Atmosphere in the league

[Aaron-Bcfc]

2 hours ago, Fjmcity said:

Been saying this for a while.

07/08 was brilliant, underdogs finally out of league one and couldn't believe what we we're seeing on the pitch so every game was huge.

whats happened? Seems to be such expectation to win.. Maybe cantering league one set us up to think we deserve way more in the championship.

i don't know but it is so flat. All this talk of togetherness squad harmony and players caring isn't being shown by the fans. It is on here with gushing praise and threads about the club going places.

aside from games where we were the underdogs again - Man U and man c we have not been giving it back at all.

maybe the plucky underdogs suits us all more?

Yep, our fans don't really deserve promotion if they can't get up for big games like Wolves the other week.

Unfortunately it's away from home as well, QPR and Villa were two of the worst away ends I've been a part of. Me and mates tried singing from minute one at Villa but we were perhaps one of 10 people in that half of the lower tier that were singing anything, and this was long before we went a goal down. Pathetic.

The irony then of leaving in the second half, to have people who have spent the entire game sat down in silence, screaming at you to "Stay and support the ******* team".

[RedNight]

39 minutes ago, Aaron-Bcfc said:

Yep, our fans don't really deserve promotion if they can't get up for big games like Wolves the other week.

Unfortunately it's away from home as well, QPR and Villa were two of the worst away ends I've been a part of. Me and mates tried singing from minute one at Villa but we were perhaps one of 10 people in that half of the lower tier that were singing anything, and this was long before we went a goal down. Pathetic.

The irony then of leaving in the second half, to have people who have spent the entire game sat down in silence, screaming at you to "Stay and support the ******* team".

Exactly this. I was also at QPR. Absolutely shocking 

[BS4 on Tour...]

4 hours ago, ZiderEyed said:

I'd love for Ashton Gate to be a raucous, atmospheric ground brimming with passion but I don't think its particularly in the English psyche.

In the ‘Pre Match Music For Return Leg’ thread you posted that Ashton Gate is the ‘loudest and most intimidating stadium in the country’ - make up your mind!

[Super]

The songs about the gas though are getting boring nobody wants to join in singing that. Usually join in red army chant etc.

[Up The City!]

If I know anything about Ashton Gate is that the atmosphere is very dependent upon what is happening on the pitch. If the players come flying out of the blocks and look up for it then the crowd respond. Equally I've seen times where we have been getting absolutely battered and that can lift the crowd. Also a poor ref can lift the crowd as can a perfect tackle.

I'm not saying our support is the sing when your winning type of support,  I don't really know how to describe it tbh.

When Ashton Gate gets going it's electric but the crowd are very reactive to events on the field.

To be perfectly honest personally I've been struggling to get excited for the league after such great highs against United and City. League games feel like a come down at the moment and the players seem to be going through this aswell. 

Post Xmas is always a funny month for atmospheres at Ashton Gate. Seems to be a lull between Xmas and Spring.

[Hampshire Red]

Lots if points on a very very broad topic.

Some comments ; quite a few at Manchester will mot have been in 'an event= let's party and sing' mode yesterday, or dare I say it, even at the game at 3pm!

Agreeatmophere on Saturdays does largely depend on the on-pitch activity Si if our wonderful manager decides on a slow build up tactic, it will be quiet

Newbies need help! I am anything but a newbie but fully appreciate the club needs the 7k newbies we have today ( approx average crowd v.v 2-5 years ago)

Wanted more originality eg Flint says no, Heard it for Mags etc. Agree the very old gas stuff is as boring as the stupid garden shed and is this a library as all gas stuff is irrelevant for as long as they are the irrelevance they are today

Hope those at Derby can resist the temptation to mock the 7000 at Manachester who can't be A**ed to make an easy Friday night journey to the Midlands. Infighting doesn't help galvanise City fans as we saw 10 months ago when half our fans appeared they didn't like Lj, and even some players who are  now worth more than the entire Gas squad!!

