St James' Park

[HaydnNUFC]

I have a few pints before, a few after at various pubs but usually the Bodega, none at the ground. Group of my mates, my brother, my brother's mates, my dad, my dad's mates. Head up to the ground and get into our seats before the players come out, leave after we've clapped the players off after FT (99% of the time), straight back to the pub to celebrate or whinge. May get something to eat or a hot drink if it's freezing in the ground if we're in early enough and eat it before heading up to the seat but I do find it bizarre how some can't go ~105 minutes without alcohol. Likewise with stuffing their faces. It's aaaful in the Milburn.

 

But where I usually sit there's a row of like 5 blokes in front of us; must be between 40-60. Always arrive late, leave early before half time, back late from half time, leave before full time. When they first meet they're all standing up and are like "awh hello mate" shaking hands and back slapping like some weird cult at about 4 minutes into the game. Infuriating stuff. Felt like hoying me Bovril at them at the Bromley game.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 17:32 by HaydnNUFC

[HaydnNUFC]

All in all though thinking about it, like those blokes in front of me, for quite a few people the match is the least important part of their day. It's about seeing their mates and getting on the drink. The match is about that for me as well but watching and supporting NUFC is why I'm there and forked out the money for a ticket. Otherwise I'd just stay in the pub.

 

It'll be why attendances never dipped below ~47,000 average under Ashley since our return to the PL in 2010. Even when protests were organised or when we were managed by Stephen Roger. If SJP was outside the city centre, we'd have seen some shocking gates under Ashley and rightfully so. But too many are embedded within the match being the worst part of their day out as they may have to watch Longstaff misplace a pass or us miss a chance.

[midds]

6 hours ago, madras said:

I probably wouldn't go if I had to go straight there and back either side of the match. It's much more than that. It is the social bit, it is the pre match pub, it is (for the most part) my social diary. It starts the day before with a text off a mate deciding how we are getting in and the afterwards largely depends on the result.

The socialising I get 100%, I'm just saying the before and after are best done away from the ground in the pubs and bars. The stadium is purely for the match for me, not about the food or drink or bets on the game in the kiosks etc. The stadium is for the match - the socialising is done elsewhere. I get there's an overlap if you sit with your mates in the ground though, I'll allow it 

[madras]

8 minutes ago, midds said:

The socialising I get 100%, I'm just saying the before and after are best done away from the ground in the pubs and bars. The stadium is purely for the match for me, not about the food or drink or bets on the game in the kiosks etc. The stadium is for the match - the socialising is done elsewhere. I get there's an overlap if you sit with your mates in the ground though, I'll allow it 

Wea actually discussed this recently in our pre match pub. What we came up with was, if we get a new stadium in the city centre or the revamp is such that there's loads on space on the concourses etc and the beer and food is good, we may go up 30mins early and ha e one there, for the clubs coffers and all that.

[BoSelecta]

The match for me is about having a few beers and feeling part of an atmosphere. If I wanted to watch football I’d stay at home and watch it on the telly. The view from

my seat isn’t great for 50% of the game but the lad I sit next to goes radge with me when we score so that’s canny. I would love to get moved into any future singing/standing section. 

[Whitley mag]

 

[Bellis80]

Still hasn’t been a new ground in the last 30 years with a better atmosphere despite every one being talked about as having perfect acoustics and design. All bullshit.

[SteV]

24 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

Still hasn’t been a new ground in the last 30 years with a better atmosphere despite every one being talked about as having perfect acoustics and design. All bullshit.

But is that not to do with the change in atmosphere’s generally?

 

If you look at the Match Atmosphere thread, people (probably justifiably) are forever romanticising of the atmosphere in the 90’s and before, in comparison to that of today.

 

As it is, I think it’s almost impossible to ‘improve’ atmosphere whilst also substantially increasing capacity. I can’t really think of a stadium in Europe that has a capacity of 60k+ where the atmosphere is consistently rocking.
 

Somewhere like Dortmund is often very visually impressive, but is it really consistently loud?

 

If, as seems the likely direction of travel, we end up with a new stadium, the best we can probably hope for is that they make a genuine effort to incorporate the (seemingly obvious) things that will at least give us some kind of a chance of cultivating some atmosphere - getting like minded folk together, large areas of safe standing in multiple parts of the ground etc etc

 

The easiest time to do all of that is when you have a blank canvas, once people ‘have a seat’, it becomes far more messy.

