Match Atmosphere

[JB]

1 hour ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

I think most people want to sing, they just don't want to be the one to start it. 

 

And also because every song is way too fast, it's really hard to keep up with and runs out of steam within one verse. And then back to the starting up problem. 

 

This is the key really, the solution to the first problem is to have a whole end standing, four separate corners is too piecemeal. You'd need a rebuild or a move to make that many change seats though and that's if the club even care enough to do it. More controversially, the solution to the second problem is organised support with megaphones and drums.

[Big River]

BRING BACK THE NOISE

 

the entire Gallowgate needs to be a safe standing/singing section. gives the majority of the miserable sods who go plenty of seats to pick from in other areas of the ground.

 

there's absolutely nee chance it would happen though. the people in charge think our atmosphere is fantastic. pre-match spectacle does not equal atmosphere unfortunately.

[Sima]

1 hour ago, Fezzle said:

Luckily you are hard to spot then

Dresses with the same mentality that The Queen did

[TheGuv]

13 minutes ago, Big River said:

BRING BACK THE NOISE

 

the entire Gallowgate needs to be a safe standing/singing section. gives the majority of the miserable sods who go plenty of seats to pick from in other areas of the ground.

 

there's absolutely nee chance it would happen though. the people in charge think our atmosphere is fantastic. pre-match spectacle does not equal atmosphere unfortunately.

If people are miserable about it in the Gallowgate - do the Leazes. The original singing end. And I assume much more flexibility with fewer ST holders.

[TheGuv]

14 minutes ago, Big River said:

pre-match spectacle does not equal atmosphere unfortunately.

@Heron, does there become a point when some at WF walk away as it’s not worth the effort? This has always been a fear of mine tbh.  But the lads are totally within their rights to do that as well. I helped out once and it was back crippling work. 
 

Not sure I could be arsed doing that every week for tourists.

 

My dad was telling me, on Wednesday, they were in Leazes Level 4 below the TNT studio. We had an attacking corner and there was a bloke who turned around and was taking photos of Laura Woods and waving at her, trying to get here attention instead of watching our attacking corner. He was doing it most of the game apparently. If that’s the new state of fan, I’m not sure I’d be arsed doing back breaking displays every week for that kind of person tbh. 

[Hovagod]

If WF don’t fancy it anymore, the rest of us will cope. Not sure when they became the benchmark of our support

[Yorkie]

1 minute ago, Hovagod said:

If WF don’t fancy it anymore, the rest of us will cope. Not sure when they became the benchmark of our support

 

Weirdly sassy about something that has clearly had a massively galvanising effect on the support and the team, and meanwhile done absolute wonders for the club's image when there's been so much scrutiny due to the ownership. If WF walked away it would be a colossal loss.

[Hovagod]

6 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Weirdly sassy about something that has clearly had a massively galvanising effect on the support and the team, and meanwhile done absolute wonders for the club's image when there's been so much scrutiny due to the ownership. If WF walked away it would be a colossal loss.

Fair points. I was speaking in regards to this weird idea that we should feel emotionally blackmailed by them though. I’ll shout and sing if I fancy it, like everybody else, like football fans have forever. Of course I speak as a season ticket holder, which makes me the problem. 

[Wandy]

8 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Weirdly sassy about something that has clearly had a massively galvanising effect on the support and the team, and meanwhile done absolute wonders for the club's image when there's been so much scrutiny due to the ownership. If WF walked away it would be a colossal loss.

 

If anything, they need to get even more involved in song/chant orchestration. Also, they need to make the club aware about how cheesed off people are with the match-going experience. Wor Flags are perfectly positioned to do this as they clearly have the ear of the powers that be.

[timnufc22]

• Turn the speaker volume down from the ridiculous level its currently at. I know someone said about regulation issues which is weird how every other ground - seemingly - dont have their speakers anywhere near the same volume. If there are regulation issues the club should be challenging these.
• Change up the songs every month or so (but keep Fortuna & Local Hero obviously).
• Extend the standing section and pinpoint it as a singing section. You could have it sprawl across into the middle of the Gallowgate end, around 5/6k total allocation.
• Create a second designated standing/singing section next to the away fans in the Leazes corner - whether it be L4 or L7.  Even if its 2k allocation, that would be enough to give robust responses to the away fans and bring about some great banter.
• If the club deem it too problematic to move people around in the Gallowgate end due to ST holders, then create one big standing/singing section in the leazes L4 corner.
• Above all, this is for good of the team and thus club aswell as catering for as many different match goers as possible. With this in mind, the club shouldn't worry about moving people around.

