Honest discussion about the atmosphere

[Sean Thornton]

Hard to bring that out as a reason for the game against Oxford.

What about other matches? Don’t they count? Or does that one 3-0 win negate the point?

 

[BarcaBlade]

As in drums flags and glad all over. Manufactured.

It's a somewhat existential conundrum though. We can not manufacture and not have anything.

It's some weird attitude that prevails which says we don't want to be like some organised ultras from (insert any other country/Crystal Palace) who are much more successful at creating a great atmosphere, far better than at BDTBL these days, even with 10% of the crowd, because...it's manufactured.

OK.

 

[BarcaBlade]

What about other matches? Don’t they count? Or does that one 3-0 win negate the point?

All of the matches count. The atmosphere is pretty shit whenever I go to a game there. I used to rib my Barca season ticket holding mates because the atmosphere at BDTBL was generally much better than the Camp Nou - we're going back quite a bit, but when he visited BDTBL with me, he agreed. I wouldn't want to take him there now as he'd just take the piss out of me for Blades trying to be like Barca fans (or something like that).

The 3-0 win over Oxford is imply an illustration that we can't blame the players for not delivering anything to cheer about. It's entirely on the collective fan base and the fact that that collective fanbase is either happy with how it is, can't be arsed to do anything about it and/or fails to support initiatives from others who do try to do something about it.

 

[AWetFlannel]

What about other matches? Don’t they count? Or does that one 3-0 win negate the point?

Yes, the one 3-0 win negates the point. It shows that game state isn't the cause of the lack of atmosphere.

 

[jt64]

As in drums flags and glad all over. Manufactured.

I for one will forever be confused by people wanting no atmosphere rather than "manufactured" atmosphere

 

[HighfieldBlade]

If you’re not sure what to do, have a look at the people around you on Boxing Day, who will be creating a great atmosphere against Burnley, and see if you can follow their example. The only person that can stop you from doing this is yourself.

100% this.
There's been times on the Kop when the echo chant of "Sheffield United, Sheffield United..." will start up & I'll join in but nobody around me does or they're just too shy - that's fair enough, you pays your money you can do as you please - that said, I do try to encourage them by shouting "C'mon, join in if you know the words!!"

 

[BelgianBlade]

As in drums flags and glad all over. Manufactured.

It's a somewhat existential conundrum though. We can not manufacture and not have anything.

It's some weird attitude that prevails which says we don't want to be like some organised ultras from (insert any other country/Crystal Palace) who are much more successful at creating a great atmosphere, far better than at BDTBL these days, even with 10% of the crowd, because...it's manufactured.

OK.

To add to that, it's anything but manufactured: I can't think of anything more 'grassroots' than some of the ultra groups European clubs have. Leaving their complicated politics aside, they're just a bunch of lads and lasses who take pride in their often maligned clubs/cities, and who want to express that as loudly as possible when visitors from elsewhere come to town. Anyone who supports their local club instead of some Man City-style international mega-conglomerate surely shares that sentiment to some extent, so why is it so bad when a few hundred people pull together to make a couple of flags, buy a drum and decide in advance what they're going to sing?

 

[Sean Thornton]

I for one will forever be confused by people wanting no atmosphere rather than "manufactured" atmosphere

You must be easily confused in general as nowhere have l said l’m happy with a poor atmosphere.

 

[jt64]

You must be easily confused in general as nowhere have l said l’m happy with a poor atmosphere.

Maybe I misinterpreted your "manufactured" comment as "not interested in that sort of thing, we don't do that here, let's maintain the status quo of near silence unless the ref does something dodgy while we're playing really well, precisely between the hours of 3 and 5 on a Saturday when it's sunny". I could be wrong.

 

[BarcaBlade]

Maybe I misinterpreted your "manufactured" comment as "not interested in that sort of thing, we don't do that here, let's maintain the status quo of near silence unless the ref does something dodgy while we're playing really well, precisely between the hours of 3 and 5 on a Saturday when it's sunny". I could be wrong.

It's ironic when there are complaints about the ref wanting to be the centre of attention when the reality is that to generate a decent atmosphere, we're actually begging for exactly that.

 

[Sean Thornton]

All of the matches count. The atmosphere is pretty shit whenever I go to a game there. I used to rib my Barca season ticket holding mates because the atmosphere at BDTBL was generally much better than the Camp Nou - we're going back quite a bit, but when he visited BDTBL with me, he agreed. I wouldn't want to take him there now as he'd just take the piss out of me for Blades trying to be like Barca fans (or something like that).

The 3-0 win over Oxford is imply an illustration that we can't blame the players for not delivering anything to cheer about. It's entirely on the collective fan base and the fact that that collective fanbase is either happy with how it is, can't be arsed to do anything about it and/or fails to support initiatives from others who do try to do something about it.

