Match Atmosphere

[Wandy]

7 minutes ago, SteV said:

If the performance on the pitch is poor/uninspiring, it gets reflected in the support. Agreed, not to the extent of our home support, but it still does have an effect.

 

That's the problem though. It seems that the away support is becoming very much like the home support. It's never been that way in all my 35 years of going to games. The difference has always been like night & day.

[SteV]

Just now, Wandy said:

 

That's the problem though. It seems that the away support is becoming very much like the home support. It's never been that way in all my 35 years of going to games. The difference has always been like night & day.

Is it becoming like that though? Or have people that were previously able been able to go, or people that can’t now bring mates along with them, pre-decided it’s getting like that?

 

Now, I haven’t been to all of these, so I’m judging from afar a bit on some of them, but let’s look at the away games so far these season:

 

Man City - quiet, much like nearly every PL game there in recent memory, mainly caused by the team barely having the ball.

 

Brighton - very poor (save towards the end when everyone had given up on the match itself). Really poor performance on the pitch and horrendous travel issues, made it kind of understandable.

 

Milan - hard to judge not being there, as have heard conflicting reports, and obviously some police shenanigans probably didn’t help.

 

Sheff Utd - very good, as you would expect given the local proximity and result.

 

West Ham - indifferent (?), another hard one to judge I would say, and have already mentioned what I think some of issues were.

 

So, maybe I’m making too many excuses here, but I feel it’s definitely too early to have decided the away support has been ruined by all the ticketing changes they brought in.

 

 

 

 

[Wandy]

8 minutes ago, SteV said:

Is it becoming like that though? Or have people that were previously able been able to go, or people that can’t now bring mates along with them, pre-decided it’s getting like that?

 

Now, I haven’t been to all of these, so I’m judging from afar a bit on some of them, but let’s look at the away games so far these season:

 

Man City - quiet, much like nearly every PL game there in recent memory, mainly caused by the team barely having the ball.

 

Brighton - very poor (save towards the end when everyone had given up on the match itself). Really poor performance on the pitch and horrendous travel issues, made it kind of understandable.

 

Milan - hard to judge not being there, as have heard conflicting reports, and obviously some police shenanigans probably didn’t help.

 

Sheff Utd - very good, as you would expect given the local proximity and result.

 

West Ham - indifferent (?), another hard one to judge I would say, and have already mentioned what I think some of issues were.

 

So, maybe I’m making too many excuses here, but I feel it’s definitely too early to have decided the away support has been ruined by all the ticketing changes they brought in.

 

Well I haven't been to any away games this season so can't comment from personal experience, but I know a few who have been to all of them and the general consensus is that it's much worse this season, so far.

 

 

[SteV]

Just now, Wandy said:

 

Well I haven't been to any away games this season so can't comment from personal experience, but I know a few who have been to all of them and the general consensus is that it's much worse this season, so far.

 

 

Fair enough. 
 

But as I say I think there’s mitigating factors in every game bar Sheff Utd, although maybe I’m being overly generous.

[LFEE]

48 minutes ago, Wandy said:

 

That's the problem though. It seems that the away support is becoming very much like the home support. It's never been that way in all my 35 years of going to games. The difference has always been like night & day.

Is it not the case that home support has massively improved? (Especially if you are in the Gallowgate corner and thereabouts). I used to always prefer aways to homes but these days I’m probably the opposite.

 

That and you’re probably just getting old like me ?

[Wandy]

10 minutes ago, LFEE said:

Is it not the case that home support has massively improved? (Especially if you are in the Gallowgate corner and thereabouts). I used to always prefer aways to homes but these days I’m probably the opposite.

 

That and you’re probably just getting old like me ?

 

I don't think the home atmosphere has improved in general to be honest. Wednesday was obviously exceptional but in the main the SJP atmosphere is very inconsistent. And it seems that the new ticketing arrangement is making away days exactly the same now.

[Wallsendmag]

1 hour ago, SteV said:

Fair enough. 
 

But as I say I think there’s mitigating factors in every game bar Sheff Utd, although maybe I’m being overly generous.

 

There should never be mitigating factors for a bad atmosphere at an away game. Thinking back over the years I've stood in away ends where we've been 4, 5, 6 goals down and the support has still been tremendous as defiance takes over.

 

A couple of my mates were at Sheff Utd and said that was pretty poor and that's for an 8-0 away win so clearly something not right.

[SteV]

3 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

There should never be mitigating factors for a bad atmosphere at an away game. Thinking back over the years I've stood in away ends where we've been 4, 5, 6 goals down and the support has still been tremendous as defiance takes over.

