[Albion] Any chance ALL the singers move to the South stand next season?

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FloatLeft

Well-known member
Jun 12, 2012
1,632
I’ll throw my tuppence into the pot….

So, I have been in the North stand (nearly under the security box but a little further towards the goal) for the past 4 seasons. Always enjoyed the atmosphere and felt that at most times, it was loud enough.

This season I moved (for various reasons) to the West Lower. A little bit nearer the south end but still fairly close to the middle of stadium. The Ipswich game was my first in the new seats and it’s amazing how poor the atmosphere felt compared to being in the North stand. We were easily outsung by Ipswich (and yes, I know it’s because the away fans bring the party). And yes, I know that singing isn’t everything and some people want to watch the game. But… it would be great if we could create a better atmosphere by putting our singing section nearer the way end. I would be tempted to move to this area if the call went out!
 




Change at Barnham

Well-known member
Aug 6, 2011
5,466
Bognor Regis
Is the expectation that the away fans move to the West Stand Lower (southern end) or the East Stand Lower (southern end)?

If the away fans are expected to be moved out of sight of the cameras (West Lower) then the police/stewards would be faced with the away supporters walking to their coaches or park and ride past the back of the south stand, while the home 'singing' section are possibly exiting in the opposite direction to go to the station.

I guess you get a certain amount of crossover of people traffic wherever you locate the away fans.
 




BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
13,044
The year is 2237.

The Labour-Tory Coalition is going strong in its 238th consecutive Government and are planning yet more austerity measures and preparing for the 19th "Do the Hokey-Kokey" Brexit Referendumb.
The resurrected corpse of Donald Trump is running for President of what remains of the United States.
We've terraformed and colonised both the Moon and Mars. Neither the Martians nor Moon-People are very happy about it.
People are still talking about the AMEX atmosphere on whatever passes for NSC in this future hellscape I've painted.
 


Dave the OAP

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
46,761
at home
Whatever happens, it needs a concerted from the club to help find the best solution here. It needs surveys, communications, meetings followed by a full-on effort to seat the singers together. Up until now, I don’t remember any communication on this eg when the season ticket renewals/ reminders / offers go out, is anything ever said along the lines of encouraging the singers to apply for a certain area of the NS? I’ve never noticed it. And yes, I know it’s difficult as many STHs will have their favourite seats with family and friends. But I dunno, the club gets so much right that I’d hope this wouldn’t be beyond them to at least improve the situation. From my seat in EU I can often see and hear two distinct groups of singers, often performing at the same time, as if deliberately. It’s poor really. Certainly if there’s a move to the South, the club have a great opportunity to reconfigure things.
When he who must not be mentioned ( poyet) was manager, Tony bloom called a meeting of supporters groups club officials etc etc, and I went along on behalf on NSC ( there were a few of us) as presumably bozza couldn’t find anyone else to go. Anyway this atmosphere question was the main reason for the meeting and various groups suggested moving “ singers” to the north stand etc as they were dotted around the stadium. Poyet couldn’t understand why English fans didn’t behave like the tifosi and unltras in Europe and constantly make noise irrespective of how we were playing.

then a certain team started a European ultras type section with twattish behaviour BUT noisy and using drums, pyros , etc etc, really tried hard to recreate the noise we witnessed at our European games. they are derided on here especially for trying to create an atmosphere to support their team.

Various arguments…we are too cool a club to have a drum. We like to sit and watch, we tut at people trying to start chants, ultras are soooo 1990’s and now we are in the elite, our football alone should excite people to be noisy……. All of that doesn’t work! We are VERY REACTIVE , but so are lots of clubs. We only get up for games when we are playing well or playing against Chelsea.

arsenal is a library, Bournemouth, the Amex, Tottenham, Man City…the list goes on.

the days we look back on of bouncing rocking stadiums, if they ever happened, are long gone
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,070
Faversham
I remember watching us play at Arsenal during the Emery era. Absolute library. Now the place is rocking.

(It's mostly about the football and the vibe that follows it)
 








Paulie Gualtieri

Bada Bing
NSC Patron
May 8, 2018
10,617
Is the expectation that the away fans move to the West Stand Lower (southern end) or the East Stand Lower (southern end)?

If the away fans are expected to be moved out of sight of the cameras (West Lower) then the police/stewards would be faced with the away supporters walking to their coaches or park and ride past the back of the south stand, while the home 'singing' section are possibly exiting in the opposite direction to go to the station.

