Atmosphere - 2023/24

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Great to read that.

Once again saying our home support is poor, when in reality it is no worse than any other home support given the match and the scoreline.

And let's be honest, Everton don't have a great home support. They may shout, scream, and moan a lot at the officials, but their chants are limited to Everton, Everton, Everton and one or two other chants sporadically. Yet according to quite a few atmosphere experts in the football media, Goodison Park is a cauldron of noise all the time, which it certainly isn't.
 
The weird thing is that not a single player has criticised the atmosphere at The Etihad. I'd say it's the exact opposite. They refer to it as a fortress and they feel unbeatable at home. Now that has to be, in no small way, down to us supporters. I think players understand (more than Pep it seems) that it can't be the same level for Palace in the league as it is for RM in the CL semi-final. The players raise their game, the supporters do likewise. The players are flat, its reflected on the terraces. It is what it is. The players respect us, and they are the ones doing it on the pitch. Haaland, Jack, KDB seem to buzz off the home support...and the achievements of the last few years prove that. Sergio, Vinnie, Merlin have all felt the love and have bonds with City that will never be broken.

Ironically, the league this season, will probably come down to our remaining away results, with Spuds and a visit to Clanfield to come. It stands to reason therefore, that the away support will be far more critical than at home, and we have the best away fans, bar none.

So thats it, 4 in a row.

If only it was that simple.
 
I wouldn't beat ourselves up too much about the home atmosphere, Everton fans on YouTube reaction videos saying their own fans were quiet last night (save for the goal), issues at Anfield (where the supposed noise for a Saturday 3pm home game against a Fulham or Palace is a myth.), long standing day-tripper issues at Old Trafford, and Arsenal has been a morgue for years and just recently improved. Ours is not really much worse. Personally I go to watch football, not to sing songs, but I love it when our "noisy-end" get chants and songs going, full respect for the 1894 group. I react loudly to every event on the pitch, support the team until the end by shouting for every decision, cheering every tackle. That's genuine noise, reacting to events, supporting the team, to the end of the game. But I don't really sing, am always a bit bemused when there's the odd guy up in the back of level 3 very agitated, trying to get people around him singing, it simply never happens up there.

I'm more pissed off about the ticketing policy, where I usually buy in the ground I'm surrounded by dispassionate casual observers, and many empties, at sold out games. Sheff Utd on Saturday is well sold out, and there are many ticket requests on this forum, but the agencies still have hundreds left to sell at inflated prices. If they don't sell, they'll be left empty. The club have chosen to give thousands of tickets to resellers for every home game, so don't be surprised that we have event tourists who are barely interested, and empty seats. That ground could be heaving with passionate blues, at the right price, with proper sales policies, but we've chosen otherwise to broaden the brand, and get the bigger spenders in. Don't be surprised that they don't care less and don't get behind the team, don't be surprised that the away support is fantastic in comparison. I'd love to let Pep know exactly what's happening, so he can criticise the right people!

This is not a criticism of the new fans, at the RM semi I had an Asian girl to my left, and an Arab guy to my right, leaving aside my misgivings about how they got tickets ahead of other fans, they were great supporters on the night, cheering their hearts out, arrived early, stayed to the end. Some of our regulars have developed matchday habits that suit themselves perfectly, but are bad for the atmosphere, but they can choose to watch football however they want. However I really do wish we'd stop dumping loads of tickets to the tout sites....that's really frustrating and we don't need to do it. We're still very much in this title race, huge homes against Arsenal, United and Chelsea still to come. Get the right people in the ground and the atmosphere won't be an issue.
 
Greenandblue said:
I wouldn't beat ourselves up too much about the home atmosphere, Everton fans on YouTube reaction videos saying their own fans were quiet last night (save for the goal), issues at Anfield (where the supposed noise for a Saturday 3pm home game against a Fulham or Palace is a myth.), long standing day-tripper issues at Old Trafford, and Arsenal has been a morgue for years and just recently improved. Ours is not really much worse. Personally I go to watch football, not to sing songs, but I love it when our "noisy-end" get chants and songs going, full respect for the 1894 group. I react loudly to every event on the pitch, support the team until the end by shouting for every decision, cheering every tackle. That's genuine noise, reacting to events, supporting the team, to the end of the game. But I don't really sing, am always a bit bemused when there's the odd guy up in the back of level 3 very agitated, trying to get people around him singing, it simply never happens up there.

I'm more pissed off about the ticketing policy, where I usually buy in the ground I'm surrounded by dispassionate casual observers, and many empties, at sold out games. Sheff Utd on Saturday is well sold out, and there are many ticket requests on this forum, but the agencies still have hundreds left to sell at inflated prices. If they don't sell, they'll be left empty. The club have chosen to give thousands of tickets to resellers for every home game, so don't be surprised that we have event tourists who are barely interested, and empty seats. That ground could be heaving with passionate blues, at the right price, with proper sales policies, but we've chosen otherwise to broaden the brand, and get the bigger spenders in. Don't be surprised that they don't care less and don't get behind the team, don't be surprised that the away support is fantastic in comparison. I'd love to let Pep know exactly what's happening, so he can criticise the right people!

