Dolman Stand Becoming A Joke

[Ashton Kate]

okie dokie

i havent missed a second of football in all my city watching days. i just understand why people leave or feel the need to arrive a touch late, don't know why i just understand!

infact I'm usually one of the first to arive but thats irrelevent its not about me its about peoples basic right to do what they want when they want, free country and all that, I'm sure its not difficult to stand up and look over them is it?

are stewards ruining my enjoyment of the game for telling me to sit down? back row mind you! cos i don't want to be sitting down every 5 minutes, why cant they just leave me alone? I'm not blocking anyones view and i get a better view of the game, makes singing much easier tooo

there not ruining my enjoyment, and nor should people standing in front of you! you should be so enthralled in the match that you sub conciously stand up to see past them!!!!!!

or is it just me? id prefer to be stood for 90 minutes so any excuse would make me happy

I've probably watched a lot more of City than you but we won't go into that (it's an age thing!!) I also understand why people leave early but I just wish they would not block my bloody view when they are. I admire all you young ones who can stand up and watch the game but my poor old legs won't let me stand that long!! When the early birds are leaving I do stand up and then the person behind me has to and the person behind them etc etc!! Come on you Reds.

[Guest Eamer]

Oh, and when everyone starts walking to the front a couple of minutes from the end, why not just stand up and sing your heart out. You'll be able to see the whole game, and perhaps also 'feel part of it'. Get involved!!

Because as mentioned previously not everyone can stand up and sing their hearts out. Down the front is the disabled seating area so all of them have to push their chairs and so on to the boards so they can still see because of these early leavers. Then there are elderly people who obviously would prefer to use their seats for sitting on.

[walshy-shuffle-carl-shutt]

I don't understand all these people. Is it just so they can tell their mates that they have a ST and brag a bit or something? "I'm a season ticket holder, unlike you you part-timer!"

I get parked up about an hour an a half before kick-off and once I get to my place in the Atyeo about 20minutes before kick-off I stay there right up until a few minutes after the final whistle. Haven't even gone to the toilets at half-time for about three years.

I'm with you mate i never go for a wizz at a game and the only time i did last season was my 5yr old sons first game, ten mins in he asks me if he can go and i told to wait till half time. Not a peep out of him till half time and then he asked again. now if my five year son can wait then so can others unless you feel that you need 4-5 pints of larger simply to enjoy a game of football.

My view is those people who leave really don't have any valid excuse for leaving early apart from that don't want to queue at the of the game to get out. Anyone who says different is a bare faced liar. If that was really the case that you had to be somewhere you wouldnt go to the game in the first place.

When people leave early it does detract from the atmosphere why does GJ call for to stay to the end because we need every supporters backing right to the final whistle.

The eighty mins club need to become the 90 IMO.

[Harry]

Because as mentioned previously not everyone can stand up and sing their hearts out. Down the front is the disabled seating area so all of them have to push their chairs and so on to the boards so they can still see because of these early leavers. Then there are elderly people who obviously would prefer to use their seats for sitting on.

The disabled guys have to move 5 yards forward so they can see the game. Exactly. With 5 minutes to go, they are moving themselves into a position where they are able to view the rest of the match without being impeded, as they know full well that most fans are about to make their way towards the front.

Those guys know what to do. How come it is so much of a hardship for the 'able' bodied to simply stand up for 5 minutes?

Don't give me all this crap about elderly people preferring to sit down. It's for 5 minutes max at the end of a game. The last 5 minutes is invariably the most tense and exciting 5 minutes of a match. I can't believe it's so hard to stand up to continue watching the match. Don't tell me you prefer to sit down when we score?? Just stand up and enjoy FFS.

As for these people coming out with some crump about 'you wouldn't get this at the cinema'!! Ha ha ha, I had to laugh.

The words apples and oranges spring to mind! How the hell can you even begin to compare the two? Two very different crowds of people, with two very different expectations. Football crowds have been the same for years my friend. If you didn't like it when you first turned up, what made you come back?? It's football, accept it.

