Atmosphere Thread | 2025/26

[There is a Light]

I’m starting to agree on your first point. On its day the south stand - the bigger section next to the away fans, can be brilliant. But how many times over the last few years has it actually been really good?

From where I sit in the Colin bell stand, it seems so split up and there’s different groups not joining in with each other. There’s a few rows at the back next to the away fans and a small section near the corner flag. Other than that, most people just stand there in silence.

It doesn’t work at all as singing end.

You seem like a singer mate, I regularly agree with your comments. Nothing comes from the Colin Bell Stand, so shouldn’t you have relocated in the past to SS upper or lower? The more singers the better, we need people to make a difference.

Fully appreciate I have no clue about your circumstances, people don’t want move away from family etc. Others though who are in areas that don’t sing though will need to do something themselves and step up to help the change.

 

[There is a Light]

The queue at the bar was 10 deep on 38 mins today! Loads missed that second goal which was the highlight of the game!

I can’t talk too much as I didn’t realise how late it was and didn’t get back to my seat for the second half until 50 mins, but I was astounded at how many were heading to the bar at 35 minutes!! Can only assume there were more out drinking pre-match who were in need of another beer.

 

[M18CTID]

I think it’s a positive step that 1894 and the OSC are taking the lead to try to get more passionate Blues in the more vocal areas of the ground (intended to be vociferous in terms of the expanded North Stand Upper).

1894 were being criticised on here when they weren’t being involved in plans for the North Stand Upper so credit is due when they come forward with practical solutions.

Well said Tim. I think 1894 and the OSC working together on this is a huge positive and should help ensure that those safe standing spaces in the new NS are filled with singers rather than non-singers so I’m not sure why 1894 are getting any flak for this.

 

[There is a Light]

Exactly mate.

I thought the South stand was decent today, especially in the 2nd half. There was plenty of noise and different chants from the South stand today.

To say the South stand has had its day is a joke. Most of the noise and chants come from the South stand, and will always do. Without the South stand the Etihad would be completely dead. I was looking at the full length of ESL1 today. Apart from blocks 111 and 110, ESL1 was completely dead. Everyone was just sat there watching the match and not joining in with the chants.

Exactly. Other areas need to do something themselves. If there was ANYTHING coming from the other three stands it might actually be considered a decent atmosphere at times.

 

[asahartford1]

Thank you Tim.

At last, a bit of positivity amongst the usual backlash and negativity from the usual suspects on BM against 1894.

I wrote a negative post to you last season about the timing of attendance of 1894.
You responded quite strongly that they were always in place at 10 to 3(sat ko).

I was in my seat at 20 to 3 yesterday as I thought we would have our IN MEMORY, service which I try to respect.

Anyway instead I watched the slow entry of all those in the South Stand, particularly 1894. At 3 minutes to 3 it was less than half full. West ham fans had started chanting at 2.45pm.

There was no noise coming from the SS at 4pm, apart from your support is ffs from the West Ham fans.

This is not a critiscm or opinion it is fact.
It is not your fault or responsibility, but it is also not the fault of our club, or other clubs.

 

[M18CTID]

Youre making a massive mistake here. This is your chance and if the club aren’t driving this as an atmosphere end, you as the flagship atmosphere group should be making a massive noise about it and getting the wider fanbase involved.

The place is fucking dead mate. It’s getting worse, not better. It needs a radical solution and there’s one staring you in the face.

To be fair mate, you’re always telling us that the South Stand are singing the wrong songs as they don’t spread round the ground so I’m not sure why you’d want us all to move over to NS2 ;)

That aside, I don’t understand the criticism to be honest. Firming up the singing areas in the SS while also trying to ensure that the safe standing spaces in NS2 are filled with singers is the most positive outcome anyone could’ve hoped for, especially as the OSC are on board with it.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Well said Tim. I think 1894 and the OSC working together on this is a huge positive and should help ensure that those safe standing spaces in the new NS are filled with singers rather than non-singers so I’m not sure why 1894 are getting any flak for this.

 

[wearethesouthstand]

Just a thought with too much time on a Sunday. If there was to be a junior pen - not sure if that is part of the plans - maybe there would be the opportunity for the fans groups to reclaim the great but redundant Junior Blues brand.

I will mention this next time I go to an OSC meeting.

