TheGuv

I remember being able to pick up tickets (without a membership) in 21-22 literally a day before a game under Howe when we couldn’t get a win. I got a Strawberry Corner ticket for the Norwich game (Clark sending off) literally the day before. People just didn’t want to know. Yet the atmosphere was amazing during that run of being unable to win. Towards the end of the season when we started picking up wins it became harder and harder. 22-23 was probably the peak of atmosphere for me as a supporter in the whole ground (I will discount the Leazes Corner 2008-11 as it was only in that small section of the ground). I genuinely believe the atmosphere helped us win some games that season that helped us get to 4th place. I think it’s no shock or surprise that there’s an obvious correlation of poor atmosphere since Silverstone came in and brought the balloting process in were brought in. Arsenal fans were quick to say similar issues with the ballot when Silverstone left Arsenal. I’m actually getting sick of saying the same things over and over again. I’ve lobbied the Trust but all we’ve had so far is a survey from them. It needs serious lobbying and action from fan groups as a matter of urgency. The irony being, a consistently poor atmosphere DOES affect the players and if that’s the difference between finishing in the Champions League or Europa League - the club actually loses out on more money. Is that really worth it for 100,000 memberships at £40? It’s short sighted and is pissing off a large chunk of the fan base.

Said it a few times on here and I’ve spoken to Heron and some other WF lads in person about it… I think they should stop doing it for a while.

But even with a new stadium, one assumes you’d still be transferring the 30,000 ST holders across to a new stadium. Wonderful acoustics won’t mean anything with those people in the stadium. Add in more corporate and more fans who sit down when a penalty is taken, and you could have the greatest stadium in the world - it won’t improve the atmosphere. Ticketing is 100% the main issue here imo. Very closely followed by the need for a section(s) to be created for likeminded individuals. Level 7 singing section was detached to the rest of the stadium for 3000 supporters. And we made a hell of a racket and we all loved it up there.

I love that. It just needs concerted effort to try something new (old). I tried: Give me an N (N, N), Give me an E (E, E) etc at Arsenal. A few older lads joined in but it didn’t really catch on. Much easier to start stuff off like this if you’re doing it on a bus load of likeminded lads and you can take it into a pub and keep doing it over and over again until it catches on. But as discussed, hard to do this when you don’t have the same demographic at away games in particular. If memory serves, it tends to be away days that new chants are picked up on and then taken back for home games.

Are they? I remember being 15 on my first Simon’s bus. I assured the lads it won’t be as bad as we’d heard and there’d be no bother. Within 2 minutes of leaving the Black Horse in Monkseaton I’d already been offered cocaine twice I seem to recall drinking far too much Brown Ale (why did I think that was a good idea at 15?)and spewing into a plastic bag with holes in it all over my shoes. On another trip I fell asleep in the toilet at WBA for the majority of the game and was fortunately found at full time. Don’t know how, otherwise I’d have been left in Birmingham with no way of getting home

@Magdad do you work in business and marketing out of interest?

What’s the lyrics to the Molly Malone version? Never heard of that but know Molly Malone well (more of an Irish rugby song generally)

I cut this together a few years back. I’ve been banging on about it for a good few years it seems… I’d say you can start to hear it speeding up a bit by the early 90s but still wayyyyy better than the early 00s when I started going.

Because they sing: ”Al’ the lads and lasses there al’ with smilin’ faces, gannin’ alang the Scotswood Road to see the Blaydon Races” The majority sing the chorus to the end of the first verse because they don’t know the correct words. As such, people speed through it quicker and quicker to get to the end…because they don’t know the words. @Heron - I really think Wor Flags should whack a tweet/Facebook post out with this on. And do it every week until people work it out…and sing it slower.

Can you post it please?

He seems to have tremendous luck in the ballots this fella. I’ve won one all season and I know plenty who’ve won 0