[Harry]

I'm with you mate i never go for a wizz at a game and the only time i did last season was my 5yr old sons first game, ten mins in he asks me if he can go and i told to wait till half time. Not a peep out of him till half time and then he asked again. now if my five year son can wait then so can others unless you feel that you need 4-5 pints of larger simply to enjoy a game of football.

When people leave early it does detract from the atmosphere why does GJ call for to stay to the end because we need every supporters backing right to the final whistle.

I am perfectly capable of enjoying the match without drinking. However, I choose to have a few drinks before, during and after the match. That is my choice, I want to meet up with mates and have a few pints. It doesn't make the match any better or any worse, but it's what I want to do. If you take the 'social' side away from the football, and make everyone enter the ground stone cold sober, 20 minutes before kick off, and not allow them to move from their seat until the match is over, you will more than halve your attendances immediately.

Sorry fella, but for the majority of people, going to the footy is all about the whole 5 hours or more, not just about the 90 minutes. No-one is ever going to change that. So there will always be constant movement around the ground of fans getting food, getting drink, taking a squirt, arriving late, leaving early etc etc... It'll never change.

Then again, I suppose there'll always be those that moan their asses off too, so I spose I ought to accept that!

[Guest Eamer]

I'm with you mate i never go for a wizz at a game and the only time i did last season was my 5yr old sons first game, ten mins in he asks me if he can go and i told to wait till half time. Not a peep out of him till half time and then he asked again. now if my five year son can wait then so can others unless you feel that you need 4-5 pints of larger simply to enjoy a game of football.

My view is those people who leave really don't have any valid excuse for leaving early apart from that don't want to queue at the of the game to get out. Anyone who says different is a bare faced liar. If that was really the case that you had to be somewhere you wouldnt go to the game in the first place.

When people leave early it does detract from the atmosphere why does GJ call for to stay to the end because we need every supporters backing right to the final whistle.

The eighty mins club need to become the 90 IMO.

Agree with you 100%

If a Kid can manage it, anyone can manage it. Go before the game... Though the going to the toilet at half time isn't really the main issue people seem to just go to the toilet anyway just as some sort of ritual without even thinking about it.

Leaving before the final whistle goes though? I mean, how many times have this club scored late on... tonnes. Do people need to get home that quick? It took me 90 minutes to get home from the QPR game and I only live in BS32. Knew it would take me ages because of where I was parked but I still didn't bother leaving early.

The disabled guys have to move 5 yards forward so they can see the game. Exactly. With 5 minutes to go, they are moving themselves into a position where they are able to view the rest of the match without being impeded, as they know full well that most fans are about to make their way towards the front.

They've got a seat in a Disabled position so their view isn't obstructed and they have to leave their seats because people feel like leaving early and not thinking about other people. 5 yards or 50 yards I know I'd much rather stay in my own spot rather than having to move to see because a bunch of other people can't stay on their asses for an extra five minutes.

[we always believe!]

Tbh mate, if you see any today leavin early vs donny

tell them, don't come back if your not a proper supporter.

[Red Head]

Tbh mate, if you see any today leavin early vs donny

tell them, don't come back if your not a proper supporter.

if I decide to leave early and you wanna come and tell me that I'm not a proper supporter.......

[St. Aldhelms Red]

if I decide to leave early and you wanna come and tell me that I'm not a proper supporter.......

Ooh Virge, your so butch!

[red23]

Tbh mate, if you see any today leavin early vs donny

tell them, don't come back if your not a proper supporter.

I hope thats meant to be a joke :noexpression: .

I haven't seen a goal at AG for about 5 years because whenever we get close to scoring everyone stands up and it ruins my view

I bet everyone moaning about early leavers stands up during excitement during the game..so why on earth can't you stand up for a few seconds/minutes as people leave towards the end of the game?! It happens because of the design of the stand and people that do leave early, leave early for a reason and a few people moaning cos they don't want to stand up isn't going to stop them.

