improvement in atmosphere

[scholarblade]

The improvement in performances obviously created a far more positive atmosphere at the lane towards the end of last season but what also helped was the increase in the number of fans aroung gangway G on the kop who want to come and sing and support the team throughout the game.
We've 'sat' in the top corner for years, a mixed bunch if ever there was! But we've always tried to get the atmosphere going. The increase in like minded fans certainly helped and more new faces back there for next season would increase the volume further and get the ground banging.
if you fancy a change of seats when renewing get to the top of gangway G, if its not your thing there will be plenty of room elsewhere!

 

[bornablade]

I take my hat off to you scholarbalde. Obviously there's been a long tradition of singing and chanting from the back of the Shoreham. The efforts you are putting in is helping the club attract a new set of fans (younger ones in particular). I remember in the '60's when I first went to BDTBL for a first team game being in awe of the kop and its atmosphere. Your predecessors at the top of the Shoreham helped convince me there was no other club that I wanted to support and no other part of the ground where I wanted to be.

Youngsters today once they've tasted the atmosphere will tell others at school what a fantastic experience it is and they'll want to be part of it. Keep up the good work. When I listen to NC speak he appreciates exactly what you are doing.

 

[Esablade]

Just on so many levels...

 

[scholarblade]

The lane creates a fantastic atmosphere when everybody is in good voice, when reflecting on most of the memorable games like wins over liverpool, leeds, arsenal and the arrogant neifhbours the atmosphere adds to the memory.
Everybody is raving about the atmosphere at palace now, which is excellent but i've been there when there was only about 70 in that bottom right corner and they weren't that noisy, just shows how things can develop.
The introduction of safe standing would be a massive help too of course

 

[Damski]

Love those fellas in the top corner, every time I look round they're standing and singing. Can't be doing with the shit view tho, so if it's all the same to you, I'll be renewing my season ticket in the centre of the stand.

 

[SWBlade]

Keep it going pal, there needs to be a proper singing section at the Lane. It can seem quiet at times but what you're doing will help things. Don't stop fighting for that section, Palaces fans are only loud because that section gets the ground going. Obviously it helps being in prem.

 

[Pinchy]

Keep it going pal, there needs to be a proper singing section at the Lane. It can seem quiet at times but what you're doing will help things. Don't stop fighting for that section, Palaces fans are only loud because that section gets the ground going. Obviously it helps being in prem.

I agree entirely. Why not make the lower tier at the Bramall Lane end an unreserved area for Blades? The lads who get the songs going in various areas could all gather together there. You could still sell season tickets for the area subject to, very occasionally, moving for cup-ties.

It would go from strength to strength as we move up the leagues in the next few years.

 

[Foxy]

Alternatively, people could just make some noise without a dedicated "section".

Always used to work.

 

[scholarblade]

It used to work when the kop was standing and singers stood at the back, since all seating the atmosphere was great when we were going up and when we were underdogs every week in the premiership, but lets be honest since the slide and dispersal of h block in the south stand, for the most part the atmosphere has been very average. It can be great when theres the buzz of a

 

[scholarblade]

Big game but with small away followings and teams sittung back against us it can be quiet for spells.
Its at these times when the team needs the backing, it also makes the match day experience more pleasurable.
I don't think i've ever heard a manager or player say that they appreciated the fans for remaining quiet and thoughtful throughout the match, which also enabled them to hear the targeted abusive shouts of the random village idiot in the crowd!!

 

[cooperblade]

Alternatively, people could just make some noise without a dedicated "section".

Always used to work.

I think it's a bit more difficult than it used to be and it's good if people are making an effort to try and recreate some of the atmosphere we used to enjoy. Maybe a generalisation but as a fanbase I think we're a bit cynical about things that, generally, younger fans try and do to create a bit of noise. Yes, it's more forced than it used to be but we used to have standing, we used to have far fewer early kick-offs, the policing was different. The game was different.

