[Albion] what to do about the home atmosphere?

[portlock seagull]

I recall people who had the hump with myself on here telling me not bother watching the Albion as there were loads more waiting for tickets, looks like the JCL'S ain't putting a shift in.

I’m fairness, it’s tricky to watch the match and support the team whilst watching your iPhone, taking selfies, making your YouTube upload for later, texting friends etc.

 

[Whitechapel]

Our fanbase is too middle class to be consistently loud. It might not be what people want to hear, but it’s a fact.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

As I said, it sounds decent to me in West Upper.

Even I shout 'come on!', and sing along with the songs. Da da da 'Sussex bye the sea', dee dee dee 'one of our own', and my particular favourite 'you're gonna get your ****in' heads kicked in'.

Wonder if the West Stand would join in for my personal favourite, ‘you're going home in a ****in' ambulance'?

 

[BN41Albion]

Our fanbase is too middle class to be consistently loud. It might not be what people want to hear, but it’s a fact.

Maybe something in that, but then I really can only think of one ground in then prem currently that I'd say has a mostly decent atmosphere, and that's Leeds. They have an away-style following across the bottom tier behind one of the goals, which also happens to be next to the away fans to the side of them.

Our away following is certainly better than average I'd say (comparing to followings at the Amex and games I've been too as a neutral). Our home atmosphere I really don't believe is much different to most overall, middle class or not.

 

[portlock seagull]

First half was OK but died out as the game meandered on. Second half was dire like the game; frustration and boredom grew.

You could probably hear the Geordies tbh - they were pretty loud for good parts of the game, bar towards end of the first half when they likely got frustrated with how ultra defensive they were playing.

Very similar theme with many clubs having loud away following but quiet home atmospheres overall though, Newcastle included. Problem at the Amex imo is core groups of singers are too spread out. Too little/non-existent coordination between groups. Atmosphere can still be rocking though when it gets going. Today isn't anything to judge by imo as the game was awful

Cheers for the on the ground report, it did sound good on radio although as you say 2nd half probably more from the Toonites. When I was a regular NSer at the back, right middle, we could never hear the groups under the police box and big screen. We had our vocal section, it was tricky to link up with the others. Even worse if under the screen trying to link up with the Police box or vv. As said, the club scored a massive own goal in 2011. I said as much, I warned as much. Said same about other clubs moving to new stadiums. Time and time again every club makes the same mistake. You get one shot at getting a vocal core behind whichever goal. We blew it. We’re no different to every other club though. We basically need to drop down the divisions, get gates less than 10K, free up enough space so that all the mouthy hardcore lots spread across the North and South West can congregate in the North as one…it’s never going to happen in otherwords!

 

[Return of the Rev]

Amex imo is core groups of singers are too spread out. Too little/non-existent coordination between groups. Atmosphere can still be rocking though when it gets going. Today isn't anything to judge by imo as the game was awful

So we had the North stand and southstand at the Goldstone and they managed to kick up a row independently for big games in the 70's

 

[portlock seagull]

Maybe something in that, but then I really can only think of one ground in then prem currently that I'd say has a mostly decent atmosphere, and that's Leeds. They have an away-style following across the bottom tier behind one of the goals, which also happens to be next to the away fans to the side of them.

Our away following is certainly better than average I'd say (comparing to followings at the Amex and games I've been too as a neutral). Our home atmosphere I really don't believe is much different to most overall, middle class or not.

No, we are far more middle class than most football clubs. Undeniably. Aren’t we the cleverest too? Not sure that’s much to crow about though when the opposition includes likes of Palace. I mean those stupid ******** burnt down their town. And vandalised their own coach. It’s like comparing a tin of Kestrel with a vintage Pol Roger, darling.

 

[Is it PotG?]

We've all watched a few games in our time but that stank the place out as one of the very worst.

Had a lovely chat with some jovial Geordies on the choo-choo who were equally unimpressed be it quite philosophical.

 

[BN41Albion]

We've all watched a few games in our time but that stank the place out as one of the very worst.

Had a lovely chat with some jovial Geordies on the choo-choo who were equally unimpressed be it quite philosophical.

Yeah the Geordies were mostly decent folk I thought. Do find them a bit tiresomely cocky though. Yes you're a big club with a big following (but not the biggest in the land as one group tried to inform us), but is it really any surprise when you've got so little around you for 100 odd miles in all directions ffs?! So many geordies attending who seemed to live down south too.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Our fanbase is too middle class to be consistently loud. It might not be what people want to hear, but it’s a fact.

Too many Guardian readers not enough Sun readers [emoji6]

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[W.C.]

Well the answer sure as hell isn’t PB being ‘embaressed’ by some of our support, or saying that they are ‘purporting to support the club’.

BHA has become more ‘Emirates’ than Arsenal, and will continue to do so until boisterous, passionate support is encouraged and not frowned upon.