This is not a criticism of the new fans, at the RM semi I had an Asian girl to my left, and an Arab guy to my right, leaving aside my misgivings about how they got tickets ahead of other fans, they were great supporters on the night, cheering their hearts out, arrived early, stayed to the end. Some of our regulars have developed matchday habits that suit themselves perfectly, but are bad for the atmosphere, but they can choose to watch football however they want. However I really do wish we'd stop dumping loads of tickets to the tout sites....that's really frustrating and we don't need to do it. We're still very much in this title race, huge homes against Arsenal, United and Chelsea still to come. Get the right people in the ground and the atmosphere won't be an issue.
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Where is your evidence that the Club dump thousands of ticketdnon touts sites. It might be true or it might be lies.

Everyone supports the club how they choose. If everyone sang up who could and bothered to learn the words of newer songs, the Etihad would be rocking.

A summary of this thread could be, excuses first, atmosphere second.
 
Tim of the Oak said:
Where is your evidence that the Club dump thousands of ticketdnon touts sites. It might be true or it might be lies.

Everyone supports the club how they choose. If everyone sang up who could and bothered to learn the words of newer songs, the Etihad would be rocking.

A summary of this thread could be, excuses first, atmosphere second.
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Hi Tim, I'm a matchday purchaser, so I know where to get tickets on tout sites if I don't get them direct. Livefootball tickets is the biggest, but not the only one, they currently have 976 left for Chelsea, and 892 on sale for United at home. On the week of the Spurs game they had hundreds still on sale, the screenshot attached is from 27th November, they were still advertising 934 tickets to the sold out Spurs game the following Sunday, they don't all shift, and then we've empty seats at a "sold out" game. The tickets they have are in various parts of the ground, but a big chunk of what they sell are in level 3, at the back. You'll see chunks of empty seats at sold out games, I've been sat up there loads of times, many empty seats, and very few passionate City fans around me. Liverpool at home was so frustrating, empties all around me, and loads of Scousers. I might be wrong that the Club are using the agencies, but they seem to have so many tickets, and in blocks. I've seen them list huge numbers of tickets for a big game, see another screenshot attached from 27th November advertising 3,774 for the "sold out" Chelsea home game.
These are not being sold as hospitality with food, just straightforward match tickets at inflated prices. Don't be fooled by the headline price, that's the absolutely cheapest seat they have and before adding processing fees etc.

Blues who have loyalty points and memberships can't get seats together (or any seats) for Chelsea at home, but a tout site had 3,700 on sale? I also don't believe that they are spoofing big numbers, they only have 66 left for Sheffield United.
I feel bad that I'm kinda actually advertising this ticket availability, and desperate fans might use them to buy at inflated prices, but all these tickets should be sold to qualifying members, real City fans, at face value. Rant over!
 

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Up until 2 seasons ago we would attend between 10 and 15 matches mostly at the Etihad but some away matches on the south coast.

This season has been a nightmare for trying to get tickets. We have only been 4 times this season to the Etihad. One of those games City moved us from the SS singing area to the east stand. My lad kicked up a right stink we didnt find out until 3 days before the match. We had booked on the day that lots get issued. But we ended up in a quiet area of the ground and didnt really enjoy it.

We looked for two tickets for today £60 plus each, cant afford that at Christmas. We use to look forward to going to lots of matches per season, but its getting almost impossible to get two seats next to each other this season.

Our atmosphere is no worse or better than any other pl ground. Die hard fans of all clubs are being priced out or just cant get tickets.
 
Greenandblue said:
Hi Tim, I'm a matchday purchaser, so I know where to get tickets on tout sites if I don't get them direct. Livefootball tickets is the biggest, but not the only one, they currently have 976 left for Chelsea, and 892 on sale for United at home. On the week of the Spurs game they had hundreds still on sale, the screenshot attached is from 27th November, they were still advertising 934 tickets to the sold out Spurs game the following Sunday, they don't all shift, and then we've empty seats at a "sold out" game. The tickets they have are in various parts of the ground, but a big chunk of what they sell are in level 3, at the back. You'll see chunks of empty seats at sold out games, I've been sat up there loads of times, many empty seats, and very few passionate City fans around me. Liverpool at home was so frustrating, empties all around me, and loads of Scousers. I might be wrong that the Club are using the agencies, but they seem to have so many tickets, and in blocks. I've seen them list huge numbers of tickets for a big game, see another screenshot attached from 27th November advertising 3,774 for the "sold out" Chelsea home game.
These are not being sold as hospitality with food, just straightforward match tickets at inflated prices. Don't be fooled by the headline price, that's the absolutely cheapest seat they have and before adding processing fees etc.

