[Albion] what to do about the home atmosphere?

[Muzzman]

Well... if that turns out to be our worse performance this season, it wouldn't be bad.

 

[BeHereNow]

The fan slaggers love this thread, always the same people. If you go by what they say, every other ground in the country is constantly rocking no matter what’s going on on the pitch. Well, that’s not true, we are the same as most other clubs in that we have a part of the stadium making noise (some don’t even have that) for most of the game, and most of ground not getting vocally involved unless there’s something exciting on the pitch. IT’S THE SAME EVERYWHERE. I go to most away games not expecting to hear the home fans, and I’m never really surprised. Southampton has been an exception because, guess what, they have their singers both sides of the away blocks.

From my spot in the North, the atmosphere is pretty consistent. Some games are louder than others, but I don’t remember the Newcastle game being quiet, in fact I remember it being buzzing at the start and I thought we raised our support to match the away fans. Barely heard them again until they scored, does that mean there should be a whole thread about them? Our support was great at the end, no surprise that the fan bashers failed to mention that.

Oh and people pretending that Palace constantly sing no matter what’s going on on the pitch

What we experience at The Amex is pretty much the same as everywhere else, and better most of the time. Doesn’t mean it can’t be better though. The demographic of football fans has changed and that change is more so the higher up the leagues you get, because it’s gets more expensive. For the Swansea game (where I think it was like £10 for under 18’s) there was a constant, buzzing noise from the north end of the West stand, it was brilliant, that was because it was full of young people who wanted to have a great time. As has been mentioned, we don’t have many fans like that, mainly because they are priced out and can’t get tickets in the same area for league games, and even if they could you just know that Barber would find a way of stamping it out. If we had a North Stand full of them, the atmosphere would be unbelievable, but we’re not in the 70’s and it’s not pay at the gate.

Not sure what’s happened to the South West corner, that always seemed to have a load of flags. All those fans disappeared? Or were the flags not allowed in?

Cup games are a great opportunity to change things up a bit, but I suspect Barber wouldn’t want to unleash a potential beast.

For one big cup game we could move the away fans to the north end of the East (no one’s losing ‘their seat’ as no one’s paid for it) and designate the two central blocks of the North Stand as the ‘singing area’ and invite the split singing groups to join as one, just to see what it does. I’d imagine it would make the experience 10 times better. Like I said, Barber wouldn’t do it because he knows there’d be calls to make it permanent. Not saying we should make it permanent, but it would be nice to know what it could be like. We don’t get any banter with the away fans in the North Stand, and that makes it a bit boring and sterile tbh. Having the away fans in the whole of the end like that makes it feel like a bit of a neutral ground, rather than our home ground.

 

[faoileán]

Simple; bring in safe-standing for a couple of central NS blocks = much better singing. Some people will need to re-locate, but at The Amex there are no bad views.

 

[drew]

Simple; bring in safe-standing for a couple of central NS blocks = much better singing. Some people will need to re-locate, but at The Amex there are no bad views.

How does that work then? How do those to the left or right of the standing section see?

 

[BN41Albion]

Funny how this doesn’t apply to a club like Palace. We’re watching arguably one of the most elite squads ever to have turned out for Brighton playing top half Premier League football, more competitive than we’ve ever been in arguably the best football league in the world, and yet, to paraphrase Maximus from Gladiator, ‘We are not entertained.’ It’s a pretty poor show, no matter how people try dressing it up..

It does though. Fair few games under Hodgson on telly last few seasons where the ultras went very quiet in the home ends when things weren't going their way. Our game there last season they also went very quiet as we dominated the game (albeit without sticking the ball in the net). It really isn't the cauldron of noise Sky Sports will have you believe.

As for where we are at the moment, I agree to an extent, but at the end of the day a poor performance is a poor performance regardless of how good we are overall. At one point we got pegged back so far passing around the back we were on the byline, and we still tried to pass our way out. Football like that is always going to frustrate the home crowd, no matter how you dress it up.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

It does though. Fair few games under Hodgson on telly last few seasons where the ultras went very quiet in the home ends when things weren't going their way. Our game there last season they also went very quiet as we dominated the game (albeit without sticking the ball in the net). It really isn't the cauldron of noise Sky Sports will have you believe.

This point isn't made often enough. For most people on here, their experience of Selhurst Park is when we play them, and of course it's going to be noisy then - and we contribute to that.

But as someone who has to visit the place for professional purposes, I can assure you that most of the ground is as quiet as any other for most of the time. Yes, you've got the group of black-clad Herberts waving their ridiculous banners, but their singing is nothing to do with what the team are doing, or aimed at motivating the players. They are just doing their own thing, and they're doing it at Selhurst because it was cheaper than Spurs. It's completely artificial, and shame on the owners for pandering to them at the expense of other season-ticket holders.

