Match Atmosphere

[Wandy]

15 minutes ago, STM said:

Clubs like Leeds and Palace have a good blend of hostile fans and grounds that are the optimum size for atmosphere. It's not rocket science to work out why bigger stadiums = worse atmosphere.

 

Not true I'm afraid. The Bournemouth fans that I highlighted above rated Man Utd, Man City & Arsenal amongst the best atmospheres they have witnessed this season.

[Bellis80]

2 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

That's all it is though. Reputation. As anyone knows a reputation, whether good or bad, is difficult to shake off. Anyone thinking our current atmosphere is good like these YouTuber's and Tiktok'ers do (although I doubt they're at SJP every other week like we are) is basing it on reputation. Any regular matchgoer knows that isn't the reality.

I go every week and totally disagree with you so that shows how worthless both of our opinions are.

[Wallsendmag]

20 minutes ago, STM said:

We are also aware that our fans can barely hear each other at either end of the stadium too right?

 

Away fans can't hear the gallowgate, half of the east stand can't hear the gallowgate and the gallowgate can't even see the leazes let alone hear it. 

 

It's virtually impossible to get the entire stadium singing in unison. This is why expectations are too high. 

 

Of course Bournemouth can sound like a cauldron, when you get all 3 of their fans signing at once. 

 

Clubs like Leeds and Palace have a good blend of hostile fans and grounds that are the optimum size for atmosphere. It's not rocket science to work out why bigger stadiums = worse atmosphere.

 

Take a trip to Dortmund. It holds 81k. Then tell me that bigger stadiums = worse atmospheres. Acoustics obviously make a difference but it's who is inside the stadium that really matters. 

[STM]

9 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Take a trip to Dortmund. It holds 81k. Then tell me that bigger stadiums = worse atmospheres. Acoustics obviously make a difference but it's who is inside the stadium that really matters. 

 

Is it though? Or is it reputation. 

[Wallsendmag]

13 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

I go every week and totally disagree with you so that shows how worthless both of our opinions are.

 

Whereabouts do you sit out of curiosity?

[Kid Icarus]

10 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

That's all it is though. Reputation. As anyone knows a reputation, whether good or bad, is difficult to shake off. Anyone thinking our current atmosphere is good like these YouTuber's and Tiktok'ers do (although I doubt they're at SJP every other week like we are) is basing it on reputation. Any regular matchgoer knows that isn't the reality.

 

If they're experiencing it first hand, it's not reputation.

 

I dunno why you can't accept others who come up here think we have a great atmosphere like, it's hardly controversial.

 

Easy to forget as well that when we go to away matches, we're seeing their atmosphere at home to Newcastle, we don't get to see what they're like at home to Bournemouth, Brentford and Southampton. When we hear what it's like at away grounds we should be comparing like-for-like, to our home matches against say Everton or Villa.

[Wallsendmag]

4 minutes ago, STM said:

 

Is it though? Or is it reputation. 

 

I'm a bit of a groundhopper. Last Saturday I was at Carlisle v Grimsby. Tuesday Chelsea v Dortmund and Sunday NUFC v Wolves. I've done loads of Bundesliga grounds over the years (already 3 this season) and can confirm Dortmund was incredible although I actually thought Schalke was even better but maybe that was because I was part of the huge standing section they have there.

[Wallsendmag]

1 minute ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

If they're experiencing it first hand, it's not reputation.

 

I dunno why you can't accept others who come up here think we have a great atmosphere like, it's hardly controversial.

 

Easy to forget as well that when we go to away matches, we're seeing their atmosphere at home to Newcastle, we don't get to see what they're like at home to Bournemouth, Brentford and Southampton. When we hear what it's like at away grounds we should be comparing like-for-like, to our home matches against say Everton or Villa.

 

Newcastle were a complete irrelevance to most of us during most the Ashley years. Don't kid yourself in thinking fans got up for games more v us than against Southampton etc for example. That hasn't been the case since the Keegan/SBR days.

[Kid Icarus]

1 minute ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

Newcastle were a complete irrelevance to most of us during most the Ashley years. Don't kid yourself in thinking fans got up for games more v us than against Southampton etc for example. That hasn't been the case since the Keegan/SBR days.

You're changing the subject there like, so I'll leave it there. 

[Wallsendmag]

9 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

You're changing the subject there like, so I'll leave it there. 

