Atmosphere.

[Guest routabout]

Yes, I know it's an age old argument, but I've given this some serious thought recently and on my visits to the gate. Now, before I start, I'll just say I am not claiming that what I write here is correct, it's just some observations that I have made. I could very easily be wrong.

My first point. The announcer, trying to get the good old, "COME ON YOU REDS!" chant going. This usually gets a half hearted response from the crowd, for the first rally, the second rally is not even that and a third never, or rarely occurs. In my mind, this has got to be pretty disheartening to the players. The fact that the announcer tries to get us all going and it then corpses on him, only serves to emphasise the lack of vocal support.

Secondly. When we start chants off ourselves, they soon peeter out. Unfortunately, some of our more catchy chants are quite exclusive, as opposed to inclusive, because of the level of swearing in their lyrics. This usually excludes the family groups and those who prefer not to swear. In this sense, we DO need some clean chants, that the whole crowd can join in on. I know that there is a case for 'football fans like a bit of rich language' and I'm not condemning those who like the fruity chants, I quite like them and they make me laugh. But they do exclude people, which can't be a good thing surely?

A solution to the second point, might be for a few people to come up with some clean, but humorous chants that everybody can join in with. Swearing is NOT a prerequisite of voicing your support.

I do not know what the answer to the first point might be. Personally, for as long as it is being ineffective, I also believe that it is counter-productive and as I say, only emphasises our problems in building up an atmosphere. Yes, the old COME ON YOU REDS can be quite monotonous, but it seems to be the only one that most people will join in on.

I genuinely do not know what the right solutions are to either points, but I think it would be well worth somebody's while to look right into it, until a solution is found. Saturday's atmosphere, was at times better than it has been, but it was still pretty dire. We desperately need to find a way of getting that twelth man involved.

I hope this might give food for thought and any resulting discussion, if any at all, might prove inspirational to somebody.

[robins72]

I thought the atmosphere on Saturday is the best its been all season bar the 30 minutes we played well against Vale. Personally I would like to feel the atmosphere of the 2003/2004 season when we had big crowds. This will only happen when A) We start winning and B( The standard of football improves. I Pray that this is soon.

[Wurzel_Bill]

The problem with the atmosphere is that the "vocal support" is not all in once place but dotted around the stadium.

What's needed is unreserved seating in some area - hey how about the East End - and put the small number of away fans in the Williams?

[Gerry Gows' Tash]

The problem is simple, a combination of families and stewards basically intimidate anyone showing a bit of passion. The bloke in front of me last week scowled at anyone who was singing and kept going on about the language in front of his lad, fair enough but why not sit in the family area then (this was H block Atyeo). When I was a lad the language at the Gate was a lot more colurfull and it never did me any harm, he probably learns worse at school.

[Alex_BCFC]

I thought the atmosphere on Saturday is the best its been all season bar the 30 minutes we played well against Vale. Personally I would like to feel the atmosphere of the 2003/2004 season when we had big crowds. This will only happen when A) We start winning and B( The standard of football improves. I Pray that this is soon.  

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If the atmosphere was good on Saturday then Ashton Gate is more a library than a football ground. I, like many others I'm sure, can't be bothered to sing etc because its very boring stuff to watch at the moment. And its awful. I know there will be some people who say 'you should sing wen were doin bad etc' but most people can't be bothered. Especially when this team is not one to be proud of. i found myself chatting to the people around me rather than watching the game it that bad at the moment. I'll go tommorow and I'll go to every other game, doesn't mean I'm enjoying it at the moment though...

[Rich]

The problem with the atmosphere is that the "vocal support" is not all in once place but dotted around the stadium.

What's needed is unreserved seating in some area - hey how about the East End - and put the small number of away fans in the Williams?

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We need a team we really believe in to get behind, bristolions are a very reserved bunch, can you remember smiler urging the crowd to get behind the team when we were sometimes under pressure?some people think it's the theatre.it's the only place 10 -15k can sound like the morgue so shout like funder and get behind the team

[Guest routabout]

The problem is simple, a combination of families and stewards basically intimidate anyone showing a bit of passion.  The bloke in front of me last week scowled at anyone who was singing and kept going on about the language in front of his lad, fair enough but why not sit in the family area then (this was H block Atyeo).  When I was a lad the language at the Gate was a lot more colurfull and it never did me any harm, he probably learns worse at school.

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I totally agree. If you attend the match with your kid(s), then go in the Williams stand, or shut up about the swearing. The Williams is the family stand, after all.

