[Albion] what to do about the home atmosphere?

[redoubtable seagull]

The crowd dynamics for Newcastle was a very strange.

There was a real buzz in the NS concourse pre-match for the Man City game, it was rammed, loads chatting, a few chants were going, quite a long wait time for the beer queue, and it felt really upbeat. You got the sense a lot of people had enjoyed a day of drinking before the game. Alcohol certainly gets the vocal chords going for a match and the atmosphere for that game wasn’t too bad.

Cut to Newcastle and pre-match was distinctly flat. The NS concourse was not that busy, we got our pre-match beers quickly and there was plenty of space to drink them.

So, my hardly empirical take on it is our crowd response is very influenced by how much has been drunk pre-match - probably why away games in London are more raucous as virtually everyone will have travelled on the train and most have had a few to drink.

As others have said, as a crowd we tend to react to events on the pitch. Man City being a recent example where the team played well in the 2nd half and the crowd responded. There wasn’t a great deal to get excited about on Saturday about watching the ball move from side to side and backwards as we tried to find a way to break through a very boring, defensive team. We’re not playing so crap that there’s a need for league two style chanting of attack, attack.., attack attack attack, as witnessed from the geordies.

Finally, all the young lads who became STHs when the Amex opened and are now in their late teens and early 20s are spread out across the stadium and probably sit with their families still. They have not been able to congregate together to become a new generation of singers because of the popularity of tickets. It’s very difficult to move seats and find STs together in a group when the window opens.

Well that’s my take on it.

 

[Monkey Man]

There's probably evidence that top-flight football grounds as a whole have got quieter over the past decade or so. There will be lots of reasons for this, and of course some exceptions.

I suspect that at the Amex (and lots of other grounds) one of the key metrics is simply that the crowd is getting older. The younger fans coming up behind us aren't going to the games together and congregating on one place as we used to do at the Goldstone. They're sitting with parents and grandparents.

For what it's worth I thought the home support on Saturday was decent for most of the first half. In the second we all got a bit exasperated with what was happening on the pitch.

None of this is unique to Brighton. I was following some Twitter threads last weekend in which Liverpool fans were bemoaning the lack of atmosphere at Anfield these days.

 

[burrish-gull]

First proper game back for me since the lockdown........we've become Franchise FC, the atmosphere was pathetic. We have become everything we used to take the piss out of, the soul has been stripped out of the club, it's a continual barrage of political correctness from top to bottom and those who don't toe the line are "bad fans".

 

[Return of the Rev]

Plenty of poor atmosphere at the Goldstone, sometimes only noise from the North and very occasionally it seemed the west stand got involved. East terrace just wanted to suffer in silence in full view of the rest. Problem is with the crowds we are getting at Falmer we are fooled in to thinking they are all big games

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

No one is saying there hasn"t been times when the atmosphere has been great at Brighton games. I go back a bit further than you to the "71-'72 season when we went toe to toe with the mighty Aston Villa for the Third Division title, only to fail at the last (so very Brighton).

There were some fantastic night games that season, with the North Stand in full voice, couldn't tell what the rest of the ground was doing, and quite frankly I didn't care.

The point is, like your period, this was a time when Brighton were on the up and it was easy to get "passionate" and behind the team when it seemed like there was a prize in sight at the end of the day - now, less so - roaring Brighton on to another magnificent draw doesn't have quite the same edge.

As for your "loads of aggro" comment, I suppose that gives me a proper insight into your real desire, for the good ol' days!

The atmosphere at the Goldstone in those evening games was indeed fantastic, as I can confirm even as a spectator from the South-West and sometimes East Terraces.

But your memory is faulty in one respect - we spent more time toe-to-toe with Ted MacDougall and company at Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic for second place than with Villa for the title.

 

[Springal]

First proper game back for me since the lockdown........we've become Franchise FC, the atmosphere was pathetic. We have become everything we used to take the piss out of, the soul has been stripped out of the club, it's a continual barrage of political correctness from top to bottom and those who don't toe the line are "bad fans".

Go on then? What political correctness? What has been 'stopped' that has killed the atmosphere?

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

The atmosphere at the Goldstone in those evening games was indeed fantastic, as I can confirm even as a spectator from the South-West and sometimes East Terraces.

But your memory is faulty in one respect - we spent more time toe-to-toe with Ted MacDougall and company at Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic for second place than with Villa for the title.

I know, but plucky Bournemouth doesn't sound as good as the mighty Aston Villa...

Now Ted Mac, now there was a goal scorer of his day!

