Swansea City at home in the FA Cup match thread

[PHILINFRANCE]

4 hours ago, Engvall’s Splinter said:

Like you say, you expect sweating at football. 

You certainly do, although I am sometimes convinced that some of our players don’t share your view .

[FNQ]

6 hours ago, Davefevs said:

There were more full-blooded 50:50s in this game than I’ve seen for ages.  Proper tackles, hard and fair.  Nice to see.

(lots of stupid tippy-tally fall over nothing tackles too)

I thought so too.. but only noticeable for me in the second half. I thought that Swansea bullied and intimidated us when we had the ball before half time, something I’m sure Nige hammered home during the break. We were so much more up for it after half time. We need to take this mindset into Saturdays game from the off.

[2015]

5 hours ago, lenred said:

Yep it’s been clear for years and years that they want happy clappy people who sit on their hands, mind their ps and qs and only play very nicely like good boys and girls.   It’s pathetic and winds me up no end - makes us look weak and ever so inviting as a day out.   They aren’t football people - they just don’t get it.   I’m hopeful this new CEO, being ex Palace, does get it and will make some changes.   Won’t hold my breath mind! 

Remember when we would only sign players with the 'Right DNA'. Part of the reason we've been such a pushover for years. No bad boys allowed, only yes men

[Garland-sweden]

Their goal is so bad of us so you can hardly mentioned it. 

[One Team]

18 hours ago, lenred said:

Yep it’s been clear for years and years that they want happy clappy people who sit on their hands, mind their ps and qs and only play very nicely like good boys and girls.   It’s pathetic and winds me up no end - makes us look weak and ever so inviting as a day out.   They aren’t football people - they just don’t get it.   I’m hopeful this new CEO, being ex Palace, does get it and will make some changes.   Won’t hold my breath mind! 

Good post and good point about the new CEO, he will have seen the difference the Palace Ultras have made to Selhurst Park. Ideally our singing/standing section would be right next to or in the same stand as the away fans to drown them out but it’s not going to happen. 

[Phileas Fogg]

Having vocal support next to the away fans helped generate a better atmosphere - colour me surprised. I’ve been like a broken record on this, but the placing of S82 is the worst possible place for atmosphere.

The atmosphere at AG is embarrassing and as others have said, makes us look weak. I appreciate the effort those in S82 make, but without a bit of stimulus it doesn’t generate a noise atmosphere around the ground.

I completely agree that the club have tried their best to dilute atmosphere - it was always a mad decision to give away support an entire end behind the goal. Makes a mockery of the ‘marginal gains’ stuff that’s so important in modern support. 

[Davefevs]

44 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Having vocal support next to the away fans helped generate a better atmosphere - colour me surprised. I’ve been like a broken record on this, but the placing of S82 is the worst possible place for atmosphere.

The atmosphere at AG is embarrassing and as others have said, makes us look weak. I appreciate the effort those in S82 make, but without a bit of stimulus it doesn’t generate a noise atmosphere around the ground.

I completely agree that the club have tried their best to dilute atmosphere - it was always a mad decision to give away support an entire end behind the goal. Makes a mockery of the ‘marginal gains’ stuff that’s so important in modern support. 

Not being a shouter myself (apart from at referees!!) I hadn’t quite appreciated this until yesterday.  It made a marked difference when at h-t, Dolman Block A got filled with a group of fans ready to take on Swansea, vocally at least.

[Harry]

1 hour ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Having vocal support next to the away fans helped generate a better atmosphere - colour me surprised. I’ve been like a broken record on this, but the placing of S82 is the worst possible place for atmosphere.

The atmosphere at AG is embarrassing and as others have said, makes us look weak. I appreciate the effort those in S82 make, but without a bit of stimulus it doesn’t generate a noise atmosphere around the ground.

I completely agree that the club have tried their best to dilute atmosphere - it was always a mad decision to give away support an entire end behind the goal. Makes a mockery of the ‘marginal gains’ stuff that’s so important in modern support. 

It’s within the fans gift to be able to change this. 
Whilst the club have clearly tried everything they can to stifle atmosphere, the best way for the fans to fight back is to simply not play ball. 
If I were the group of ‘singers’ in S82, I’d not renew there next season. I’d move my seat to Dolman A block, either upper or lower. There’s plenty of spare seats there. 
If 200 people organised themselves to make this move, then what can the club do about it - nothing. 
Just get organised and move ‘S82’ to A Block, without any consultation with the club whatsoever. 

[Rob k]

5 minutes ago, Harry said:

It’s within the fans gift to be able to change this. 
Whilst the club have clearly tried everything they can to stifle atmosphere, the best way for the fans to fight back is to simply not play ball. 
If I were the group of ‘singers’ in S82, I’d not renew there next season. I’d move my seat to Dolman A block, either upper or lower. There’s plenty of spare seats there. 
If 200 people organised themselves to make this move, then what can the club do about it - nothing. 
Just get organised and move ‘S82’ to A Block, without any consultation with the club whatsoever. 

