[Albion] Atmosphere today

[Bold Seagull]

If the North isn’t satisfactory, the West and East are welcome to give it a shot. Show us how it’s done.

Football fan culture has always been get behind the home end goal to support the team. Forever and a day.

If you need the side stands, with the Family section, corporate and guest tickets, director's box etc. to show you how it's done, there really is no hope of it improving anytime soon.

 

[RossyG]

Football fan culture has always been get behind the home end goal to support the team. Forever and a day.

If you need the side stands, with the Family section, corporate and guest tickets, director's box etc. to show you how it's done, there really is no hope of it improving anytime soon.

Or alternately, people sitting in stony silence as though in a monastery shouldn’t be chiding the only people in the ground actually trying to make a noise.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Or alternately, people sitting in stony silence as though in a monastery shouldn’t be chiding the only people in the ground actually trying to make a noise.

Your rather defensive tone suggests any form or criticism about atmosphere you're taking all too personally. I certainly wasn't chiding those trying to create an atmosphere, and as said it's more about season ticket prices, how they've been sold etc. We have plenty of people to create an atmosphere, just in the old days they'd shuffle across the terrace to be stood together. Just doesn't happen like that anymore.

 

[Springal]

Judging by - even at 2-2 - the mass exodus on 85 mins, everyone had their minds on getting back for Heartbeat

 

[N17]

Does anyone have a decent home atmosphere these days?

Apart from the odd occasion, most of the top 6-7 (including us) have poor home atmosphere.

The newly promoted sides are usually noisiest in their first season but then it gradually dies off the longer they stay up as the novelty wears off.

I thought the atmosphere at the Amex was very good this season (not as good as last year maybe) although we did give you plenty to cheer about.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I stand in the centre of the North Stand, it’s really difficult to get into a song as we’re usually hearing two sides of the stand completely out of sync. Having said that, there is plenty of effort in the North Stand. I find it a bit rich that supporters from the other stands are having a dig, I honestly haven’t heard a song from West Stand for a very long time (I’ll wait for HWT’s hilarious OTEX gag again). The North is trying, it’s just too spread about and doesn’t have a focal point.

 

[pearl]

I stand in the centre of the North Stand, it’s really difficult to get into a song as we’re usually hearing two sides of the stand completely out of sync. Having said that, there is plenty of effort in the North Stand. I find it a bit rich that supporters from the other stands are having a dig, I honestly haven’t heard a song from West Stand for a very long time (I’ll wait for HWT’s hilarious OTEX gag again). The North is trying, it’s just too spread about and doesn’t have a focal point.

I liked the 'Friday I'm In Love' effort at the Leicester home game, but couldn't make the words out unfortunately

 

[Peter Grummit]

I have a theory that atmosphere is not really about singing and chanting anyway. Bear with me.

The key thing is to support the players when they do something positive - win a tackle, find some space or play a decent pass. Ideally with a guttural, C'MON type roar. If there is enough fans who do this, by definition together, it creates a tipping point where the rest of the crowd are forced to engage properly with the game. This is what the Roker Roar was. This is the intimidating noise Leeds make when they attack at Elland Road. This is what happened against Wednesday in the playoff 2nd leg. We knew we had to really go for it, and so everything positive was cheered to the rafters. David Blunkett, the blind ex-Home Secretary and mad-keen Wednesdayite described it as the most intimidating atmosphere he's ever heard.

If you get that level of positive engagement, then when songs are started, fans are much more likely to join in, and that feeds the atmosphere more. Also, it lifts the players big time - if you win a tackle and there's a huge roar, it makes them feel 10 feet tall. It intimidates the opposition too - who hasn't felt 'oh s**t' if the oppo fans are roaring their team forward.

Just my view, based on 1200+ games following Albion home and away.

PG

 

[Moshe Gariani]

I have a theory that atmosphere is not really about singing and chanting anyway. Bear with me.