How many posts can you point me too where people say they are “happy” with how things are. That’s a nonsense claim, just filler. CBA? Obviously some truth in that but how do you reconcile that with those who were constantly hooting up about it when Ricky made his attempt who never really tried to back it? It wasn’t the naysayers who ended that, it was those who”proper fans” who didn’t bother.


The Ultra concept abroad is a bit more than what happens at Palace on match days. I have no problem whatsoever with standing/singing sections whatsoever, or people who want them. I just find the idea that someone is a better blade because they sing a ridiculous notion that takes nothing else, age etc, into consideration. I was at most away games up until a couple of years ago - always standing - until mobility issues made it very difficult to stand for the full game. So, rather than decide it was all about me and just moan “siddarn” at people , l stopped nearly all away games. Maybe l should be like you and want everyone to toe my line?

 

[Sean Thornton]

Maybe I misinterpreted your "manufactured" comment as "not interested in that sort of thing, we don't do that here, let's maintain the status quo of near silence unless the ref does something dodgy while we're playing really well, precisely between the hours of 3 and 5 on a Saturday when it's sunny". I could be wrong.

Like many others we probably have all done that thing in the past. The fact that it
Doesnt happen these days isn’t a reason to claim people don’t give a monkeys about supporting the team.

We’ve already seen the claim that some people are “happy with no atmosphere” a phrase that no one on here has ever claimed.

 

[Bennyand the Blades]

When I first started going the theory was all the atmosphere was lost because the cricket pitch made the Lane a three sided ground,
More recently it's been the seating argument that totally ignores the Hillsbugger tragedy, and those crews that came to try and take over the Kop by pushing people down the concrete steps. happy day's
Personally I think it's has a lot to do with our last season and the fear if promoted that next could be even worse...

 

[BouncinBlade]

We took 1300 to millwall, almost everyone top of the league would take that amount and millwalls atmosphere is 20x better than ours, not even an argument.

Majority of fans at other clubs would disagree on this. I disagree. Bramall lane isn't voted one of the best away days for no reason. The atmosphere isn't always going to be at its best when we're winning the majority of games. Sometimes we need a wank ref or an opposition player to piss us off. Overall I think it's good especially on big occasions

 

[Sean Thornton]

To add to that, it's anything but manufactured: I can't think of anything more 'grassroots' than some of the ultra groups European clubs have. Leaving their complicated politics aside, they're just a bunch of lads and lasses who take pride in their often maligned clubs/cities, and who want to express that as loudly as possible when visitors from elsewhere come to town. Anyone who supports their local club instead of some Man City-style international mega-conglomerate surely shares that sentiment to some extent, so why is it so bad when a few hundred people pull together to make a couple of flags, buy a drum and decide in advance what they're going to sing?

And how long were they at it - without flags and drum - before it really took off and they gained recognition as a protest group as well? It took a few years. Our, sorry, your attempt lasted for just a few games before not being arsed. The excuse these days appears to be it wasn’t well organised but Ricky did make a concerted effort.


At the end of the day, rather than blaming other fans, meet up, get organised and have a plan. Some work there l know, hard work with logistics issues, but if it’s really what you want it, sensible dialogue with the club has to be a starting point. Demanding other fans be moved from there seats isn’t it though.

 

[Blademan18891889]

And how long were they at it - without flags and drum - before it really took off and they gained recognition as a protest group as well? It took a few years. Our, sorry, your attempt lasted for just a few games before not being arsed. The excuse these days appears to be it wasn’t well organised but Ricky did make a concerted effort.


At the end of the day, rather than blaming other fans, meet up, get organised and have a plan. Some work there l know, hard work with logistics issues, but if it’s really what you want it, sensible dialogue with the club has to be a starting point. Demanding other fans be moved from there seats isn’t it though.

They are not there seats. How many fucking times, they are Sheffield united football clubs. We have too many season ticket holders and not enough empty seats to ever create anything without the clubs help. That's as simple as that. The ground is big enough to accommodate everybody that wants to sit, wants to stand, wants to be quiet, wants to be loud, but it needs a reset and needs a hell of a lot of help from the club. I don't personally understand why people would be against this tbh. Everybody will end up happy both ways, even if you have to move somewhere different from a seat you've rented for 20 years, it's hardly fucking life changing.

 

[Sean Thornton]

They are not there seats. How many fucking times, they are Sheffield united football clubs. We have too many season ticket holders and not enough empty seats to ever create anything without the clubs help. That's as simple as that. The ground is big enough to accommodate everybody that wants to sit, wants to stand, wants to be quiet, wants to be loud, but it needs a reset and needs a hell of a lot of help from the club. I don't personally understand why people would be against this tbh. Everybody will end up happy both ways, even if you have to move somewhere different from a seat you've rented for 20 years, it's hardly fucking life changing.