If the atmosphere was good on Saturday then Ashton Gate is more a library than a football ground. I, like many others I'm sure, can't be bothered to sing etc because its very boring stuff to watch at the moment. And its awful. I know there will be some people who say 'you should sing wen were doin bad etc' but most people can't be bothered. Especially when this team is not one to be proud of. i found myself chatting to the people around me rather than watching the game it that bad at the moment. I'll go tommorow and I'll go to every other game, doesn't mean I'm enjoying it at the moment though...

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I'm not being argumentative, but the phrase "You only sing when you're winning..." springs to mind. Now, before you jump down my throat, I fully accept that things are dire at the moment, but the crowd SHOULD get behind the players, regardless. That is what supporting is all about. There are plenty of ways to vent your annoyance/frustration at the way that things are. Whilst a match is on, there is only one way that the crowd can positively influence things and that's by getting behind the team. Apart from encouraging our players, it can also be intimidating to the opposition.

I'll shut up now, as I can see where this might lead.

[Gerry Gows' Tash]

I'm not convinced it's anything to with the team or the performances, (we made more noise in the old 4th Div than we do now) it's the audience. If you notice evening games, where there are fewer families are a lot better for atmosphere.

[Alex_BCFC]

I totally agree. If you attend the match with your kid(s), then go in the Williams stand, or shut up about the swearing. The Williams is the family stand, after all.

I'm not being argumentative, but the phrase "You only sing when you're winning..." springs to mind. Now, before you jump down my throat, I fully accept that things are dire at the moment, but the crowd SHOULD get behind the players, regardless. That is what supporting is all about. There are plenty of ways to vent your annoyance/frustration at the way that things are. Whilst a match is on, there is only one way that the crowd can positively influence things and that's by getting behind the team. Apart from encouraging our players, it can also be intimidating to the opposition.

I'll shut up now, as I can see where this might lead.

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I couldn't agree with you more. We should get behind the team, but most of us are too lazy, and too annoyed at what we see. It's a bad attitude, but I'm afraid it is the truth at the moment.

[Guest routabout]

I couldn't agree with you more. We should get behind the team, but most of us are too lazy, and too annoyed at what we see. It's a bad attitude, but I'm afraid it is the truth at the moment.

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Fair play Alex, it is sad innit? It's refreshing to see such honesty, on such a touchy subject. I respect you more for that honesty, than I'm ever going to resent you for not shouting like a lunatic.

If more people were willing to admit that there is a major problem within the fanbase, regarding the atmosphere, we'd be halfway towards a solution.

[Guest routabout]

Well I'm off to bed now. Monday being the only night I don't have to stay online into the small hours.

I do hope that people might contribute to this thread and that it doesn't deteriorate into a slanging match. What I'd really like to see, is people not just debating things that have already been said in this thread, but putting forward ideas. Of course, some ideas will be belittled, but there you have it. Just stick your tupenny's worth in and you never know, you might inspire somebody else to come up with an answer.

Constructive debate, with the ideas of many, might get us some way towards regaining the atmosphere of years/decades past. Here's hoping that we can at least manage that.

[Alex_BCFC]

Fair play Alex, it is sad innit? It's refreshing to see such honesty, on such a touchy subject. I respect you more for that honesty, than I'm ever going to resent you for not shouting like a lunatic.

If more people were willing to admit that there is a major problem within the fanbase, regarding the atmosphere, we'd be halfway towards a solution.

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Although its a bad attitude, I still go to nearly every game. I'm going tommorow when we will lose and Saturday where we will lose as well. I pay my money and therefore can do what I want. If the team were losing but played with pride then it wouldn't be so bad but that isn't the case I don't think at the moment apart from maybe Phillips, Heywood and Brown.

[Rich]

Bring back the day's when you had to jump over (Am I naughty or what!) lakes and drunks to use the loo and dodge the flying bottles to get a cuppa we had good atmosphere then!

I think our crowd is too middle classed to let themselves go and need prompting by either opposing fans or sometimes the team playing well.Reserved seating in the atyeo dosn't help, to many annoraks and grannies get the seats.

[Gerry Gows' Tash]

Bring back the day's when you had to jump over (Am I naughty or what!) lakes and drunks to use the loo and dodge the flying bottles to get a cuppa we had good atmosphere then!

I think our crowd is too middle classed to let themselves go and need prompting by either opposing fans or sometimes the team playing well.Reserved seating in the atyeo dosn't help, to many annoraks and grannies get the seats.

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Too right - you knew you'd been to a football match when you came home to find someone had pisssed in your pocket and you had a dart sticking out the back of your head !

Seriously though, no problem with people who just wanna sit there and watch the game in silence or read a book or whatever, they've paid so they can do what they want, but they don't have to stop everyone else enjoying themselves. Personally I can't wait for footy to become "unfashionable" again so the real fans come back.