[we always believe!]

I admit... its not the right word, but hmm well.

If you've bought your ticket's why not stick around and support the lads.

[bucksred]

In all the years Ive been coming to the Gate, its always amazed me how many early leavers there are in the Dolman. ALWAYS, not even the Williams or the Atyeo when Penis was manager empty out as quickly at the Dolman does, and your usually the latest ones in too.

anyone have a valid reason why? it started late today, inside the last three minutes of normal time, then it became a flood. Tis quite a sight to see, it really is.

[Almondsbury_red]

was rather funnt today in the dolman quite a few joinning in the eastend in singing stay til the end

anyway i don't mind it too much means i get to stand at home games for atleast 5 mins

[pdgifford64]

I`m curious where the majority of those moaning actually live.

I live in Gloucester and travel by car. My working hours can prove to be a bit awkward at times. For Birmingham i didn`t get to leave Gloucester until 6.15. The road works at Avonmouth arn`t helping matters so that meant cutting through town from Cribbs. Throw into the pot that once i get near the Gate i`ve got to find somewhere to park. We get into the ground at 7.35. Block H in the Atyeo at the back and we always stay until the end and by the time i get back to the car it just coming up to 10pm. Almost a full house and a load of brummies heading the same way and i`m looking at 10.30 before i get to the M5. Walk through the door and its 11.20 and i`m up for work again in 6hrs.

Thing is, i do it because i want to. I don`t complain about it and i understand why some people do leave early.

Its a question of tolerance. I`m sure there are a lot more people that have to put some effort, if not more effort, into supporting City at home, never mind away.

I reckon far more of them get on with it without moaning too.

PDG

[freezer]

I sit in C Block Dolman, Row L.

Luckily, I am half way up the block and only have to suffer the inconvenience of those that tend to leave early.

And yes to an extent it is an inconvenience. I have my view of the game disturbed for the last 5 minutes of the game and any time added, by those filing down the stairs - blocking my view - or those exiting the row in front of me - also blocking my view.

I then have my view blocked by the mass of people who leave blocks A & B and then stand and watch the game.

It does look as though the fans don't really care that much about the game and pee's me off.

Why the big rush. Relax, chill, savour a few precious after match moments. Let the rush clear and walk unimpeded for another beer.

Johnson say's Stay Until The End. It's rude to not support your team till the end.

[Freemantle 27]

I feel absolutly humilated, to day against Doncastor out of around 15,000 fans between 1,000 to 2,000 fans must have left before that final whistle... it sounds like a rediculous number of people but its true.

AND BECAUSE OF THIS I CALL UPON THE EE WILLIAMS, ATYEO AND ANY OTHER REMAINDING MEMBERS OF THE DOLMAN STAND; TO CARRY ON WITH THE "JOHNSON SAYS, STAY UNTILL THE END" AND THEN AND ONLY THEN THEY WILL REALISE WHAT PATHETIC FANS THEY ARE FOR LEAVING EARLY

p.s genuine reasons for leaving early for example the last train home should be accepted but c'mon do you really think all those people had to catch the Train?

[Guest DR DICKNOSE]

I feel absolutly humilated, to day against Doncastor out of around 15,000 fans between 1,000 to 2,000 fans must have left before that final whistle... it sounds like a rediculous number of people but its true.

AND BECAUSE OF THIS I CALL UPON THE EE WILLIAMS, ATYEO AND ANY OTHER REMAINDING MEMBERS OF THE DOLMAN STAND; TO CARRY ON WITH THE "JOHNSON SAYS, STAY UNTILL THE END" AND THEN AND ONLY THEN THEY WILL REALISE WHAT PATHETIC FANS THEY ARE FOR LEAVING EARLY

p.s genuine reasons for leaving early for example the last train home should be accepted but c'mon do you really think all those people had to catch the Train?

totally agree with you mate sitting in the atyeo next to the dolman stand,its now become the joke of the day! around 4.40 pm becomes what can only be described as a scene from a comedy sketch,people rushing around to get to the front/exits,next home game I'm going to film it and post it with the benny hill music playing!

it is a ######* joke.