CoYRs

[Olé]

Agree with @Up The City! (crikey what a difference a year makes )

The atmosphere was incredibly flat but yesterday was a perfect storm of ingredients that always make Ashton Gate pretty sterile:

• Saturday 3pm match
• Opposition most are completely ambivalent to
• General expectation of us to batter them
• Anxiety bred by realisation we couldn't

The truth is we've been spoiled this season and only get going now when we're rewarded on the pitch by something to shout about.

In the Dolman not a single chant carried, but it felt like people were waiting for something to happen and then became very nervous.

But if we're playing a bigger team (no disrespect to Norwich and their parachute payments) I think the crowd gets going a lot more.

Anyone remember Fleetwood at home this time last year? Similarly flat and we were outsung by a minibus of fans with their drum.

I knew all that Etihad bravado would come back to bite us. We've got to start treating our league games like the cup finals they are.

[BRISTOL86]

14 minutes ago, Olé said:

Agree with @Up The City! (crikey what a difference a year makes )

The atmosphere was incredibly flat but yesterday was a perfect storm of ingredients that always make Ashton Gate pretty sterile:

• Saturday 3pm match
• Opposition most are completely ambivalent to
• General expectation of us to batter them
• Anxiety bred by realisation we couldn't

The truth is we've been spoiled this season and only get going now when we're rewarded on the pitch by something to shout about.

In the Dolman not a single chant carried, but it felt like people were waiting for something to happen and then became very nervous.

But if we're playing a bigger team (no disrespect to Norwich and their parachute payments) I think the crowd gets going a lot more.

Anyone remember Fleetwood at home this time last year? Similarly flat and we were outsung by a minibus of fans with their drum.

I knew all that Etihad bravado would come back to bite us. We've got to start treating our league games like the cup finals they are.

I don’t think any of the above are valid excuses for such a crap atmosphere tbh (not having a go at you!) almost all of our games are 3pm Saturday kick offs and I hate all of our opposition equally  

Sad reality is too many of our fans feel like they have some divine entitlement for everything to go our way every minute of every game and simply can’t be arsed when it doesn’t. The atmosphere has been on a steady decline ever since 07/08 and it’s really sad to compare how crap it is now vs the last time we were doing so well. 

[reformed_red]

The key to this is to extend the singing section. Nothing will ever change otherwise. 

Being a member this year, often no option to buy tickets in the S82 corner, meaning I've sat in all three stands at some point so far. The common theme; PEOPLE DON'T JOIN IN. Which is fine, ye pays ye monies ye takes ye chance, right? 

The S82 section MUST be extended. There is plenty of scope to do that as the ground does not sell out each week. 

I also think a megaphone would help. This would need to be organised and controlled by someone who is a) up for doing it b) sensible c) happy to work with club / stewards as they would essentially become responsible for controlling a large section of the crowd. I know this has been debated on here before and I've no idea if it's ever really been considered by S82 / discussed with the club. 

I also think chants need to be simplified. I know most of the words to most of the chants, but (as discussed on another thread), some of the nonsense people sing is just plain funny. But on a serious point, if people don't know / can't hear or understand the words the chant won't carry. One of my favourite chants is sung by Lazio, called Bisonga Vincere. Really simple but really effective. Classic example is the my old man chant; way least first half, everyone sings...then it gets to carving knives and spanners and unless you're a professional rapper most people just mumble / stop then shout FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT .

If the club can allow S82 to grow, I think another block would sell straight away next year. Might even be worth selling the end block of Dolman as singing / standing section as it's next to S82 and might carry some atmosphere into Dolman....

 

[reformed_red]

Another issue is demographic. 

Watch number 6 (which is embarrassing it was included in a video with this title, compared to number 3). 

Amazing if you watch this how different the atmosphere is at the "Big" / English clubs compared to smaller European / South American stadiums.  

Number 1 should have been filmed at Parkhead as well, but never mind 

[chalky]

11 hours ago, Welcome To The Jungle said:

British fans are arguably the worst in the world when it comes to creating noise. Football grounds are generally more like theatres where fans react to what goes on during the match. Singing is almost a novelty element. 