We suggested this in discussions an 18-25 section, we’ve also discussed this with the 18-25 Citymatters rep

The club haven’t promised that they mentioned discounted tickets for fans aged 18-21 (not 25 and not a specific section)

Remember when club presented their original plans there were no plans for any safe standing whatsoever.

1894 dragged them to the table to say where is the commitment to a blue wall.

There’s wasn’t one there never has been one and they have ballsed up all the announcements by not being honest about their intentions. Take a look at City Hall for example, will be full of away fans celebrating and if you are in the row infront of them and you want to complain to a steward to chuck out the away fans - it’ll be you who gets lobbed out not the away fan as they’ll be in the more expensive seat.

We’ve not messed anything up here the fans can only do so much if the club have their own agenda. All the problems that have been coming to light resulting in empty seats at games - all avoidable all flagged up by the likes of 1894 consistently over last couple of years.

It’s Stockholm syndrome from a small minority who can never accept club have got it wrong. Like someone defending an abuser in the blind faith they will somehow change their ways.

There’s plenty of vocal fans in the OSC that are aligned with us as most fans have dual membership anyway of OSC and 1894.

We have asked for certain things such as no third party resellers active in “vocal” parts of the ground.

Ball is in club’s court.

 

[There is a Light]

The problem is that this is the problem but the people in the problem areas don’t recognise that it’s a problem because they don’t see it from an external perspective.

There’s a reason that our away supporters is better than our home support and that’s because our away supporters is 3000 vocal fans in one area singing the same songs. These same fans are at the Etihad every single week but spread around several areas.

The answer is within touching distance but when it’s gone it’s gone forever and nothing will ever change.

Now is the time to get active then Dave. You know 1894’s stance. I’m in agreement with both you and them. The North Stand is a great opportunity to have some / any noise from that end, which would be a massive improvement. 1894 also want to improve the South Stand, but will be supporting anyone who want to go to the North. If that’s not good enough for the passionate and vocal fans on here or elsewhere then they there’s nothing to stop them organising something themselves. There’s even more than two opinions here, as others would like to fill SS3 with singers, but it’s impossible for everyone to be on the same page and for everyone to be satisfied. It’s just a waste of time complaining about 1894’s stance, as they’ve given their reasons and that energy could be used on what can be done to still deliver a decent singing section in the new tier. Even if that isn’t easy given the complete lack of detail from the club.

 

[uwerosler28]

Exactly. Other areas need to do something themselves. If there was ANYTHING coming from the other three stands it might actually be considered a decent atmosphere at times.

Other stand aren't classing themselves as a "singing section " it's a total bollocks argument as to why the SS itself is quiet.

 

[jrb]

If he put as much energy into singing at the game as he does talking about it on here the place would be rockin'

You haven’t got clue Stoner, so keep on making it up and guessing about me.

That aside, I don’t have to justify myself to you, to Dave, or to anyone else on here who wants to have a go at me.

People on here who know me know I what I contribute vocally at the back of 115 on a match day. And what I have always contributed vocally no matter where I have sat or stood on a match day, not only at the Etihad, but at Maine Road. Like many City fans I have started numerous chants of that have traveled around Maine Road and around the Etihad. It’s a great feeling to do that

No doubt you’ll talks this seriously, but it’s just a laugh.

My singing claim to fame.

There’s a pattern.

1.Top left corner on the old Kippax terracing next to the away fans.
2. Block R, top left corner, North stand, next to the away fans.
3. Block 110, ESL1, next to the away fans.
4. Block 115, SSL1, next to the away fans.
5. Block 215, SSL2, when we relocated from MR.

My other claim to fame is starting the “Sergio, Sergio…. chant in block 110, which lasted throughout Sergio’s career at City. :-)

Of to decorate my Christmas tree.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

I agree Simon it’s a big opportunity and no flak is deserved. City’s Directors and fans groups know there wouldn’t be a huge relocation of Blues from the South Stand to the North Stand. Therefore, it’s crucial that the South Stand continues to have plenty of singers as efforts are made for a second vocal end in the North Stand.

Maybe some of the families of the loud and proud youngsters who put us FOCs to shame on Wednesday night will boost the North Stand atmosphere and / or we get a youth pen/block.

 

[There is a Light]

Other stand aren't classing themselves as a "singing section " it's a total bollocks argument as to why the SS itself is quiet.

Get over it ffs, the South Stand don’t call themselves anything and are acutely aware that it needs to be better. I can guarantee there’s more effort and passion than the majority of people commenting from the sidelines. What are you doing yourself to step up and improve the atmosphere?