 

You literally said NUFC visiting is a bigger game for home fans than Southampton etc. That's what you moved the subject to   Us and Southampton have basically been also rans for the past 15 years so I'm saying you're wrong. Maybe 15/20 years ago and possibly now and hopefully in the future but fornthe past decade and a half for your average Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea fan I doubt they were any more up for Newcastle at home than and other run of the mill PL team.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by Wallsendmag

[Kid Icarus]

7 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

You literally said NUFC visiting is a bigger game for home fans than Southampton etc. That's what you moved the subject to   Us and Southampton have basically been also rans for the past 15 years so I'm saying you're wrong. Maybe 15/20 years ago and possibly now and hopefully in the future but fornthe past decade and a half for your average Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea fan I doubt they were any more up for Newcastle at home than and other run of the mill PL team.

 

 

 

 

By bringing up the Ashley years. So suddenly we're onto this idea that other club's fans didn't get more up for a match vs us than say Southampton, which I think is nonsense, but also not worth getting into. 

 

It's fine, you think the away fans that come up here and rate our atmosphere highly are saying it for clicks (despite that not making any sense) or for some other reason that means it's not a genuine opinion. No point in arguing with anyone who thinks like that. 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by Kid Icarus

[TheGuv]

1 hour ago, STM said:

Mint. Let's keep bashing our own fans, despite putting on better displays/atmosphere than at least 80% of the league frequently.

 

A display doesn’t = atmosphere though. Those displays are create by 20-30 lads every week. That’s it. Imagine 20 lads singing all game, it would barely make a h’appeth’s difference. 
 

We’ve become a fan base that pats ourselves on the back for waving a flag and deciding that’s enough for the rest of the game. The same volunteers that put the flags out and do all the work are now basically a free marketing arm for the club who take a photo and post it on social media for other fans to see - again recreating a myth on ‘atmosphere’.   Matt Ritchie came out and had a go at the WF lads for not having a display against Bournemouth ffs! I’m paraphrasing here but it was something like “I never want to see this ground without flags ever again!”. Clearly the fan base thinks this too, as their Twitter DMs were full of abuse after the game. We’re now in a position where the WF lads are effectively beholden to doing some form of display every week otherwise there isn’t even a pre match atmosphere for us to pat each other on the back with.  
 

What happens if WF decided to jack it in overnight? Or they can’t be arsed to continue devoting hundreds of hours a season when other fans can’t be arsed to help them out by moving a seat to allow safe standing? Or others who sit on their hands, or others who moan and boo continue to not contribute positively in any way other than being happy to sit there every week?

 

Like it or not, we’re on a precipice here. We’re in uncharted territory. If we get this wrong now, as the club heads into unknown highs, and we become a global brand - everything we’ve moaned about in here will feel like child’s play compared to what’s about to come. 
 

I think it’s a conversation we need to have and it’s one that’s been going on since the Toon Ultras. A tiny pocket of the Strawberry Corner singing (ex Level 7ers may I add) isn’t enough, and it’s beginning to show. 
 

I’ll leave it there for now and I’m intrigued to see what Sunday brings…

 

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by TheGuv

[NUFC91]

One thing that really annoys me is that because most english grounds have shite atmosphere it doesnt matter. I support Newcastle United and want the best match day experience for me and our team.

 

Simply saying everywhere is crap and not being arsed to change is shite. Look at West Brom away in FA cup just before covid. No ones telling me that them 5k fans behind gallowgate or leazes won't get the crowd going.

 

I honestly dont give a fuck about other clubs being shite or the DJ is shite etc etc. It wont improve as large majority are moany pricks. The club need to move 5k to other areas of stadium.. this is not YOUR seat, its the clubs.

[Wallsendmag]

7 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

By bringing up the Ashley years. So suddenly we're onto this idea that other club's fans didn't get more up for a match vs us than say Southampton, which I think is nonsense, but also not worth getting into. 

 

It's fine, you think the away fans that come up here and rate our atmosphere highly are saying it for clicks (despite that not making any sense) or for some other reason that means it's not a genuine opinion. No point in arguing with anyone who thinks like that. 