I guess you get a certain amount of crossover of people traffic wherever you locate the away fans.
You do, quite often the coach park stairs are where it has spilled over (nothing more than handbags on occasion from what I’ve seen first hand and both parties certainly were old enough to know better!) It normally starts with elements of the away standing mouthing off behind a police line then being release back to the coach park
 




Professor Plum

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 27, 2024
607
The year is 2237.

The Labour-Tory Coalition is going strong in its 238th consecutive Government and are planning yet more austerity measures and preparing for the 19th "Do the Hokey-Kokey" Brexit Referendumb.
The resurrected corpse of Donald Trump is running for President of what remains of the United States.
We've terraformed and colonised both the Moon and Mars. Neither the Martians nor Moon-People are very happy about it.
People are still talking about the AMEX atmosphere on whatever passes for NSC in this future hellscape I've painted.

It’s easy to mock people for being concerned. You could also engage in a process to try to improve the situation. Just a thought.
 








Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,070
Faversham




BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
13,044
It’s easy to mock people for being concerned. You could also engage in a process to try to improve the situation. Just a thought.
There is no improving the situation. We have always been and will always be a reactive crowd. Further, the club isn't going to uproot a bunch of season ticket holders to chase an atmosphere. We're not Palace.

So how about you climb down from your high horse and get off my cheeks?

Ta.
 




Professor Plum

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 27, 2024
607
There is no improving the situation. We have always been and will always be a reactive crowd. Further, the club isn't going to uproot a bunch of season ticket holders to chase an atmosphere. We're not Palace.

So how about you climb down from your high horse and get off my cheeks?

Ta.
Hand wringers who say nothing can be done, annoy me. Of course the situation could be improved. Why couldn’t it? We’re not trying to solve world hunger. There are already people here saying they would move to help improve the atmosphere. That’s encouraging but as I said earlier, it would need the club to buy into the idea and communicate with the fans about ways forward.
 


BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
13,044
Hand wringers who say nothing can be done, annoy me. Of course the situation could be improved. Why couldn’t it? We’re not trying to solve world hunger. There are already people here saying they would move to help improve the atmosphere. That’s encouraging but as I said earlier, it would need the club to buy into the idea and communicate with the fans about ways forward.
I'm not wringing my hands. My hands are secured safely, interlocked behind my head in a manner suggesting "it is what it is"

Anyway, I'll let you lot crack on worrying. Enjoy.
 




Professor Plum

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 27, 2024
607
I'm not wringing my hands. My hands are secured safely, interlocked behind my head in a manner suggesting "it is what it is"

Anyway, I'll let you lot crack on worrying. Enjoy.
No one is 'worrying'. Just trying to be constructive.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,240
Withdean area
When he who must not be mentioned ( poyet) was manager, Tony bloom called a meeting of supporters groups club officials etc etc, and I went along on behalf on NSC ( there were a few of us) as presumably bozza couldn’t find anyone else to go. Anyway this atmosphere question was the main reason for the meeting and various groups suggested moving “ singers” to the north stand etc as they were dotted around the stadium. Poyet couldn’t understand why English fans didn’t behave like the tifosi and unltras in Europe and constantly make noise irrespective of how we were playing.

then a certain team started a European ultras type section with twattish behaviour BUT noisy and using drums, pyros , etc etc, really tried hard to recreate the noise we witnessed at our European games. they are derided on here especially for trying to create an atmosphere to support their team.

Various arguments…we are too cool a club to have a drum. We like to sit and watch, we tut at people trying to start chants, ultras are soooo 1990’s and now we are in the elite, our football alone should excite people to be noisy……. All of that doesn’t work! We are VERY REACTIVE , but so are lots of clubs. We only get up for games when we are playing well or playing against Chelsea.

arsenal is a library, Bournemouth, the Amex, Tottenham, Man City…the list goes on.

the days we look back on of bouncing rocking stadiums, if they ever happened, are long gone

My take on that, slightly different from yours.

A whole load of continental clubs allow the ultras to run an end or two. Often, in Italy, the directors and players end up in fear of them. Parish orchestrated loyal older fans being moved, to allow a section where anything goes. Does Selhurst’s head of security have total focus on catching and banning anyone using pyro’s for good?

By contrast the Albion and its head of security since the day the Amex opened have tunnel vision for rules are rules, with total compliance on laws such as pyrotechnics. Transgressors get banned for years, if anyone dares. In the early Amex years we watched squads of stewards grab folk persistently standing in the NS booting blokes out, never to return. Setting the tone. The ethos, events fit for family wherever you sit.

Parish and Bloom/Barber have gone down different routes for their home ends imho. Am I wrong?
 


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