Pyro - how do others cope?

[Phileas Fogg]

19 minutes ago, bris red said:

I do agree about the sitting at away games, its a strange one. Its almost the unwritten rule for a lot of clubs that away games everyone stands, 100% helps the atmosphere. Just not really something our lot like doing is it? 

We can do it - but it totally depends on the 'type' of away game.

London away game, midweek, 1000-2000 in attendance like Fulham this week and most will stand. I guess there's naturally going to be less families and older fans at that sort of game. Cardiff or Rovers away at any point - same sort of thing but that's partly because of the hostility of the game too.

General rule it seems is that games where less families/older fans attend and games with lots of needle = higher % stand. 

Still not the same as Leeds or Sheffield Wednesday (or any big Prem club) where almost 100% will stand in any circumstance.

We're not the only club where plenty sit at away games - I think it's pretty normal for a smaller club like us really. Wish it wasn't though.

[Phileas Fogg]

1 minute ago, cidered abroad said:

Reference to standing at away games. Perhaps those who wish to stand should ensure that they are inside the stadium early and take the upper rows, instead of arriving late from the pub, well oiled, and insisting on standing where there are empty seats. Life is all about planning and compromise. Do this for a few games, be reasonable about those who have to sit and you'll have it sorted.

Plus the fact that the more successful we are,the more younger fans we'll attract.

Maybe we should employ a scheme similar to Stoke. They sell their away tickets on the proviso that if you're buying it towards the back of the allocation, you'll be in a standing area. If you want to sit, buy a ticket closer to the front. Seems a sensible compromise.

I know it's something we were looking into doing when Andrew Billingham (ex Stoke) was here. Now he's no longer around I guess it's dead in the water.

[SStandUp]

2 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

@ForeverRes

Don't think there's 2,000 in S82. Between 1,000 and 1,500 IMO.

I think I recall v Burton...very loud. The Fielding in the building chant went on 9, 10 mins.

Mixed bag away from home IMO- would be great if more stood. That would help for sure.

Regards S82, I think they make a great effort. Moving them from a section of Atyeo to SS/Dolman corner was a no brainer, and has helped atmosphere spread better around the ground IMO.

Yeh I absolutely agree. I wasn't disregarding their efforts, they are top draw. But when it's just them, it's not the loudest. But you're right, when a song is sung longer than 30sec (like the Aden Flint/ FF chant), it allows other to join in! 

[SStandUp]

2 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Well your post was specifically about our away support which is what i was replying to. I have been in the home end and seen our away support where we had 1500 or so - we were good. Far better than most clubs in this league. 

Funny you mention Reading which is nearly always poor for our away atmosphere as it’s one of those 3-4000 attendances with plenty of families. I struggle then to take your view on our away atmosphere seriously after that. 

To see us at our best, it needs to be London based away ground, midweek and between 1000-2000 of us. I guarantee Fulham this week will be one of our better away atmospheres for a while. 

Overall our atmosphere isn’t that bad, easily top in this league home and away imo - I just don’t get the sitting down at away games thing.

I referenced the home support because it's very much like an away game. We have a section of 1500 who all sing, but even with them singing, it's not that loud. So let alone what it sounds like when we have 300 tops singing at an away game. 

Our songs are pretty poor. We don't have anything that goes on longer then 30secs..., Leeds last week sang a lot of songs for 5mins or longer and everyone joined in. 

But their whole end is stood up and singing, so big difference. I know what it's like at an away game with City, you start a song, 50 people join in and then it dies out. 

[poland_exile]

5 hours ago, PolskRed said:

Did you watch Katowice v Ruch last weekend? It was unbelievable, away fans were banned but the atmosphere was 100 times better than we will ever see in an English stadium. We have Polsat so get lots of Polish football, pyro is seen everywhere and people don't seen to be bothered. Been to lots of games in Poland where there has been pyro, I use an inhaler and it has never effected me.

hi mate - totally agree, away numbers tend to be small here yet even without any away fans the atmosphere is usually mad from the first minute till the last. Didn't see Katowice / Ruch, but hoping to get down Silesia for one of their derbies later this season, great part of the world for football! Was at my local team yesterday, Polonia v Widzew, mad day out for a 4th division match (and again, thickets of pyro but no casualties to speak of!). 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Am gonna say on the atmosphere I don't think standing- though a big help- is be all and end all.

When I used to go regular, season ticket, I was in Atyeo. Now I like to sing and chant at football, but if others around you don't you tend to reign it in.

Dare say others were/are in same boat.

Best way forward IMO is expansion of S82 for the atmosphere and getting more like minded fans together.

In terms of aging demographic of fans, that's a much bigger issue for English football as a whole

.IMO unsure the bigwigs have the will or perhaps even the ability to put forward innovative and long term solutions.