Blues who have loyalty points and memberships can't get seats together (or any seats) for Chelsea at home, but a tout site had 3,700 on sale? I also don't believe that they are spoofing big numbers, they only have 66 left for Sheffield United.
I feel bad that I'm kinda actually advertising this ticket availability, and desperate fans might use them to buy at inflated prices, but all these tickets should be sold to qualifying members, real City fans, at face value. Rant over!
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Can I just say..... from £84 ......fuck me that's more than a days wage
 
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Mike N said:
I’m absolutely convinced if the fans had bothered to really raise the roof we’d have won at least two of the games we drew.

When our twelfth man was needed this year he was either sitting sulking in the stand or getting another beer.
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Or sat at home like me :(
 
leithblue said:
You got me intrigued now for what it costs us (me and four kids with season tickets)

Tickets £1250/19 = £66
Fuel - £80
Food and drink £30 (KFC on the way home, don’t buy anything in or around the ground)
Parking - £10

So £184 a home game. Times 19 that’s £3496 a season for league games. Throw in 4/5 cup games too…

Best hope my wife never reads this.
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Fair play to you mate, I counted once at end of season, its an obscene amount of money for 4 of us
 
Greenandblue said:
Hi Tim, I'm a matchday purchaser, so I know where to get tickets on tout sites if I don't get them direct. Livefootball tickets is the biggest, but not the only one, they currently have 976 left for Chelsea, and 892 on sale for United at home. On the week of the Spurs game they had hundreds still on sale, the screenshot attached is from 27th November, they were still advertising 934 tickets to the sold out Spurs game the following Sunday, they don't all shift, and then we've empty seats at a "sold out" game. The tickets they have are in various parts of the ground, but a big chunk of what they sell are in level 3, at the back. You'll see chunks of empty seats at sold out games, I've been sat up there loads of times, many empty seats, and very few passionate City fans around me. Liverpool at home was so frustrating, empties all around me, and loads of Scousers. I might be wrong that the Club are using the agencies, but they seem to have so many tickets, and in blocks. I've seen them list huge numbers of tickets for a big game, see another screenshot attached from 27th November advertising 3,774 for the "sold out" Chelsea home game.
These are not being sold as hospitality with food, just straightforward match tickets at inflated prices. Don't be fooled by the headline price, that's the absolutely cheapest seat they have and before adding processing fees etc.

Blues who have loyalty points and memberships can't get seats together (or any seats) for Chelsea at home, but a tout site had 3,700 on sale? I also don't believe that they are spoofing big numbers, they only have 66 left for Sheffield United.
I feel bad that I'm kinda actually advertising this ticket availability, and desperate fans might use them to buy at inflated prices, but all these tickets should be sold to qualifying members, real City fans, at face value. Rant over!
Click to expand...
Thanks Greenandblue for your informative response. I don’t know whether these tickets are coming from the Club or other sources. I sense that a lot of touts have bought season cards up over the years but I might be wrong. We are certainly more attractive to touts and possibly City sales execs, trying to make the club catch up with rivals in the match day ticket revenue stakes.

It’s a bit of a Catch 22 with seats left empty. I run a fairly big Supporters Club and always try to ensure that any spares due to illness / absence are used, either through other members and the ticket exchange. The only exception to this was Crystal Palace at home where I was left with 2 tickets that didn’t get used. One biggest a scanned ticket code on an iPhone that are no longer guaranteed to work and I didn’t want someone travelling to the match and finding they couldn’t get in. The second ticket I had bought for a mate’s son who decided not to go late in the day. He transferred the ticket back to me but it wouldn’t transfer on. I would have gone to the ticket office to sort but I had enough hassles with my season card not showing in my electronic wallet.

The point I am making is that City might be adapting the electronic ticket system with good intentions but it makes it hard for Blues who are trying hard to help other fans get affordable tickets to continue to do so.

Another factor is there are loads of drop outs on the day. I know this from looking at the Man City face Value Ticket Page. I’ve sorted Indaparkside a ticket off there this morning for £24. Obviously, they would be more expensive for bigger games but I sold2 tickets for Joes vs Liverpool for £70 on the day of the game after their car broke down. In the last I’ve laid a fortune off touts to get family into key games but I wound t do that now. Especially, having a better idea of how tickets can become available.

I don’t understand why anyone looking to lay face value for home games wouldn’t join an Official Supporters Club Branch. Except if people have to go in the Family Stand or can only be on tier 1 for health reasons. There’s no guarantee of tickets through the OSC route but it’s better to exhaust options and only use tours, if ever, in extreme cases.
 
Mike N said:
Liverpool and Tottenham. Better support in the second half of both games could have ensured we carried our first half performances into the second half.

It’s only my opinion but when our levels have dropped on the field this year the fans could have helped.
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I agree Mike. I think we would be about 6 points better off if our support this season matched last year’s Etihad atmosphere. I am including Palace in that.
 
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