[Football] Why are English football grounds so boring (compared to Europe)??

[Mr Bridger]

This is basically it. Because violence was so bad in the 80s the next 40 years was dedicated to methods to prevent it. It's pretty obvious the most violent are likely to also be the most vocal.

It also has never been an English way to support teams with flares, drums and huge banners. Every country has their thing, our thing is providing the highest quality football, and a huge football pyramid which is unrivaled anywhere in the world.

 

[Garyoldfan]

You know it’s possible to create an atmosphere in seats. We’ve done it a few times. I think it’s the English “way”. In South America they all jump up and down singing and that includes the hooligans, our hooligans or supposed cool blokes would rather not say anything than to sing or chant. It’s a cultural thing. Some grounds in Europe have got it going though. I don’t like all the English ultra thing as it seems a bit forced. The goldstone wasn’t always a bubbling cauldron of song and dance trust me.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

We're dull and we know we are..

 

[el punal]

It's just noise though isn't it? Watching on the telly I thought they were largely bland atmospheres in Marseilles and Rome. Yes a lot of noise, an extreme amount of noise, and awe-inspiring to see at the start, but where was the connection with the game? Where was the ebb and flow and the crescendo as the home team attacked? Were there recognisable songs and chants? You couldn't hear the away fans at all, which seems to me to be lacking one of the key parts of a great atmosphere, the back and forth between rival supporters. Noise and pyro, fine, but an atmosphere is something to be savoured.

That's not saying that English atmospheres are generally much good in these days of allseater stadia, usually dull, but they can sometimes be amazing, and I'd take that anyday over the European version

Well that sums up the difference to a ‘T’. The football that’s on offer dictates how English fans react. Continental fans have to be orchestrated into jumping up and down in unison or wave flags or set off pyros and so on, but with no relevance to the game itself. I would say that’s a case of mass tribal willy waving.

 

[The Grockle]

I'm not sure you could get away with flares and some of the other stuff you see in the continent as much as it's about control and h&s it's about protecting clubs and organisations from any liability. Susan gets poked in the eye with a unauthorised flag....10k payout, nigel gets burnt by a flare...50k payout

I also think as much as we wouldn't want to return to hooliganism of the 70's and 80's the early 90's were a scene of huge underinvestment and ambivalence to the average fan. What we have now isn't perfect but it's suits the masses, there aren't many grounds where you wouldn't feel comfortable bringing your wife, small kids and grandparents and that certainly hasn't always been the case.

 

[southstandandy]

They will be looking at seat belts in the Prem to stop us standing soon!

 

[worthingseagull]

Palace tried bringing in a Euro atmosphere and everyone laughs at them. It’s just not how we watch football.

I don't think everyone laughs at them - we definitely do, but then we would. I see lots of other fans and independent media comments referring to Selhurst Park's amazing atmosphere

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Atmospheres should largely be driven by what’s happening on the pitch, not by some JSA claiming, black clad hoodie and sunglasses wearing bell end with a drum from Carshalton

 

[beorhthelm]

its overlooked a lot of the enthusiastic, vocal fan groups in europe are aligned with political alligences to far right/left ideology. they also like to have regular battles with the local constabularies if not the opposing team or ideological group. we rejected that as part of football ~30 yrs ago.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

There are national differences. Some people would like it to be like America, all happy families and no chanting. The Latin Europe , and I believe South American atmosphere is all passion and flares ( and real violence) .
I have only seen film of the Roma game but that would be too over the top for me .
I love English football and the football crowd, long may it last.

 

[el punal]

It should be pay ya money and be whatever the fk you want to be be when your in the stadium, loud, quiet, shit on ya sitting companion. That's my opinion as an oldie, I don't have the energy anymore to be loud and raucous during a game apart from some odd swear words. The young ones should be doing that and stop making you tube videos etc during a match. Add onto that as someone pointed out welcome to our nanny state. Rant over.

I bet you play ‘Jump Around’ by House of Pain on a loop.

 

[el punal]

I see lots of other fans and independent media comments referring to Selhurst Park's amazing atmosphere

They’re referring to the toilets.

 

[Weststander]

Palace tried bringing in a Euro atmosphere and everyone laughs at them. It’s just not how we watch football.

The big things we have are humour and reaction. There’s no wit, no banter, no ebb and flow overseas. Just the same song droning on, uninterrupted even when they concede a goal. English crowds are usually reactive, and while this makes the bass atmosphere worse, it allows room to build, room for a funny new song or witty comment about an opponent or referee.

Manufactured, by blokes at the front with megaphones.

 

[Vicar!]

Its a very different culture. Back in Germany, Schalke are now fighting to stay in the second tier. Still in front of 60000 capacity crowds. The atmosphere remains absolutely nuts. In the Nordkurve it is still a heaving mass of humanity. All standing, beer allowed, well compulsory actually, (strangers have thrust a beer in my hands simply because I didn’t have one.) When (If) Schalke score you throw it in the air, its what you do. Pyro displays are organised weeks in advance. Opposition fans taking liberties are harshly dealt with. It is a case of if you don’t like it don‘t stand there, go to the seated areas.

 

[Commander]

I prefer the English version if you don’t mind. You know, the stiff upper lip jobs like beating Chelsea 4-1, or the last minute penalty against Man Utd 1-0 and 4-0 the season before. Oh, and the wins against Arsenal and Liverpool. The final minutes when we beat Marseille. I go to watch a game of football and enjoy the atmosphere the English way. For pyros and smoke bombs I’ll go to a Guy Fawkes gig. As for drums and orchestrated cheer leading - well you can stick that up your jacksie. Rule Britannia and all that.

I prefer the English way as well. The problem with English grounds is that they are only ever like the examples you mention above once or twice a season, where as European clubs seem to be able to get up for it every week. For Roma and Marseille to have atmospheres like that against an unknown team from Sussex shows the different levels there. That's the equivalent of us being in the Conference League next year against some 3rd rate European team we know very little about. Would the Amex be like it was against Marseille? Absolutely no chance, it couldn't even get up for Ajax at home.

 

[A1X]

I reckon after three games were I left the ground covered in other people’s thrown beer having seen none of the game because the people in front of me set off a load of smoke bombs I’d be demanding a return to “dull” pretty quickly.

 

[Weststander]

View attachment 178720

Barbara Castle, having infiltrated the Burnley end?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Manufactured, by blokes at the front with megaphones.

Yes, exactly. The Cappo is just a DJ or Conductor. There's a set list of songs to go through. No room for moments like at The Goldstone playing against Ipswich when the North Stand broke into "John Wark looks like a hippo's bum" right up to last week with the new "teargassed in Athens" song on buses and in the ground, via 'cry in a minute' every time we played Mr Tumble. It's a performance, nothing more or less.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I don't think everyone laughs at them - we definitely do, but then we would. I see lots of other fans and independent media comments referring to Selhurst Park's amazing atmosphere

Media for sure, mostly the ones Parish treats to a good time every time they go to Selhurst.

Other fans? Most in the south east and London think they're the worst fans in London. That "ULTRAS!" video was made by Millwall. You could see in the videos of their escort from the West St Spoons that a lot of them are abandoning the all in black thing, lots of coloured Stone Island / gillet and white top combos.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

It should be rememered that these crowds are heavily orchestrated. It’s not people turning up and then suddenly putting on a performance. It’s carefully planned with cheerleaders, drums and flares which I find just a bit cheesy.