pressure, and are thus able to be more relaxed on the pitch. Confidence and a willingness to take risks as well as a more attacking style of play will inevitably follow that up, which can only be of benefit to the team both as individuals and as a unit.

Which is why in a weird sort of way, as much as it would be a representative indictment of the situation we're in, I'd be a little more encouraged if ST sales were to drop as much as has been widely expected.

Thoughts?

 

[JohnDenver]

My thought is if the players show fight first, then the fans, regardless of number, will give them more scope to relax and to play.

If the players stroll about, allow opponents to run off them, refuse to close down, never put a foot in... Well, then they deserve to have their precious egos crushed.

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Personally I think players playing in front of a lower volume of fans are less inclined to feel as much pressure, and are thus able to be more relaxed on the pitch.

Well then they can get lost and play for another side with smaller crowds, as we only want players that relish the opportunity to play in front of such a great supported team.

 

[micksterblade]

Ok, so whats happening when we play away from home infront of 3000/4000 people?

 

[Barney]

Ok, so whats happening when we play away from home infront of 3000/4000 people?

In short, when the players are as bad as ours are at the minute there's not much attendances can do in the way of performances. I was thinking more next season when we might just have a better squad of players.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Our biggest win in all games this season was in front of 5,000.

When this team have dragged United in 4th division oblivion we'll eventually storm the league with similar crowds.

Futures bright

 

[blade67]

As soon as we get some players with balls, they'll love to play at BDTBL

Crap players will never like it

 

[Jonboy60]

Ok, so whats happening when we play away from home infront of 3000/4000 people?

All the bad supporters, travel en masse.

 

[Blade82]

Don't think the numbers have an impact on performance. Atmosphere does. Players feed off it. Chicken and egg at the moment though we need a lift as fans to get us going again but the players need to feel we're with them. The ball is in their court, show us that they care and we will respond.

 

[Trafford]

Which is why in a weird sort of way, as much as it would be a representative indictment of the situation we're in, I'd be a little more encouraged if ST sales were to drop as much as has been widely expected.

Thoughts?

So what are you advocating Barney, that those who don't go to the games are doing the club a favour by staying away? I dare say that for some of our fans that may be true but for different reasons.

 

[northsomersetblade]

Poor little things. They need a bit of cheering to feel loved and do their jobs they think

They need to try a bit of time in a mine chipping at the coalface, or working on the till at Tesco's, or carrying bricks in a yard, or wiping old bags arses in a home. Freaking pathetic idiots.

 

[Barney]

So what are you advocating Barney, that those who don't go to the games are doing the club a favour by staying away? I dare say that for some of our fans that may be true but for different reasons.

Not at all, I think you might be being a bit deliberately presumptuous there. What I'm saying is that the players are likely to put in better performances the fewer the people watching them. That's a separate point to whether or not I think the support we get is outstanding, because it obviously is.

 

[Deleted member 875]

Not at all, I think you might be being a bit deliberately presumptuous there. What I'm saying is that the players are likely to put in better performances the fewer the people watching them. That's a separate point to whether or not I think the support we get is outstanding, because it obviously is.

So was the FA Cup 6th Round win against Charlton the exception to the rule? Was the cup wins against Forest, Southampton and the brave effort against Tottenham also exceptions to the rule?

I think you should go back to your OP and read it again and look at how ridiculous it actually sounds. The Lane with 10-12k in it is a shit atmosphere and will inspire absolutely nobody playing for the Blades.

 

[Esablade]

Not a "fans fault" thing in any way, I think it's incredible we're getting as many through the gates as we are in our fifth season in this division.

One side of this argument might be that playing in front of a bigger crowd makes for more effort, better atmosphere and a lot of encouragement etc. which is all well and good when you're playing well. When you're not playing so well however, the hostility can only have a negative impact on performance.

Personally I think players playing in front of a lower volume of fans are less inclined to feel as much pressure, and are thus able to be more relaxed on the pitch. Confidence and a willingness to take risks as well as a more attacking style of play will inevitably follow that up, which can only be of benefit to the team both as individuals and as a unit.

