Bring the Noise

[Man_City_Loyal]

That's true, its not only our stadium that is having a problem with atmosphere and we are a long way off being the worse in the league. The English league probably has the quietest stadiums in Europe. There is a lot of apathy going on and looking over shoulders at what is going on around us and should we sing. Lots of looking for reasons why we can't sing and excuses. The opportunity to sing is there as the stadium is, we can and we do have good spells from time to time. Then we go quite, the quite takes over from the noise.

We have spoken to many supporters groups in Europe, spoken to union bears, recently spoken to Dundee who are making good noise from a small stadium. But they don't have a magic formula or do anything different, to be honest they do less. The fans are more up for a sing song / bang a drum / use a capo and seem to have a different reason for going to a game. Win, lose or draw belt your heart out. Not for one minute would I say a lot of us aren't the same, it is just that we are to spread out and diluted with non singers between us.

If there is one thing I could change over night it would be to have 300 or 400 singers in 115 from middle right to the back. We would make noise then and it would travel.

"paul" I thought the same, Southampton cranked up the noise, was very good that second half.

We keep working at it and slowly, very slowly it gets better. Massive thanks to everybody who helps and supports, positive comments always appreciated.

Looks like the north stand is going on the back burner as far as redevelopment is concerned, not that I have been told when it will happen but it will be a few years now and only if demand for tickets increases. I don't know where this leaves us regarding safestand, I hope the powers that be put it in the south stand for now. It would create an opportunity for singers to group and if that doesn't work its a library.

good point i know the UB's worked with the club to reallocate them into one stand and then continued from there.

 

[trevorriley]

good point i know the UB's worked with the club to reallocate them into one stand and then continued from there.

That's the only way to group is relocation due to season cards being sold out, its hard to bunch up.

This is what we did 5 years ago when the third tier went in the SS. We worked with the club and had a one month frame where we had propriety for singers in 115. I don't think fans realised at the time how important it was to group like UB's did. Also cheaper season cards came available in SS3 level. So what started off looking like 500 singers in 115 ended up about 250 or so and spread out.

If safestand comes in soon we will be working with the club again and will defo get another time frame to put singers in the area. Now that 1894 is more established and the word will get round better, we can arrange for singers to get in first. Fingers crossed we can make a right racket.

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

That's the only way to group is relocation due to season cards being sold out, its hard to bunch up.

This is what we did 5 years ago when the third tier went in the SS. We worked with the club and had a one month frame where we had propriety for singers in 115. I don't think fans realised at the time how important it was to group like UB's did. Also cheaper season cards came available in SS3 level. So what started off looking like 500 singers in 115 ended up about 250 or so and spread out.

If safestand comes in soon we will be working with the club again and will defo get another time frame to put singers in the area. Now that 1894 is more established and the word will get round better, we can arrange for singers to get in first. Fingers crossed we can make a right racket.

lets hope. Personally if someones not wanting to make some noise in the area your allocated they should move and let someone else take their place.

 

[trevorriley]

lets hope. Personally if someones not wanting to make some noise in the area your allocated they should move and let someone else take their place.

exactly mate.. It does sound selfish in some ways, but you cant orchestrate noise with people just stood around enjoying the noise of singers around them. Ok we understand fans want to be in 115 area and wont sing non stop for 90 mins, but belt a few songs out and join in most the time and we have cracked it. But we do have some fans that wont sing throughout the whole game.

If we had a solid group of only 150 fans singing all stood next to each other this would create enough noise to travel and get it going. But if there are 150 fans spread out amongst 700 fans it doesn't work.

I have no doubt that there are fans in 115 that don't even want t be in there and would gladly move out. I arrive in the stadium before the main gates open 90 mins or so before KO, you wouldn't believe the number of fans I see going in 115 with a paper tickets bought for the day and asking stewards where their seat is. What chance have these fans got of knowing songs and singing.