Fair play to the lads at Palace and the lads at the back of our Kop. I think football needs people like you to help slow down the general sanitisation process a bit.

 

[Foxy]

I think it's a bit more difficult than it used to be and it's good if people are making an effort to try and recreate some of the atmosphere we used to enjoy. Maybe a generalisation but as a fanbase I think we're a bit cynical about things that, generally, younger fans try and do to create a bit of noise. Yes, it's more forced than it used to be but we used to have standing, we used to have far fewer early kick-offs, the policing was different. The game was different.

Fair play to the lads at Palace and the lads at the back of our Kop. I think football needs people like you to help slow down the general sanitisation process a bit.

I wouldn't say my post was cynicism towards others efforts or methods, more towards the efforts of everyone as a whole

Surely there aren't many who turn up every week hoping it's quiet? so why not make more noise?

 

[cooperblade]

Surely there aren't many who turn up every week hoping it's quiet? so why not make more noise?

Because we're a bunch of miserable, lethargic sods?

The Charlton game showed just how good it can still be - somehow need to get closer to that level more often.

 

[scholarblade]

We tend to lack optimism by nature, its comes from being let down so often we are waiting for things to go tits up. But i can honestly say i haven't sensed such collective positivity and optimism for decades as there is at the moment, which is why the time may be right.

Until it all goes tits up of course!!

 

[alcoblade]

Alternatively, people could just make some noise without a dedicated "section".

Always used to work.

It has never worked in seated grounds really. We've had spells of good atmosphere's but as much because of the underdog spirit. Overall, the atmosphere needs a nucleus from which to grow. You can argue that it doesn't need to be that way, but it always it.

The atmosphere is generated by sections. Encouraging them to be bigger can only be a good thing.

UTB

 

[Maidenhead]

I sit in the middle of the kop and one of the biggest issues is a confusing divide.

At every game I will hear the lads at the back to the right of me start up a song at almost exactly the same time as the lads at the back to the left start a different one.

Now I'm always up for joining in but it's a hell of a problem deciding which song to join in with.

All that's needed is better teamwork off the pitch to co-ordinate the songs and Bramall Lane will rock as many more folk will join in.

 

[scholarblade]

Megaphones like they use in some countries in europe would make things easier, but we'd probably need a fire certificate which would be refused!!!

 

[alcoblade]

I sit in the middle of the kop and one of the biggest issues is a confusing divide.

At every game I will hear the lads at the back to the right of me start up a song at almost exactly the same time as the lads at the back to the left start a different one.

Now I'm always up for joining in but it's a hell of a problem deciding which song to join in with.

All that's needed is better teamwork off the pitch to co-ordinate the songs and Bramall Lane will rock as many more folk will join in.

this is very true. Lots of songs are killed by the opposing groups.

UTB

 

[scholarblade]

This is one of the reasons for trying to bring the various groups together.
We used to have prime seats 3/4 way up the kop right behind the goal, but moved to the top corner where it is far more relaxed and we can stand and sing without upsetting anybody, well not too much!!
i don't mind the view back there, the snakyB's in the scholar beforehand usually impair my vision anyway!!

 

[Maidenhead]

This is one of the reasons for trying to bring the various groups together.
We used to have prime seats 3/4 way up the kop right behind the goal, but moved to the top corner where it is far more relaxed and we can stand and sing without upsetting anybody, well not too much!!
i don't mind the view back there, the snakyB's in the scholar beforehand usually impair my vision anyway!!

You must have been very close to me in row JJ then.

What you need is the two groups to move towards the centre back and become one.

 

[Fev-blade]

When I go up to Ibrox to watch rangers they have a section for a group of fans that call them selves "the union bears" think there are about 200 of them and all season ticket holders I think and all sit in this one section.
The thing is they literally never shut up so even in a poor boring game you can hear some atmosphere.
Also the organise the card displays by putting a different colour card on every seat in ground so when held up they create a picture or spell out something,,looks impressive when you see it and must take some planning...the one for the Remembrance Day last year was real good in my opinion.

