Atmosphere Thread | 2025/26

[jrb]

Approximately 52% of match tickets at FC Barcelona are sold to people from outside Spain, making tourists a significant portion of the crowd, according to club sources. This high demand from tourists accounts for a substantial share of ticket revenue, highlighting the impact of international visitors on matchday attendance and income.

Ferran Soriano leading Man City to global success following Disney model

Since arriving at Man City in 2012, CEO Ferran Soriano has shown how his following of the Disney global model has evolved since his time at Barcelona.

www.espn.co.uk

 

[Betterdeedthan red]

I'm just watching the Blackburn promotion game.
I went that day.
Didn't have a ticket.
We all went on the hill.
Somehow got in the ground near the end.
But watching that back now has made me think what our fans were like then.
Absolutely amazing.
Made me proud to be a blue.
We were shit.
And those cunts were on top.
But we went.
Everywhere.
Every away game was lads.
We were fucking loud.
Mega fans.
It felt like a family I was proud and in amazed how brilliant our fans were.
I used to go to away games and genuinely believed our fans were better than any other teams fans.

I'd swap city been a top side on the pitch with the fans we have now.
To what I felt then.
It felt the worst we got.
The better the rags were .
The more we stuck together.
To prove a point.
I really miss the feeling of been part of something.
I actually feel embarrassed and almost resentment towards the club for the way they have brushed what I class as the real fans to one side .
I'm glad I lived through what I did with city .
From the second division to the treble and 4 in a row .
But I'd honestly swap it all to be in the bar in the north stand signing 34 years and were still here

 

[Keith Lemon]

I'm just watching the Blackburn promotion game.
I went that day.
Didn't have a ticket.
We all went on the hill.
Somehow got in the ground near the end.
But watching that back now has made me think what our fans were like then.
Absolutely amazing.
Made me proud to be a blue.
We were shit.
And those cunts were on top.
But we went.
Everywhere.
Every away game was lads.
We were fucking loud.
Mega fans.
It felt like a family I was proud and in amazed how brilliant our fans were.
I used to go to away games and genuinely believed our fans were better than any other teams fans.

I'd swap city been a top side on the pitch with the fans we have now.
To what I felt then.
It felt the worst we got.
The better the rags were .
The more we stuck together.
To prove a point.
I really miss the feeling of been part of something.
I actually feel embarrassed and almost resentment towards the club for the way they have brushed what I class as the real fans to one side .
I'm glad I lived through what I did with city .
From the second division to the treble and 4 in a row .
But I'd honestly swap it all to be in the bar in the north stand signing 34 years and were still here

I get what you mean

But all that support was desperation of wanting to win and become good and once we did people get bored of it

Like Newcastle at league cup final they were hysterical. Just like a normal game for us now

Once you’ve been there and done it all what is there to get excited about in some people’s eyes

 

[East Level 2]

I get what you mean

But all that support was desperation of wanting to win and become good and once we did people get bored of it

Like Newcastle at league cup final they were hysterical. Just like a normal game for us now

Once you’ve been there and done it all what is there to get excited about in some people’s eyes

I gave that a like because I agree, but I still find it hard to believe that City fans don't get excited about trips to Wembley or home games in Europe.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Approximately 52% of match tickets at FC Barcelona are sold to people from outside Spain, making tourists a significant portion of the crowd, according to club sources. This high demand from tourists accounts for a substantial share of ticket revenue, highlighting the impact of international visitors on matchday attendance and income.

Ferran Soriano leading Man City to global success following Disney model

Since arriving at Man City in 2012, CEO Ferran Soriano has shown how his following of the Disney global model has evolved since his time at Barcelona.

www.espn.co.uk

The problem for us is that the tourists are only really turning up for the so called big games. Against the likes of Exeter, Newcastle next week, Brighton and similar sort of games there are barely any - from my experience in the Colin bell stand.

If they don’t show, the club then have to rely on locals or the long standing fans who they’ve completed alienated or for lots of people priced out. We aren’t United or Liverpool and don’t have those lining to replace us.

I don’t have a problem with a ‘tourist’ coming to support us and really enjoy watching the club they support. Often though a lot of these people aren’t even coming as city fans, there coming for a day out. When the other team score I’ve seen people celebrating or taking videos.