[TheGuv]

1 minute ago, timnufc22 said:

• Turn the speaker volume down from the ridiculous level its currently at. I know someone said about regulation issues which is weird how every other ground - seemingly - dont have their speakers anywhere near the same volume. If there are regulation issues the club should be challenging these.
• Change up the songs every month or so (but keep Fortuna & Local Hero obviously).
• Extend the standing section and pinpoint it as a singing section. You could have it sprawl across into the middle of the Gallowgate end, around 5/6k total allocation.
• Create a second designated standing/singing section next to the away fans in the Leazes corner - whether it be L4 or L7.  Even if its 2k allocation, that would be enough to give robust responses to the away fans and bring about some great banter.
• If the club deem it too problematic to move people around in the Gallowgate end due to ST holders, then create one big standing/singing section in the leazes L4 corner.
• Above all, this is for good of the team and thus club aswell as catering for as many different match goers as possible. With this in mind, the club shouldn't worry about moving people around.

[brummie]

31 minutes ago, timnufc22 said:

• Turn the speaker volume down from the ridiculous level its currently at. I know someone said about regulation issues which is weird how every other ground - seemingly - dont have their speakers anywhere near the same volume. If there are regulation issues the club should be challenging these.

 

We do FWIW, and every time the club meets with fans they get asked to turn it down, you can barely have a conversation with the person next to you sometimes, it is that bad.

 

I am sure it must be some sort of regulation, like you suggested, seems too random. 

 

Although why, if it is, clubs wouldn't challenge it is beyond me.

[bobbydazzla]

35 minutes ago, timnufc22 said:

• Turn the speaker volume down from the ridiculous level its currently at. I know someone said about regulation issues which is weird how every other ground - seemingly - dont have their speakers anywhere near the same volume. If there are regulation issues the club should be challenging these.
• Change up the songs every month or so (but keep Fortuna & Local Hero obviously).
• Extend the standing section and pinpoint it as a singing section. You could have it sprawl across into the middle of the Gallowgate end, around 5/6k total allocation.
• Create a second designated standing/singing section next to the away fans in the Leazes corner - whether it be L4 or L7.  Even if its 2k allocation, that would be enough to give robust responses to the away fans and bring about some great banter.
• If the club deem it too problematic to move people around in the Gallowgate end due to ST holders, then create one big standing/singing section in the leazes L4 corner.
• Above all, this is for good of the team and thus club aswell as catering for as many different match goers as possible. With this in mind, the club shouldn't worry about moving people around.

 

• Get rid of auto-allocated seating
• Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, allow DJ fucking Otzi to be played ever again

[Heron]

1 hour ago, Hovagod said:

Fair points. I was speaking in regards to this weird idea that we should feel emotionally blackmailed by them though. I’ll shout and sing if I fancy it, like everybody else, like football fans have forever. Of course I speak as a season ticket holder, which makes me the problem. 

Not sure where the emotional blackmailing comes from to be honest? I presume from the fact we put effort in and have voiced our opinion of the atmosphere on Wednesday...

 

So I guess, what you're saying is Wor Flags shouldn't have an opinion on the atmosphere when it's a negative opinion? However, we're expected to accept the negative criticism when we do nowt, or don't do what folk want? Or the negative comments we've received about Wednesday's display? Then sit in silence.

 

I mean, I'm only speaking for me individually here, but when I've invested so much time into trying to be a catalyst for a better match day experience for every one of those 49k home fans on Wednesday, I personally feel I am absolutely entitled to voice my opinion without being accused of emotional blackmail too. Emotional blackmail certainly isn't the intention and perhaps this is exacerbating your point, but I just don't get it tbh.

 

We don't think we're the be all end all, we're simply trying to get behind the team and the region, it's upto the rest of the crowd to get behind the team, which on Wednesday, they didn't.

 

Cannot have an amazing atmosphere without having catalysts though whether that be one group or one individual taking initiative.

[Wallsendmag]

1 hour ago, Hovagod said:

Fair points. I was speaking in regards to this weird idea that we should feel emotionally blackmailed by them though. I’ll shout and sing if I fancy it, like everybody else, like football fans have forever. Of course I speak as a season ticket holder, which makes me the problem. 

