Etihad Atmosphere - 2022/23

[There is a Light]

Early leavers don’t see any problem with it, otherwise it wouldn’t happen. They don’t care about optics of empty seats or see any need to appreciate the players at the end of the match. That’s probably why they’re so defensive about it. The excuse about traffic is maybe justified, but at the same time I’m sure it’s a habit and it wouldn’t be that different if there was a solution to the traffic issues.

It is what it is now, can’t see it ever changing and I’m sure people will still be on here arguing over it in another 10 years.

 

[Shirley]

Early leavers, it’s been done to death on here over the years, it’s a habit unique to City.

We have the best early leavers in the league…

 

[citymad]

Strange as it may seem, the exit gates are never actually 'closed' during games. People can leave the stadium whenever they wish.

You pays your money, you makes your choice.

why

Well said @pirate the silent majority of blues agree wholeheartedly with you

This thread is full of “blues” having a pop at match going blues. Some of these clowns never go to games and some of them are so insecure they like to big up their Superfan status by decrying other blues. Grown men trying to draw attention to themselves on a forum by repeatedly informing everyone that they stay to the end isn’t a very good look.

It strikes me that they must be largely newbie fans who see footy as entertainment like going to the cinema. It doesn’t occur to them that for many match goers the entertainment is in seeing City win and if the points are in the bag with a few minutes left some of these true blues understandably make an early dart.

Last time I looked a few wasn’t 15. We have a shocking home support considering how successful we’ve been. Maybe the club should send out a survey asking why fans leave so early to see if they can help improve this weird apathy we have towards the team.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

You must admit though Dave that it’s not ideal for our players to be clapping a predominantly empty ground at full time.

I’ve not seen it happen to this extent at any other ground this season except for Arsenal of all places when we went 3-1 up.

Maybe I’m overthinking the first point because who knows if multi-millionaire footballers give a shit about stuff like that, but I’d wager a handful of them do.

I don’t think the players really care. Not because they are rich but because I don’t think it matters that much to them. I think they like a good atmosphere in the games but I think they know that when a game is over people will leave early. I’ve never heard a player complain about it and we’ve always kept hold of our biggest names.

I watched Spurs tonight who were 1-0 down in the champions league and loads had left before the end.

 

[Edghill OG]

Early leavers don’t see any problem with it, otherwise it wouldn’t happen. They don’t care about optics of empty seats or see any need to appreciate the players at the end of the match. That’s probably why they’re so defensive about it. The excuse about traffic is maybe justified, but at the same time I’m sure it’s a habit and it wouldn’t be that different if there was a solution to the traffic issues.

It is what it is now, can’t see it ever changing and I’m sure people will still be on here arguing over it in another 10 years.

It's a strange thread to get upset over though. You need to be in the stand to contribute to the atmosphere. I don't go on RAWK or whatever the bin dippers and rag sites are as it would probably piss me off. Likewise I don't seek out threads on here that could do the same.

People don't just leave when the games won either. Everton and Brentford are a testament to that. 75 mins is a stretch but lots left on 80. The Everton game everybody knew there'd be an additional 10 mins+ added on at the end yet still left on 80. It is habit. One fan near me even said out loud 'where are you all going?'. Brentford and Everton were all the more puzzling as we'd just come back against Fulham and grabbed a winner in stoppage time. More stayed against Fulham for some reason yet it was still the same 3 points we were playing for. Do we get those 3 points if we had the same exodus in the stands as the other fixtures? Could we have gained additional points when fans decided they wanted to be somewhere else instead of driving the team on?

If you only miss 5 mins or so I could understand it. When you're not in your seat for close to half an hour each game I liken it to nipping in to see a relative you aren't that fond of just to 'show your face' and say you've been.

 

[urban genie]

Early leavers won't ever change, amf may get worse once concerts are on and transport is even more strained.

we have to accept many home fans live in areas om the outskirts of greeater mamchesrer noth directly im a 3-4 mile range and our roads and public transport system is shite, so people will try to get a bus/tram before the crowds and lack of them or get out of the area before congestion.

it has been an issue for years and parking zones, walking schemes hasn't detered people from driving to games and ultimately whe. a 30 minute drive back to cheshire turns into a 1-2hr one people choose convenience over a final few minutes of football.

better trams to more areas on a match day (an extra station on the train route to victoria where summerbees used to be a decent idea) more parking within a 15 minute walk and taxis on hand and give peopel a better way out of the area at full time may help, but habbits die hard.

 

[There is a Light]

It's a strange thread to get upset about on though. You need to be in the stand to contribute to the atmosphere. I don't go on RAWK or whatever the bin dippers and rag sites are as it would probably piss me off. Likewise I don't seek out threads on here that could do the same.

