[Albion] Atmosphere today

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I only go a couple of times a season so this is purely speculation, but do you think it could be because we don’t have much to fight for? For most of the Amex’s history it was about getting into the Premier League, and the first two seasons it was the drama of staying up. Now in our heart of hearts we know we’re going to stay up with the way we’re playing, but fighting for mid-table is hollow in comparison to the drama of recent seasons?

Could be wrong and it could just be the influx of newer fans who only come once and never again.

Interesting idea. Personally I don't feel we are remotely safe, but hey ho.

My view is.....this is a pointless thread. In West Upper it seemed to me to be exactly like it always is. Some noise when we do something decent, some more noise when we score, and some noise when a fan favourite on the bench warms up

Yes there were absentees today, but that's a separate issue. I have a theory about that. Every year in mid December, quite a lot of people find themselves having to do a great deal of extra shopping and socialising. I have no idea why this is, but there you go.

The only downside for me is that a couple of seats near me were sold to irregulars yesterday - blokes in their late 30s or early 40s, who looked like they were hankering for a byegone age. They tried to start inhoherent chants (nobody joined in). They started barracking when we went one down. 'Get into em!' ''Not sideways' and other more colouful but badly punctuated rubbish. I didn't get near enough to them to tell but I am convinced they had a whiff of Number Six, Stella and a bit of wee about them.

But I digress.

Anyway, where is the latest thread on Safe Standing, and why it would be so much better if we could drink, smoke (and, yes, wee a bit) while watching the match?

 

[Stat Brother]

Oh I've realised I have missed out one critical factor in my take on our nonexistent atmosphere.

I am very much part of the problem, who is doing nothing to change to situation.

I call out, positively.
I try not to moan groan and generally sound disappointed.
I might clap.
I join in on the rarest of rare occasions, when I'd look silly not too.

The loudest I sing is GOSBTS which I do with great gusto.

 

[dazzer6666]

Atmosphere today

Did everyone have their Xmas party last night and were suffering from a hangover ?

Shockingly bad

Decent game but we only piped up when we scored

Wolves fans commented, rightly so, on it being a library

Need to do better

Didn't think it was 'shockingly bad', just a bit subdued and ebbed and flowed with the game as usual. A few more empty seats in the East than usual (TV, timing, weather forecast etc won't have helped - were there West Coast train issues too ??) although not as bad as the Norwich game when the weather was awful. We know we seem to have a ton of STH's that pick and choose their games - not sure much can be done about that other than a 'use it or lose it' policy perhaps ? As for the noise, like most grounds we rely mostly in the NS to get things going but with 2 and sometimes three different factions there seemingly competing against each other it's no wonder things don't quite take off like they could. Thought the Wolves fans were much quieter than last time too.

 

[Justice]

The Amex crowd is slowly turning into Barbers target market, Due to work I haven’t been since Burnley at home and I noticed the change yesterday it was boring as hell like being shoved in with a Blue water shopping crowd.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I thought the atmosphere was one of the worst I've seen at an alleged 30k+ Amex. It's a real shame we can't get some collaboration in the North Stand, from the middle of the ESU it sounds like two or three groups trying to out sing each other but no party really that interested in winning. Yes, I know, bad fan, when was the last time ...... etc etc

 

[Stat Brother]

Didn't think it was 'shockingly bad', just a bit subdued and ebbed and flowed with the game as usual. A few more empty seats in the East than usual (TV, timing, weather forecast etc won't have helped - were there West Coast train issues too ??) although not as bad as the Norwich game when the weather was awful. We know we seem to have a ton of STH's that pick and choose their games - not sure much can be done about that other than a 'use it or lose it' policy perhaps ? As for the noise, like most grounds we rely mostly in the NS to get things going but with 2 and sometimes three different factions there seemingly competing against each other it's no wonder things don't quite take off like they could. Thought the Wolves fans were much quieter than last time too.

I was of the impression we did have a 'use it or lose it' policy.


Not having one would make a mockery of a 10k waiting list.

 

[dazzer6666]

I was of the impression we did have a 'use it or lose it' policy.


Not having one would make a mockery of a 10k waiting list.

We have but not an effective one - you only have to attend 25% of games (not difficult to maintain by handing it to friends now and again if you don't want to go to many games at all). It's checked after the first 10 games, so as long as you do 3 of the first 10 you're OK.

 

[Recidivist]

Personally I blame VAR. Can't really believe anything until it's officially confirmed three minutes later.......


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[Stat Brother]

Personally I blame VAR. Can't really believe anything until it's officially confirmed three minutes later.......


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Again by implication what you're actually saying is the atmosphere was better last season and all the season's that went before.

That just isn't the case.

 

[dazzer6666]

Personally I blame VAR. Can't really believe anything until it's officially confirmed three minutes later.......


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On one of the games last night 'It's not football any more' was being chanted. Can see this catching on..........................