 

[Charlies Shinpad]

South Stand at The Goldstone was a great little stand until it burnt down and they put seats in it once it was redone.
Then went into the North Stand and at least it was more atmospheric during bad games than the Amex North Stand now.
Too many young families in the North now, I understand why because it is cheap but sadly its more like a family stand now and as the years have gone by far more sterile than when it first opened.
Even away games are going that way as the people below me at Anfield were more interested in taking videos than singing etc.
On that note I hardly recognise anyone at away games anymore .

Sent from my CPH2195 using Tapatalk

 

[spoonie]

South Stand at The Goldstone was a great little stand until it burnt down and they put seats in it once it was redone.
Then went into the North Stand and at least it was more atmospheric during bad games than the Amex North Stand now.
Too many young families in the North now, I understand why because it is cheap but sadly its more like a family stand now and as the years have gone by far more sterile than when it first opened.
Even away games are going that way as the people below me at Anfield were more interested in taking videos than singing etc.
On that note I hardly recognise anyone at away games anymore .

Sent from my CPH2195 using Tapatalk

hahaha its strange isn't, I have been going home and away for 25 years and so many people I don't recognise these days

 

[drew]

oh yes , it happened ....we had always a fickle crowd as have most teams , my memories are mostly from the 79 to 83 seasons which were glory years , packed grounds , brilliant atmospheres and loads of agro ....to say it didn't happen or call it twaddle is just ridiculous...

I'm trying to decide if you're being sarcastic or if you've just forgotten the decking crowds during Baileys reign!

 

[Sid in the Sharknado]

I think we need to incentivise people more.

The first person to stop singing after kick-off, will be shot.
The second person to stop singing, will be shot twice.
And so on and so forth.

 

[drew]

First proper game back for me since the lockdown........we've become Franchise FC, the atmosphere was pathetic. We have become everything we used to take the piss out of, the soul has been stripped out of the club, it's a continual barrage of political correctness from top to bottom and those who don't toe the line are "bad fans".

Sounds like you're trying to suggest it changed during lockdown!

 

[Bryanw42]

I want to offer an alternative perspective and no doubt will be labelled a plastic day tripper or whatever the combination of labels might be. But whatever..*

My parents dragged me to every Brighton home and away game from about the age of 6. I hated it. The drinking, swearing, noise, crush (and often I was seriously compressed gasping for breath in a solid block of swaying 80’s fan flesh and mullets probably), my mum being groped, my dad seemingly powerless to do anything about it, the violence, being kettled away from away grounds by a cavalry of police horses. In summary, the whole football fan package was anathema to this quiet, book loving kid. The 1983 cup final (and replay) at the age of 9, certainly seared itself into my brain but as soon as I was old enough to stay at home alone, I did.*

From the age of 11 to now 47, I had little interest in football other than the World Cup’s and Euro’s that went by. That is until me and my boys became gripped by the Euro’s this summer and my Danish wife got hold of some tickets to the semi- final. Mind blowing that was.*

I had been to the Amex sporadically with my brother to a few championship and one premier league game. As my brother and mum carried on their support now that my late dad cannot and as I am linked to Brighton through my childhood I decided to take the two eldest of my four boys to their first game when thankfully we beat Watford. We loved it. We then saw Brighton beat Leicester. The atmosphere that day was electric as we somehow kept the total war that Leicester unleashed at bay (with a bit of luck also). We were then hooked. Hook line and sinker hooked and it’s now all we can think and talk about. *I’m also proud that my boys are proud to support Brighton despite almost every one of their school friends supporting Chelsea – by default in this area (yes I live in Epsom so I am no local either..)*

When we go we’re in the East Stand family bit. It is a bit quiet there if there is nothing going on or if we are painfully and often dangerously moving the ball backwards. The support is reactive, when we surge up the pitch it gets noisy but it is very unlikely that a bunch of dads, kids and old people are going to proactively start making a load of noise during a quiet / frustrating patch. *

This atmosphere is and should be led by the north stand and from looking at the other comments - the different groups need to be merged together to make one bigger noise. They need to drive the support throughout and if there is more noise consistently at higher volume it will spread throughout the stadium. I, like most other quieter people will get caught up in rather than try and create the atmosphere. Personally even at this age I’m too shy to start singing as a lone voice in the east stand in front of my kids and a few thousand seated quiet people – but if the place is kicking off (as we experienced against Leicester) – it snowballs and we get nosier and the whole place takes off. It really has to build from a solid base though. It seems that was lacking in the Newcastle game. We also went to the game against Man City. The first half you could hear the wind whistling round the top of the stadium – it was flat as could be. It was depressing – it felt as if it could have been lifted more (and please don’t say – well why don’t you pipe up then – see my previous point). The second half though after scoring and playing brilliantly – the reactive crowd came alive..*

If I am criticised for being a Johnny-come-lately – so what. I am now obsessed and so are my boys. The result is that another fan has been added to the numbers and has brought along 2 more fans and when their younger brothers are old enough, 2 more potentially if they take to it. If premier league grounds are more sterile than they used to be, on the flip side they are good to take kids too - they can actually see the action and are not intimidated and mine have had a great experience every time. The kids may be the future fans shouting from the north stand – building the atmosphere.