[Bellis80]

I agree. But people shouldn’t be using an improved atmosphere as a reason to move as it’s never happened.

 

The argument about the old atmosphere also doesn’t make much sense to me. The 80s and early 90s in English football were the worst attendances there had ever been but the atmosphere was better? Not having it unless people kicking fuck out of each other and people getting set on fire is what people want again.

 

 

Edited 14 hours ago by Bellis80

[bobbydazzla]

It's a tale of two halves for me

 

Going to match used to be all about seeing the football lads, drinking before, during and after and to be honest, the game was secondary to going on the peeve. Then I jacked my ST and stopped going during worst of the Ashley era.

 

Since the takeover, I’ve rarely missed a match but now I go straight to the ground, straight home after, never drink, and usually go alone. My old crew still follows the same old routine, but I’m not joining in anymore.

 

I miss the old days with my football pals, but I enjoy the match more now.

 

I'm often out at gigs etc and love sitting in pubs talking shite, so it's not a lifestyle change, it's just a change in attitude towards the relationship between watching footy and boozing

 

 

Edited 14 hours ago by bobbydazzla

[Stifler]

2 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

I agree. But people shouldn’t be using an improved atmosphere as a reason to move as it’s never happened.

A new ground could facilitate a better atmosphere with the structure engineered to keep the noise in.

It is however up to the crowd to make it.

[Bellis80]

3 minutes ago, Stifler said:

A new ground could facilitate a better atmosphere with the structure engineered to keep the noise in.

It is however up to the crowd to make it.

In theory it could but every new ground I remember has thought that and it hasn’t happened.

[JonBez comesock]

People make noise = atmosphere 

 

The end 

 

Sit people together that want to create atmosphere/ noise 

 

Simple 

 

 

[Stifler]

1 hour ago, Bellis80 said:

In theory it could but every new ground I remember has thought that and it hasn’t happened.

Both Bayern Munich and Juventus would be evidence to the counter.

[SUPERTOON]

I swear Douglas writes the same two articles every month. One about the stadium, one about PSR and transfers and now the next window will be different.

[Bellis80]

2 hours ago, Stifler said:

Both Bayern Munich and Juventus would be evidence to the counter.

I was thinking in England but if the two best examples are clubs that built stadiums smaller than their old one my point stands.

[LFEE]

56 minutes ago, Bellis80 said:

I was thinking in England but if the two best examples are clubs that built stadiums smaller than their old one my point stands.

Both their old grounds had running tracks. That was the problem.

[Wallsendmag]

6 hours ago, Bellis80 said:

Still hasn’t been a new ground in the last 30 years with a better atmosphere despite every one being talked about as having perfect acoustics and design. All bullshit.

 

That's because crowds have changed dramatically in the last 20 years or so. Up here the Riverside Stadium atmosphere for the first few years pissed all over Ayresome Parks last few years with 12k rattling around in it and down the road at Sunderland, their atmosphere improved massively on Roker Parks last few years when they'd struggle to get 15k in some weeks.

 

Fair enough they both have shite atmospheres now but that's 100% do to with those who occupy football grounds these days.

 

Like it or not but the design of SJP with the high roofs in 2 stands, low roofs in the other 2 and a lopsided look, does nothing to amplify any sound. The majority of sound coming out of Level 7 escapes straight over the top of the smaller stands and into ten Tyneside air amd the Gallowgate design means that most of the sound made in there, stays in there, which is why you can't hear them from the Leazes and people in the Gallowgate can't really hear the away fans.

[Paully]

49 minutes ago, Wallsendmag said:

 

That's because crowds have changed dramatically in the last 20 years or so. Up here the Riverside Stadium atmosphere for the first few years pissed all over Ayresome Parks last few years with 12k rattling around in it and down the road at Sunderland, their atmosphere improved massively on Roker Parks last few years when they'd struggle to get 15k in some weeks.

 

Fair enough they both have shite atmospheres now but that's 100% do to with those who occupy football grounds these days.

 

Like it or not but the design of SJP with the high roofs in 2 stands, low roofs in the other 2 and a lopsided look, does nothing to amplify any sound. The majority of sound coming out of Level 7 escapes straight over the top of the smaller stands and into ten Tyneside air amd the Gallowgate design means that most of the sound made in there, stays in there, which is why you can't hear them from the Leazes and people in the Gallowgate can't really hear the away fans.