(sorry dolmanites sort it out it don't happen anywhere else.)

JOHNSON SAYS STAY UNTIL THE END,STAY UNTIL THE END,STAY UNTIL THE END..

[Guest wheres your caravan??]

The amount of people that left the Dolman early today was outrageous!

Hundreds after hundreds streaming out!

I live in Taunton and if i left 5/10 minutes early on tuesday night i could have caught an earlier train home instead of waiting an extra hour and a bit in the station for the 23:04 train which arrives in at 00:15!

The team need the backing of the fans and i can only imagine how the players feel when they see the dolman virtually empty whilst the match is still being played!

Even the Doncaster fans were taking the pi*s about fans in the dolman leaving early!

stay until the end and show the players your appreciation, and let them show you their appreciation for your support!

[Guest DR DICKNOSE]

The amount of people that left the Dolman early today was outrageous!

Hundreds after hundreds streaming out!

I live in Taunton and if i left 5/10 minutes early on tuesday night i could have caught an earlier train home instead of waiting an extra hour and a bit in the station for the 23:04 train which arrives in at 00:15!

The team need the backing of the fans and i can only imagine how the players feel when they see the dolman virtually empty whilst the match is still being played!

Even the Doncaster fans were taking the pi*s about fans in the dolman leaving early!

stay until the end and show the players your appreciation, and let them show you their appreciation for your support!

this topic has got me on one now! it doesent matter where you live you stay till the end and support the team of your choice,ok if were 3nil down i can kind of understand,but when was the last time we were in that position?it aint good for the players and in particular the manager(probably the best english manager outside the prem.)

it just doesent send a good message out,if i was a city player 4-1 up with 5 mins to go and saw the mass exodus going on i would be thinking what the **** do these people want&start to question the club itself.

come on we all need to stick together if we want to get where we want...

[Guest wheres your caravan??]

this topic has got me on one now! it doesent matter where you live you stay till the end and support the team of your choice,ok if were 3nil down i can kind of understand,but when was the last time we were in that position?it aint good for the players and in particular the manager(probably the best english manager outside the prem.)

it just doesent send a good message out,if i was a city player 4-1 up with 5 mins to go and saw the mass exodus going on i would be thinking what the **** do these people want&start to question the club itself.

come on we all need to stick together if we want to get where we want...

i think you have misunderstood me.

i am making the point that i COULD have left early but didn't because i support my team until the very end!

[Guest DR DICKNOSE]

i think you have misunderstood me.

i am making the point that i COULD have left early but didn't because i support my team until the very end!

crosswires mate i was using your point that you travel from taunton hence(it doesent matter where you live you support your team of choice), i was aiming my comments at the early leavers in the dolman not you.

CMON YOU REDS.

(ps what cider do you drink down there?)

[Guest bigcheese]

Could possibly understand the latecomers (work n stuff) and early leavers (beer) on a midweek, but for a Saturday game I don't get it! That blackthorn will still be there 5 mins later.

Why would you want to pay yer money and leave early? (Not that most actually leave, they just stand on the steps watching! 4 additional mins today!) If you beat a team 4-1 surely the fans should stay in the ground for at least a couple of mins extra at the end enjoying it/making the opposition feel worse

Atyeo stand seemed to have a fair amount stay behind when some of the team made a special effort to come across and give respect to the crowd - strangely in front of the dolman

In the dolman at least some people were singing stay to the end which was cool.

Why pay all that money and not wait til the end - unless u got travel problems i don't get it?

Obviously people can do wtf they like, but I just don't understand that decision

[Guest Eamer]

The thing is, everyone's excuse is "oooo but if I leave 5 minutes early it'll cut half hour off my journey!"