One thing that I don’t know and someone here does I’m sure. The suggestions made – such as joining up the singing groups up – or moving the away fans. These to me sound like sensible/practical measures that may give the boost needed to lift the atmosphere across the board. Who actually represents the fans in talks with the club? Have these suggestions been put forward formally before. If so what has been the response from the club?*

 

[FloatLeft]

If the south west corner was made safe-standing and was then offered out to people who wanted to create a singing section, I’d move there from my seat (where i stand anyway) in the North stand.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lens]

I think we are far too precious about it.. the atmosphere is an organic "thing" for us.. linked and related to the opposition, the kick-off time, the events on the pitch and the referee! All of these link to how "good" the atmosphere is for Home fans, Getting out-sung by travelling hordes is nothing new or peculiar to us. Our travelling support will do the same when we travel as many have pointed out. To change it would require an intervention of some sort : a singing section, (a la Palace) a drum/megaphone brandishing cheer leader, safe-standing, move the away fans etc etc. However, none of these things are "real". The Palace example is one to consider - a deliberate attempt to give those wishing to lead the singing prime position to do so. However, the impact is transitory. The 50 - 100 black-clad gang have to sing the song the drum leader wants, whilst the rest of the stadium will drift in and out organically depending on exactly the same criteria as every other stadium, including our own. As someone else has pointed out, the impact is questionable (whatever Palace want to say) - for the majority of the time a constant background drone, that others join in with when the events on the pitch dictate. Personally I would hate that, and disagree that it's any better the majority of the time than most other stadia.
Our organic atmosphere is no better or worse than most teams. When its good (2nd half vs. City) its great. When its not, its not.. and that's Ok! The noise in the NS (where I sit) is pretty much consistent but as we all know, sometimes the different groups sing different songs at the same time.. however the rest of the stadium will join in when events n the pitch dictate it. What I dislike about our "atmosphere" is the anger/frustration because things on the pitch aren't quite as good as would like them to be. I don't get the comments about " d"@~king about" at the back, on the occasions that an opposition team is well set up - as though the players choose to do that. We often complain bitterly when we are not given credit for snuffing out the bigger/better club, and the narrative is about how poor they are, but many seem to struggle to do the same when we don't win certain gamest. Newcastle handled our threats out wide pretty well. Closed those routes down that meant we struggled and couldn't move the ball so quickly. West Ham did it well against Liverpool, Watford did it pretty well against Arsenal, Burnley did it well against Chelsea. Newcastle did it pretty well against us and the atmosphere suffered because of it. No different to anywhere else I would suggest.

 

[Seasider78]

It is noticeable at games the demographic of our support has changed significantly in the Amex era which is probably a sign of the higher price point for football these days making it less accessible for those on lower incomes. Working class crowds were always more vociferous. Not unique to the Albion just part of continued erosion of the soul of football as it becomes something targeted at corporate and middle class fans who pump more into the clubs

 

[sydney]

It's not though.
You say Goldstone atmosphere, then cherry pick 4 seasons out of 80 or so.

Quite rightly you remember the big games, big occasions.
FA Cup aside, I bet your memories of 82/83 aren't quite so 'lively'.

Scrolling on from there I remember all the big cup games.
4-0 v Newcastle.
3-3 v Bournemouth.
Millwall in the play off, Bristol City the game before.
Then the demise.

All fantastic atmospheric games.
But that's what 10 - 15 games out of what 200/300 matches.


We can do 'it'.
We just don't on a regular or even semi regular basis, to say otherwise is incredibly rose tinted.

your memories sound depressingly sober ....which is why you probably thought the atmosphere was shyte, jog on sausage.

and we don't do "it" because we don't have a dedicated racket section .....i reckon we could sell 8/9 k season tickets in the racket section and put on a half decent show .......but its not the belle de jour.....is it...??

 

[Titanic]

I want to offer an alternative perspective ...

Thank you and welcome to NSC

 

[sydney]

That is until my Danish wife got a semi , Mind blowing that was.

sorry , you talked right into it...

 

[Bryanw42]

That is until my Danish wife got a semi , Mind blowing that was.

sorry , you talked right into it...

Good job extracting the innuendo. Good job wading through my waffle.