It's the fans fault that home games are crap apparently...

[Withdean Wanderer]

"El-Abd believes it is no coincidence that Albion's form away from home - where fans are far more supportive - is much better than it has been at Withdean.

"I wouldn't say the lads are going into games nervous at Withdean but when you go away from home and, for example, you jog out for the warm-up, the fans give you a standing ovation and it gives you a buzz, gets you up for the game.

"When you run out at Withdean there is no one there, one man and his dog giving you a clap but everyone else standing there watching you.

"The fans have got a job to do. They have got to be up for the game just as well as we have.

"They have got a part to play. They have got to be a 12th man for us. When the fans are booing you they are doing the opposition a favour and it is not conducive to good performances.""




Yet again, it's the same old excuse. Withdean is too quiet, need a 12th man - bla bla bloody bla. Whenever home form is crap, it's always Withdeans fault. The fans fault. Our fault.

So why do we read the argus and take all the blame? Why don't the players admit they've been shite and given us virtually bugger all to cheer about for the best part of 3 years?

Why do the club not try and address the problem? It was their f*** up - they who got rid of the singing sections. Remember the first 2 seasons at a smaller Withdean? It was LOUD. Then some utter PILLOCK had the idea of banishing anyone who started the noise off into one corner of the ground, meaning the atmosphere across the rest of Withdean is crap.

Why is it the ARGUS who come up with the 'make some noise' campaign. Why does the club never do anything? How many people don't come to Withdean because 'the atmosphere's shit'? Quite a lot i imagine. But do the club seem to care? No, they quite happily let the kids in for a kid (but charge them a fiver for a f***ing irritating horn as a sorry excuse for 'atmosphere'. Even the recent idea of Scarf day came from a fan - why hasn't anyone from the club thought of similar? A day where we all wear old shirts? Yeah, because that's going to get us all singing....


So yes, i apologise for having yet another moan, but why the hell don't the club address this worrying situation. No atmosphere - we lose points on the field. The attitude is that you're not supposed to sing unless you're in H block. That's bad, for the team and ticket sales. And with many key members of the singing section apparently not renewing, just how QUIET will Withdean be next season?

 

[the wanderbus]

Its a vicious circle - the team plays badly - the crowd goes quite - the team play worse - ad infinitum.
To be fair when the crowd have been up for it (Forest, Scunthorpe, Swansea ect) so have the team & vice versa

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Its a vicious circle - the team plays badly - the crowd goes quite - the team play worse - ad infinitum.
To be fair when the crowd have been up for it (Forest, Scunthorpe, Swansea ect) so have the team & vice versa

Agreed.

But why don't the club do anything to make the crowd 'up for it' all the time, instead of harping on about the crapness of home fans in the Argus?

I mean, surely they can do better than Gullys Girls in an effort to make Withdean loud again? We know it can be loud, so why don't they make it that way. SCRAP THE SINGING SECTION i say!

 

[Kent Seagull]

El Abd is spot on, who wants to put in maximum effort for a bunch of whingers? I remember the Goldstone days when the singing from the North Stand could be heard as you walked towards the ground well before kick off and the noise was electric when the players came ot. You're lucky if anyone even bothers with a bit of applause these days.

I've not been to more than half a dozen home games this season and having been surrounded by whingers every time. I can't really be arsed to drive over a hundred mile round trip to listen to whining fuckers supposedly supporting the team. These people are one of the main reasons for falling attendances as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

El Abd is spot on, who wants to put in maximum effort for a bunch of whingers? I remember the Goldstone days when the singing from the North Stand could be heard as you walked towards the ground well before kick off and the noise was electric when the players came ot. You're lucky if anyone even bothers with a bit of applause these days.

I've not been to more than half a dozen home games this season and having been surrounded by whingers every time. I can't really be arsed to drive over a hundred mile round trip to listen to whining fuckers supposedly supporting the team. These people are one of the main reasons for falling attendances as far as I'm concerned.