 

[Spurs quarter 69]

I'm just watching the Blackburn promotion game.
I went that day.
Didn't have a ticket.
We all went on the hill.
Somehow got in the ground near the end.
But watching that back now has made me think what our fans were like then.
Absolutely amazing.
Made me proud to be a blue.
We were shit.
And those cunts were on top.
But we went.
Everywhere.
Every away game was lads.
We were fucking loud.
Mega fans.
It felt like a family I was proud and in amazed how brilliant our fans were.
I used to go to away games and genuinely believed our fans were better than any other teams fans.

I'd swap city been a top side on the pitch with the fans we have now.
To what I felt then.
It felt the worst we got.
The better the rags were .
The more we stuck together.
To prove a point.
I really miss the feeling of been part of something.
I actually feel embarrassed and almost resentment towards the club for the way they have brushed what I class as the real fans to one side .
I'm glad I lived through what I did with city .
From the second division to the treble and 4 in a row .
But I'd honestly swap it all to be in the bar in the north stand signing 34 years and were still here

Given the text a like as it sums up how I feel however their is an element of rose tinted glasses about remembering our support at Maine Rd. We would often not turn up for smaller league games, Oxford, Wimbledon for instance and early league cup rounds. Mates who support Blackpool thought they could take the piss at league cup ties but got the fright of their lives leaving the third level league game and seeing what was waiting for them. That third level season was a wake up call to apathetic fans like myself to get behind the club if we still wanted to have a club. Burnley mates tell me nearly dropping out of the league in 1987 had the same effect. Too much success can be almost as bad as failure, I stopped going on Wigan rugby in the 90s as total dominance can become boring. Back in the 80s Anfield was full of empty seats at league cup and early round Euro ties. It is what it is and when you consider where we are in all tournaments we have much to be happy about. As an FOC I'm just glad to have lived through it all.

 

[paulchapo]

I'm just watching the Blackburn promotion game.
I went that day.
Didn't have a ticket.
We all went on the hill.
Somehow got in the ground near the end.
But watching that back now has made me think what our fans were like then.
Absolutely amazing.
Made me proud to be a blue.
We were shit.
And those cunts were on top.
But we went.
Everywhere.
Every away game was lads.
We were fucking loud.
Mega fans.
It felt like a family I was proud and in amazed how brilliant our fans were.
I used to go to away games and genuinely believed our fans were better than any other teams fans.

I'd swap city been a top side on the pitch with the fans we have now.
To what I felt then.
It felt the worst we got.
The better the rags were .
The more we stuck together.
To prove a point.
I really miss the feeling of been part of something.
I actually feel embarrassed and almost resentment towards the club for the way they have brushed what I class as the real fans to one side .
I'm glad I lived through what I did with city .
From the second division to the treble and 4 in a row .
But I'd honestly swap it all to be in the bar in the north stand signing 34 years and were still here

Yes it's a weird one, i get what you mean. I was at that Blackburn game too. Travelled down without a ticket and eventually got one from a tout for £100...in the Blackburn end behind the goal. Great day, celebrations on the pitch, in Manchester and Didsbury village after the game. Absolutely thousands there.
In our wilderness years we were so desperate for success and a visit to Wembley that we sold 46,000+ tickets for a third tier play off game against Gillingham and we could have easily sold more. We celebrated promotions like winning a trophy, i guess because back then for us it was.
That's what makes me laugh about all the thick moronic fans who now mock us as glory hunters etcetera. We've always been there, loud and proud.
While those days were fun ( In a way ) and the promotion days great and there was a great sense of "Fuck them all, we're City, we're still here" I wouldn't want to go back to being one of the also ran's just making up the numbers, but we have definitely lost something along the way.

 

[Saddleworth2]

The line 'we see things you'll never see' is so apt for City.

The Mercer/Allison years, York away, Halifax in the FA cup, Blackburn, Gillingham, Keegan and Sven, The Yaya goal vs Stoke, the sick swan, 93.20, Don't shoot Vinnie, the KDB assist vs Villa, The Rodri goal and Eddie Save.....

Then the players, so good in every sense it is doubtful we will ever see their like again. Too many to list but Frannie, Colin, Skip, Big Joe, .........David, KDB, Sergio, Yaya, Komps, Zaba, Gundo, Leroy, Raz, Rodri, Fern.....Erling.

