[Albion] Something HAS to be done about the home atmosphere

[LamieRobertson]

Half the time when I'm there I get asked to sit down by some old fart behind me because they can't see.

Add it to the list ….pass singing test ….tick……able to stand ..no? F off then

 

[Washie]

Then your memory is wrong. The family section wasn't in the East stand to start with.

yes they were, away was west, south was the large stand, North had the roof and the east (where i sat for most of my childhood) was the kids

 

[Zeberdi]

Really?

How about if the West and East Stands could be arsed to join in, with at least one of the songs being sung in the North?

Absolutely this.

Why is it every time the lack of atmosphere is raised, it is the fans in the NS’s fault? - I haven’t been able to physically manage standing the NS for some years now but love sitting near the NS so I can join in singing without looking like a twat singing solos - the East and West need to stop expecting the NS to provide all the singing and join in more!

If words aren’t known then chanting ‘Seagu-uls, Seagu-uls!’ Or ‘Al-bion, Al-bion’ more isn‘t complicated.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

yes they were, away was west, south was the large stand, North had the roof and the east (where i sat for most of my childhood) was the kids

The family area was blocks A & B in the South stand - I know this because I was the steward employed to manage the family area.

The East was the casual ticket holders mainly which happened to contain a lot of kids / families (for obvious reasons).

 

[Commander]

It isn't going to change, because the vast majority don't see it as that big an issue.

If you moved the singing groups from the two corners of the North Stand into the middle and shunted the people already there out to the corners, that would make a huge difference. But that simply isn't going to happen, because the people in the middle would all kick off about having to move seats. Palace did something similar and got (unfairly in my view) mocked mercilessly for it on here. If the club really really cared about it they could make that happen, but they won't, because it isn't a big enough issue to go through all the hassle that it would involve.

Things like football tourists / day-trippers / clubs not liking raucous behaviour etc are all problems that every Premier League club has when it comes to creating an atmosphere, we aren't alone on that by any means. The biggest problem that the Amex has that is different to other grounds, is the fact that the stand where the atmosphere comes from holds 2,700, which is comparable to a club like Peterborough's. It really is as simple as that. If the North held 8,000 then the atmosphere would be vastly improved. I'd love to know what the real situation is there with expansion possibilities (yes we all know the official line).

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It isn't going to change, because the vast majority don't see it as that big an issue.

If you moved the singing groups from the two corners of the North Stand into the middle and shunted the people already there out to the corners, that would make a huge difference. But that simply isn't going to happen, because the people in the middle would all kick off about having to move seats. Palace did something similar and got (unfairly in my view) mocked mercilessly for it on here. If the club really really cared about it they could make that happen, but they won't, because it isn't a big enough issue to go through all the hassle that it would involve.

Things like football tourists / day-trippers / clubs not liking raucous behaviour etc are all problems that every Premier League club has when it comes to creating an atmosphere, we aren't alone on that by any means. The biggest problem that the Amex has that is different to other grounds, is the fact that the stand where the atmosphere comes from holds 2,700, which is comparable to a club like Peterborough's. It really is as simple as that. If the North held 8,000 then the atmosphere would be vastly improved. I'd love to know what the real situation is there with expansion possibilities (yes we all know the official line).

Perish the thought that the stand that holds considerably more than 8,000 should do their bit to vastly improve the atmosphere

 

[Commander]

Perish the thought that the stand that holds considerably more than 8,000 should do their bit to vastly improve the atmosphere

Is there a ground in England (or at least the Premier League) where the atmosphere really comes from more than one stand / section?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Is there a ground in England (or at least the Premier League) where the atmosphere really comes from more than one stand / section?

Normally comes from one with more than 2,700 souls tho eh? That's a helluva lot of heavy lifting. Take away the kids and the tourists, the number is probably about half that

 

[ChickenBaltiPie]

I’ve emailed OBE. What we’re secretly gonna do is put concealed microphones in the North and speakers in the East & West. Tazers will be placed in every seat to encourage active participation…..

With a few northern(?) exceptions, maybe, I don’t think most home atmospheres are great! Fanatical away support is always gonna be that bit more impressive, but it’s dependent upon opposition, the occasion, form, performance, rivalry, acoustics, a whole bunch of uncontrollable variables.