1000% right - we have spoken many times, the best atmosphere I’ve been too in recent seasons from home fans Is Coventry and Birmingham who are right next to the away fans. 
I take the youngster now but I’d be saying to the lads if it was me, screw sitting here, it’s rubbish, let’s get back to A block and do our own thing, it won’t take long for the others to follow. 

[frenchred]

7 minutes ago, Harry said:

It’s within the fans gift to be able to change this. 
Whilst the club have clearly tried everything they can to stifle atmosphere, the best way for the fans to fight back is to simply not play ball. 
If I were the group of ‘singers’ in S82, I’d not renew there next season. I’d move my seat to Dolman A block, either upper or lower. There’s plenty of spare seats there. 
If 200 people organised themselves to make this move, then what can the club do about it - nothing. 
Just get organised and move ‘S82’ to A Block, without any consultation with the club whatsoever. 

Often thought this and why not, from where I sit in the old "b" block we can't even hear s82, so the away fans certainly don't hear much.

Dolman block A make it happen!

[Phileas Fogg]

11 minutes ago, Harry said:

It’s within the fans gift to be able to change this. 
Whilst the club have clearly tried everything they can to stifle atmosphere, the best way for the fans to fight back is to simply not play ball. 
If I were the group of ‘singers’ in S82, I’d not renew there next season. I’d move my seat to Dolman A block, either upper or lower. There’s plenty of spare seats there. 
If 200 people organised themselves to make this move, then what can the club do about it - nothing. 
Just get organised and move ‘S82’ to A Block, without any consultation with the club whatsoever. 

Agreed. I’d love it if the club actually valued noisy support and worked with the fans. The S82 area is relatively progressive by their standards, but it clearly doesn’t work as a catalyst for atmosphere.

It should be - home fans in Atyeo (as a ‘home end’ with a view to redevelop it into a better stand built for atmosphere) and away fans in the nearest adjacent corner of Dolman/Lansdown.

Ideally with the Atyeo being reveloped into something a bit like the old south bank at Wolves.

Edited January 9, 2023 by Phileas Fogg

[Mr Popodopolous]

19 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Agreed. I’d love it if the club actually valued noisy support and worked with the fans. The S82 area is relatively progressive by their standards, but it clearly doesn’t work as a catalyst for atmosphere.

It should be - home fans in Atyeo (as a ‘home end’ with a view to redevelop it into a better stand built for atmosphere) and away fans in the nearest adjacent corner of Dolman/Lansdown.

Ideally with the Atyeo being reveloped into something a bit like the old south bank at Wolves.

They have to work with and satisfy the Safety Advisory Group as I'm sure you know, it's not as simple etc.

I know that Burnley and Sheffield United, potentially Coventry and Hull have had some issues too. Different Safety Advisory Groups have different standards, different interpretation etc but I'm fairly sure that they are an unseen hand here.

The feasibility of your idea I dunno. From memory 2k or 10 pct of capacity if lower is to be allocated to away fans. How do you segregate off 2k seats in the Dolman e.g.

How big would the safe standing area be? How big would we be allowed to make it by SAG? Lower v upper limits? Percentages?

Edited January 9, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Phileas Fogg]

4 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

They have to work with and satisfy the Safety Advisory Group as I'm sure you know, it's not as simple etc.

I know that Burnley and Sheffield United, potentially Coventry and Hull have had some issues too. Different Safety Advisory Groups have different standards, different interpretation etc but I'm fairly sure that they are an unseen hand here.

That isn't to say that the club are working tirelessly to lobby for atmosphere improvement though.

TL:DR

That area being allocated as some kind of area for livelier fans, it won't happen.

I genuinely did just skip to the TL:DR

And ok, I didn’t say it would - I’m saying what the club should do.

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I genuinely did just skip to the TL:DR

And ok, I didn’t say it would - I’m saying what the club should do.

What the club should do and what may be permitted/feasible are two different things but they could do more I agree on that.

[BUTOR]

38 minutes ago, Harry said:

It’s within the fans gift to be able to change this. 
Whilst the club have clearly tried everything they can to stifle atmosphere, the best way for the fans to fight back is to simply not play ball. 
If I were the group of ‘singers’ in S82, I’d not renew there next season. I’d move my seat to Dolman A block, either upper or lower. There’s plenty of spare seats there. 
If 200 people organised themselves to make this move, then what can the club do about it - nothing. 
Just get organised and move ‘S82’ to A Block, without any consultation with the club whatsoever. 