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

You seem like a singer mate, I regularly agree with your comments. Nothing comes from the Colin Bell Stand, so shouldn’t you have relocated in the past to SS upper or lower? The more singers the better, we need people to make a difference.

Fully appreciate I have no clue about your circumstances, people don’t want move away from family etc. Others though who are in areas that don’t sing though will need to do something themselves and step up to help the change.

I regularly do move into south stand level 3 for champions league and cup games when I can, however I’m currently going with a family member who can’t stand much, and didn’t really have a choice where I was sat. I was previously in east stand 107, but got forced out of there by some advertising boards!

I’m considering moving into the new north stand when it opens/ based on prices and availability

 

[jrb]

I wrote a negative post to you last season about the timing of attendance of 1894.
You responded quite strongly that they were always in place at 10 to 3(sat ko).

I was in my seat at 20 to 3 yesterday as I thought we would have our IN MEMORY, service which I try to respect.

Anyway instead I watched the slow entry of all those in the South Stand, particularly 1894. At 3 minutes to 3 it was less than half full. West ham fans had started chanting at 2.45pm.

There was no noise coming from the SS at 4pm, apart from your support is ffs from the West Ham fans.

This is not a critiscm or opinion it is fact.
It is not your fault or responsibility, but it is also not the fault of our club, or other clubs.

1894 is just a group of lads who do the displays, banners, drop downs, wave the telescopic flags, and along with other fans start chants off. 1894 don’t have 100’s of active members on SSL1 on a match day. 1894 can’t get together on SSL1 as all the seats are either already taken up by season tickets or match ticket day sales. 1894 members are spread throughout SSL1. I’m not having a go. Just to make that clear. I don’t know how you can pin point specific 1894 members unless you know them personally. The telescopic flags were out yesterday at the front of SSL1. When the telescopic flags were taken away the 1894 lads went back to the seats, along with the other 1894 lads already in their seats, and we all joined in with the chanting. There is a misconception on here that 1894 have loads of members all over SSL1 who should be visible and lead the chanting together. It doesn’t work like that, as many other fans who are not part of 1894 also start chants off.

As for the West Ham fans, I thought there were very, very poor yesterday, bar the red cards and singing I’m forever blowing bubbles. There was nothing from them throughout the match hardly, which you can understand after watching the poor performance from their team.

 

[NJMCFC184]

Exactly. Other areas need to do something themselves. If there was ANYTHING coming from the other three stands it might actually be considered a decent atmosphere at times.

They are all ready to sing against other big 6 but thing other 14 clubs is beneath them

 

[.db.]

Get over it ffs, the South Stand don’t call themselves anything and are acutely aware that it needs to be better. I can guarantee there’s more effort and passion than the majority of people commenting from the sidelines. What are you doing yourself to step up and improve the atmosphere?

SSL0 is literally called the ‘Singing Section’ though.

https://www.mancity.com/meta/media/ww5ahnn4/mobile_season-ticket-pricing-map_2025-26.pdf

…but it doesn’t act like a singing section.

Even the Rags’ Singing Section, at the original Theatre of Tourists, sings all game.

Singing sections in every stadium are those stadiums’ front men of the band. If the singing section in any ground doesn’t sing, it’s highly likely the rest of the ground won’t be singing.

Individual groups of four mates might start a song off in 005, but it wouldn’t catch on; an individual group of four mates in the Singing Section should see the Singing Section all join in like the name of the stand would suggest… and from that, that’s where the rest of the stadium would join in as they’d have a big voice to join in with.

 

[BlueMonkey79]

Sat in East stand upper yesterday with GF.

A couple next to us came in on the 7th minute, left for HT on 40 mins, arrived back on 54mins then left on 83.

Missing nigh on 30 minutes of the match in total.

Bizarre.

 

[jrb]

Exactly. Other areas need to do something themselves. If there was ANYTHING coming from the other three stands it might actually be considered a decent atmosphere at times.

111, 110 and 109 do join in and have been good at times this year. I can’t hear SSL3 where I stand, but the posts on here suggest SSL3 join in as well. NSL1 joins in every now and again, especially when City are attacking that end. As for the other tiers across the Etihad, they don’t seem to join in singing often or at all, bar during the big games.

 

[jrb]

I think people have to accept our support’s match day routine has changed. Regardless of the reasons, watching the whole match for 90 minutes, including injury time, is no longer as important as it used to be.