The key thing is to support the players when they do something positive - win a tackle, find some space or play a decent pass. Ideally with a guttural, C'MON type roar. If there is enough fans who do this, by definition together, it creates a tipping point where the rest of the crowd are forced to engage properly with the game. This is what the Roker Roar was. This is the intimidating noise Leeds make when they attack at Elland Road. This is what happened against Wednesday in the playoff 2nd leg. We knew we had to really go for it, and so everything positive was cheered to the rafters. David Blunkett, the blind ex-Home Secretary and mad-keen Wednesdayite described it as the most intimidating atmosphere he's ever heard.

If you get that level of positive engagement, then when songs are started, fans are much more likely to join in, and that feeds the atmosphere more. Also, it lifts the players big time - if you win a tackle and there's a huge roar, it makes them feel 10 feet tall. It intimidates the opposition too - who hasn't felt 'oh s**t' if the oppo fans are roaring their team forward.

Just my view, based on 1200+ games following Albion home and away.

PG

You are spot on. Unfortunately the silent majority in The Amex crowd is not willing to make that effort for every game so we have to put up with quiet - punctuated by groaning and moaning unless we're winning well.

 

[dazzer6666]

I stand in the centre of the North Stand, it’s really difficult to get into a song as we’re usually hearing two sides of the stand completely out of sync. Having said that, there is plenty of effort in the North Stand. I find it a bit rich that supporters from the other stands are having a dig, I honestly haven’t heard a song from West Stand for a very long time (I’ll wait for HWT’s hilarious OTEX gag again). The North is trying, it’s just too spread about and doesn’t have a focal point.

100%. From the WSL (north End) it's normal to hear 2, if not 3 factions in the NS competing with each other - seems to be the 'East side', the centre and then the crew under the police box. I don't think anything has EVER started in WSL W1G or W1H. Occasionally hear the WSU directly above start a chant but usually only 'Albion'a few times a game. Really need to find a way of galvanising the whole of the NS to sing together - pretty sure that would ripple around the ground quickly

 

[Palacefinder General]

I stand in the centre of the North Stand, it’s really difficult to get into a song as we’re usually hearing two sides of the stand completely out of sync. Having said that, there is plenty of effort in the North Stand. I find it a bit rich that supporters from the other stands are having a dig, I honestly haven’t heard a song from West Stand for a very long time (I’ll wait for HWT’s hilarious OTEX gag again). The North is trying, it’s just too spread about and doesn’t have a focal point.

I’m guessing the police box crew/The Judge posse and the central North Stand singers are still at odds? ‘BHAFC, blue and white army’ which I’m fairly sure originated under the police box, or certainly a regular of theirs, seemed to be taken up more generally by the rest yesterday and was quite loud at one point.

 

[Peter Grummit]

You are spot on. Unfortunately the silent majority in The Amex crowd is not willing to make that effort for every game so we have to put up with quiet - punctuated by groaning and moaning unless we're winning well.

Agreed, to an extent. BUT, if you believe this theory then there is no excuse not to put it to the test. Everyone can support in this way. It doesn't rely on drums or chant starters or whether others join in. It just relies on a positive attitude and a willingness to shout encouragement. A number of us did it at Arsenal on Thursday, when we started bossing the game towards the end of the first half. More people joined in and when chants started they were better supported. Now that might be because we were playing well, and scored. But that's half the joy of it, it's a virtuous circle, the causality really doesn't matter.

PG

 

[Pavilionaire]

In all seriousness when do you think is an atmosphere inducing time to play at the AMEX.
Judging by the previous couple of games it definitely isn't 3pm on a Saturday.

Why would the atmosphere be any good late afternoon on a Sunday before Christmas?

When we sign up for a season ticket what we want is that ritual on a Saturday - a few beers beforehand, then the match, then enjoy yourself afterwards with a day off to recover on a Sunday.

Sunday football is the double whammy, of both robbing fans of their Saturday fix AND f*cking up what is supposed to be a family day. Most people can't drink as much on a Sunday because of work the next day, you get back home at half seven and it's a race against time to get some dinner before the decent telly.