 

 

 

 

Away fans seem to love visiting our city as it's friendly and also chocka block with pubs which they are all alowed in, but I'm not sure they rate our atmosphere as you can't really hear the home fans from where they sit. I was about 15 seats away from the Liverpool fans the other week and our crowd was deathly quiet from up there. There's a website called football ground guide where away fans rate their visits to various stadiums and whilst the overall experience of Newcastle City centre and of the stadium is far more positive than negative, the reviews of our atmosphere are more negative than positive.

[Wallsendmag]

5 minutes ago, NUFC91 said:

One thing that really annoys me is that because most english grounds have shite atmosphere it doesnt matter. I support Newcastle United and want the best match day experience for me and our team.

 

Simply saying everywhere is crap and not being arsed to change is shite. Look at West Brom away in FA cup just before covid. No ones telling me that them 5k fans behind gallowgate or leazes won't get the crowd going.

 

I honestly dont give a fuck about other clubs being shite or the DJ is shite etc etc. It wont improve as large majority are moany pricks. The club need to move 5k to other areas of stadium.. this is not YOUR seat, its the clubs.

 

I was at West Brom and it was absolutely brilliant. One of the best away atmospheres I've been in!

[jack j]

11 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

A display doesn’t = atmosphere though. Those displays are create by 20-30 lads every week. That’s it. Imagine 20 lads singing all game, it would barely make a h’appeth’s difference. 
 

We’ve become a fan base that pats ourselves on the back for waving a flag and deciding that’s enough for the rest of the game. The same volunteers that put the flags out and do all the work are now basically a free marketing arm for the club who take a photo and post it on social media for other fans to see - again recreating a myth on ‘atmosphere’.   Matt Ritchie came out and had a go at the WF lads for not having a display against Bournemouth ffs! I’m paraphrasing here but it was something like “I never want to see this ground without flags ever again!”. Clearly the fan base thinks this too, as their Twitter DMs were full of abuse after the game. We’re now in a position where the WF lads are effectively beholden to doing some form of display every week otherwise there isn’t even a pre match atmosphere for us to pat each other on the back with.  
 

What happens if WF decided to jack it in overnight? Or they can’t be arsed to continue devoting hundreds of hours a season when other fans can’t be arsed to help them out by moving a seat to allow safe standing? Or others who sit on their hands, or others who moan and boo continue to not contribute positively in any way other than being happy to sit there every week?

 

Like it or not, we’re on a precipice here. We’re in uncharted territory. If we get this wrong now, as the club heads into unknown highs, and we become a global brand - everything we’ve moaned about in here will feel like child’s play compared to what’s about to come. 
 

I think it’s a conversation we need to have and it’s one that’s been going on since the Toon Ultras. A tiny pocket of the Strawberry Corner singing (ex Level 7ers may I add) isn’t enough, and it’s beginning to show. 
 

I’ll leave it there for now and I’m intrigued to see what Sunday brings…

 

 

 

The displays are currently wasted on our support tbh. Obviously not the wor flags lads faults. But it just creates this whole myth. Wouldn't mind if they gave it a miss for a few games to see what people think then...

[Wallsendmag]

4 minutes ago, jack j said:

The displays are currently wasted on our support tbh. Obviously not the wor flags lads faults. But it just creates this whole myth. Wouldn't mind if they gave it a miss for a few games to see what people think then...

 

Agree that undoubtedly it looks fantastic on TV but the reality inside the ground is as soon as the flags go down and the referee blows for kick off the ground falls silent. It'll happen again on Sunday.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Building up to kick off and then stopping is a challenging thing in itself TBH. 
 

Would be happy to leave it for a few games and bring it back too… don’t want it to become routine. 
 

Also need to sort the DJ and announcer, does no favours at all. 

[Bada Bing]

3 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

Building up to kick off and then stopping is a challenging thing in itself TBH. 
 

Would be happy to leave it for a few games and bring it back too… don’t want it to become routine. 
 

Also need to sort the DJ and announcer, does no favours at all. 

 

Agree with this. The announcer with his "Enjoy the Game" cry - I mean wtf is that all about, it needs to stop. Literally encourages people to treat the match like going to a theatre, sit back say nothing and be entertained. 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by Bada Bing

[Choppy Chop Chop]

Wow bring back the happy clappers 

[Kid Icarus]

Playing Doris Day at ear splitting volume, man  Surely that was an eye-opener for Eales.

 

Not advocating getting rid of him either, someone should just maybe have a word.

