Does this waving of huge flags by clubs at the side of the pitch annoy you?

[Dave the OAP]

When I have watched league football in European countries, there tends to be a bit (lot) more fan organised razzmatazz, flags, banners, pyros, jumping about like they're enjoying themselves etc., as well as better coordination for chanting/singing. I guess we're getting a bit into 'Ultra' territory here, but for some reason the good old British stiff upper lip prevails and we stifle any such joyous celebration the game we profess to love.

But if you watch the matches, they lie dormant until a goal is scored, some bloke jumps up and waves the flag on a huge stick, and as quickly as they put it up, they put it down and the bloke sits down bored again.

It's not stifling a joyous outpouring, it's false clap trap.

To be fair, the only really good import of foreign support is man city's " Potsdam " linking arms and jumping around facing away fro the pitch...watching the city fans doing that all over the ground is quite superb! Ultras are just embarrassing kids trying to look hard

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I'm not fond of it. But I am annoyed by the camera focusing on the ball as the players come out and the ref picks it off the podium.

Better to have the referee sitting on the podium and when the teams come out of the tunnel the two captains lift him off the podium together and carry him onto the centre spot.

 

[Superphil]

But if you watch the matches, they lie dormant until a goal is scored, some bloke jumps up and waves the flag on a huge stick, and as quickly as they put it up, they put it down and the bloke sits down bored again.

It's not stifling a joyous outpouring, it's false clap trap.

To be fair, the only really good import of foreign support is man city's " Potsdam " linking arms and jumping around facing away fro the pitch...watching the city fans doing that all over the ground is quite superb! Ultras are just embarrassing kids trying to look hard

I get what you mean, and agree to a degree. You're right of course about the rubbish flags they out up at SB and elsewhere, and put them straight back down again and go back to their iPhones. I get the feeling when I've been at games outside of the UK that the sense of occasion is all about the 90 minutes of football, the camaraderie in the stands, 90 minutes of getting into it, then go home. Not the hours of build up, travel, desperation to get in early, feed your face, drink beer, fan zone, ecash, buy tat, get face paint etc. if you go to watch APOEL in Nicosia for example, the catering options are a paper cup of water (free), or a bag of freshly roasted nuts for a Euro. No booze, no pitch side announcers, no jumbotrons, no padded seats, but from the whistle the fans get behind the team, non stop, for the entire game, and I think they had massive flags last time I was there.

With our ground regs you'd probably be banned from bringing a flag on a pole in (unless the club sold it to you). If you did get permission you'd only be allowed to wave it about 10 minutes before kick off and you'd get no end of complaints from the person sitting behind you, no doubt someone would scream for a policeman too. And you'd probably have someone's eye out.

Personally, I'd just love to hear some good old chants and sing alongs, even a bit of scarf waving, they can't stop us doing that, can they? There's nothing better at a game to hear the whole crowd getting behind their team, and better still when the team responds with a great performance.

 

[Justice]

I think flares look good, pity some kind of controlled flair cant be set off when we score.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Better to have the referee sitting on the podium and when the teams come out of the tunnel the two captains lift him off the podium together and carry him onto the centre spot.

I would pay Premier League prices to watch that.

 

[Gilliver's Travels]

I think flares look good, pity some kind of controlled flair cant be set off when we score.

Or else someone concealed in a nearby garden, setting off a spectacularly loud rocket. Now, THAT would be good.

Oh.

 

[Justice]

Or else someone concealed in a nearby garden, setting off a spectacularly loud rocket. Now, THAT would be good.

Oh.

Well sometimes it was more exciting than the football.

 

[Wilko]

Some people won't be happy until we all sit in silence being grumpy sods. Really cannot understand how a flag and a bit of colour can be an issue.

 

[VAL1850]

I want the air dancer back

This - Plus the fireworks that were let off in a the gardens behind the Withdean

 

[Pantani]

I get what you mean, and agree to a degree. You're right of course about the rubbish flags they out up at SB and elsewhere, and put them straight back down again and go back to their iPhones. I get the feeling when I've been at games outside of the UK that the sense of occasion is all about the 90 minutes of football, the camaraderie in the stands, 90 minutes of getting into it, then go home. Not the hours of build up, travel, desperation to get in early, feed your face, drink beer, fan zone, ecash, buy tat, get face paint etc. if you go to watch APOEL in Nicosia for example, the catering options are a paper cup of water (free), or a bag of freshly roasted nuts for a Euro. No booze, no pitch side announcers, no jumbotrons, no padded seats, but from the whistle the fans get behind the team, non stop, for the entire game, and I think they had massive flags last time I was there.

With our ground regs you'd probably be banned from bringing a flag on a pole in (unless the club sold it to you). If you did get permission you'd only be allowed to wave it about 10 minutes before kick off and you'd get no end of complaints from the person sitting behind you, no doubt someone would scream for a policeman too. And you'd probably have someone's eye out.

Personally, I'd just love to hear some good old chants and sing alongs, even a bit of scarf waving, they can't stop us doing that, can they? There's nothing better at a game to hear the whole crowd getting behind their team, and better still when the team responds with a great performance.

Thing is we do have some fans who have organised some big flags, various banners (including the Stand or Fall banner) and try to get an atmosphere going. The only problem is many people on this website constantly belittle their efforts. Sadly, we as Albion fans are getting the atmosphere we deserve. This board in the last season or so has really highlighted some horrible divisions within our support. We used to all stick together, sadly that is gone and it seems all we want to do is ridicule others who support the Albion in a different way, or have a different view.

Just to be clear I am not having a go at you personally. Just the general atmosphere on this board, which is the main place for Albion fans to discuss things, it is full of bile and hatred for people who should be on the same side.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting we don't need an atmosphere, but maybe I am a bit too old school where we all got together home and away and used to sing our lungs out for the majority of the game only stopping for a wee or a drink!

I just think it is all rather sad that the authorities try to get their customers to support their club in the way they want us to.

Maybe that is why I referred to the man city example, as that is something that was created by the fans, for the fans....and I know the club is not happy when this happens all over the ground as it involves people standing up for long periods of the game - that comes from a citeh fan who I work with.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Asides from all of this, I think the most important thing to take from this thread is that we should all use the word RAZZMATAZ a little more.

 

[Superphil]

Thing is we do have some fans who have organised some big flags, various banners (including the Stand or Fall banner) and try to get an atmosphere going. The only problem is many people on this website constantly belittle their efforts. Sadly, we as Albion fans are getting the atmosphere we deserve. This board in the last season or so has really highlighted some horrible divisions within our support. We used to all stick together, sadly that is gone and it seems all we want to do is ridicule others who support the Albion in a different way, or have a different view.

Just to be clear I am not having a go at you personally. Just the general atmosphere on this board, which is the main place for Albion fans to discuss things, it is full of bile and hatred for people who should be on the same side.

I truly could not agree with you more.