Improvements needed in match day atmosphere?

[bongleblade]

Many people who sit on the kop, sit where they stood 3 years ago. The difference is they've become old bastards, and don't want to stand, or sing. They are taking up what should be the "singing section".

I'm one of them, but I'm in a minority that still sing / crave the old atmosphere, and would happily stand / move to bring it back.

true, used to go with my mates on kop 5yrs back, we’d sing for the whole match pretty much, went to a match with em again recently and didnt hear a peep from em

Maybe the answer is getting more youth in? And i dont mean kids, i mean get local college/secondary school/sixth form kids coming.

Free tickets via Norton, YTS and Sheffield college would do it i bet!

 

[Shef482]

Safe standing areas are the way forward.
An area at the back of the kop as well as an area at the front for the kids.

I remember my early time on the kop when it was all standing and many of the kids would meet up behind the net every week and friendships were formed that lasted a lifetime.

 

[TimofeeVee]

Watching Palace v Arsenal, I realised I don't care where we are, Prem, Champ, non league....it's the atmosphere, and buzz of the day out I'm after.
There's enough people who feel similarly, and change will come!!

 

[Rodley]

true, used to go with my mates on kop 5yrs back, we’d sing for the whole match pretty much, went to a match with em again recently and didnt hear a peep from em

Maybe the answer is getting more youth in? And i dont mean kids, i mean get local college/secondary school/sixth form kids coming.

Free tickets via Norton, YTS and Sheffield college would do it i bet!

A rail seating area will bring youngsters in / see them assemble themselves in that area along with the singers.

At the end of the day what sort of business would ignore the matchday offer for 15-29 year olds? Once they are in at that age they are in for life.

 

[cahill]

I’m sure that makes sense to you.

You can’t hear the noise from the back for fowks shouting at you to sit darn you drunken oaf LOL

 

[BobblesBlade]

Panpipes create a nice atmosphere

 

[MobileBlade]

I mean we've been down this discussion before. All the things that are a normal part of creating & sustaining an atmosphere at grounds outside England are poo poohed as too cringeworthy and below us...

Actually disagree with you on that. Think ultras do create an atmosphere, just not with someone with a loud haler conducting them.

Also proper fans zones outside the ground before the games is fantastic with outside bar, some live band and supporters from both clubs mixing. Just the weather in this country plus the tribunal instinct of a minority of fans who think opposition fans are there for taunting and punching put pay to it.

 

[Rodley]

Actually disagree with you on that. Think ultras do create an atmosphere, just not with someone with a loud haler conducting them.

Also proper fans zones outside the ground before the games is fantastic with outside bar, some live band and supporters from both clubs mixing. Just the weather in this country plus the tribunal instinct of a minority of fans who think opposition fans are there for gaunting put pay to it.

If I was wanting to increase revenue streams, I’d look at building a temporary “fan park” on surplus land at the back of the Kop. Have a stage, a bit of music, street food, local beer. Get people through the turnstiles and in the ground spending money from 1pm.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Actually disagree with you on that. Think ultras do create an atmosphere, just not with someone with a loud haler conducting them.

Also proper fans zones outside the ground before the games is fantastic with outside bar, some live band and supporters from both clubs mixing. Just the weather in this country plus the tribunal instinct of a minority of fans who think opposition fans are there for gaunting put pay to it.

ALL chants inside a football ground are started & instigated by ONE PERSON. (Note - not necessarily the same person every time). They either start the chant themselves in the hope/expectation that many others will join in. Or they say to the handful of people around them - start singing XYZ in 3-2-1, in the hope/expectation that many others will join in.

It doesn't bother me (personally) whether they have a loud hailer or not.

Part of the problem in English grounds is the repertoire. I've been to games abroad where the Ultras sing loud n proud for 90 minutes & NEVER repeat the same song twice. Fair enough. Might not be everyone's cup of tea. But, you need an amount of orchestration to make that happen.