 

A couple of my mates were at Sheff Utd and said that was pretty poor and that's for an 8-0 away win so clearly something not right.

So those instances sound similar to the last 15 mins at Brighton this season, no?

 

There seems to be some rewriting of history going on here. We’ve all been in away ends where it’s been piss poor atmosphere-wise. There’s often mitigating factors, but the overriding one is what happens on the pitch.

 

Thinking back through the Ashley years (not a pleasant experience on the whole…) and there were some absolutely shite experiences, often in the North West, when I’m sure plenty of the ‘hardcore’ turned out.

 

And I’d disagree with your mates about Sheff Utd. I’d say loud, if maybe not absolutely bouncing, but it was so ridiculously easy, people were almost laughing.

[Wallsendmag]

31 minutes ago, SteV said:

So those instances sound similar to the last 15 mins at Brighton this season, no?

 

There seems to be some rewriting of history going on here. We’ve all been in away ends where it’s been piss poor atmosphere-wise. There’s often mitigating factors, but the overriding one is what happens on the pitch.

 

Thinking back through the Ashley years (not a pleasant experience on the whole…) and there were some absolutely shite experiences, often in the North West, when I’m sure plenty of the ‘hardcore’ turned out.

 

And I’d disagree with your mates about Sheff Utd. I’d say loud, if maybe not absolutely bouncing, but it was so ridiculously easy, people were almost laughing.

 

I know you always try to stay positive about ticketing/the support but literally everyone I've spoken to this season who is a regular away traveller has said it's taken a massive turn for the worse atmosphere wise this season, other than you.

 

Brighton was regarded as really poor as well until people were stirred for the last 5 mins or so. All the empty seats in our end that day were another story of a failing system.

 

Sheff Utd sounded pretty poor (albeit on TV as I wasn't there) but as I said, speaking to mates that were and they said it was very disappointing, especially given the scoreline.

[Rafalove]

4 hours ago, HaydnNUFC said:

Some bad Tory shouts from the cockney meffs towards our fans today as well apparently. Awful craic.

 

 

Sqdly something we can’t get too much in our hughorse about as we’re often guilty off against Liverpool and Everton.

[SteV]

8 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

I know you always try to stay positive about ticketing/the support but literally everyone I've spoken to this season who is a regular away traveller has said it's taken a massive turn for the worse atmosphere wise this season, other than you.

 

Brighton was regarded as really poor as well until people were stirred for the last 5 mins or so. All the empty seats in our end that day were another story of a failing system.

 

Sheff Utd sounded pretty poor (albeit on TV as I wasn't there) but as I said, speaking to mates that were and they said it was very disappointing, especially given the scoreline.

Tbf I’m partially of the opinion that some people (not necessarily directing this at you or @Wandy) had decided that the ticketing changes would be detrimental, and unless the atmosphere is absolutely bouncing, they’ll not change their mind regardless.

 

That said, I’m not at every game, so I’m hardly best qualified to judge, and if people that are at every game are saying otherwise, maybe they know better.

[Scoot]

4 hours ago, SteV said:

Tbf it’s absolutely the worst away end in the league for trying to generate any kind of atmosphere.

 

Yep, I was there 2 years ago when we drew 1-1 when "regulars" could attend and it was a pretty shit atmosphere that day too.

 

I've said it before though, no matter what the atmosphere is like on away days now, those who've had their friends stopped going will just say its shit even if its good as they're still pissed off about it all. So I don't read too much into it.

[Wandy]

3 minutes ago, SteV said:

Tbf I’m partially of the opinion that some people (not necessarily directing this at you or @Wandy) had decided that the ticketing changes would be detrimental, and unless the atmosphere is absolutely bouncing, they’ll not change their mind regardless.

 

That said, I’m not at every game, so I’m hardly best qualified to judge, and if people that are at every game are saying otherwise, maybe they know better.

Like I say, I haven’t been to an away game this season so am only going off what friends have said who have been to all of them. The consensus is definitely that our lot have been quiet for significant periods of every game, compared to last season and beyond.

 

The problem for me isn’t that our support is crap compared to other fanbases, that obviously isn’t the case. It’s more that our lot are becoming very generic and similar to fanbases that I have derided for years for the fickle/conditional nature of their support. For decades I’ve poured scorn on the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal & Man U for being great when they are winning but mute when things go against them or a game is dull. We really seem to be fast turning into that, which is depressing considering we finally have a club worthy of the amazing support from years gone by.

[LFEE]

Yeah there’s definitely a narrative been built regarding the ticketing changes and atmospheres. 
 