People don't just leave when the games won either. Everton and Brentford are a testament to that. 75 mins is a stretch but lots left on 80. The Everton game everybody knew there'd be an additional 10 mins+ added on at the end yet still left on 80. It is habit. One fan near me even said out loud 'where are you all going?'. Brentford and Everton were all the more puzzling as we'd just come back against Fulham and grabbed a winner in stoppage time. More stayed against Fulham for some reason yet it was still the same 3 points we were playing for. Do we get those 3 points if we had the same exodus in the stands as the other fixtures?

If you only miss 5 mins or so I could understand it. When you're not in your seat for close to half an hour each game I liken it to nipping in to see a relative you aren't that fond of just to 'show your face'.

It definitely impacts the atmosphere negatively and has been one of the main reasons for all the empty seats bollocks as it’s so visible from 80 mins onwards. It’s impossible to argue when Geordies or Leeds fans or whoever comment that it’s piss poor. In that way it impacts how we’re seen as a fanbase. While that matters to some of us, early leavers don’t care and no amount of discussion on here will change it. “They’ve paid for their ticket they can do what they want” (as they so often tell us)

 

[Axel Freed]

why

Last time I looked a few wasn’t 15. We have a shocking home support considering how successful we’ve been. Maybe the club should send out a survey asking why fans leave so early to see if they can help improve this weird apathy we have towards the team.

Only handful of people leave on 75 mins and it’s none of your or my concern anyway

Describing City’s support as “shocking” makes you sound like a rag or a dipper, are you ?

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

Only handful of people leave on 75 mins and it’s none of your or my concern anyway

Describing City’s support as “shocking” makes you sound like a rag or a dipper, are you ?

I do wish, regardless of where people stand on this, that someone who is very, very obviously a City fan wasn't accused of not being a city fan.

 

[Oyster28catcher]

Only handful of people leave on 75 mins and it’s none of your or my concern anyway

Describing City’s support as “shocking” makes you sound like a rag or a dipper, are you ?

Discrimination. Horrid. Nasty. Petty. Unfair. BLUE ON BLUE.

 

[Prophet of Doom]

Completely disagree that players don’t care who has left.

Players have made a real effort to applaud the fans at the end of games this season ( especially Haaland ). It’s toe curling that so few are left to applaud back.

Totally agree that everybody has a right to leave when they want.

But leaving early is contagious. It grows and grows and gets earlier and earlier.

Supporters that have no real need to leave early as they are just going to pub or walking back into town now do it.

Everybody can leave when they want but don’t think is has no consequence

 

[Axel Freed]

I do wish, regardless of where people stand on this, that someone who is very, very obviously a City fan wasn't accused of not being a city fan.

Point taken Brighty.

Even so it’s not right to refer to our own support as shocking

 

[Deleted member 77198]

It's a strange thread to get upset about on though. You need to be in the stand to contribute to the atmosphere. I don't go on RAWK or whatever the bin dippers and rag sites are as it would probably piss me off. Likewise I don't seek out threads on here that could do the same.

People don't just leave when the games won either. Everton and Brentford are a testament to that. 75 mins is a stretch but lots left on 80. The Everton game everybody knew there'd be an additional 10 mins+ added on at the end yet still left on 80. It is habit. One fan near me even said out loud 'where are you all going?'. Brentford and Everton were all the more puzzling as we'd just come back against Fulham and grabbed a winner in stoppage time. More stayed against Fulham for some reason yet it was still the same 3 points we were playing for. Do we get those 3 points if we had the same exodus in the stands as the other fixtures? Could we have gained additional points when fans decided they wanted to be somewhere else instead of driving the team on?

If you only miss 5 mins or so I could understand it. When you're not in your seat for close to half an hour each game I liken it to nipping in to see a relative you aren't that fond of just to 'show your face' and say you've been.

Correct. And early leavers aren’t just trying to avoid traffic as I used to see a fella who’d leave early near me every game and he’d be in the pub afterwards.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

Correct. And early leavers aren’t just trying to avoid traffic as I used to see a fella who’d leave early near me every game and he’d be in the pub afterwards.

My two pence has always been that the transport problem is overstated to partly excuse a deeper cultural problem. Which isn't to say for a second transport links couldn't be improved, but like you say some are leaving to get to the bar in Mary D's, some are leaving cos they want to be home for Strictly. You can only do policy solutions when you're honest about the problems.

 

[Edghill OG]

Correct. And early leavers aren’t just trying to avoid traffic as I used to see a fella who’d leave early near me every game and he’d be in the pub afterwards.

Don't have much sympathy for that excuse anyway. Every time I go it's about 8 or 9 hours out of my day. I know there's people that travel from a lot farther away than myself who can still be arsed staying for the full 90 minutes.

