I heard a comment like this from a commentator while watching the Arsenal/ManchesterU game last Sunday. Not that they weren't loud during that match... but that they are generally one of the quieter crowds during the season. I figured that, being such a popular team, they would have one of the loudest crowds, no? They do have among the largest attendence average, right? Could anyone educate a newbie over which EPL teams have the loudest crowds (I love that...)? And, how do these crowds compare to other leagues? Generally the EPL games that I've seen appeared louder than the Spanish League and Bundesliga games I've seen... but I haven't seen many, so I don't really know.
One of the downers of being such a popular and successful club (and this goes for most sports, even in America), the true fans and supporters are slowly being pushed out by higher ticket prices that more of the corporate clientele are able to pay. "The Prawn Sandwich Brigade" at Old Trafford is a real problem, and because of the sheer size of the stadium, it's harder for the fans who want to sing and do chants to sing and be heard very well, especially when there are suits all around you... It does liven up for the bigger matches though. St. James Park where Newcastle play can get pretty loud, as well as the more traditional home town support you see at most of the smaller club grounds. United's away supporters are very vocal though, you can hear more of the chants and songs better in away matches, because usually we are dominating the game and the home support is quiet. This is part of the reason why supporters groups, like Shareholders United and the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, are trying to block the club being taken over, as ticket prices would surely be raised to pay off debts incurred by the person taking over the club. This pushes the lifelong fans and supporters out, and that's a bad bad BAD thing.
Yep, the middle class and day-trippers are forcing the working class out of football (especially United), therefore the atmosphere is worsening. I read an article about this in the Observer at the weeked, if I can find it I will post it. Then again, I can't be arsed. The best away grounds I've been to atmosphere-wise (excluding derby matches) are Sunderland, West Ham and Birmingham.
Too many mums and dads and daytrippers sit there looking stupid and blankey faced. Bring back standing!!
I agree - and unfortunatly it has started to happen at Highbury in the past few years as well. Although we do need more fans to get anywhere near your size and fill our stadium.... As for grounds that have good atmousphere's. The three Sean has mentioned and Pompy and Bolton. I generally find that the better atmousphere's (and I know Sean will agree) are at the newly promoted clubs and derby matches.
the atmosphere at Highbury last year against Leicester was great. My section never shut up, but I think everyone was enjoying the moment and singing. My friend went to a few Man Utd games two years ago when he was in Ireland including the CL game against Real Madrid with Ronaldo's hatrick and a Prem game against Blackburn (i think). He said the place was loud, especially for the CL game. I would love to go to a smaller stadium lower division game that has great home support to hear how loud it could get.
Yeah, forget about Pompey, good atmosphere there. Another thing I've found is that these new stadiums seem to lead to a decrease in the atmosphere. For example: Southampton - decent at The Dell, terrible at St. Mary's. Then again, Sunderland were pretty loud at the Stadium of Light. I still think a return to terracing would solve a lot of problems in English football.
It seems like the the architects didn't take into account the noise factor when they rebuilt OT. I just wish more of the stadiums built in the US had roofs to trap the noise.
Agreed - the Reebok and Stadium of Light are two of the new stadiums that are loud, but thats about it. The Dell used to be great fun. I will agree to a point about terracing - the Kop for example is so quiet compared to the terraces. But the simple fact is something had to be done. The whole ethos of football changed when Hillsbrough happened. When Sky appeared and the Premiership began it became much more of a family game. The simple fact is, is that terracing helped fighting and hooliganism week in week out. The fact that most of the fights now happen outside the stadia shows that it has worked. I would like to see some sort of compromise re standing area's - the bull comotion that you lot have with the council and standing and us in the Clock is stupid. But terracing can never come back. The game has moved on since Hillsbrough. The police knew after that they could never let fighting happen again in stadiums. (Wow - I nearly said what has been taboo for years apart from good old Boris Johnson spouting it out!!! )
Pray tell, what are these "problems" that terracing would solve? "manc_sean not getting enough dole money to see games" is not an English problem per se.
here, here I agree the true and loyal fans are being pushed out of Old Trafford this is totally wrong and foreign fans should be resigned to T.V if they can't support a team from there own nation it doesn't mean they can steal our seats in Old Trafford! I mean I have no problem with them spending all there money in the megastore but leave tickests for the true mancs!