So easily done these days too with the internet. Just needs one of the bigger City ‘platforms’ to pick it up and push it. Or old school, letters placed on seats before games in block A and in section 82. Wouldn’t take long for mass movement. Club wouldn’t like it but doubt they would have the desire to physically prevent it from happening. 

[Phileas Fogg]

56 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

What the club should do and what may be permitted/feasible are two different things but they could do more I agree on that.

And that would be a point worth discussing if I was putting forward an argument (considering all variables) about what the club can do - rather than just talking about an ideal world situation ?

[Bazooka Joe]

Bristol Live headline today

Math Withers' take on FA Cup frustration

This just about sums up the quality of spell-checking and editing on this site. Total embarrassment.

Just a fraction of how good it should be. It's pretty basic. Explains why numbers are falling.

Some of the things they write don't seem to add up, including multiple inaccuracies. No wonder readers are divided.

With so many seemingly obtuse reporters, it's hard to work out their angle. but not an unsolvable problem.

Sorry to seem so negative, However, on the plus side, all things being equal, by my calculation, there is potential for better times.

I had hoped to be more discrete, but their continuous mistakes provided the proof I needed.

You can accuse me of hawking an opinion, but you don't have to be Einstein to agree with my theory, Relatively speaking, of course.

 

[Chivs]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

It’s within the fans gift to be able to change this. 
Whilst the club have clearly tried everything they can to stifle atmosphere, the best way for the fans to fight back is to simply not play ball. 
If I were the group of ‘singers’ in S82, I’d not renew there next season. I’d move my seat to Dolman A block, either upper or lower. There’s plenty of spare seats there. 
If 200 people organised themselves to make this move, then what can the club do about it - nothing. 
Just get organised and move ‘S82’ to A Block, without any consultation with the club whatsoever. 

May I point out to the club, who no doubt read this, that @Harry is an absolute wind-up artist and he doesn't mean this at all. And it's not going to happen.  You can stand down Jon.

[Mr Popodopolous]

48 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

And that would be a point worth discussing if I was putting forward an argument (considering all variables) about what the club can do - rather than just talking about an ideal world situation ?

It's a good discussion to have tbh. Ideal world and perhaps even realish world away fans should be closer to the livelier fans from an atmosphere perspective. Other clubs manage it one way or another- club feet dragging could be a relevant factor too absolutely.

It does seem like overkill all told.

[RedRock]

16 hours ago, 2015 said:

Remember when we would only sign players with the 'Right DNA'. Part of the reason we've been such a pushover for years. No bad boys allowed, only yes men

I’ve yearned for a Bradley Dack or Billy Sharp type for years. Players with a real ‘winning/win at all costs’ mentality who, unfortunately, don’t comfortably fit with the Bristol City/Bristol ‘ you go first, no, you go first’ type of culture. 

The acquisitions of Tomlin and Simpson demonstrates, to me at least, our problem is not so much DNA but a really woeful player assessment process that has plagued us for decades. We’re just adept at signing players who either just can’t be arsed or are ‘losers’ happy to be in a comfort zone at a comfortable Club.

 

[pongo88]

3 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Having vocal support next to the away fans helped generate a better atmosphere - colour me surprised. I’ve been like a broken record on this, but the placing of S82 is the worst possible place for atmosphere.

The atmosphere at AG is embarrassing and as others have said, makes us look weak. I appreciate the effort those in S82 make, but without a bit of stimulus it doesn’t generate a noise atmosphere around the ground.

I completely agree that the club have tried their best to dilute atmosphere - it was always a mad decision to give away support an entire end behind the goal. Makes a mockery of the ‘marginal gains’ stuff that’s so important in modern support. 

It wasn’t helped on Sunday by only having approximately 10k supporters spread around 3 sides of the ground. Even with the upper Lansdown closed people were too scattered to generate a good atmosphere. Additionally, in the first half, there was nothing to shout about. 

2 hours ago, Harry said:

It’s within the fans gift to be able to change this. 
Whilst the club have clearly tried everything they can to stifle atmosphere, the best way for the fans to fight back is to simply not play ball. 
If I were the group of ‘singers’ in S82, I’d not renew there next season. I’d move my seat to Dolman A block, either upper or lower. There’s plenty of spare seats there. 
If 200 people organised themselves to make this move, then what can the club do about it - nothing. 
Just get organised and move ‘S82’ to A Block, without any consultation with the club whatsoever. 

This sounds ok until you think about it. Two hundred people moving to A block would be scattered in amongst the existing people who go there, and not grouped together as the are in their current corner location. Plus, the biggest problem, they would all stand up with the people who like to sit telling them to sit down. Standing and sitting doesn’t work. It’s a recipe for disaster 

[RedRock]

Always think A and B Block Dolman is the place to be for atmosphere. Really can’t understand - possibly aside from price and proximity to the Police monitoring room - why the normally sparsely populated Lower Lansdown adjacent to the away fans isn’t used more by the more atmosphere-generating supporters. 