 

[There is a Light]

You don’t see early wankers sorry early leavers at away games

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Completely disagree that players don’t care who has left.

Players have made a real effort to applaud the fans at the end of games this season ( especially Haaland ). It’s toe curling that so few are left to applaud back.

Totally agree that everybody has a right to leave when they want.

But leaving early is contagious. It grows and grows and gets earlier and earlier.

Supporters that have no real need to leave early as they are just going to pub or walking back into town now do it.

Everybody can leave when they want but don’t think is has no consequence

It didn’t seem to bother David Silva, Sergio aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Konpany, Ya Ya Toure, Fernandinho or Kevin De Bruyne, all of who could have joined another trophy winning club at any time during their career.

 

[Edghill OG]

It didn’t seem to bother David Silva, Sergio aguero, Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Konpany, Ya Ya Toure, Fernandinho or Kevin De Bruyne, all of who could have joined another trophy winning club at any time during their career.

It's not a big enough reason for somebody to want to leave clubs Dave. I have no doubt the players you have mentioned have a very deep affection towards our club.....alongside a very healthy pay cheque at the time.

Everybody likes to feel appreciated however and none of them are going to prefer that those in the crowd left early (let's put it that way). You only have to look at their reaction after Fulham and most of the away games to see that they do care.

 

[DenisHasDoneIt]

I was asked - quite politely, but firmly - to cut out the effing and jeffing by some first-timer at 60 minutes at the weekend. Didn’t know whether to tell him and his lad to sit in the Family Stand if he didn’t want to hear bad language, or to give him credit for standing up for what he believed in. Either way, it shut me up. For the rest of the game.

While I should have been punching the air and letting rip at Bernie’s lovely finish that made the game safer, I was pondering the following:

• Was I an arsehole for swearing in the earshot of kids?
• Was he an arsehole for putting his lad in that kind of environment and then complaining about it?
• Was he brave and principled?
• Did he act like a coward, and only have a word after sizing me up as one unlikely to respond badly? and finally
• Should I relocate?

Atmosphere worse for me. Better for apparent first-timer. My rights don’t trump his just because I’ve got a season card and he doesn’t. But the Pablo Zabaleta song’s a non-starter for him, it seems. And he probably won’t like “we are Man City and we’re on the piss again” or “spent all my money on drugs and City”, come to that.

 

[Jazzyblue]

It's not a big enough reason for somebody to want to leave clubs Dave. I have no doubt the players you have mentioned have a very deep affection towards our club.....alongside a very healthy pay cheque at the time.

Everybody likes to feel appreciated however and none of them are going to prefer that those in the crowd left early (let's put it that way). You only have to look at their reaction after Fulham and most of the away games to see that they do care.

I am going to get splinters in my arse here from sitting on the fence, but I can see it from both sides with this debate rumbling on so long. FWIW I think we have the best fans in the league - and some of the most I misunderstood fans in the league, well, at least since we became successful. And everyone shows their devotion in different ways. Some of us go to every home, some of us go to every away, some of us never leave early, some of us have never let an ST lapse, some of us take our parents, some of us take our kids, run OSCs, travel hundreds of miles or fly from different countries, pay through the nose...we all have our ways.

So if you do something week in, week out for decades, and it's part of your routine, then it's inevitable that you're going to need to claw a few minutes back here or there, or get to the game a bit later, or want to have a pint, or whatever it is that might prevent you from staying in your seat for the entire afternoon - we are not robots and dedicated matchgoing is a big time and money commitment. We have early leavers precisely because we have so many fans who have been going for so long and so often you do what you have to do to make it work with everything else in your life.

But, and this is the point, I am of a mind that it might not always look that way to Pep and the boys, and as a supporter that bothers me. Sometimes it is about picking your moments. Was I little disappointed that so many of us chose to leave early at Villa? Well, yeah, because the atmosphere was great that day, it wasn't just another game - I felt the manager and the players deserved our respect and support, and if I was still working away on the pitch at a time like that and saw lots of people skipping up the stairs, and rows of empty seats, I might feel a bit hurt by it. And if I ever saw a player say, 'I loved playing in Manchester and playing for City, but the fans are dead quiet and look like they can't wait to get off', that would bother me too. So I hope I never heard that said.

On the way back from the Newcastle game the other day I heard some Geordie twat on Pollard Street saying 'it's a tourist club, it just feels like something you do if you're in Manchester and you're at a loose end, blah blah'. Which is total BS. But he probably felt he could say that, even though it was BS, because he sees seats emptying early and folk sitting in silence. Which happens at all clubs. But that doesn't bother me - because they're not my club. End of the day though - we all know these are magical times we shouldn't be complacent about. And we get far too much stick from elsewhere to be turning on each other.