So what? It took me 29 minutes to get home today and took me 90 minutes to get home at the QPR game. I left at approximately the same time from each game. I got to todays game significantly earlier than the QPR game though. So, if you need to get home quickly, get to Ashton earlier and get a good parking space. You get to see every minute then.

People started leaving on 82 minutes today. Including injury time they missed more than 10 minutes of the game, plus whatever they missed coming back late from their half-time drink and pie. I sit in Atyeo Block H and the amount of people who were late coming back out to their seats in the Dolman was HUGE. We got a penalty, scored it, big cheer and still these people are walking casually out like they can't hear anything and their pie is the most important thing in the world to them.

totally agree with you mate sitting in the atyeo next to the dolman stand,its now become the joke of the day! around 4.40 pm becomes what can only be described as a scene from a comedy sketch,people rushing around to get to the front/exits,next home game I'm going to film it and post it with the benny hill music playing!

it is a ######* joke.

If you don't film it and put the music to it then I will. No point both of us doing it. Would've been good to do it today when we were up by a big margin.

[mart]

The thing is, everyone's excuse is "oooo but if I leave 5 minutes early it'll cut half hour off my journey!"

So what? It took me 29 minutes to get home today and took me 90 minutes to get home at the QPR game. I left at approximately the same time from each game. I got to todays game significantly earlier than the QPR game though. So, if you need to get home quickly, get to Ashton earlier and get a good parking space. You get to see every minute then.

People started leaving on 82 minutes today. Including injury time they missed more than 10 minutes of the game, plus whatever they missed coming back late from their half-time drink and pie. I sit in Atyeo Block H and the amount of people who were late coming back out to their seats in the Dolman was HUGE. We got a penalty, scored it, big cheer and still these people are walking casually out like they can't hear anything and their pie is the most important thing in the world to them.

If you don't film it and put the music to it then I will. No point both of us doing it. Would've been good to do it today when we were up by a big margin.

Its a joke mate, i just don't understand why these guys leave early.

[redfred]

The amount of people that left there seats before the injury time minutes were even announced today was ridiculous. There is absolutely no excuse for those kind of numbers leaving and i felt a tinge of embarrassment. You wouldn't leave a show or a film five minutes before the end would you? So why football? We always wait for the Dolman to empty and the last few people to be shuffling out of the exits to either side before we wander down and we wait no more than five minutes, which to me is no time at all. In my opinion it is to the detriment of the team and the manager if they have the demoralising view of people streaming out of that stand and for that reason alone everybody should make a concerted effort to stay until the end. People with trains to catch and so on are of course excused, but for everyone else STAY and give the players the applause they generally deserve.

[kachina]

I personally think Dolly raises the only valid point here about the ignorant people who decide to clamber round the edge of the pitch blocking the view of the unfortunate and handicapped people in front of the stand you can't stand up so to speak.

If you want to get up and go, leave, don't crowd the pitch making it impossible for these people who have as much right to watch the game as anyone to see the action. I've personally highlighted this in a letter to the club and that people at the bottom should be ushered out, its not fair on those unable to see, I'm not talking about those that can stand up if needs be, I'm talking about the handicapped section who haven't got that option. People who stand on the side of the pitch and being disrespectful to those misfortunate and maybe they should impose that if you get up to leave, you leave. You don't stand round the edge of the pitch blocking the views of those who actually then can't see at all.

[Red Head]

Why not lock the gates and have done with it? The protagonists on here can be the guards and beat early leavers back with sticks.

After each game select one early leaver, put him in stocks in Greville Smythe park and throw rotten fruit at him. This would certainly humiliate them into staying in their seats.

Who do you people think you are trying to take people's personal liberties away and humiliate them when they exercise this right of freedom? Just get on with your life and try not to get too upset.