I had the pleasure of seeing Fenerbahce just over a month ago. I got a seat in the top tier of a side stand to slightly remove myself from more hardcore fans as I was on my own. This would be the equivilant of the upper Lansdown. I can honestly say that I jumped and sang for the full 90 in a language I cannot speak and for a team I do not support. The passion shown in places like this makes AG seem like such a depressing place at times. 

S82 I feel has a core of maybe 100 fans who could sing the full 90, but even then, the vast majority will spend most of the game stood in silence, arms folded. As someone who was in the Atyeo for the last few seasons and the EE before that, my question was always 'Why are you here?' if you are not up for actually supporting the team.

I'll leave this here for reference and completely recommend Fenebahce to anyone. Louder than Galatasary imo

 

Incredible. I've started doing some european games in the last couple of years but nothing of this quality. Miles better than any atmosphere in England these days.

As for the atmosphere at AG at times.. The singing/standing corner really needs extending. Even a second area in a different part of the ground would be good for people like me who don't have a ST. The block next to it seems to be sold out for every home game now? I thought half of the block closest to the corner was opened for tickets - anyone shed any light on this?

[Trouty84]

I think Section 82 should be extended by another block next season. From what I’ve  read on here the demand is there. 

I think there’s lots of people who would get involved in creating and atmosphere but are isolated, peppered around the rest of the ground. 

Opening up another block for section82 will give the opportunity for a natural reshuffle to occur. Some will move out, people who want to be more vocal will move in. I hope this is something the club look into for next season. 

 

Maybe one for @Matt Parsons BCFCSLO to add to his ever growing list!

[reformed_red]

7 minutes ago, Trouty84 said:

I think Section 82 should be extended by another block next season. From what I’ve  read on here the demand is there. 

I think there’s lots of people who would get involved in creating and atmosphere but are isolated, peppered around the rest of the ground. 

Opening up another block for section82 will give the opportunity for a natural reshuffle to occur. Some will move out, people who want to be more vocal will move in. I hope this is something the club look into for next season. 

 

Maybe one for @Matt Parsons BCFCSLO to add to his ever growing list!

Yep. Agree. Complete consensus here on OTIB too.

Singing / safe standing section; End block in Dolman next to SS S82 corner. 50% available only to ST, 25% to members, 25% general sale each game. 

@Matt Parsons BCFCSLO hope this is sorted and actioned in the next couple of days. Plus if you can arrange 3 points at Derby on Friday the fans would appreciate that too. 

Cheers.

[Mr Popodopolous]

What about E28? Or would that mean major displacement of existing season ticket holders?

 

[Trouty84]

5 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

What about E28? Or would that mean major displacement of existing season ticket holders?

 

I’d extend to the south stand side  - S24.

[Inactive user]

I think the stadium development genuinely hasn't helped.  However I didn't think it was particularly bad yesterday, given there wasn't much to cheer about on the pitch!

Much prefer it when we are singing support for OUR team as opposed to rubbishing that lot up the road, as it's a total irrelevance at the moment. 

And as for starting songs supporting other team's players.  We'll it's not for me.  Sure respect for them dealing with difficult issues, but no reason for us to stop focusing support on our team.

[reformed_red]

13 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

What about E28? Or would that mean major displacement of existing season ticket holders?

 

Seems to be lots ofvtockets available in this section when on general sale.

[Mr Popodopolous]

@Trouty84

Agreed. That surely would be the next logical step- just thinking of how to extend some more atmosphere to the Dolman a bit too.

@reformed_red You've covered it rather well I feel in that post the blueprint of 50% ST, 25% Members and 25% General Sale.

The problem is thoughl, it's not just up to us with ideas or even the club- SAG? Would they allow further expansion? My instinct says probably not for now.

[Davefevs]

Interesting the comparison to Europe.