Yes yes yes. I agree. But why isn't the issue being adressed? It never used to be like it (by all accounts) at the Goldstone or even Gillingham. It wasn't even like it in the first couple of Withdean seasons. So why is there now a 'silent Withdean' culture? Why isn't there any encouragement to make a bit of noise (other than a failed cry of 'sing up south stand, sing up north stand' from Samrah)? It's the same people going as it was before. It has been noisy, and it can be again. So surely there's a way of bringing the noise back, which will bring more fans back? It's not the people who've changed, it's the attitudes that change.

 

[Yorkie]

Its a vicious circle - the team plays badly - the crowd goes quite - the team play worse - ad infinitum.
To be fair when the crowd have been up for it (Forest, Scunthorpe, Swansea ect) so have the team & vice versa

Which happened first? It's a chicken and egg situation.

H block try to sing but G block look at you as if you are lepers.

It actually helps if we have a terrible referee giving out ludicrous decisions because that seems to wake the crowd up.

 

[Easy 10]

Its a vicious circle - the team plays badly - the crowd goes quite - the team play worse - ad infinitum.
To be fair when the crowd have been up for it (Forest, Scunthorpe, Swansea ect) so have the team & vice versa

You're spot on - its the eternal "chicken and egg" isn't it.

Is it up to the crowd to get the team going ?
Or is it up to the team to get the crowd going ?

All I'd say is, when the Albion are playing well, creating chances, putting teams under the cosh, then you DO get an atmosphere from the crowd, even at Withdean. But when they're playing utter toilet and the game is a complete DOG, its hard for the crowd to summon up any enthusiasm to generate some noise.

Sometimes it takes a blatant injustice to rouse the crowd, or a thunderous tackle to get things going, but if there's no goalmouth action, the noise soon dissipates.

Ooh, its tricky isn't it ?

 

[Yorkie]

Great minds think alike Easy.

 

[fatboy]

H block try to sing but G block look at you as if you are lepers.
.

 

[fatboy]

Agreed.

But why don't the club do anything to make the crowd 'up for it' all the time, instead of harping on about the crapness of home fans in the Argus?

I mean, surely they can do better than Gullys Girls in an effort to make Withdean loud again? We know it can be loud, so why don't they make it that way. SCRAP THE SINGING SECTION i say!

Free beer before games?

 

[Easy 10]

Great minds think alike Easy.

Well, I think yours must be working overtime then, cos mine is distinctly addled by the Summer Lightning I was drinking earlier...

 

[Caveman]

Sit where you like would make the atmosphere, but would create a nightmare for stewards. Hope this helps.

The blokes that shout abuse before the game are arseholes and i'd question what sort of fans they are.

 

[the full harris]

seeing as I go to more away games than home ones, does that make me a better fan according to Mr. El-Abd?...

 

[sid]

"El-Abd believes it is no coincidence that Albion's form away from home - where fans are far more supportive - is much better than it has been at Withdean.

"I wouldn't say the lads are going into games nervous at Withdean but when you go away from home and, for example, you jog out for the warm-up, the fans give you a standing ovation and it gives you a buzz, gets you up for the game.

"When you run out at Withdean there is no one there, one man and his dog giving you a clap but everyone else standing there watching you.

"The fans have got a job to do. They have got to be up for the game just as well as we have.

"They have got a part to play. They have got to be a 12th man for us. When the fans are booing you they are doing the opposition a favour and it is not conducive to good performances.""




Yet again, it's the same old excuse. Withdean is too quiet, need a 12th man - bla bla bloody bla. Whenever home form is crap, it's always Withdeans fault. The fans fault. Our fault.

So why do we read the argus and take all the blame? Why don't the players admit they've been shite and given us virtually bugger all to cheer about for the best part of 3 years?

Why do the club not try and address the problem? It was their f*** up - they who got rid of the singing sections. Remember the first 2 seasons at a smaller Withdean? It was LOUD. Then some utter PILLOCK had the idea of banishing anyone who started the noise off into one corner of the ground, meaning the atmosphere across the rest of Withdean is crap.

Why is it the ARGUS who come up with the 'make some noise' campaign. Why does the club never do anything? How many people don't come to Withdean because 'the atmosphere's shit'? Quite a lot i imagine. But do the club seem to care? No, they quite happily let the kids in for a kid (but charge them a fiver for a f***ing irritating horn as a sorry excuse for 'atmosphere'. Even the recent idea of Scarf day came from a fan - why hasn't anyone from the club thought of similar? A day where we all wear old shirts? Yeah, because that's going to get us all singing....