Too many season tickets. O…Kay.

JMJ&TLD

 

[BladeByChoice]

I for one will forever be confused by people wanting no atmosphere rather than "manufactured" atmosphere

Its not as simple as that, any manufactured atmosphere has to start with the fans who want to manufacture the atmosphere standing together.

They can then bang the drum, sing off the song sheet, wave the banners, do whatever.

But (no brainer) if the fans who want to stand and sing are stood together we don’t need any of that shit, the atmosphere will take care of itself, sorry to keep banging on the same drum (no pun intended) about this, but its not who we are, its where we are.

Maybe a more direct approach is needed, so, if you’re at the back of the kop or in G/H blocks and don’t want to stand and sing, fuck off somewhere else.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

I think bring back goal music.

 

[Fjortoft's Aeroplane]

I think bring back goal music.

Be more interesting if it was a few different songs on rotation rather than Tom Hark again n again.

 

[alcoblade]

If we all took an honest look at ourselves and moved to a part of the ground that provides the supporter experience that we want, the atmosphere would take care of itself.

And that won't happen without the club managing it - but you're right there needs to be some motivation there.

Though I'd argue good atmospheres lead to better outcomes (and better supporter experience all round), and that's where the money is.

 

[ancientblade]

the best atmospheres at the lane over the last few years have always been through adversity either through being underdogs or a fiery game on the pitch but as an oldie never been the same since seats went on the kop in 92 60s to the end of the 80s the shoreham end was far more noisier most of the time

 

[BladesOnToast]

What about other matches? Don’t they count? Or does that one 3-0 win negate the point?

At best Blades performance I have ever witnessed - the 3-0 win over Burnley in the Prem (Burnley were an established top-tier side at the time, not 2nd tier newly promoted) - the atmosphere was shite.

 

[utd4ever]

It would be quite easy to get a better atmosphere. Take a section of the kop. Make it standing and allow big flags, drums and flares.
Give a fan megaphone duty and get him starting the chants.

Also get a furnace and when we score have a steelmaker shove some metal through it.

We also need the cheerleaders at half time.

 

[Torrix1889]

I certainly don't want flags, clappers, drums or any of that shite.

But the atmosphere at BDTBL, Pig game apart this season has been really flat, almost non-existent, (I could excuse it last season) not sure why and not sure what the answer is but the away fans are right, "football in a library"...

It was far more buoyant the promotion season under Hecky...

 

[Blademan18891889]

Too many season tickets. O…Kay.

JMJ&TLD

What the fuck does that mean , you're obviously the main poster on this forum , that's fairly clear but you've really got an issue about this one haven't you. Where's the seat you rent, is that what worries you losing it?

 

[west_yorks_blade]

the best atmospheres at the lane over the last few years have always been through adversity either through being underdogs or a fiery game on the pitch but as an oldie never been the same since seats went on the kop in 92 60s to the end of the 80s the shoreham end was far more noisier most of the time

Totally agree, but when I said this earlier on this thread, I was accused of pedalling a fallacy.
So that’s two of us with delusional memories.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Why do people automatically assume there are this mysterious group of people who if there was some standing the Lane would turn into the Nou Camp?

I started going in 1984 and on the old kop and JSW stood up and there were some shit atmospheres then.

One of main problems now which wasn't as prevelalant then is the sheer number of fuckwits who are younger now more interested in snorting coke or filming vloggage instead of creating an atmosphere.

 

[Sean Thornton]

What the fuck does that mean , you're obviously the main poster on this forum , that's fairly clear but you've really got an issue about this one haven't you. Where's the seat you rent, is that what worries you losing it?

Firstly, you need to get it out of your head that you’ve stumbled across some hugely relevant point about seat “ownership”. It’s semantics and you clearly aren’t Susie Dent or Rumpole. Their seat, yes that’s how you spell it, or my seat are just terms. I doubt there are many people actually believe they own the seat so you need to take that particular tattered feather out of your Bigger Blade cap. But to enlighten you further, the seat isn’t “rented”. With a season ticket you have a binding contract in which the seat is “yours” for the use of for league matches for a season, subject to the clubs terms and conditions. Those terms probably include the club being able to move you if it so desires or has too. So put the fucking wig and gown down until you’re better informed.

Main poster. Do you want to explain what that has to do with the debate. Grow up ffs.

South Stand. Unlikely to lose it for a standing or singing section. You really need to think about the possible answers before asking questions and suggesting l may be worried in some way. Or do you just assume everyone sits in silence near you whilst you fight the good fight?

 

[BigBed]

T shirts fired into the stands and cheerleaders will help

Cheerleaders fired into the crowd without T-shirts, now that's my kind of atmosphere!!!