If you’re not allowed to be behind the goal, as per the old East End (and I left that area some 50+ years ago - gulp!), do your own thing. 

The old ‘Park End’ - the best place ever at the Ashton Gate - wasn’t a Club inspired idea, nor the Grandstand, Blocks A and B of past days. Be radical…don’t be a sheep. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

20 minutes ago, RedRock said:

Always think A and B Block Dolman is the place to be for atmosphere. Really can’t understand - possibly aside from price and proximity to the Police monitoring room - why the normally sparsely populated Lower Lansdown adjacent to the away fans isn’t used more by the more atmosphere-generating supporters. 

If you’re not allowed to be behind the goal, as per the old East End (and I left that area some 50+ years ago - gulp!), do your own thing. 

The old ‘Park End’ - the best place ever at the Ashton Gate - wasn’t a Club inspired idea, nor the Grandstand, Blocks A and B of past days. Be radical…don’t be a sheep. 

There was a section of the Williams in the mid to late 2000s iirc that was close to the away part of the East End. Decent atmosphere there.

[lenred]

51 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

There was a section of the Williams in the mid to late 2000s iirc that was close to the away part of the East End. Decent atmosphere there.

Used to go in there a lot at that time. Was fantastic.  

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, lenred said:

Used to go in there a lot at that time. Was fantastic.  

Santas gonna get ya

[Mr Popodopolous]

33 minutes ago, lenred said:

Used to go in there a lot at that time. Was fantastic.  

When back for a couple of games in 2008, went away that years but got tickets near there in Autumn 2008. Enjoyed it- shows again livelier home fans near away fans helps the atmosphere.

[BUTOR]

1 hour ago, RedRock said:

Always think A and B Block Dolman is the place to be for atmosphere. Really can’t understand - possibly aside from price and proximity to the Police monitoring room - why the normally sparsely populated Lower Lansdown adjacent to the away fans isn’t used more by the more atmosphere-generating supporters. 

If you’re not allowed to be behind the goal, as per the old East End (and I left that area some 50+ years ago - gulp!), do your own thing. 

The old ‘Park End’ - the best place ever at the Ashton Gate - wasn’t a Club inspired idea, nor the Grandstand, Blocks A and B of past days. Be radical…don’t be a sheep. 

Judging by Twitter the young uns are buzzing off ‘E34’ from the weekend. Sounds like it’s well under way. Time to get some ******* life back in the stadium. 
 

We are the A block, we are the A block, we are the A block Ashton Gate… 

[Mr Popodopolous]

19 minutes ago, Bouncearoundtheground said:

Judging by Twitter the young uns are buzzing off ‘E34’ from the weekend. Sounds like it’s well under way. Time to get some ******* life back in the stadium. 
 

We are the A block, we are the A block, we are the A block Ashton Gate… 

We've had a couple of good atmospheres this season in addition. Watford, at times the Cardiff and Swansea and at times v Sunderland.

That's about it.

[BUTOR]

5 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

We've had a couple of good atmospheres this season in addition. Watford, at times the Cardiff and Swansea and at times v Sunderland.

That's about it.

Cardiff and Swansea also had a much higher of supporters in lower block A than usual, all standing and making noise. I have had a season ticket there for years so I’m very wary of the difference it makes to the overall atmosphere when it’s busy and noisy. Particularly since away fans were given the entire Atyeo. 
 

It’s about not letting away supporters turn Ashton Gate into a home away from home fixture for them. They need to be met with some resistance. Physiologically I’m convinced it makes some kind of difference on the pitch. The players themselves say it makes a massive one, but then of course they would. 

Edited January 9, 2023 by Bouncearoundtheground

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 minutes ago, Bouncearoundtheground said:

Cardiff and Swansea also had a much higher of supporters in lower block A than usual, all standing and making noise. I have had a season ticket there for years so I’m very wary of the difference it makes to the overall atmosphere when it’s busy and noisy. Particularly since away fans were given the entire Atyeo. 
 

It’s about not letting away supporters turn Ashton Gate into a home away from home fixture for them. They need to be met with some resistance. Physiologically I’m convinced it makes some kind of difference on the pitch. The players themselves say it makes a massive one, but then of course they would. 

Of course vocal home support makes a a difference, for the better. Nobody would argue against that.

Would say the move to all-seater has had an impact across the board though in this area. In the sense that it is a modern accepted rule of thumb that away supporters will generally stand as a large proportion. Safe standing tips the balance a bit but our area is both too small and too far from the away fans to perhaps spread the atmosphere.

I'm not sure I'm explaining this very well but all seater has given away fans a much bigger voice (proportionally) than home fans. Some clubs are much more badly affected than others, post redevelopment a typical game has perhaps been quieter even if bigger attendances.