So yes, i apologise for having yet another moan, but why the hell don't the club address this worrying situation. No atmosphere - we lose points on the field. The attitude is that you're not supposed to sing unless you're in H block. That's bad, for the team and ticket sales. And with many key members of the singing section apparently not renewing, just how QUIET will Withdean be next season?

if we were at the goldstone most of the people attending the withdean now would be sitting in the west or south stand and when did that lot ever raise their voices/

 

[British Bulldog]

Sit where you like would make the atmosphere,

Is the correct answer.

Thats why it was better at the Goldstone, Gillingham and also at away matches.

 

[Bry Nylon]

How many people don't come to Withdean because 'the atmosphere's shit'?

Me for one

Been a few times, but it is beyong depressing. Would rather spend the £70 each 'home' game costs me on something more fun. Sorry

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Re: Re: It's the fans fault that home games are crap apparently...

Me for one

Been a few times, but it is beyong depressing. Would rather spend the £70 each 'home' game costs me on something more fun. Sorry

That's what i mean. Surely the wages of a couple of extra stewards would be covered by the introduction of ABC/GHJ blocks as 'sit where you like'? Or something to help atmosphere and bring in more people?

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Chiken/egg?

Listen, if the players paid to play and we were paid to support them THEN they could slag us off for not doing a good job.

We pay good money to be entertained. they are paid good money to entertain us. They are professionals, that is their job.

I don't like moaners, especially before a balls been kicked, but some of these lads have got to grow up a bit.

Shut the boo boys up by doing the business. We all love the Albion, that's why we've been through so much. This team has the talent, let's see the passion.

 

[ROSM]

[B
Why do the club not try and address the problem? It was their f*** up - they who got rid of the singing sections. Remember the first 2 seasons at a smaller Withdean? It was LOUD. Then some utter PILLOCK had the idea of banishing anyone who started the noise off into one corner of the ground, meaning the atmosphere across the rest of Withdean is crap.

? [/B]

sorry - couldn't let this pass.

As someone who worked with the club on the withdean plans, I am constantly AMAZED by the absolute TOSH spoken on here by the same old people.

In year one at withdean there were no formal singing sections and many times the atmosphere was poor. I actually had to answer questions about it on BBC SCR after the first game against Forest.

Micky Adams constantly complained (e.g against hartlepool) and it was the SUPPORTERS who suggested singing sections. As supporters in the middle blocks were unwilling to give up their seats, the club were faced with a challenge and in consultation with supporters the decision was made to offer snging sections at the west end of the north and south stands. NOBODY was compulsarily moved.

Incidentally the club actually didn't want to have singing sections as they felt they would become STANDING sections which would attract interest from the football licensing authority that dont support standing in seated grounds. The fans PROMISED that this wouldn't be the case. Who was right?

As has been said, sit where you like is an option. But this can only be offered where the crowd is lmited to 90% of capacity. As withdean has often seen crowds in excess of 90% in at least two of the stands for every game that is very difficult to operate. That means no matter how seats are going in the east stand, the south is restricted and loses 460 seats. the north stand loses 140 seats.

It's a tough one, but one that will be improved by a bigger capacity stadium where it will be very rare to see crowds in excess of 90% of capacity in the early seasons.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Re: Re: It's the fans fault that home games are crap apparently...

sorry - couldn't let this pass.

As someone who worked with the club on the withdean plans, I am constantly AMAZED by the absolute TOSH spoken on here by the same old people.

A bit harsh, as generally speaking my OPINION is nothing more than that - and that is my understanding of the Withdean situation. My memory as a TEN YEAR OLD boy was of sitting in the (Withdean) North Stand with shivers sent down my spine coming from the whole of the South Stand in front of me. I don't know the ins and outs, but i was lead to believe that that was the case. And i am CERTAIN that it was much better then atmosphere-wise than it is now. Surely it'd be better if the club actively approached the problem a bit, instead of using the 'Withdean is not a football ground' argument for the Falmer debate, whilst ignoring the fact that people are staying away because of the atmosphere problem?