On my stag weekend we did Hertha Berlin v Stuttgart at the Berlin Olympic "concrete" stadium.  It was snowing, cost about €8 to get in and was pretty full.  The German fans are a bunch of nutters, but we saw none of this.  In fact our 8-10 created more noise, singing "Winter Wonderland" about Berlin and ex-Bolton striker Fredi Bobic, than the rest of the crowd.  We sang it pretty much for 90 minutes - Du Englisch Fans Bist Crazee was the looks from the rest of our stand.

[Trouty84]

 

12 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

 

My instinct says probably not for now.

I really hope they look at it. We hear management and players talk about the atmosphere and how important it is all the time. It’s great that they acknowledge it.  It’s only right the club should do all they can to encourage it. 

[Dearster]

I thought the atmosphere was particularly bad today, probably a mixture of the "anticlimax" after the Man City game, a slightly smaller attendance than what we've been getting recently and overall quite a poor game of football.

[ZiderEyed]

8 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

In the ‘Pre Match Music For Return Leg’ thread you posted that Ashton Gate is the ‘loudest and most intimidating stadium in the country’ - make up your mind!

On it's day it is. But compared to Europe it's bang average. I don't think it's possible for an English ground to be as loud and intimidating as a large European one any more.

[Phileas Fogg]

12 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

On it's day it is. But compared to Europe it's bang average. I don't think it's possible for an English ground to be as loud and intimidating as a large European one any more.

I think a European type atmosphere is overrated in many ways. Granted, there's almost constant noise at some of these places.. but lots of the time it's very choreographed and guided by fans with megaphones and drums.

You have to remember that in this country supporters are policed and regulated like no other. That would wear down enthusiasm and loud support anywhere and it's been happening in this country for 30 years. Compared to videos you see of Ukraine, Poland or Turkey - we'd never be allowed that much pyro and there appears to be next to no regulation of the supporters over there. Compare that to AG where they can't even turn off the lights during night games because of 'health and safety'. 

Personal preference but I still think a really fantastic British atmosphere is superior to a European equivalent. A British team's atmosphere at it's best will be spontaneous and more natural as it's usually a response to what's going on on the pitch.

I've seen European clubs and you'd be surprised how many of them look up to British fan culture. Watching football in Spain I saw lots of lads copying casual fashion.. Adidas Gazelles, branded t shirts, pin badges of English teams..

Sadly 3pm kickoffs against uninspiring teams doesn't help the atmosphere at AG.. I think S82 should be extended as far as demand allows.. perhaps putting small 'singing sections' in places like the middle of the Dolman or Lansdown to act as almost beacons of Gondor to spread the atmosphere along the bigger stands.

I think really, the atmosphere would also be improved if S82 were close to the away support but I think logistics make that difficult.

I have no doubt though that were we promoted - the atmosphere would be brilliant. Our fans seem to really go for it when we're underdogs or if there's needle in the game. That wasn't the case yesterday or for much of the season.

 

[ZiderEyed]

2 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I think a European type atmosphere is overrated in many ways. Granted, there's almost constant noise at some of these places.. but lots of the time it's very choreographed and guided by fans with megaphones and drums.

You have to remember that in this country supporters are policed and regulated like no other. That would wear down enthusiasm and loud support anywhere and it's been happening in this country for 30 years. Compared to videos you see of Ukraine, Poland or Turkey - we'd never be allowed that much pyro and there appears to be next to no regulation of the supporters over there. Compare that to AG where they can't even turn off the lights during night games because of 'health and safety'. 

Personal preference but I still think a really fantastic British atmosphere is superior to a European one. A British team's atmosphere at it's best will be spontaneous and more natural as it's usually a response to what's going on on the pitch.

I've seen European clubs and you'd be surprised how many of them look up to British fan culture. Watching football in Spain I saw lots of lads copying casual fashion.. Adidas Gazelles, branded t shirts, pin badges of English teams..

Sadly 3pm kickoffs against uninspiring teams doesn't help the atmosphere at AG.. I think S82 should be extended as far as demand allows.. perhaps putting small 'singing sections' in places like the middle of the Dolman or Lansdown to act as almost beacons of Gondor to spread the atmosphere along the bigger stands.