 

[Pinchy]

This is one of the reasons for trying to bring the various groups together.
We used to have prime seats 3/4 way up the kop right behind the goal, but moved to the top corner where it is far more relaxed and we can stand and sing without upsetting anybody, well not too much!!
i don't mind the view back there, the snakyB's in the scholar beforehand usually impair my vision anyway!!

What do you think of the idea of unreserved seating on BLLT? Surely worth a try? Would bring the competing groups together.

 

[MBoreman]

I sit central on the family stand and while the views good the atmospheres terrible. As there's only 2/3 of us who want to sing it's hard to do really as I don't fancy looking like a loon singing on my own (also think it feels slightly odd singing while sat). I'd like a move to the Kop for atmosphere but I've sat in the same place for years and have no intention of moving so I've come to accept away days are my only source of atmosphere. At home I always feel reliant on the Kop to stop any taunts from League 1's many small fan bases about how appalling our support is.

 

[Sirius]

Megaphones like they use in some countries in europe would make things easier, but we'd probably need a fire certificate which would be refused!!!

You could always invite the Piggie band NOT

 

[scholarblade]

Certainly dont want have a pig band, dont want to be ultras, just want to be a group of blades who enjoy a decent atmosphere, getting behind the team and want bramall lane to be known for having a great atmosphere.
We know we'll never be winning stuff year in year out, we enjoy any success of any sort when it comes, but we can be renowned for having fanatical and noisy support whatever the match wherever we are in terms of league position.
We're not blades to chase glory, we're blades because of what we are n we're blades for life, so lets bloidy enjoy it and celebrate it.
Fk the rest!

 

[cahill]

I'm an old 'un at 60 but when I go on my todd without the grandkids I prefer to stand at the back of the kop, that way you're not upsetting people lower down by selfishly ruining their view. The atmosphere at the back is the closest you can get to an old style atmosphere.

Must say I agree with Foxy about "sections" dedicated to singers, it's another creeping example of sanitising the match day experience. A crowd can organically create its own atmosphere, we don't need a fucking band, some prat on a megaphone, as they do abroad, or a screen with the words of a song on. We also don't need stewards telling us to calm down, unless its aggressive violent behaviour or racist/homophobic singing.

I believe that there has been too much influence by the campaigners of the Liverpool 96 group understandable as that is in respect of bringing sanity and civilised behaviour into football grounds, but they are absolutely against standing in grounds

 

[metalblade]

Sod making the lane end unreserved seating for home fans that would only further split any vocal support. It would be much better to make the back 10 rows on the kop a safe standing area or at least unreserved seating then those that wanted to jump about and make some noise could do so without upsetting anyone. Get the vocal support at the back of the kop and the people lower down join in, much better than two groups singing different songs in the top corners

 

[scholarblade]

it is difficult to bring everybody together in the middle at the back because there will be existing season ticket holders in there, many of whom obviously don't start songs and some who don't like standing, which is why the singing comes from the 2 corners, it seems logical to try to merge some of the fans currently starting different songs at the same time.

 

[scholarblade]

another thing is that unlike the arrogants who only have 2 or 3 songs (although they are constantly trying to nick ours) and the occassional bounce, we have so many different songs that several different ones start at the same time. i found this at wembley when we were trying to get something going a different song was coming the other way, it made for a wall of noise which was great, but for the most part it wasn't as one

 

[Bladeforlife]

I started standing in that corner of the Kop at the start of the season and I've been really impressed..mix of old and young fans up there but at times we make a right noise between us..while having a bit of fun at the same time..for example the Shrewsbury game earlier in the season - low crowd, shit weather, freezing temperatures but we had a few doing a conga! The Forest and Charlton games were quality throughout the ground I'd imagine and then on Saturday there was 5 minutes when we sang the 'Allez Allez Oh' song non stop and it sounded class! I'd definitely recommend getting/moving your season ticket up there for next season..