Hell of a commute back down under I imagine.

 

[Swansman]

Football fans (home at least) are largely reactive to what goes on on the pitch in this country. Has been the same for donkey's at most grounds. I wish it wasn't, although I don't particularly like the European style droning either, but that's the way it is I'm afraid, at the Amex and the vast majority of grounds. How quiet was Anfield last week when the game turned in our favour (it wasn't that great before it turned either, really)?
Anfield ffs, the supposed holy grail of football passion in this country.

In some countries people the fans believe that they and their singing carries the performances on the pitch. In some countries, people believe that the players should make the fans sing. Cultural differences. It is what it is.

Not been to England but judging from what the microphones pick up its similar in most stadiums.

 

[Seagull]

The punters in the East do not really sing or chant unless led by the north and it generally peters out after 3 Al-bee-urns. My take is that many have just not been in much smaller but more vocal, maybe more desperate crowds at our previous grounds or at away games. They're a different type of supporter, not steeped in the improvised brilliance of terrace banter, gnarled by the rollercoaster rides of the past or illogically passionate about what the Albion means. Only a handful know the songs or seem inclined to sing or shout. The numbers who go in and out during the match (ffs) also testifies to the way they view what they are attending. It doesn't matter in a Shankley type way to them. They like goals and winning but they don't know what it takes to rouse the team. There are notable exceptions, lone wolves howling in the wilderness ...

 

[Mackenzie]

I sat in the sw corner, you couldn’t hear much singing from any of the home fans today. It was a bit of a shame.

 

[Dibdab]

Erm I think you will find there is one ‘influential’ player who has a chant

“One”. You have emphasised my point entirely. In the Micky Adams and.Barry Lloyd ere every single player had a chant.

 

[Dibdab]

Away fans were singing is this a library and they had it about right.

Imo one of the major design flaws at the Amex is having the away fans so far from the North. Take the families in the east and swap them with the away in the south and the atmosphere would ignite.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

I reckon when we're having what might be our best ever season in our history we shouldn't have the bloke who runs the club day-to-day using his programme notes to threaten to ban anyone two games in a row rather than anything else.

Can't we just celebrate being good without him picking a fight with supporters?

I think it sets the tone to be honest.

Atmosphere is crap. But of course it is. a pint of Harveys is now more expensive than in any pub in the land so fewer people drink at the ground, the East Stand fans bar is now 1901, the best bar in the West Lower has been swapped for another corporate 'experience' (the dugout - near the penalty box, lol) and give it 18 months and we'll have another corporate box in the North at the discretion of PB but won't have safe standing because of a 'lukewarm' response to a nonsense survey 3 years ago.

For what it's worth, while the running of the club doesn't help the atmosphere, the main reason there was no noise today was because the performance was absolutely woeful.

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[wellquickwoody]

Hell of a commute back down under I imagine.

Has been a problem since COVID started, agreed

 

[sydney]

The punters in the East do not really sing or chant unless led by the north and it generally peters out after 3 Al-bee-urns. My take is that many have just not been in much smaller but more vocal, maybe more desperate crowds at our previous grounds or at away games. They're a different type of supporter, not steeped in the improvised brilliance of terrace banter, gnarled by the rollercoaster rides of the past or illogically passionate about what the Albion means. Only a handful know the songs or seem inclined to sing or shout. The numbers who go in and out during the match (ffs) also testifies to the way they view what they are attending. It doesn't matter in a Shankley type way to them. They like goals and winning but they don't know what it takes to rouse the team. There are notable exceptions, lone wolves howling in the wilderness ...

you are talking about the " oh look he's pulling his jumper " " which ones Bissouma..?" "is it time to go yet...( 76th minute).?"

"my knittings getting wet " " that tea was horrible" brigade.

 

[BN41Albion]

The punters in the East do not really sing or chant unless led by the north and it generally peters out after 3 Al-bee-urns. My take is that many have just not been in much smaller but more vocal, maybe more desperate crowds at our previous grounds or at away games. They're a different type of supporter, not steeped in the improvised brilliance of terrace banter, gnarled by the rollercoaster rides of the past or illogically passionate about what the Albion means. Only a handful know the songs or seem inclined to sing or shout. The numbers who go in and out during the match (ffs) also testifies to the way they view what they are attending. It doesn't matter in a Shankley type way to them. They like goals and winning but they don't know what it takes to rouse the team. There are notable exceptions, lone wolves howling in the wilderness ...

But all grounds will have stands where the punters are much quieter types than the rowdy, more passionate fans. I've been to games abroad where I've sat amongst fans exactly the same as you describe. Difference is behind the goal is constant noise. We are always told Selhurst is a brilliant atmosphere, but really it's just mostly just the ultra group. The Amex simply just doesn't have all the singing groups together which makes it all really disjointed in the North stand. That really doesn't help things but unfortunately it's a really hard thing to change with ST holders etc.