Which is why in a weird sort of way, as much as it would be a representative indictment of the situation we're in, I'd be a little more encouraged if ST sales were to drop as much as has been widely expected.

Thoughts?

What a proper wanker's post.

Still, you are personally doing all you can to reduce the attendance and relieve the burden...

 

[Barney]

So was the FA Cup 6th Round win against Charlton the exception to the rule? Was the cup wins against Forest, Southampton and the brave effort against Tottenham also exceptions to the rule?

I think you should go back to your OP and read it again and look at how ridiculous it actually sounds. The Lane with 10-12k in it is a shit atmosphere and will inspire absolutely nobody playing for the Blades.

I do hope you read this part of the OP too "one side of this argument might be that playing in front of a bigger crowd makes for more effort, better atmosphere and a lot of encouragement etc. which is all well and good when you're playing well." We played excellently in all of those games you mention. On the whole, we haven't been playing very well all season at home.

My point is that when a team plays excellently from the off, attendances don't particularly matter but high ones are beneficial. Similarly, when a team is playing particularly poorly as ours generally have been at home this season, attendances can't do much to change that either way, high or low. Anything above very poor and below excellent and I think a lower attendance is favourable for a higher performance level.

 

[Barney]

What a proper wanker's post.

 

[Deleted member 875]

I do hope you read this part of the OP too "one side of this argument might be that playing in front of a bigger crowd makes for more effort, better atmosphere and a lot of encouragement etc. which is all well and good when you're playing well." We played particularly well in all of those games you mention. On the whole, we haven't been playing very well all season at home.

My point is that when a team plays excellently from the off, attendances don't particularly matter but high ones are beneficial. Similarly, when a team is playing particularly poorly as ours generally have been at home this season, attendances can't do much to change that either way, high or low. Anything above very poor and below excellent and I think a lower attendance is favourable for a higher performance level.

Our best performance of the season, a 3-1 win against Bradford in December also came on a day when i think it was our biggest attendance of the season, having a cursory glance we also beat Chesterfield 2-0 in front of a better than normal attendance, whilst lower than normal attendances yielded poor performances with a 2-3 defeat against Colchester and a 2-4 defeat against Shrewsbury.

So it proves your point about anything between very poor and excellent, the lower attendance to be favourable for a higher performances to be idiotic nonsense.

 

[Esablade]

No answer.
Yet again...

Becoming a habit this Barney

Another sad case..

 

[Barney]

Our best performance of the season, a 3-1 win against Bradford in December also came on a day when i think it was our biggest attendance of the season, having a cursory glance we also beat Chesterfield 2-0 in front of a better than normal attendance, whilst lower than normal attendances yielded poor performances with a 2-3 defeat against Colchester and a 2-4 defeat against Shrewsbury.

So it proves your point about anything between very poor and excellent, the lower attendance to be favourable for a higher performances to be idiotic nonsense.

Saying that because we lost being watched by a couple of thousand less than when we won a few games isn't a valid point at all because I'm talking about a bit of a bigger difference in attendance than the marginal (in terms of our attendances) one's in those you've just mentioned.

 

[Barney]

No answer.
Yet again...

Becoming a habit this Barney

Another sad case..

Sad cases resort to personal abuse when they don't agree with/not on a level to understand a post.

 

[Deleted member 875]

Saying that because we lost being watched by a couple of thousand less than when we won a few games isn't a valid point at all because I'm talking about a bit of a bigger difference in attendance than the marginal (in terms of our attendances) one's in those you've just mentioned.

I'm still not getting your point. Is it an easy or different concept to grasp and is there logic involved or not?

 

[Barney]

I'm still not getting your point. Is it an easy or different concept to grasp and is there logic involved or not?

I'm saying when a team is playing somewhere between the extreme ends of the performance level for that particular team, a lower (and by lower I mean more than a couple of thousand, as I'd assume a couple of thousand isn't exactly noticeable to the players) attendance is favourable for promoting higher confidence and better performance.

You tried saying that point was invalid by pointing to fixtures we had lost having an attendance lower (by a couple of thousand ish) than one we had won. The problem with that point is that my original point was about a difference in attendance by a lot more than a couple of thousand.