The block holds 750 fans, we must all agree that we have at least 750 hard core long standing city fans that want to sing in the stadium. We need these fans in block 115 not colin bell level three wondering why the atmosphere is crap.

Union bears are always a good example to use, regardless of our thoughts of fans north of the border. In their 2,000 base singing section there is a waiting list to get in and if you don't sing you vacate. We have a block with 750 and we see day trippers coming in with paper tickets. This is where we fail, its not a lack of ideas or what we do doesn't work, its not expensive beer, long queues, late kick offs. What we need is the hard core singers to move to 115 area, we need to have every seat in there a regular season ticket goer.

Really glad you have posted mate, only then do other fans read this and realise what it takes to make a singing section work. Good to chat and only by us all chatting can we make Etihad intimidating to all that visit.

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

exactly mate.. It does sound selfish in some ways, but you cant orchestrate noise with people just stood around enjoying the noise of singers around them. Ok we understand fans want to be in 115 area and wont sing non stop for 90 mins, but belt a few songs out and join in most the time and we have cracked it. But we do have some fans that wont sing throughout the whole game.

If we had a solid group of only 150 fans singing all stood next to each other this would create enough noise to travel and get it going. But if there are 150 fans spread out amongst 700 fans it doesn't work.

I have no doubt that there are fans in 115 that don't even want t be in there and would gladly move out. I arrive in the stadium before the main gates open 90 mins or so before KO, you wouldn't believe the number of fans I see going in 115 with a paper tickets bought for the day and asking stewards where their seat is. What chance have these fans got of knowing songs and singing.

The block holds 750 fans, we must all agree that we have at least 750 hard core long standing city fans that want to sing in the stadium. We need these fans in block 115 not colin bell level three wondering why the atmosphere is crap.

Union bears are always a good example to use, regardless of our thoughts of fans north of the border. In their 2,000 base singing section there is a waiting list to get in and if you don't sing you vacate. We have a block with 750 and we see day trippers coming in with paper tickets. This is where we fail, its not a lack of ideas or what we do doesn't work, its not expensive beer, long queues, late kick offs. What we need is the hard core singers to move to 115 area, we need to have every seat in there a regular season ticket goer.

Really glad you have posted mate, only then do other fans read this and realise what it takes to make a singing section work. Good to chat and only by us all chatting can we make Etihad intimidating to all that visit.

exactly, hoepfully something can be done about it and make it like it should be.

 

[Gingers Dad]

That's the only way to group is relocation due to season cards being sold out, its hard to bunch up.

This is what we did 5 years ago when the third tier went in the SS. We worked with the club and had a one month frame where we had propriety for singers in 115. I don't think fans realised at the time how important it was to group like UB's did. Also cheaper season cards came available in SS3 level. So what started off looking like 500 singers in 115 ended up about 250 or so and spread out.

If safestand comes in soon we will be working with the club again and will defo get another time frame to put singers in the area. Now that 1894 is more established and the word will get round better, we can arrange for singers to get in first. Fingers crossed we can make a right racket.

That's how we moved into 115, through you lot in 1894. Brought 9 of us together at the back of 115. We have a great time and join in especially with the Edin Dzeko song

 

[BAB.DAB]

exactly mate.. It does sound selfish in some ways, but you cant orchestrate noise with people just stood around enjoying the noise of singers around them. Ok we understand fans want to be in 115 area and wont sing non stop for 90 mins, but belt a few songs out and join in most the time and we have cracked it. But we do have some fans that wont sing throughout the whole game.

If we had a solid group of only 150 fans singing all stood next to each other this would create enough noise to travel and get it going. But if there are 150 fans spread out amongst 700 fans it doesn't work.

I have no doubt that there are fans in 115 that don't even want t be in there and would gladly move out. I arrive in the stadium before the main gates open 90 mins or so before KO, you wouldn't believe the number of fans I see going in 115 with a paper tickets bought for the day and asking stewards where their seat is. What chance have these fans got of knowing songs and singing.