And, you are right...
(For eg) I drank in the Dhillon's Brewery Bar outside the ground at Coventry. I was made to feel welcome & I love mixing with the home fans before games.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Drums is the only real answer to get some rhythm going like at Derby and Boro

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Too many women and kids on the kop. Kids on their tablets or phones and folk filming the game and therefore watching it on their screen whilst the game is actually on in front of them. There's a video of PSV fans at Leicester last night. Not a woman in sight. Made a racket.

Safe standing (or rail seating if you will) is the answer. The back 10 rows of the kop stand up anyway so it wouldn't bother them much. Away games tend to be dictated noise-wise from the back where everyone is again always stood up. Each to their own of course, but I prefer a good racket for 90 minutes.

Obviously costs are an issue.

Should be a separate section for women. Headscarves should also be mandatory.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

We simply are not Iceland.....

Nowt like a dose of the clap to get you moving.

 

[stringjunior]

Many people who sit on the kop, sit where they stood 3 years ago. The difference is they've become old bastards, and don't want to stand, or sing. They are taking up what should be the "singing section".

I'm one of them, but I'm in a minority that still sing / crave the old atmosphere, and would happily stand / move to bring it back.

This

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Improvements needed in match day atmosphere?

Before I start, I must state that there are many aspects of the manufactured match day atmosphere that I, and many fellow fans, find totally cringing. I am not advocating ‘happy clappers’ like at Leicester, half time cheerleaders, massive pyrotechnic fire disasters, or the club and the fans spending thousands of pounds in the pursuit of the American razzamatazz. But there must be ways in which Bramall Lane, especially for lunchtime kick offs, can be made to feel less humdrum and for us to capture some continental ‘joie de vive’ during our matchday experience.
Below is something to debate and discuss. I do hope the club will at least read the below and for a relatively little outlay can implement some of the ideas.

There was a questionnaire circulated by the club asking the views of the fans with regard to safe standing, what has happened to this? If it were to be implemented how? As seems likely the development of the Kop area is likely to be delayed or shelved so any developments are some way off but this could be implemented relativity quickly, but where and how?
In my view the most obvious place would be the John Street corner, currently linked to the family stand but could be adapted?? Even if it was not converted to safe standing, it could still be allocated and see the creation of a section to anyone who wanted to ‘sing’ – much the same as Celtic have done with the ‘Green Brigade’. A ’Shoreham Boys’ section if you will
This also allows a great deal of space for flags banners etc as at the moment the whole area is bland, drab, lifeless and dull.
Enough of the truly ambitious stuff. More mundane, what happened to the flags that were a part of the match day experience? Passed overhead etc they just disappeared?
Even more mundane, and apologies if this has been answered elsewhere, what has happened to the Flags that were part of the kop? The fan paid for ‘Billy Sharp’ flag – what has happened to that?
Look I am not saying this is all the fault of the club as the fan group at Forest ‘Forza Garibaldi’ have worked wonders at the City Ground and if a group of likeminded Blades could be as proactive then things might happen, but could not have done what they have without the support of the club? I doubt it.
Recent games against Barnsley, and QPR have shown that even with 26,000 Blades in the ground it can often feel very flat. We need the club to be a catalyst for the creation of a much better match day atmosphere at the ground. Is it time for the excellent social media team to expand its activities and engage in the creation of a better match day experience?
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'Joie de vive'? Don't want any of that garlic quaffing, snail munching shite here, thank you very much.

Can't see us ever doing the Palace ultras thing - we're too grim up north.

Some cheerleaders would be nice though.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

A large safe standing section on the Kop is the answer.

Until then the atmosphere will remain predominately crap with bursts of being very noisy.

Or let the left side and right side at the back, move seats to be together, so it's coordinated.

Ultimately, it comes down to individuals. Every needs to just join in.

 

[Rodley]

'Joie de vive'? Don't want any of that garlic quaffing, snail munching shite here, thank you very much.

Can't see us ever doing the Palace ultras thing - we're too grim up north.

Some cheerleaders would be nice though.

Don’t think you need to do the Ultras thing. We’re fortunate to have our own culture - safe standing will improve matters not reinvent the wheel. We want the same, just better, noisier, etc.

 

[Bell4]

Should be a separate section for women. Headscarves should also be mandatory.