 

[Deleted member 875]

I'm saying when a team is playing somewhere between the extreme ends of the performance level for that particular team, a lower (and by lower I mean more than a couple of thousand, as I'd assume a couple of thousand isn't exactly noticeable to the players) attendance is favourable for promoting higher confidence and better performance.

You tried saying that point was invalid by pointing to fixtures we had lost having an attendance lower (by a couple of thousand ish) than one we had won. The problem with that point is that my original point was about a difference in attendance by a lot more than a couple of thousand.

So what are you trying to say?

 

[Barney]

So what are you trying to say?

That I made a point, which you tried arguing against. I'm saying the point with which you tried doing that is invalid. Because it is, for reasons I've outlined further up.

 

[Esablade]

Sad cases resort to personal abuse when they don't agree with/not on a level to understand a post.

No personal abuse there.
Just facts.

You're unable to respond to..as per ..nothing to see here..as per ...

 

[Barney]

No personal abuse there.
Just facts.

I think you're a few sandwiches short of a picnic, bless your heart...

 

[Esablade]

I think you're a few sandwiches short of a picnic, bless your heart...

I think you're running out of anything to say..hence your last few 'reply's'..or non-replies as the case maybe .

Stick to slagging Adkins off..you're on much firmer ground there currently...

 

[Barney]

I think you're running out of anything to say..hence your last few 'reply's'..or non-replies as the case maybe .

Stick to slagging Adkins off..you're on much firmer ground there currently...

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Attendances and motivation - If I have got the gist of this right the argument is if you are off form and lacking confidence you are better off playing to smaller crowds.

I suppose (quite apart from the psychological difference between say 5000 people telling you that you are not fit to wear the shirt and 20,0000 - which I'd say is marginal if the vast majority are criticising in both scenarios) you also have to factor in the confidence effect of knowing that your performances have reduced attendances at the club by that amount ( which will do nothing for your confidence) and combine this with the extra negative attention that will be paid to your performances by the club paymasters as it will be hitting them in their pocket (which will also destabilise confidence further). Its a bit like saying getting relegated is a good thing - its not.

If you can't play in front of a crowd but play like Messi on the training ground it probably means that psychologically you can't hack it and you are in the wrong job or you need professional help. You should want to play in front of 20,000 if you want to be a successful footballer, otherwise you choke in the big games.

 

[Barney]

Attendances and motivation - If I have got the gist of this right the argument is if you are off form and lacking confidence you are better off playing to smaller crowds.

I suppose (quite apart from the psychological difference between say 5000 people telling you that you are not fit to wear the shirt and 20,0000 - which I'd say is marginal if the vast majority are criticising in both scenarios) you also have to factor in the confidence effect of knowing that your performances have reduced attendances at the club by that amount ( which will do nothing for your confidence) and combine this with the extra negative attention that will be paid to your performances by the club paymasters as it will be hitting them in their pocket (which will also destabilise confidence further). Its a bit like saying getting relegated is a good thing - its not.

If you can't play in front of a crowd but play like Messi on the training ground it probably means that psychologically you can't hack it and you are in the wrong job or you need professional help. You should want to play in front of 20,000 if you want to be a successful footballer, otherwise you choke in the big games.

The point about confidence dropping as a result of players knowing they've dropped attendances by such an amount - well, this is largely insignificant because it was a broader point about how likely players are to play well in stadiums of different attendance first with reference to SUFC second. Your point put to the broader argument doesn't apply, as it was a general point. Your point is insignificant to SUFC specifically too because as I say in the OP and further up, it was, as well all sort of linked in with attendances possibly dropping by a large margin next season and if what is expected is to happen, the majority of the playing squad will be different to the one which caused the drop in attendances.

On the paymasters point - again, doesn't apply to the general point, not relevant to SUFC either as new players wouldn't be bothered about what the paymasters think, because they didn't cause that paymaster mindset, other players did. Nothing to do with them.

It's not a case of not being able to hack it. This shows a lack of understanding of physchology in the footballing game. Confidence and the mental side od things affects most players in their careers. Struggling for confidence is not a case of not being able to hack it and packing it in. There would be hardly any footballers if that were the case.