 

[Bozza]

On one of the games last night 'It's not football any more' was being chanted. Can see this catching on..........................

I think that was at Norwich after the red card for Basham was VARed back to a yellow.

I thought the same as you - if that becomes widespread at a lot of game by a lot of fans it becomes very damaging to brand Premier League.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

How many more times do we have to go at this until posters finally realise that today is our 'atmosphere'.

Or do we have to add too close to Christmas to the list including:-

- it was to early
- it was to late
- it was to hot
- it was to cold
- School holidays
- Poor opposition
-

Wooly gloves.


Don't forget freezing temperatures, and wooly gloves muffling the clapping.

 

[dazzer6666]

I think that was at Norwich after the red card for Basham was VARed back to a yellow.

I thought the same as you - if that becomes widespread at a lot of game by a lot of fans it becomes very damaging to brand Premier League.

Yep that was it thanks. You're right - if it does catch on it won't be able to be muted. Leeds love their 'Sky TV is ****ing ****' chant but this could be universal.

 

[Official Old Man]

My routine is to stand up and clap with the 'fan zone' and keep going until GOSBTS starts up at which point I go mental.
Sunday I, along with the entire East Upper & Lower had some bits of paper in our hands that covered our mouths. Killed it! No noise at all from us and that's how it continued.

 

[Arthur]

The Amex crowd is slowly turning into Barbers target market, Due to work I haven’t been since Burnley at home and I noticed the change yesterday it was boring as hell like being shoved in with a Blue water shopping crowd.

Not just the Amex crowd. I looked around on Thursday and I was surrounded by people who fit your description. 10 years ago if we'd taken 3k to a midweek London game the atmosphere would have been buzzing. There would have been a 30 page thread on here about people turning up drunk or standing in aisles.

Going down and getting out of this division wouldn't be the end of the world in my eyes.

 

[Clive Walker]

I've aid it before and I'll say it again the atmosphere at the Amex is one of the poorest in the premier league. I sat pretty close to the away fans yesterday and it was embarrassing. The North can't be heard and the relentless chants of 'is this a library?' from Wolves were pretty fair.

Football has changed and we as a club have gone gone along with it. We have more people turning up to see premier league football as an event rather than coming along desperate for their team to do well. Far more day trippers, corporate visitors etc

 

[Bold Seagull]

My routine is to stand up and clap with the 'fan zone' and keep going until GOSBTS starts up at which point I go mental.
Sunday I, along with the entire East Upper & Lower had some bits of paper in our hands that covered our mouths. Killed it! No noise at all from us and that's how it continued.

No noise from East Lower or Upper because of the paper.....did anyone notice?

 

[Bold Seagull]

I've aid it before and I'll say it again the atmosphere at the Amex is one of the poorest in the premier league. I sat pretty close to the away fans yesterday and it was embarrassing. The North can't be heard and the relentless chants of 'is this a library?' from Wolves were pretty fair.

Football has changed and we as a club have gone gone along with it. We have more people turning up to see premier league football as an event rather than coming along desperate for their team to do well. Far more day trippers, corporate visitors etc

It's not, many home grounds are the same or quieter, it is the norm for away fans to out sing the home because you're on a day out.

Football has changed the moment terracing went and you couldn't stand with all the other people that wanted to sing. Allocated tickets, and particularly a high number of season tickets makes it difficult because singers are spread out and non-singers can't be moved. This was the whole saga with the Ultras up the M23. Not going to defend them, but they had a bit of a point, and actually now they've been moved centrally, their atmosphere has been much improved.

 

[Brovion]

I only go a couple of times a season so this is purely speculation, but do you think it could be because we don’t have much to fight for? For most of the Amex’s history it was about getting into the Premier League, and the first two seasons it was the drama of staying up. Now in our heart of hearts we know we’re going to stay up with the way we’re playing, but fighting for mid-table is hollow in comparison to the drama of recent seasons?

Could be wrong and it could just be the influx of newer fans who only come once and never again.

I think there's a lot of truth in that; as you say we've got nothing to 'fight' for any more. Yesterday was just a bog-standard, humdrum league game against opponents who are a good side but not one of the top clubs. And there was nothing really riding on the result as we're not even halfway through the season so there's plenty more matches in which to pickup/drop points. Consequently there was no sense of anticipation or expectation, so basically what was there to get excited about?

Plus of course the Brighton fans that attend matches (along with fans of other PL clubs) are nearly all nice comfortable middle class people with nice comfortable middle class lifestyles who can afford to spend £25+ on a match ticket. I'm no sociologist, but I think these people tend to view it more as ninety minutes entertainment that elicits polite applause as opposed to a tribal encounter that demands passionate, unconditional support..

 

[crodonilson]

I don't think it helps that Wolverhampton are hardly a big draw, a club of probably equal stature and as a home game one we probably expect to win.