So far all the home games have been an improvement on last seasons I feel.

 

Too early to tell for my aways but Sheff Utd was much better than Fulham for example (both similar run away victories).

Fans sounded great today even when a goal down also. 
 

Will be at Man Utd away and expecting a night akin to Blackburn away if we are giving them a decent game or not.

[Heron]

4 hours ago, HaydnNUFC said:

Some bad Tory shouts from the cockney meffs towards our fans today as well apparently. Awful craic.

Curious as to what...

[SteV]

6 minutes ago, Heron said:

Curious as to what...

[Wallsendmag]

26 minutes ago, SteV said:

Tbf I’m partially of the opinion that some people (not necessarily directing this at you or @Wandy) had decided that the ticketing changes would be detrimental, and unless the atmosphere is absolutely bouncing, they’ll not change their mind regardless.

 

That said, I’m not at every game, so I’m hardly best qualified to judge, and if people that are at every game are saying otherwise, maybe they know better.

 

I think the general consensus is that the ticketing changes have been detrimental.

 

In my 40 years of going to SJP I've never seen queues outside beforehand like I did that Burnley game. 30 mins standing in a queue to get in is just ridiculous when it used to be less than 5.

 

And nobody, but nobody can argue to me with a straight face that sending fans around the country with "fake" tickets designed to fail at the turnstile and making them walk around to the home ticket office for a replacement, often decked out in their black and white is a good idea either. It's downright irresponsible.

[Heron]

12 minutes ago, SteV said:

Ah. Canny rich considering we paid for their stadium

 

 

Edited October 8, 2023 by Heron

[TheGuv]

Mate of mine said there were empty seats and people arguing about wanting to be in their correct seat yesterday. 

[Bellis80]

I wouldn’t be happy if someone told me to sit down at an away game but the not sitting in your own seat annoys me. Some people just don’t want to stand with 4/5 people in the space of 2/3 seats like happens. Must even more annoying for people with kids or their missus there.

[Lush Vlad]

Are they still checking tickets at away games, or was it a bit of an empty threat?  My mate has been to a couple of aways, he has 4 ST's and on both times he had a couple with him that weren't the correct name on the ticket and no dramas.  

 

I think he'd be happy to help me out.  But I feel like it isn't worth the risk for him and his points, no matte how small the chance of getting pulled is.  

 

Anecdotally, a few mates have said the away ends seem worse off this season.  But I've not been so can't comment and I think it could be confirmation bias, due to everyone being pissed off with how they have handled the ticket changes.  I've been in plenty of shit away ends down south over the years. 

[SteV]

6 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

Are they still checking tickets at away games, or was it a bit of an empty threat?  My mate has been to a couple of aways, he has 4 ST's and on both times he had a couple with him that weren't the correct name on the ticket and no dramas.  

 

I think he'd be happy to help me out.  But I feel like it isn't worth the risk for him and his points, no matte how small the chance of getting pulled is.  

 

Anecdotally, a few mates have said the away ends seem worse off this season.  But I've not been so can't comment and I think it could be confirmation bias, due to everyone being pissed off with how they have handled the ticket changes.  I've been in plenty of shit away ends down south over the years. 

Yeah, they are still checking.

 

However, checks are probably limited to the region of ~100 tickets, so if you do the maths, the odds are in your favour of not being checked.

 

That being said, clearly it’s all about whether you, or more realistically, your mate want to take the risk.
 

I haven’t actually heard what punishment, if any, has been handed out to anyone that’s been caught out. You’d guess for a first offence it would probably just be a (final) warning, but like I say, I don’t know that for sure.

[pedro111]

I'm starting to think that we need a new song where the whole ground join in as one pre match. Sadly I think the Blaydon Races is a lost cause for anything like that. Howay Fender et al pull your fingers out and come up with a belter!

 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by pedro111

[Whitley mag]

2 minutes ago, pedro111 said:

I'm starting to think that we need a new song where the whole ground join in as one pre match. Sadly I think the Blaydon Races is a lost cause for anything like that. Howay Fender et al pull your fingers out and come up with a belter!

 

 

 

Same after the match should be an old classic with local roots, for a club steeped in local history we seem to want to downplay it and play music from Glasgow and fucking Liverpool instead.

 

[pedro111]

11 minutes ago, Whitley mag said:

Same after the match should be an old classic with local roots, for a club steeped in local history we seem to want to downplay it and play music from Glasgow and fucking Liverpool instead.

 

 

The first verse or couple of verses of Geordie in Wonderland have potential if they are sang at the same pace as the song. Would be great. Also, it's a perfect post match song!