[turbo]

The problem is simple, a combination of families and stewards basically intimidate anyone showing a bit of passion.  The bloke in front of me last week scowled at anyone who was singing and kept going on about the language in front of his lad, fair enough but why not sit in the family area then (this was H block Atyeo).  When I was a lad the language at the Gate was a lot more colurfull and it never did me any harm, he probably learns worse at school.

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I was sat in the same bloke with my son. The reason we sit there is cause my 10 year son loves it. The language is no worse then you get walking down the street. My son loves the singing and sings along. But lately has been upset cause no one sings his favorite "My Old Man"

[kiwicolin]

what has happened to the band?

this is suppose to get the crowd going but they sound

like a wet lettuce at times.

the music could be more invigerating to get the crowd going.

[fRed]

We need some scantily clad women to get the crowd going

[turbo]

We need some scantily clad women to get the crowd going

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My misses stood up and everyone asked her to sit down, cause her big backside blocked there view!

[mozo]

My first point. The announcer, trying to get the good old, "COME ON YOU REDS!" chant going. This usually gets a half hearted response from the crowd

Secondly. When we start chants off ourselves, they soon peeter out.

What I would say about these points is firstly that the announcer, as good as he is at his job (and I think he's very good - a clean cut 'smashie and nicey'!), just isn't the sort of novelty that will get me going. And with the chant, it just feels awkward and contrived.

Lets not forget that at away games the atmosphere is brilliant. Everyone's up for a laugh and you know that you're surrounded by what I will call 'real fans'. When the Atyeo was a standing terrace you always knew that there would be banter and wouldn't hold back.

Last year I went to Bramall Lane and sat in the Kop. It was a league tie with Derby and the Blades were shaky and lost 1-0. I was sat in the Kop and was really impressed with the constant noise and variety of songs (most of them were not 'clean'). The fact is that there is an expectation in the Kop that the fans prove themselves. It's similar but not as successful in the Wednesday Kop. In the Liverpool Kop it's almost religious gospel that you have to sing from the hymnsheet.

At City we do not have that dedicated enclosure. There are two or three singing areas but these simply don't work. We need a stand behind one of the goals to become acknowledged as the where the hardcore support goes (maybe even renamed ie The Atyeo Kop). All families and children, older fans and passionless students etc should be located elsewhere. The fanzine, supporters trust, and even this forum have to play a part in maintaining the ideology and maybe the atmosphere will return.

[sephjnr]

What I would say about these points is firstly that the announcer, as good as he is at his job (and I think he's very good - a clean cut 'smashie and nicey'!), just isn't the sort of novelty that will get me going. And with the chant, it just feels awkward and contrived.

Lets not forget that at away games the atmosphere is brilliant. Everyone's up for a laugh and you know that you're surrounded by what I will call 'real fans'. When the Atyeo was a standing terrace you always knew that there would be banter and wouldn't hold back.

Last year I went to Bramall Lane and sat in the Kop. It was a league tie with Derby and the Blades were shaky and lost 1-0. I was sat in the Kop and was really impressed with the constant noise and variety of songs (most of them were not 'clean'). The fact is that there is an expectation in the Kop that the fans prove themselves. It's similar but not as successful in the Wednesday Kop. In the Liverpool Kop it's almost religious gospel that you have to sing from the hymnsheet.

At City we do not have that dedicated enclosure. There are two or three singing areas but these simply don't work. We need a stand behind one of the goals to become acknowledged as the where the hardcore support goes (maybe even renamed ie The Atyeo Kop). All families and children, older fans and passionless students etc should be located elsewhere. The fanzine, supporters trust, and even this forum have to play a part in maintaining the ideology and maybe the atmosphere will return.

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"Oh, here's your season ticket. That'll be £295 AND you have to sing to stay there too"

Don't get me wrong, having a specialised area is an admirable thing to do, but there's absolutely no positive incentive for the Silent Majority to be shuffled off elsewhere in the stand.

[mozo]

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"Oh, here's your season ticket. That'll be £295 AND you have to sing to stay there too"

Don't get me wrong, having a specialised area is an admirable thing to do, but there's absolutely no positive incentive for the Silent Majority to be shuffled off elsewhere in the stand.

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[Guest routabout]

Although I don't go in the Atyeo, as I prefer the views from the upper Dolman, I would be all for making the Atyeo into the Atyeo Kop, where the hardcore go to make some major noise. Anybody who wants to go in there should then accept that there are certain expectations of people in that stand.

What gets me, is these people who say, "I pays my money, I'll do what I want." To that, I have an answer, "So do the others, so if half the stand start giving you stick because you're not joining in, or complaining about swearing, or whatever, then that's their choice. They pays their money, they can do what they want!"

