Atmosphere - 2023/24

[Bluesince1979]

30,000 is probably our core support. Me one of them.

First sign of relegation we'll be back to that

Me too. Ive always said when we won the league in 68 we average about 30k, when we were in div 3 we also averaged about 30k. So theres our core support!

Out of 5 of us who have had season tickets together for 30 years only 2 of us are in the champs league cup scheme. The other 3 basically cant be bothered, although they did a few years back.

So we can blame tourists all we want but we also have to look closer to home

 

[paulchapo]

I had a totally different experience last night and it was interesting. A mate I haven't seen for years had recently got back in touch. We grew up together in Benchill and it was him who persuaded me to go to my first ever game at Maine Road way back in 1968.

His mate was on holiday so I used his ticket to sit with him on level two in the East stand. Wow this was a totally different experience. White padded seats and sitting down all game! Chalk and cheese to my s/c in level one safe standing in the south stand. It made a pleasant change but not sure I'd like to do it all the time. It is a great view though.

The seat was at the goal near the family stand so we saw all the goals at our end. No idea what was going on in the family stand but it sounded like bedlam, thousands of kids screaming all the time. The south stand sounded quite loud from where I was and did their best to keep going on a poor performance and a bitterly cold night. Well done.

On our way out we cut through the family stand as it would avoid the closed off section outside. Some guy was going ballistic at what looked like four foreign tourist fans. The stewards were trying to calm it down but just as we passed them he launched into an attack. Anyone know what it was all about?

I realised just how many tourist fans we have now as we had to dodge loads of them taking pictures after the game as we made our way out.

All in all a decent atmosphere on a difficult night on the field.

 

[paulchapo]

30,000 is probably our core support. Me one of them.

First sign of relegation we'll be back to that

Yes it was around that when we were in the old third division. I think we've probably swelled that to 36/46,000 now but if we hit hard times again it will be around 35/40,000.

 

[citymad]

These "tourists" get a raw deal - if anything they are the ones that are excited, happy, appreciative and that cheer and clap. I'm afraid it's us old World weary, cynical, hard to please Mancs that sit there and demand to be entertained.
It's a Manc psyche thing - an ugly industrial, grafting City, in the shadow of the Pennines (and the weather they bring).
Concerts in the City are similar (barring the odd exception), we're reserved - "go on then, entertain us"- until the big hit finale when we find some enthusiasm .
No point beating ourselves up - it's our socialisation over many decades - we're not simpletons cheering at everything unreservedly like the Scousers (although the Anfield atmosphere is a myth 70% of the time) and Geordies.

Good post. I think you've nailed it and why the atmosphere is up and down. Next generation of fans will be a lot different unless of course they’ve learned to be moody and stubborn from their dads and grandads..hope not!

 

[Gray]

Me too. Ive always said when we won the league in 68 we average about 30k, when we were in div 3 we also averaged about 30k. So theres our core support!

Out of 5 of us who have had season tickets together for 30 years only 2 of us are in the champs league cup scheme. The other 3 basically cant be bothered, although they did a few years back.

So we can blame tourists all we want but we also have to look closer to home

I gave up on the CL Cup scheme some years back. Don’t particular like the competition and having to rely on Metrolink for night matches just made the decision easy.

 

[Metalartin]

To be fair to TNT, they did acknowledge it sold out and there looked to be a full house looking around the stadium too(can't remember them doing that before in a group game). I suspect there were quite a few tourists that left after a terrible first half which isn't great to see but what can the club really do about that?

The core support surely has to have grown alot since the relegation days though. Even before the takeover, it grew with the move to the COMS:

Not too shabby if you ask me. After all the success I'd say 40k might be conservative but who really knows how many would stick around and I suppose it depends on your definition of hard times.

 

[mexico1970]

Anyone discussing atmosphere can't have a proper conversation without mentioning the atmosphere killing loudspeaker system filling in every chance for the crowd to whip up a head of steam.

Most tourists are there for the experience, the ones sat around me were genuinely more interested in the way they were photographing or filming the match, I get the feeling that they couldn't care less who scores even.

 

[bennyboy]

Do they sell half and half scarfs in club shop.
I'm usually the only regular at Champions League matches in our section and row in SS316.
Again though it is mostly locals taking the seats with the odd tourist dotted about.
On the tourest front i have no problem with them.They spend their money on what they want and i cannot think of one that has been near me with anything other than all City gear.Good on them.
You pay your money you make the choice.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

To be fair to TNT, they did acknowledge it sold out and there looked to be a full house looking around the stadium too(can't remember them doing that before in a group game). I suspect there were quite a few tourists that left after a terrible first half which isn't great to see but what can the club really do about that?

The core support surely has to have grown alot since the relegation days though. Even before the takeover, it grew with the move to the COMS:

Not too shabby if you ask me. After all the success I'd say 40k might be conservative but who really knows how many would stick around and I suppose it depends on your definition of hard times.

Good points, plus football is far more fashionable these days, and virtually every club can boast higher attendances, regardless of success.

 

[blue44]

All this talk on here for years about the dreaded half n half scarves .I despise them and hate them
like any other normal fan but,

I remember when we first started qualifying for europe,and you could buy them in the club shop
and the club called them " friendship scarves " etc what a fucking joke.
I assume the club no longer do them officially,and its only the outside vendors.

seems Soriano is missing a trick here.

edit

Iv just looked and it would appear we still do them,here is one for the champs league final.

Manchester City UCL Final Friendship Scarf

Get your UCL scarf. An Official Champions League 22/23 scarf that goes great when out and about as well as for match day. This branded scarf features the Manchester City club crest and UCL logo and final fixture dates. A great souvenir for any football fan.

shop.mancity.com