Mixed messages. I doubt Motts is suggesting that foreign fans or those who are too self-concious to chant at the stadium should be denied tickets. It is a problem, but one that can only be solved by making more singing supporters sections at OT, maybe in the expansion.
As for priority seating for Mancs. I have no problem with the lion's share being made available to locals, but you don't damage your relations with fans and supporters worldwide by calling them names and not letting them catch the odd game...
I've said it before and I'll say it again: There is something like one big train crash that kills dozens of people every year in the UK yet trains continue to run. They are revamped, ideas re-thought and improved, so I see no reason why terracing is any different. Yes, they would perhaps lead to an increase in violence inside the stadiums but that isn't necessarily a bad thing in my eyes. There's nothing better than watching a game of footy in an intimidating, violent atmosphere. The rush is great and we need more of it. Terraces could save our sport.
Hmmm, I'll agree that what used to be the "genuine football fan" is being priced out of football and that is because of the day trippers and corporate sector paying for odd games. This sector isn't a true base sector because although it gives money - the people are not the type who want to go to every game. Therefore when the time comes (and it will) for the corporate sector to get bored of football and move on, the clubs will of lost their base support. Cheaper seats and a way of having some standing area's are needed. At the moment he atmousphere's, although attractive to people who don't know anyhing different, are nothing like they used to be. But I disagree that the violence per se is good for the sport. It's fine when both sides are wanting to fight, but all to often Ive seen innocent people who just want to watch the game like me get caught up in it - and thats not on. But I think that was roughly what you meant anyway?
That is a shite attitude to have. I have to say this is the first time I have ever heard this before. You have to face facts, Man U is a global team, with a global following who want to see them at OT. If you can't handle that, then don't buy a ticket because someone sure as hell will.
Well, I know we would never target any of the casual fans (i.e. those wearing a football shirt) but I still think that terraces would encourage more...exuberant behaviour which can only be good news for our sport.
Neither of those are "football" problems. They're issues you have with the modern state of the game. There is nothing to save - football is doing just fine. You just don't like where its going. I do. I have no interest in seeing a game with "a hint of violence". If I wanted to do that, I'd walk by pick up games in the South Bronx at night.
It's certainly not the first time Ive heard the attitude. You have to understand that many people who have followed a club all their life and had season tickets and travelled to away matches suddenly can't go because of ticket availability or can't afford to go any more. The major reason is because of the "day-trippers" and corporate clients. This isn't fair on the local core fan base who have been with the team through thick and thin. To those people the "invasion of foreign fans" is stopping a major part of their life. So I do understand it and the passions that go with it. I am the last person to say foreign fans should support their own countries teams, but I will say they shouldn't get tickets at the expense of people who have gone their whole lives only to now be priced out of the seats.
I can understand that part but I can't help being born in the wrong freakin' country! I love the club just as much as they do and I don't want to be treated like shite for it. I still follow my hometown club, FC Dallas, but I have been a United fan for over a decade now. Keep in mind that we in the states weren't able to watch English games until the Premier League started so it does make it difficult to be a fan from birth. I live in the "Gridiron" high school capital in the world and it really sucks. I would hate to take a seat of a lifer but there are people out there who would love to go to games just to make their lives complete(namely me). I have seen play in New York against Juventus and travelled to Philly to see them play Celtic. I was the only real United fan in my section and nearly got me arse kicked by the Scots that surrounded me but I didn't care. I now consider myself to be a RED for life. I can't even tell you the number of games I have spent on PPV as well as waking up at 6:30am to watch noon games.