If we went along this road, I'd happily sacrifice the superior view of the upper Dolman, for the atmosphere of the new 'Kop end', that and the feeling that the increased vocal support was making a difference.

[fingers]

Interestingly, I read on the BBC website earlier that Man City tried to liven the atmosphere up by playing taped versions of the crowd chanting.

It seems a little surreal to me, but if it worked...

Of course, they'd have to wait for us to chant before they tape it which could be the downfall in that plan.

As such, perhaps we could improvise, and get in one of those 150 member strong Gospel choirs.

"Hallelujah, it's Tony Fawthrop"

[Guest Frank]

Although I don't go in the Atyeo, as I prefer the views from the upper Dolman, I would be all for making the Atyeo into the Atyeo Kop, where the hardcore go to make some major noise. Anybody who wants to go in there should then accept that there are certain expectations of people in that stand.

What gets me, is these people who say, "I pays my money, I'll do what I want." To that, I have an answer, "So do the others, so if half the stand start giving you stick because you're not joining in, or complaining about swearing, or whatever, then that's their choice. They pays their money, they can do what they want!"

If we went along this road, I'd happily sacrifice the superior view of the upper Dolman, for the atmosphere of the new 'Kop end', that and the feeling that the increased vocal support was making a difference.

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The only way you'll get the atmosphere back is to go back to unreserved seating.

The East End still created an intimidating atmosphere after seats were installed because it was unreserved, so the noisy lads and lasses got behind the goal. If you wanted to get involved you got as near to them as you could. If you didn't you just sat a bit further away and joined in when it got really loud.

I have mates who support other teams who've told me the "Get Into 'Em" chant before kick off was one of the loudest things they've heard at an away ground.

If they made the block behind the Atyeo goal unreserved seating that would be the best chance of getting the atmosphere back.

It was always the case that the noise came from the home 'end' and the sanitised nature of the Atyeo has caused the singers to look for somewhere else to go, but none is as effective as behind the goal and it's never been the same since we lost that.

[Waffleflap]

I was one of the people that chanted red army for about 10mins in the dolman but only about 50 people joined in.cant be bothered anymore.unless I'm pi88ed

[mozo]

A quick point before I head off to copywrite my Atyeo Kop idea: You're all blo0dy right about the allocated seating system - it's one of the worst introductions to Ashton Gate, a real pet hate of mine. It seems so unnecessary. We have an all-seater stadium and that should be enough of a compromise. The thing is, only 50% of people adhere to their allocation, so it'll never work as intended. The fact that some peolple take it seriously winds me up. I'ts not a multiplex cinema, or a theatre...it's a football match. And we wonder why there's no atmosphere. Get as many comperes, cheerleaders and clowns as you like, they won't improve a thing. Surely the board know the real problem here??? I'm a season ticket holder but don't even sit in my seat because some other lads like to sit together. I could easily get arsey and move them but why bother - I just want to get into the football.

[Guest routabout]

A quick point before I head off to copywrite my Atyeo Kop idea: You're all blo0dy right about the allocated seating system - it's one of the worst introductions to Ashton Gate, a real pet hate of mine. It seems so unnecessary. We have an all-seater stadium and that should be enough of a compromise. The thing is, only 50% of people adhere to their allocation, so it'll never work as intended. The fact that some peolple take it seriously winds me up. I'ts not a multiplex cinema, or a theatre...it's a football match. And we wonder why there's no atmosphere. Get as many comperes, cheerleaders and clowns as you like, they won't improve a thing. Surely the board know the real problem here??? I'm a season ticket holder but don't even sit in my seat because some other lads like to sit together. I could easily get arsey and move them but why bother - I just want to get into the football.

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I've always paid on the day, or at best bought tickets slightly in advance. I can honestly say that I have never sat in the seat that my ticket states. Somebody once said I was in his seat, so I move to the row behind and wound him up throughout the first half. He sat somewhere else second half. I hope that wasn't you mozo?

I thoroughly agree with all that you've just said.

[mozo]

I've always paid on the day, or at best bought tickets slightly in advance. I can honestly say that I have never sat in the seat that my ticket states. Somebody once said I was in his seat, so I move to the row behind and wound him up throughout the first half. He sat somewhere else second half. I hope that wasn't you mozo?

I thoroughly agree with all that you've just said.

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Hah, no it wasn't me. Like I said I really don't care about all that nonsense, I haven't once sat in my season ticket seat, usually a few seats away. And trust me if you'd have annoyed me at any point you'd know about it!

Glad that you see my point though, hope others do as well, including Mr Landsdown.