The TV gantry is also in the Arthur Wait stand, so closer to the visiting fans than at most grounds. Commentators who refer to the atmosphere are often picking up noise from the away fans.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

The fan slaggers love this thread, always the same people. If you go by what they say, every other ground in the country is constantly rocking no matter what’s going on on the pitch. Well, that’s not true, we are the same as most other clubs in that we have a part of the stadium making noise (some don’t even have that) for most of the game, and most of ground not getting vocally involved unless there’s something exciting on the pitch. IT’S THE SAME EVERYWHERE. I go to most away games not expecting to hear the home fans, and I’m never really surprised. Southampton has been an exception because, guess what, they have their singers both sides of the away blocks.

From my spot in the North, the atmosphere is pretty consistent. Some games are louder than others, but I don’t remember the Newcastle game being quiet, in fact I remember it being buzzing at the start and I thought we raised our support to match the away fans. Barely heard them again until they scored, does that mean there should be a whole thread about them? Our support was great at the end, no surprise that the fan bashers failed to mention that.

Oh and people pretending that Palace constantly sing no matter what’s going on on the pitch

What we experience at The Amex is pretty much the same as everywhere else, and better most of the time. Doesn’t mean it can’t be better though. The demographic of football fans has changed and that change is more so the higher up the leagues you get, because it’s gets more expensive. For the Swansea game (where I think it was like £10 for under 18’s) there was a constant, buzzing noise from the north end of the West stand, it was brilliant, that was because it was full of young people who wanted to have a great time. As has been mentioned, we don’t have many fans like that, mainly because they are priced out and can’t get tickets in the same area for league games, and even if they could you just know that Barber would find a way of stamping it out. If we had a North Stand full of them, the atmosphere would be unbelievable, but we’re not in the 70’s and it’s not pay at the gate.

Not sure what’s happened to the South West corner, that always seemed to have a load of flags. All those fans disappeared? Or were the flags not allowed in?

Cup games are a great opportunity to change things up a bit, but I suspect Barber wouldn’t want to unleash a potential beast.

For one big cup game we could move the away fans to the north end of the East (no one’s losing ‘their seat’ as no one’s paid for it) and designate the two central blocks of the North Stand as the ‘singing area’ and invite the split singing groups to join as one, just to see what it does. I’d imagine it would make the experience 10 times better. Like I said, Barber wouldn’t do it because he knows there’d be calls to make it permanent. Not saying we should make it permanent, but it would be nice to know what it could be like. We don’t get any banter with the away fans in the North Stand, and that makes it a bit boring and sterile tbh. Having the away fans in the whole of the end like that makes it feel like a bit of a neutral ground, rather than our home ground.

Does brand "Premier League" want images of hoolies shouting and gesticulating "who are ya!" at each other or do they want a more sterile, less confrontational approach?

 

[Justice]

Stop slowly ducking about passing along the back line and speed up our attacks!

I know that is the potter way and I know we are in a terrific position, but I was bored witless after the second half whistle and soon as lamptey went off, I thought “ potter wants to hang on to the point”…..I wasn’t wrong!

That was a shocking performance and really showed that our midfielders are basically defensive midfielders ( apart from trossard) who are happy to **** about at the back and in front of our goalkeeper, but cannot play the killer ball……..of course there is no one up there to receive it anyway.

You can practically predict how every home game is going to play out under Potter. The money I’ve won backing a draw is quite substantial.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Whilst I can see both sides of the argument, the Amex has never had an atmosphere against it's the same as everywhere else, I have to say I fall in the lack of atmosphere camp. I've always enjoyed the big match atmosphere at some away grounds, especially "that" Boro' game where the home fans sang, in unison, for large parts of the game, Anfield, St James's and the old Upton Park (and some say the new stadium) are always special. We don't have any continuity, we have pockets of singing fans who, at times in the North, seem to be drowning each other out.

The Amex isn't a cauldron of noise, the songs are dated and rarely embraced by all, we've lost the "North Stand" feeling we once had but haven't really had since The Goldstone. We had a great go at it at Withdean but that had it's own problems as we all know. Away games are different, mainly due to the travel v alcohol consumption and the fact that it's an "away day".

To deny we have a problem with noise, atmosphere and a fanatical contingent is naïve in my opinion.

 

[faoileán]

How does that work then? How do those to the left or right of the standing section see?

You're correct; it would work much better in corner sections like the SW corner...

 

[Wozza]

As others have probably mentioned, it's time for a drum.

(Never, ever goal music though)

 

[Dougie]

As others have probably mentioned, it's time for a drum.