 

[southstandandy]

Perfect solution -

Install small speakers under every seat bar the away end and then employ Fat Boy Slim to DJ with recorded singing and he could raise or lower it around the ground where appropriate.

Simples.

 

[Seagull on the Hill]

Perish the thought that the stand that holds considerably more than 8,000 should do their bit to vastly improve the atmosphere

Part of the problem is that the singing from the North Stand doesn't carry to the South end of WSU.
From where I sit, I can see that the NS is singing but I can't tell what they are singing.
The WSU does make a decent amount of noise at times but, again, it might not carry to the NS.

 

[Superphil]

Really?

How about if the West and East Stands could be arsed to join in, with at least one of the songs being sung in the North?

Which side of the north stand should they join in with? Do they choose their favourite song of those being sung, or do they go with the side closest to them?

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I've solved it.

Make the north stand, or a decent chunk of it, safe standing and stand where you want within that area. Only sell x season tickets for the area, allowing a certain percentage for pay on the day or whatever the modern equivalent is.

Bish bash bosh you get a bit of noise and maybe even the mildest hint of raucousness. The rest of the stadium should then be able to hear what they're singing and then it's down to them to join in.

Job done.

Yes, I know it'll never happen.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Which side of the north stand should they join in with? Do they choose their favourite song of those being sung, or do they go with the side closest to them?

Either one will do.
Who cares.
It generates more noise doesn't it?

In my experience when the rest of the ground join in, the other song dies out pretty quickly.

The problem with the atmosphere isn't how many songs are being sung, it's down to the fact that most fans don't see it as their responsibility to make the atmosphere.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I've solved it.

Make the north stand, or a decent chunk of it, safe standing and stand where you want within that area. Only sell x season tickets for the area, allowing a certain percentage for pay on the day or whatever the modern equivalent is.

Bish bash bosh you get a bit of noise and maybe even the mildest hint of raucousness. The rest of the stadium should then be able to hear what they're singing and then it's down to them to join in.

Job done.

Yes, I know it'll never happen.

Maybe go the whole hog, put all five songs on rotation on the big screens. For sure it would be criminally tinpot, but sometimes needs must

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Maybe go the whole hog, put all five songs on rotation on the big screens. For sure it would be criminally tinpot, but sometimes needs must

Na na, na na na na, na na na na na.

 

[BN41Albion]

Thought NS was ok last night from front of WSU near half way line , as was WSU nearest NS.

Regards atmosphere in general , I think people expecting us to be like Leeds, Forest, Newcastle or any of the nearly 60k stadiums when the home team is winning is expecting too much.

Most stadiums are quiet if the team is not winning, some better than others but not a lot in it for me. Away support always (well mostly) out sing the home sides until home side goes ahead.

I'll give you Leeds - to be fair they are very good at home thesedays - but Newcastle really is a myth imo. Great when it's a big game but bang average otherwise, including under the new regime. Forest never used to be decent at all in the Championship. Now decent in the prem but let's see if it lasts (it often doesn't!)

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

The family area was blocks A & B in the South stand - I know this because I was the steward employed to manage the family area.

The East was the casual ticket holders mainly which happened to contain a lot of kids / families (for obvious reasons).

The family stand was A & B in the EAST (unless myself and my son who was 3 when the stadium opened have been in the wrong seats for 12 years)

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Maybe go the whole hog, put all five songs on rotation on the big screens. For sure it would be criminally tinpot, but sometimes needs must

We have five songs? That many?!

 

[Nicks]

The North Stand is plenty large enough to create loads of noise. It holds more than the South, which regularly creates a decent noise. The issue is that half the people in the NS don’t sing and half of those that do sing just seem to mumble also apologetically. If the 2,500 or so in the NS all sang loudly and in unison we’d have a cracking atmosphere.

The problem with the North is that it's the cheapest seats therefore you get Parents and very young kids in there, (which is quite understandable) and hence any swearing etc is frowned upon by the parents and obviously the young kids don't know any of the songs and are on their mobiles etc during most of the game.
This getting worse by the season since The Amex opened and I speak from experience as I've been in the North Stand from the beginning.