 

Just think back to those Steve Brice years. Literally zero atmosphere. You could go the full 90 mins without a song breaking out. Just a completely dead ground where the only noise of any description came from the away end.

[gbandit]

Minimum 10,000 fan standing / singing sections in ground. A main one in the gallowgate and then smaller ones in each corner of the ground. Get it done 

[jack j]

I mentioned wor flags walking away on another thread

 

My only reasoning for it is as already mentioned the club see the flags as.the be all and end all of atmosphere.

 

As the wor flags lads posted on twitter the other night, they weren't amused at how shit the atmosphere was

 

Not sure if they have the power within the club to ask for more singing sections etc. But a few weeks without the flags and I can bet my bottom dollar the top dogs are wondering what's gone wrong

[Vedder]

I would add to any arguments put forward to improve the atmosphere that it's in the club's commercial interest to find solutions to this problem. Our fanbase and atmosphere, for all its problems, are still major assets in attracting new fans. 

So give us a massive standing/signing section and let ST holders move/members choose their own seats. Fans are happier, atmosphere is better, more new fans attracted...everyone wins! Only downside is if we have enough fans to fill up these new sections. I was surprised to hear only 5k wanted to move to the Strawberry corner at the start of this season. 

[Bellis80]

The flags have been magnificent, think it’s brought a bit of a togetherness again between the players and fans, but the atmosphere is good if it’s a massive game, we score early and get on a roll or most have been out all day. PSG had all three of those, Dortmund lacked two of them. The atmosphere is always dependent on the the game rather than the flags or the standing area.

[LFEE]

3 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

The flags have been magnificent, think it’s brought a bit of a togetherness again between the players and fans, but the atmosphere is good if it’s a massive game, we score early and get on a roll or most have been out all day. PSG had all three of those, Dortmund lacked two of them. The atmosphere is always dependent on the the game rather than the flags or the standing area.

This basically. Kinda always has been this.

[jack j]

4 minutes ago, Vedder said:

I would add to any arguments put forward to improve the atmosphere that it's in the club's commercial interest to find solutions to this problem. Our fanbase and atmosphere, for all its problems, are still major assets in attracting new fans. 

So give us a massive standing/signing section and let ST holders move/members choose their own seats. Fans are happier, atmosphere is better, more new fans attracted...everyone wins! Only downside is if we have enough fans to fill up these new sections. I was surprised to hear only 5k wanted to move to the Strawberry corner at the start of this season. 

Aye I've always wondered this as well. Is there enough appetite for standing/singing in the ground

[jack j]

4 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

The flags have been magnificent, think it’s brought a bit of a togetherness again between the players and fans, but the atmosphere is good if it’s a massive game, we score early and get on a roll or most have been out all day. PSG had all three of those, Dortmund lacked two of them. The atmosphere is always dependent on the the game rather than the flags or the standing area.

Surely a Champions league game should bring abit atmosphere with it without having to rely on an early goal

 

[pedro111]

Surely we have more than 5k fans wanting to stand and sing. Maybe a lot of people didn't realise they could apply to be moved to the strawberry corner? Most folk on here are pretty clued up on things with the club but perhaps the average fan isn't? Then you have the thousands of fans like me who jacked it in at Mike Ashley's bleakest point but who are itching to be back. I'd be back in a heartbeat if I could be guaranteed a place in a standing section. The random ballot is fucking appalling tbh. I have no interest in that so I only go when one of my mates has a spare.

Maybe only when we have a ground too big for our support will everyone be truly happy as then people can stand or sit next to who they want, where they want. When you think about it, it is amazing that we have such a good atmosphere at times with the current seating situation. Can you imagine what kind of a din we could create with even a modicum of cooperation from the club and we as a group of fans? This has to be the next area of focus for us because Dortmund at home was a complete embarrassment from a TV point of view. Wor flags are fucking amazing and I'd be devastated if they walked away. But I guess it's the state of the world we live in today where people will find owt to criticise. In my eyes they are beyond reproach.

[Bellis80]

I’m amazed at the amount of people that would rather not go than just take any seat offered like.

[Wallsendmag]

1 hour ago, gbandit said:

Minimum 10,000 fan standing / singing sections in ground. A main one in the gallowgate and then smaller ones in each corner of the ground. Get it done 

 

Gallowgate needs to be safe standing. The whole lot of it. All 12,000 spaces. Then you'll see a big difference. 1,800 spaces in the SE Corner in a 52k stadium is a drop in the ocean. A token gesture at best.