[Olé]

I'm happy to live and let live and sitting further back in the Dolman it doesn't affect me in the way it clearly affects others. It does surprise me (for example what was the excuse yesterday, surely not trains, my bet is first pint back out in the sun) but that's as far as it goes, I'm not going to dictate to others as you never know when you'll need the same opportunity.

However what I take issue with is this stock excuse: if you don't like it, stand up. I'd happily stand up all game, my favourite away trips are where we get terracing, but the point is, it makes no difference, for the period of time people stream along the front of the upper Dolman, I simply cannot see the left wing by the EE or the right wing by the Atyeo, standing or sitting.

That's from as far back as row S so god only knows how bad it is for the people further forward who really complain. I take for granted that there will be corners and crosses on one side of the pitch in the last few minutes of home games where I will have to suspend reality and wait to see if the ball appears in the box and guess how it happened. And that's standing up.

So whilst I respect individuals rights to do as they please, FFS stop telling people to 'stand up' because we do and it doesn't make any difference, a minority of individuals have already messed up our view. As an aside, much as I like standing, I do so on my terms, not at some arbitrary point between 80 and 90 minutes (even if nothing is happening) when others require it.

So stick the whole 'stand up then' response where the sun don't shine. Of course, feel free to leave when you want but find a better bloody answer for the rest of us. This is all to say nothing of the impression it sends the players and managers, but again that's for the early leavers to consider, I'm not going to dictate to them whether they should be embarrassed or not.

[Harry]

People started leaving on 82 minutes today. Including injury time they missed more than 10 minutes of the game, plus whatever they missed coming back late from their half-time drink and pie. I sit in Atyeo Block H and the amount of people who were late coming back out to their seats in the Dolman was HUGE. We got a penalty, scored it, big cheer and still these people are walking casually out like they can't hear anything and their pie is the most important thing in the world to them.

I was one of those late comers who missed the goal, and I am fine with that. I'd rather City scored, regardless of whether I was watching it or not. That's the chance I take. It wasn't a pie either fella, it was a pint and a fag. Thing is though, they've got the match screened live in the bar anyways, so everyone who hadn't made it out of the bar yet still saw all the action. I actually saw it with a fag in my hand, which was most pleasing.

Oh, and another thing. Every time the ball goes anywhere near the East End, towards the corner flag, I can't see a bloody thing. The whole of C Block is in my way! I'd ask them all to move, but don't think I'd get much success. I accept this as part of football. I'm in a crowd of 15,000 + people. I accept that at some point, with that many people around, someones going to get in my way. Do I moan about it? No. It's life. Accept it and get on with it.

As for the disabled viewers. I never understood why they moved their seats into the lower Dolman anyway. Didn't they used to be situated in the same corner, but infront of the Atyeo? Perhaps if it is that much of a problem then someone could petition the club to move the disabled area away from the Dolman. However, this hasn't happened because it isn't that much of an issue!

I moved towards the front yesterday at about 2 minutes into injury time. I actually think sometimes it adds to the atmosphere, with everyone down the front singing, not just those towards the back of A & B. And as for sticking around to give the players the applause they deserve. Well, I was perfectly capable of doing this too. Inspite of being at the very front when the game ended, I was still only just exiting the stand when GJ gave his traditional winning salute to the Atyeo. So I played my part in clapping the boys off too.

And finally, with regards to the argument that early leavers affect the morale of the players. Ha ha. Do you really, honestly, truthfully, 100% believe that the players actually giving a flying **** that a couple of hundred people leave 5 minutes before the end. If you do, I think you are quite quite deluded.

[Guest wheres your caravan??]

crosswires mate i was using your point that you travel from taunton hence(it doesent matter where you live you support your team of choice), i was aiming my comments at the early leavers in the dolman not you.

CMON YOU REDS.

(ps what cider do you drink down there?)

I live outside Taunton near Sheppys cider brewery, which is very convenient.

My favourite is 'Sheppys Taylors Gold'