Sunday football is bollocks.

As for atmosphere, in that middle third of the season the weather's shit and there's nothing on the line to get too worked up about; win, lose or draw there's another game in a few days time.

 

[Wilko]

Does not help that the song police poo-poo every suggestion. All teams sing the same old crap, to the same old tunes. As long as we are creating a noise I do not think it should matter too much. Some new songs very much needed!

 

[father_and_son]

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

22k STH in a ground holding less than 31k. With an away allocation normally around 3k, I'm not too sure where these day trippers are sitting!

Think you have something of a rose tinted view... Unless of course you are hankering for the days when it wasn't a Premier League Event, but handbags and verbals with a visiting firm (with the occasional punch thrown among the posturing).


Having sat in SWC and now the North, I can agree the acoustics aren't great and the sound doesn't carry well in either direction (in the NS we never heard a peep out of them other than immediately after the goals and when they chose to abuse WBA).

 

[father_and_son]

100%. From the WSL (north End) it's normal to hear 2, if not 3 factions in the NS competing with each other - seems to be the 'East side', the centre and then the crew under the police box. I don't think anything has EVER started in WSL W1G or W1H. Occasionally hear the WSU directly above start a chant but usually only 'Albion'a few times a game. Really need to find a way of galvanising the whole of the NS to sing together - pretty sure that would ripple around the ground quickly

As part of that Police Box crew I can say that we struggle to actually hear what's coming out from the left side so generally can only coordinate the Allbbiiioooon or Seaaaggggullls chants.

Here's an idea... What if there were speakers/mics positioned at each end of the NS? Not talking about piping in crowd noise around the ground, but just enough that the two noisiest groups can hear each other clearly and cooperate (or at least not compete). Can't be that difficult for the club to arrange and a coordinated NS might just wake up the old f*rts in the East!

 

[Palacefinder General]

As part of that Police Box crew I can say that we struggle to actually hear what's coming out from the left side so generally can only coordinate the Allbbiiioooon or Seaaaggggullls chants.

Here's an idea... What if there were speakers/mics positioned at each end of the NS? Not talking about piping in crowd noise around the ground, but just enough that the two noisiest groups can hear each other clearly and cooperate (or at least not compete). Can't be that difficult for the club to arrange and a coordinated NS might just wake up the old f*rts in the East!

Send big Dan H on secondment to the centre of the North, a rogue agent if you like, keep him supplied with throat sweets and job done.

 

[dazzer6666]

Why would the atmosphere be any good late afternoon on a Sunday before Christmas?

When we sign up for a season ticket what we want is that ritual on a Saturday - a few beers beforehand, then the match, then enjoy yourself afterwards with a day off to recover on a Sunday.

Sunday football is the double whammy, of both robbing fans of their Saturday fix AND f*cking up what is supposed to be a family day. Most people can't drink as much on a Sunday because of work the next day, you get back home at half seven and it's a race against time to get some dinner before the decent telly.

Sunday football is bollocks.

As for atmosphere, in that middle third of the season the weather's shit and there's nothing on the line to get too worked up about; win, lose or draw there's another game in a few days time.

Friday night always seemed better to me...................

Think you're right - there's an overload of games over these few weeks so it's a bit of a grind for us and the players

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I liked the 'Friday I'm In Love' effort at the Leicester home game, but couldn't make the words out unfortunately

Same words as the original but for “it’s Maupay I’m in love”. There were more detailed versions suggested earlier in the season but in not sure they’ve stuck around.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I’m guessing the police box crew/The Judge posse and the central North Stand singers are still at odds? ‘BHAFC, blue and white army’ which I’m fairly sure originated under the police box, or certainly a regular of theirs, seemed to be taken up more generally by the rest yesterday and was quite loud at one point.

I’ve never really known why or if there even is a rift between certain singing factions, I personally haven’t seen/heard The Judge in the centre for a good few seasons but he was always well received as far as I could tell. Somehow we really need to coordinate the North, but it’s been like it is for years.