I think really, the atmosphere would also be improved if S82 were close to the away support but I think logistics make that difficult.

I have no doubt though that were we promoted - the atmosphere would be brilliant. Our fans seem to really go for it when we're underdogs or if there's needle in the game. That wasn't the case yesterday or for much of the season.

 

This is a fantastic post.

I prefer the British culture around football but it's each to their own I guess. It's hard to argue that Besiktas away is less intimidating/loud than Anfield away for example, but I'd rather be a part of our support at the Etihad than anywhere else on the planet. (Don't know how clear that is but it makes sense to me haha)

As I said in a previous post, English chants/songs tend to be lyrical rather than "la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la,". Again, I prefer it that way.

RE Atmosphere if we get promoted, I wonder how long it'd take for the novelty to wear off. If we get battered week in week out I don't think it'd take all that long before any sort of atmosphere dries up. 

 

[Phileas Fogg]

7 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

This is a fantastic post.

I prefer the British culture around football but it's each to their own I guess. It's hard to argue that Besiktas away is less intimidating/loud than Anfield away for example, but I'd rather be a part of our support at the Etihad than anywhere else on the planet. (Don't know how clear that is but it makes sense to me haha)

As I said in a previous post, English chants/songs tend to be lyrical rather than "la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la,". Again, I prefer it that way.

RE Atmosphere if we get promoted, I wonder how long it'd take for the novelty to wear off. If we get battered week in week out I don't think it'd take all that long before any sort of atmosphere dries up. 

 

I agree but culturally we're so different to Turkey it wouldn't ever by like that anyway. Frankly I'm glad because that would mean having racism, genuine threats of harm and fans with weapons at games. It's like comparing chalk and cheese. A European night at Anfield (or a playoff game at Ashton Gate) is special to be part of in it's own right.

Culturally we're far more similar to the Dutch compared to most European countries. Similar drinking culture and one of the only other countries that enjoys Darts! 

You might be right about the novelty wearing off, but I don't think it would happen quickly. Imagine the away trips too!

[Super]

Its about time the rovers songs were stopped they are beyond embarrassing and nobody ever joins in. Maybe its new songs needed. No idea why we are quick to rubbish Palace when they create a decent atmosphere. Bizarre really.

[Davefevs]

I think the humour of British fans is also a big difference.

I love the spontaneity, at Old Trafford it misses something because it’s all choreographed.  

[reformed_red]

@Phileas Fogg & @ZiderEyed some fantastic balanced posts and perspectives.

The "issue" at hand is atmosphere at AG. It's unlikely that we will ever experience full 90 min singing from every stand (and I'm sure there are no grounds on the plant where this would happen, happy to be "youtubed" wrong though).

Atmosphere at AG will only "improve" if we continue to adopt more of our "own" songs, which are simple but effective. Sometimes the "la la la la" type chants achieve this, although I agree lyrical chants are better for various reasons. And perhaps the European style "choreography" of fans is needed to achieve this. It's about stepping stones to bigger things, about building a culture. Scaffolding doesn't accompany the finished building if you follow. 

Id love to know who is who on this forum. Maybe an OTIB meet up of likended minds may help S82 grow....

[RedNight]

To top it all off. Fans are posting abuse to Ryan Kent on twitter - he's played 20mins for the club. 

I assume we are taking 7000 to Derby Friday? No thought not - we won't even take a tenth of that. Arguably one of our biggest games of the season if we are serious about automatics. 

[BobBobSuperBob]

1 hour ago, Rednwhiterob said:

I think the stadium development genuinely hasn't helped.  However I didn't think it was particularly bad yesterday, given there wasn't much to cheer about on the pitch!

Much prefer it when we are singing support for OUR team as opposed to rubbishing that lot up the road, as it's a total irrelevance at the moment. 

And as for starting songs supporting other team's players.  We'll it's not for me.  Sure respect for them dealing with difficult issues, but no reason for us to stop focusing support on our team.

Nice to hear  that it came across well on the radio