 

Absolutely spot on for all points mate!

 

Went to four derbies at Joker Park and done everyone at SOS - the first one there - 2-2 game - was loudest of any - hatred that day was unreal - first time our fans had been there for eight years!

[bobbydazzla]

There's plenty of spots in the Gallowgate and in both corners of the East Stand where you can't even SEE the away end. 

 

Take the emotion out of it and just look at the actual building itself and it's just a Frankenstein's monster of a stadium. There's nothing "right" about it.

 

I get that some people fall in love with it's lopsided weirdness. But if we only looking at it as a structure, I don't like the hodge podge design. And if it was any other club I'd be having a giggle at their freaky looking ground.

 

Only ground I've been to that felt similar is La Bombonera. But the steep, packed terraces and batshit mental atmosphere more than made up for it being a lopsided design.

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by bobbydazzla

[Superior Acuña]

36 minutes ago, Paully said:

 

Absolutely spot on for all points mate!

 

Went to four derbies at Joker Park and done everyone at SOS - the first one there - 2-2 game - was loudest of any - hatred that day was unreal - first time our fans had been there for eight years!

 

The 2-2 was my first away derby, at 10 years old. Yeah credit to them they made it fierce and electric, remember deafening whistling and boos. I absolutely loved it. Experiencing that meant winning there under Dabizas was probably my top moment to this day. Definitely a good example of how it can be done in a modern ground.

 

 

Edited 7 hours ago by Superior Acuña

[Wallsendmag]

24 minutes ago, Paully said:

 

Absolutely spot on for all points mate!

 

Went to four derbies at Joker Park and done everyone at SOS - the first one there - 2-2 game - was loudest of any - hatred that day was unreal - first time our fans had been there for eight years!

 

The 2-2 game was off the scale noise wise and the pure vitriol had to be seen to be believed I don't mind admitting, but every year we played there the noise and intensity got less and less to the point where our "welcoming commitee" consisted of a few yokels giving us 2-1 signs and the atmosphere was average at best.

[Gaztoon]

[danswan]

7 hours ago, SteV said:

 

The easiest time to do all of that is when you have a blank canvas, once people ‘have a seat’, it becomes far more messy.

 

Agreed. I'd like to see one massive fuckoff end of safe standing, pay on turnstile only. Sure, have ID, membership required so idiots can be banned, but bring back the times of being able to just rock up and see a game if you want to enough. And make it affordable, cheap even. 

 

Pros:

 

• No more pockets of singers dotted all over. They can gather together in the same area every week. 
• Kids could, if they really wanted to, see a game. With their mates. A new generation of fans, who would one day graduate to more expensive seats, could be nurtured. 
• The club can truly be part of the community, with nobody excluded.
• Atmosphere would undoubtedly be better, in fact it would be off the charts.
• Early attendance would be pretty much essential, meaning greater revenue inside the ground, so increased matchday revenue on that front. 

Cons (and mitigations):

 

• Less revenue. OK, yeah on paper, but what value would the stadium with the greatest atmosphere in the world bring to the club, as we look to increase our presence on the global stage?
• Turnstile carnage. Definitely scope for his, but with modern technology surely this would easily be countered. I'm picturing some sort of point where you'd NFC your phone to confirm & pay, and then head off to the Stack or wherever to await a notification of which timeslot/turnstile to enter etc. 
• Erm.. sure there are more, but my positive mindset can't think of any. Sure someone will be along shortly to piss on my chips. 

 

Basically it would be a modern day corner/scoreboard type of setup. But stick a roof on to amplify the noise and the place would be rocking.

[gjohnson]

A new stadium is the only realistic option if we want to compete. 

 

Yes a few saddos might have to walk a few hundred metres more for their pint of cheap pissy lager....boo hoo. An extra 20/25k will more than compensate for Billy Hates His Wife so has to come. 

 

We don't live in the frigging wilds...yes transport insn't perfect but if you want to watch a match you'll manage it. Having a pint before the match is nice, but it's not why I go

 

Even if we were moved to the wilds of Gosforth Park or wherever, if I want.a drink after a match I'll still go to town. Its not like it's  on Mars.