[NUFC91]

Obviously strawberry corner looks to be area of choice but wouldnt it of been worth sticking safe standing from end of family enclosure all around into away section. That way if we play a team who brings 1.5k we then have a large standing area that can also cater for member sales etc.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by NUFC91

[timnufc22]

16 minutes ago, TheGuv said:

A display doesn’t = atmosphere though. Those displays are create by 20-30 lads every week. That’s it. Imagine 20 lads singing all game, it would barely make a h’appeth’s difference. 
 

We’ve become a fan base that pats ourselves on the back for waving a flag and deciding that’s enough for the rest of the game. The same volunteers that put the flags out and do all the work are now basically a free marketing arm for the club who take a photo and post it on social media for other fans to see - again recreating a myth on ‘atmosphere’.   Matt Ritchie came out and had a go at the WF lads for not having a display against Bournemouth ffs! I’m paraphrasing here but it was something like “I never want to see this ground without flags ever again!”. Clearly the fan base thinks this too, as their Twitter DMs were full of abuse after the game. We’re now in a position where the WF lads are effectively beholden to doing some form of display every week otherwise there isn’t even a pre match atmosphere for us to pat each other on the back with.  
 

What happens if WF decided to jack it in overnight? Or they can’t be arsed to continue devoting hundreds of hours a season when other fans can’t be arsed to help them out by moving a seat to allow safe standing? Or others who sit on their hands, or others who moan and boo continue to not contribute positively in any way other than being happy to sit there every week?

 

Like it or not, we’re on a precipice here. We’re in uncharted territory. If we get this wrong now, as the club heads into unknown highs, and we become a global brand - everything we’ve moaned about in here will feel like child’s play compared to what’s about to come. 
 

I think it’s a conversation we need to have and it’s one that’s been going on since the Toon Ultras. A tiny pocket of the Strawberry Corner singing (ex Level 7ers may I add) isn’t enough, and it’s beginning to show. 
 

I’ll leave it there for now and I’m intrigued to see what Sunday brings…

 

 

 

 

Totally agree. I hate the idea of the ground becoming like the Etihad, it would genuinely take away from any potential achievements on the pitch for me. The flags are amazing and we should be proud, but not too self complimentary about SJP atmosphere as a whole to the levels we criticise Liverpool for. What's that SBR quote? "Its about the noise, the passion... " and I totally get that not everyone will sing and nor should they nessicarily, because people go to games for different reasons. But there's something about us as supporters doing our part and holding up our end of the bargain that makes everything else so much more satisfying. 

 

The reason I think Leazes L4 would be perfect because of all the boxes it ticks - 

Next to the away fans 

Visually inspiring to the rest of the ground

Better chance of noise spreading

Close enough to the pitch for the players to hear

Less ST holders in that area (apparently) so easier to implement

 

If they're going for the Gallowgate then that's fine for now I suppose and better than nothing but I do think we should continue pushing for the above long-term, as safe standing numbers expand - or even just as a singing section (the standing will then come naturally).

 

If we can put the right building blocks in place now, it will ensure any change towards a more passive, global fanbase is offset by having a strong core and structure in place of standing/singing sections(s) in the right area's and makes the SJP worthy of its of reputation.

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 hour ago, Kid Icarus said:

Playing Doris Day at ear splitting volume, man  Surely that was an eye-opener for Eales.

 

Not advocating getting rid of him either, someone should just maybe have a word.

I’m advocating getting rid of him  

[Whitley mag]

2 hours ago, STM said:

I see the "we have a shite atmosphere, it was better in my day" craic is back in full swing. Mint. Let's keep bashing our own fans, despite putting on better displays/atmosphere than at least 80% of the league frequently.

We also have probably the best away fans in the country but one quiet day and its "used to be better".

 

Yes we want to improve the atmosphere at SJP because it can be better but it's still one of the best. Unless you want no women or children at the game or expect the full stadium to be standing for the entire match, I suspect expectations are too high.

 

Let's say we have loads of standing fans behind the goals, all singing and roaring the team on...... and then we concede a goal. 

of course there is going to be a lull, it's perfectly natural.

 

I suspect some want to knock our stadium and atmosphere as some sort of cock waving towards "the good old days".

 

Loads of fans standing and roaring the team on at nil nil would be a huge improvement on the current experience. The home support is fucking dreadful mate whatever way you want to dress it up.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by Whitley mag