(Never, ever goal music though)

https://twitter.com/BHAFCBrawlers

This might be a start.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

https://twitter.com/BHAFCBrawlers

This might be a start.

Oh dear!

 

[Wozza]

Maybe we should just play Mr Brightside?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjSC9gYJfqU

 

[southstandandy]

Illuminated goal mouth?



All the fun of the fair!

 

[BN41Albion]

Whilst I can see both sides of the argument, the Amex has never had an atmosphere against it's the same as everywhere else, I have to say I fall in the lack of atmosphere camp. I've always enjoyed the big match atmosphere at some away grounds, especially "that" Boro' game where the home fans sang, in unison, for large parts of the game, Anfield, St James's and the old Upton Park (and some say the new stadium) are always special. We don't have any continuity, we have pockets of singing fans who, at times in the North, seem to be drowning each other out.

The Amex isn't a cauldron of noise, the songs are dated and rarely embraced by all, we've lost the "North Stand" feeling we once had but haven't really had since The Goldstone. We had a great go at it at Withdean but that had it's own problems as we all know. Away games are different, mainly due to the travel v alcohol consumption and the fact that it's an "away day".

To deny we have a problem with noise, atmosphere and a fanatical contingent is naïve in my opinion.

I don't think anyone is denying we have an issue with the main groups of singers being disjointed and the atmosphere at times, I think it's more that people are pointing out that we are certainly not unique in terms of atmosphere. Far more clubs have issues with atmosphere than don't in this country, for sure.

 

[chaileyjem]

Then you have all the petty nonsense Barber has come out with:-

1) One week fine for the old timers to take their flasks of Bovril in. The next week they are banned. No reason or explanation.
2) One week fine to have a lid on your soft drink bottle. The next game they are banned. No reason or explanation.
3) You can no longer take a bag into the ground. No reason or explanation. I don't drive and every game I have been to since the AMEX opened i have taken my rucksack. Always opened it and been happy to have it searched. Never a problem until Barber decided there was one.
.

I guess i'm an old timer now and i definitely did use to take my flask, sometimes tea, sometimes Bovril !, so was annoyed ( a bit) when they were banned.
That said Barber has explained all these as security measures multiple times in multiple different ways at great length, we aren't the only stadium to do it and i'm not sure what on earth it has to do with the atmosphere.
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/16596721.albion-chief-executive-paul-barber-defends-flasks-ban-amex/
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/19197928.paul-barber-responds-fan-season-ticket/

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

https://twitter.com/BHAFCBrawlers

This might be a start.

The irony of this copy and paste job has obviously been lost

 

[drew]

Whilst I can see both sides of the argument, the Amex has never had an atmosphere against it's the same as everywhere else, I have to say I fall in the lack of atmosphere camp. I've always enjoyed the big match atmosphere at some away grounds, especially "that" Boro' game where the home fans sang, in unison, for large parts of the game, Anfield, St James's and the old Upton Park (and some say the new stadium) are always special. We don't have any continuity, we have pockets of singing fans who, at times in the North, seem to be drowning each other out.

The Amex isn't a cauldron of noise, the songs are dated and rarely embraced by all, we've lost the "North Stand" feeling we once had but haven't really had since The Goldstone. We had a great go at it at Withdean but that had it's own problems as we all know. Away games are different, mainly due to the travel v alcohol consumption and the fact that it's an "away day".

To deny we have a problem with noise, atmosphere and a fanatical contingent is naïve in my opinion.

Anfield? Yes, all the tourists get emotional with the rendition of YNWA but that's it. Most of the game they were as flat as the Emirates, only getting going again for the last 5 minutes.

 

[Sid in the Sharknado]

Whilst I can see both sides of the argument, the Amex has never had an atmosphere against it's the same as everywhere else, I have to say I fall in the lack of atmosphere camp. I've always enjoyed the big match atmosphere at some away grounds, especially "that" Boro' game where the home fans sang, in unison, for large parts of the game, Anfield, St James's and the old Upton Park (and some say the new stadium) are always special. We don't have any continuity, we have pockets of singing fans who, at times in the North, seem to be drowning each other out.

The Amex isn't a cauldron of noise, the songs are dated and rarely embraced by all, we've lost the "North Stand" feeling we once had but haven't really had since The Goldstone. We had a great go at it at Withdean but that had it's own problems as we all know. Away games are different, mainly due to the travel v alcohol consumption and the fact that it's an "away day".

To deny we have a problem with noise, atmosphere and a fanatical contingent is naïve in my opinion.

The atmosphere at St James' Park is like watching a pathe news real of a match - total silence occasionally interspersed with a burst of clapping when one of their players does something well (i.e. about 5 times a game).