Totally agree with your view on current vocal support predominately being ST holders. But having attended various fan workshops, I really do worry about those at a decision making level. I banged and banged the drum of you have to get like minded fans together and by using the Strawberry Corner as your vocal/standing section you’ll see very few wilfully give up their seats as they want to be part of “something” without necessarily contributing. From what I’ve read this season, it seems there are many in the Corner who are more than happy to make up that number. My view was to have two or three separate sections in undesirable areas of the ground. If you want to make a noise, you’d be more than happy to move. Level 7 Corner was testament to that. I’m not sure how many in the middle tier of the Gallowgate would willingly move seat if that was the option? Now, theoretically say we do get a Dortmund style wall, how many ST holders will want to be in there? I’d guess a fair old whack. Who wouldn’t want to be in the new “home end”? The question is, how do you really get those likeminded fans together? Whilst also allowing a lot of the noise makers back(?) into the ground. Tiered memberships, an undesirable/cheaper section etc etc. It’s obvious we’re going to move. It’s how we move and whether the club will really listen is what really worries me. As based on their current record, they’ve left a hell of a lot to be desired. And because things are going well on the pitch, and the increased revenue a move will bring - will they really be bothered? Probably not…unless we as fans somehow can get our views across.

E.g Atmosphere will be better, more revenue will mean we’re better on the pitch (see Spurs), increase likelihood of getting into the ground etc. But understand I’m probably in the minority

Apologies I think I took your message out of context then. I’m just very wary of what a new build will bring - and I just don’t think it’ll be the magic potion some think it will be. But I totally understand the pull to a brand spanking new stadium. I’m very intrigued by the new Everton stadium in that they can increase capacity if safe standing legislation were to change. In theory, if we did extend the Gallowgate footprint to make the stadium 60,000, but that with future legislation meant an extra 10,000-15,000 safe standing in Gallowgate/Leazes would increase the capacity to 70-75k would people not be okay with that? I certainly would love it, but I also understand the commercial restrictions in doing so. But if the above did happen, then a fully rebuilt East Stand could be a new Commercial stand with the best boxes and view with a small lower block of safe standing along the pitch? I can but dream.

Way to take it out of context as usual.

I do wonder how many people want to move to a 65-70k stadium because they think it’ll increase their chance of getting in? I’d like to see the increased chances as a % (because it will increase). But I really don’t think it will be as good as many think it will be. I’ve already resigned myself that I’ll not be getting a season ticket if we stay or go. The atmosphere argument is also an interesting one - but that too has been done to death. But a newer stadium with increased attendance of day trippers and tourists in their thousands, along with the current ageing demographic of 30,000 ST holders won’t do much to change the atmosphere - even if you do make a Dortmund-esque wall. If PSR wasn’t such a cluster fuck of an idea (that may well not be here forever) I also wonder if there’d be such a push to move.

Fair to assume then that we have 31,000 ST holders then?

Gotcha. Mackems sing it plenty tbf to them!

Auld Lang Syne or the other version? (Both are criminally underused)

Yeah absolutely no chance I’m sorry to say your mate didn’t think that one through. You’re not even allowed time for for a wedding midweek unless it’s for a close family member (E.g sibling). So when it’s for a football cup final you’re going to be laughed out of the room. And now he has no room to pull a sickie or another excuse. When I was teaching my Grandad must have died 4 times. Weirdly enough he also happened to live in Kent - which meant I needed a day off for travel and a day off for the funeral.

I hate the over-awed excuse. 9000 Whitley Bay fans weren’t over-awed by Wembley in the FA Vase 2009. The whole Whitley Bay end was constantly singing - including a few rousing renditions of “One Johnny Decker” - a tramp who danced for cigarettes There always seems to be an excuse for our fans. “Oh a 12:30 kick off is just too early” ”Oh 3pm kick offs are always bad for atmosphere” ”We were nervous with what was happening on the pitch” Maybe the majority of our fan base are there to spectate and couldn’t give a fuck about singing. As long as they can wave a flag they think they’ve done their bit.

My email request was specifically in regards to NUFC members and asking for a form of hierarchy and loyalty to be provided moving forwards. The reply seems to suggest to me that they are speaking to the club specifically in regards to memberships and not ST holders.

I have asked in my reply that the Trust holds an open forum for Trust members to put forward their ideas to the Club. Hopefully this happens.

Received this from the Trust 👍🏻 Good morning and thank you for your email Chris, it's much appreciated. We all understand the frustrations of members, and we have a board meeting on Monday where we have an agenda item to discuss a forum for NUFC members. We believe it's a great opportunity for members to discuss frustrations and come up with some potential solutions that we can take back to the club. Please do watch this space. Kind regards, Paul Karter

It’s like a Hereditary Peerage. I know of a lad whose grandad had died, he said his mate was his grandson (he wasn’t…) and spoke with the club who allowed him to transfer his ticket and points off him. That was within the last 2-3 seasons.