The journey, every climb and dip, has been totally and utterly unique, comedic at times and mesmerising and dramatic and in the last period often euphoric and I am blessed to have seen it all from the Charity Shield vs West Brom to now. Experienced it all. I love my family and I love City. I loved City a decade before I met my wife and we have just passed our Golden Wedding anniversary.

We are a generation though that is slowly but surely disappearing. Those that carry a significant part of the clubs history in their hearts are reducing in number every season since the takeover. We are not being replaced by the next generation as many are being priced out as football becomes more and more gentrified, commoditised, globalised. It is sad to see but I feel inevitable. Every season, the percentage of tourists and ad hoc fans and those that have no conception of what it has been like to follow Manchester City over the decades will increase and we will die off never to be replaced.

I am sure its the same for most elite clubs but tinkering will not stop this. I am doubtful that anything can other than a comprehensive reset of the Clubs ticketing and fan engagement policy to prioritise the young, those that can get to the ground week after week, season after season and reward them for doing that. When Khaldoon first wrote to us as fans, he stated the Club would always protect the heritage and the fanbase.

It is way past time he took that statement seriously and instructed his Executive team to deliver on his original promise.

 

[There is a Light]

I'm just watching the Blackburn promotion game.
I went that day.
Didn't have a ticket.
We all went on the hill.
Somehow got in the ground near the end.
But watching that back now has made me think what our fans were like then.
Absolutely amazing.
Made me proud to be a blue.
We were shit.
And those cunts were on top.
But we went.
Everywhere.
Every away game was lads.
We were fucking loud.
Mega fans.
It felt like a family I was proud and in amazed how brilliant our fans were.
I used to go to away games and genuinely believed our fans were better than any other teams fans.

I'd swap city been a top side on the pitch with the fans we have now.
To what I felt then.
It felt the worst we got.
The better the rags were .
The more we stuck together.
To prove a point.
I really miss the feeling of been part of something.
I actually feel embarrassed and almost resentment towards the club for the way they have brushed what I class as the real fans to one side .
I'm glad I lived through what I did with city .
From the second division to the treble and 4 in a row .
But I'd honestly swap it all to be in the bar in the north stand signing 34 years and were still here

I just wish we still had some of that defiance now. We used to have a mindset that we would stand up, keep going, and keep making noise instead of allowing others to ridicule us. If only we had some of that now - half empty stadiums aren’t a good look, but instead it’s a case of “I’ll go home early if I want” and now, more than ever “I’ll pick and choose my matches”. Even those who have tickets on occasion don’t bother turning up, it’s sad what we’ve become.

 

[LEXSTARproject]

This is going to continue !!!!

 

[Keith Lemon]

I gave that a like because I agree, but I still find it hard to believe that City fans don't get excited about trips to Wembley or home games in Europe.

Some city fans seem to prefer mediocrity and adversity over finals and winning

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Yes it's a weird one, i get what you mean. I was at that Blackburn game too. Travelled down without a ticket and eventually got one from a tout for £100...in the Blackburn end behind the goal. Great day, celebrations on the pitch, in Manchester and Didsbury village after the game. Absolutely thousands there.
In our wilderness years we were so desperate for success and a visit to Wembley that we sold 46,000+ tickets for a third tier play off game against Gillingham and we could have easily sold more. We celebrated promotions like winning a trophy, i guess because back then for us it was.
That's what makes me laugh about all the thick moronic fans who now mock us as glory hunters etcetera. We've always been there, loud and proud.
While those days were fun ( In a way ) and the promotion days great and there was a great sense of "Fuck them all, we're City, we're still here" I wouldn't want to go back to being one of the also ran's just making up the numbers, but we have definitely lost something along the way.

The way it is going it’s almost inevitable that if we do get to the Carabou final, it will go to open sale. The disconnection this year has really become a problem for the club. I’m not sure how they solve it. The have to loosen the membership rules as a minimum.

 

[paulchapo]

The way it is going it’s almost inevitable that if we do get to the Carabou final, it will go to open sale. The disconnection this year has really become a problem for the club. I’m not sure how they solve it. The have to loosen the membership rules as a minimum.