The block holds 750 fans, we must all agree that we have at least 750 hard core long standing city fans that want to sing in the stadium. We need these fans in block 115 not colin bell level three wondering why the atmosphere is crap.

Union bears are always a good example to use, regardless of our thoughts of fans north of the border. In their 2,000 base singing section there is a waiting list to get in and if you don't sing you vacate. We have a block with 750 and we see day trippers coming in with paper tickets. This is where we fail, its not a lack of ideas or what we do doesn't work, its not expensive beer, long queues, late kick offs. What we need is the hard core singers to move to 115 area, we need to have every seat in there a regular season ticket goer.

Really glad you have posted mate, only then do other fans read this and realise what it takes to make a singing section work. Good to chat and only by us all chatting can we make Etihad intimidating to all that visit.

I'm in 114, the showsec stewards checking tickets has stopped rouge blues from entering 114 rows has had an affect

 

[Zaba's Head Bandage]

This could really be aided a lot more by the club. Just as an example, I know for a fact that the Norwegian supporters branch have access to 17 tickets alone in Level 1 South Stand, a number of which in block 114. In the whole stadium its around 100 tickets per game. They're held as season tickets by Norwegian members but different members of the branch can 'book' the season ticket for a certain game - meaning its highly likely there will be a different 'day-tripper' in for each game - and perhaps even vacant seats for 'low' demand fixtures.

This is the Norwegian branch ALONE, and i have no idea how big other branches are across Europe or even across the country. Chances are you'll have fans coming in who don't even know the words to blue moon let alone anything else - in our most vocal area of the stadium.

You'd like to think the club is aware of the fact atmospheres in recent seasons have been subpar, and i think the fact that there is such a dispersion of vocal or noisy supporters throughout the stadium does not help. Look at most well-known vocal fanbases in Europe and they all have a common denominator - a section or stand behind one of the goals. Perhaps the club can do more? (They won't). Put the day trippers up in the third tier

 

[Oystercatcher28]

The club should allocate a block for overseas fans, because it is so poor to look at. I live out in China - and you should see the videos people share from the games. They think the atmosphere is amazing BUT I look and all I see are a dozen Chinese fans videoing or taking photos, with a group of equally tourist looking fans contributing just as much to the atmosphere. Cityzens Voice, City Matters, etc all need to be on it. The 1894 group are a fantastic indie voice for the club

 

[Tim of the Oak]

This could really be aided a lot more by the club. Just as an example, I know for a fact that the Norwegian supporters branch have access to 17 tickets alone in Level 1 South Stand, a number of which in block 114. In the whole stadium its around 100 tickets per game. They're held as season tickets by Norwegian members but different members of the branch can 'book' the season ticket for a certain game - meaning its highly likely there will be a different 'day-tripper' in for each game - and perhaps even vacant seats for 'low' demand fixtures.

This is the Norwegian branch ALONE, and i have no idea how big other branches are across Europe or even across the country. Chances are you'll have fans coming in who don't even know the words to blue moon let alone anything else - in our most vocal area of the stadium.

You'd like to think the club is aware of the fact atmospheres in recent seasons have been subpar, and i think the fact that there is such a dispersion of vocal or noisy supporters throughout the stadium does not help. Look at most well-known vocal fanbases in Europe and they all have a common denominator - a section or stand behind one of the goals. Perhaps the club can do more? (They won't). Put the day trippers up in the third tier

Hahahaha. This made me laugh mate so well done.

in one of the so called Singing Sections (111), 4 lads in front of me left for the pub in town during the Southampton game at half time. I’m afraid they didn’t know any Norwegian.

For info, I don’t think there is a Norwegian Supporters Club but there is one for Scandinavia as a whole. I’ve only met a few Blues from that Branch but they’ve been going since Malcolm Allison was manager.

Thanks again. Brilliant post.