Along with ironing boards - hoovers - sewing kits - front step whiteners (mopstones) - shoe polish - a selection of provocative underwear - oven repair manuals - beer pouring classes - Yorkshire pudding kits - need to go no , wife calling me -

Coming love

 

[Nosworthys Throw]

Blades version of this please

 

[stringjunior]

This thing about safe standing. Maybe I'm missing something, but you still have an allocated seat/space don't you? And if that is the case then there's always going to be somebody who'll resist moving from their space when all the singers start congregating.

 

[brownblade]

Simple overall: Less moaning, more chanting.

 

[Blade 1971]

Just needs more people on the kop to bite the bullet and stand up

I'm all for standing and agree that rail seats will help when the club bows to the inevitable.

Irrespective of that, how about each individual, whichever part of the ground they're in, whatever anyone else around them is doing, doesn't sit there in silence, doesn't piss and moan, but verbally and loudly gets behind the team that they are there to support?

 

[Rodley]

This thing about safe standing. Maybe I'm missing something, but you still have an allocated seat/space don't you? And if that is the case then there's always going to be somebody who'll resist moving from their space when all the singers start congregating.

My experience of this on the continent is that people who are in the rail seating get there at least 30 minutes before kickoff. It’s usually season tickets only and stewards move people on if they’re in the wrong spot. We’ve got far move infrastructure here to enforce it properly.

 

[jt64]

Union Berlin have got it more or less nailed on.. No shit music played when team comes out/scores no music at half time just simple announcements of goal scorers/subs. It's a football match not a concert.

They also have three sides of the ground being standing and a large support base that actively helped the club get out of a position when they could easily have gone out of business. That helps a lot.

 

[jt64]

This thing about safe standing. Maybe I'm missing something, but you still have an allocated seat/space don't you? And if that is the case then there's always going to be somebody who'll resist moving from their space when all the singers start congregating.

In rail seating systems in Europe, you have a specific seat if the area is seated (i.e. it's a European game) or a block (to prevent overcrowding) if it is standing. If it is standing, the seat is locked away so you don't have one to use

 

[BarcaBlade]

I think the only place this has been anything like a success is Palace, but it looks/feels a bit cringey at times like they're trying too hard to copy a Budesliga style following. Atmosphere wise it's decent though.

This is the bit that gets me. Why is it cringeworthy? Because they have someone leading/coordinating the songs? When you go to a Dortmund/Union Berlin/St Pauli game, it's a brilliant experience. You don't come out of that thinking it was cringeworthy.

I wonder if this is part of the English psyche which can't accept the idea that someone would attempt to tell them what to do. You can just imagine the abuse that any potential 'choral leader' would face at a UK game, but it looks like Palace have got themselves through this psychological frailty to the point where they couldn't care less that someone tells them what to do because...atmosphere wise it's decent.

When the atmosphere is decent, the (often poor) football doesn't matter. You enjoy the game for the social side and you enjoy it even more if you happen to score/win.

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

United can turn down the generic music before kick off, I'm fed up of not being able to hear or speak to my dad next to me.
Also it may allow for a more natural atmosphere then the rubbish artificial one there are pushing for.

 

[LudlamBlade]

 

[BarcaBlade]

The normal language used around the globe at ticket offices/sites where there are sensible choices to be made on the type of atmosphere you want to experience is Active or Non Active.

I've found that works really well.

Quite a common one in Czech Republic is 'vlajkonoši', or 'flag carrying'.

You don't actually need to carry a flag.

 

[SUFCinks]

Today is a big game, we’ve played quite well and its still an absolute library. Yes fans will be louder and more excitable when we are constantly attacking but the crowd today has been silent after a solid half of football against good oppo. We aren’t a patch on what we used to be and attendance numbers aside quite poor. Today highlights the need for change. Very drab atmosphere.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Early kick off at The Lane meant I've just been able to watch the Berlin Derby on Sky. What an atmosphere. Including home & away fans separated just by a simple fence, no steward line, no plod line. Safe Pyro. The. Lot. We can't have nice things...