Not only that its an expensive day out at Wembley, even more if you stay over. Given the team haven't turned up in the last two finals there i think a lot of fans will do the same.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

I'm just watching the Blackburn promotion game.
I went that day.
Didn't have a ticket.
We all went on the hill.
Somehow got in the ground near the end.
But watching that back now has made me think what our fans were like then.
Absolutely amazing.
Made me proud to be a blue.
We were shit.
And those cunts were on top.
But we went.
Everywhere.
Every away game was lads.
We were fucking loud.
Mega fans.
It felt like a family I was proud and in amazed how brilliant our fans were.
I used to go to away games and genuinely believed our fans were better than any other teams fans.

I'd swap city been a top side on the pitch with the fans we have now.
To what I felt then.
It felt the worst we got.
The better the rags were .
The more we stuck together.
To prove a point.
I really miss the feeling of been part of something.
I actually feel embarrassed and almost resentment towards the club for the way they have brushed what I class as the real fans to one side .
I'm glad I lived through what I did with city .
From the second division to the treble and 4 in a row .
But I'd honestly swap it all to be in the bar in the north stand signing 34 years and were still here

I've always held this theory that 90% of City fans are the same age as me.

Watch those YouTube clips of pitch invasions and goal celebrations after televised goals:

Elland Road 78 (13-14 years old)
Maine Road v United 79 (14-15 years old)
Villa Park 81 (16-17 years old)
Vetch Field 84 (20 years old)
Charlton Promotion (early 20s)
5-1 v United (Morrissey in the North Stand mid 20s)
Blackburn Promotion (mid 30s)

Sadly I'm 62 in August and if my theory is anywhere near reality then Ewood Park 2000 will always be nothing but revisionist tearful nostalgia.

There is nothing behind us, because those fans have grown up with a different City and different expectations

 

[East Level 2]

Some city fans seem to prefer mediocrity and adversity over finals and winning

I think plenty preferred the days of fewer than 25 home games to pay for and much lower ticket prices. And no worries about expensive trips to Wembley.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

I think plenty preferred the days of fewer than 25 home games to pay for and much lower ticket prices. And no worries about expensive trips to Wembley.

Funnily enough we were discussing the 87-88 season today.

This was the only season, since I've been watching City, that we averaged less than 20,000, and yet I can remember around 12,000 travelling to Everton for the LC Quarter Final, and 3-4 other fixtures where we must have taken 7000+ (mostly in the competitions that have since been devalued)

We all dreamt of Wembley, but nobody ever complained about the cost as it was all so cheap.

How many home games that season?

31, and I'm still annoyed that I missed the 1-1 v Barnsley.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

I've always held this theory that 90% of City fans are the same age as me.

Watch those YouTube clips of pitch invasions and goal celebrations after televised goals:

Elland Road 78 (13-14 years old)
Maine Road v United 79 (14-15 years old)
Villa Park 81 (16-17 years old)
Vetch Field 84 (20 years old)
Charlton Promotion (early 20s)
5-1 v United (Morrissey in the North Stand mid 20s)
Blackburn Promotion (mid 30s)

Sadly I'm 62 in August and if my theory is anywhere near reality then Ewood Park 2000 will always be nothing but revisionist tearful nostalgia.

There is nothing behind us, because those fans have grown up with a different City and different expectations

I'm the same age as you, what I'll say is I think there's a 10-12 year bubble of 'real' fans (I'm not calling anyone else with that comment) and we're roughly in the middle of the bracket.

It the connection in that age group that we have/felt that'll never be there for most newer fans. If you've not been to aways where it was like a war, waded through piss, sat for hours on the kerb in dog shite alley to get tickets where you knew we'd probably be battered, moved 30 yards on a goal celebration in the Kippax etc you'll not feel that connection.

Even hardened fans now just won't get that experience.

 

[Oldtraffordblue1]

Not only that its an expensive day out at Wembley, even more if you stay over. Given the team haven't turned up in the last two finals there i think a lot of fans will do the same.

Radical idea but our ticket prices should be a least £30 cheaper than Ars/Chels to take account of they just have to jump on the tube in most cases, yes we might have a 1,000 london blues going but nothing like the 20,000+ they will have

 

[Tim of the Oak]

This is like how our end should be for the Derby at the swamp

 

[paulchapo]

Radical idea but our ticket prices should be a least £30 cheaper than Ars/Chels to take account of they just have to jump on the tube in most cases, yes we might have a 1,000 london blues going but nothing like the 20,000+ they will have

They don't give a fuck as they know enough fans will fork out for a final.