Etihad Atmosphere - 2021/22

I stay to the end but I understand why fans leave early.
Cannot think of a worse ground for getting back into town.
If you have a late train to catch it can be a nightmare.
Bus service my preferred option but traffic horrific and comes to a standstill.
Metro is a joke and cars build up at that junction at Mitchell s pub.
No matter what the result it is the same every game
its not as bad as people make out and make an excuse for. There was no traffic that night. I fully understand that some can’t manage the transport and times due to distance and mobility, and they need to do what they need to do, but t’s a twenty minute walk to town and a quick getaway. We’re talking about tens of thousands. it made no difference (unless you had to catch a train) to leave ten minutes early rather than the end at the Leeds game. It’s become a habit and a culture. We’re losing (already lost) that ‘see your team to the end and show your appreciation‘ culture that we used to have and many teams still have. It’s just not what you do anymore. At Maine Road I had to wait nearly an hour for my bus and then an hour bus ride home. It’s just what we had to do. But there’s no way after a huge victory anyone thought about not staying to see the team off. It’s getting worse and it is a culture IMO.
 
Interesting couple of day’s.

Newcastle fans and Leicester fans.

Both teams depleted. Newcastle not as much. Playing United and Liverpool. The 2 biggest teams in the country.(arf!) Both teams struggling for form and losing games. Newcastle in a relegation dog fight. Leicester mid-table and going backwards. Both sets of supporters up for it. Great support at both stadiums. Supporting their teams for 90 minutes. And the majority of the fans at both grounds staying until the end of the match and giving both teams a standing ovation at the final whistle.
 
its not as bad as people make out and make an excuse for. There was no traffic that night. I fully understand that some can’t manage the transport and times due to distance and mobility, and they need to do what they need to do, but t’s a twenty minute walk to town and a quick getaway. We’re talking about tens of thousands. it made no difference (unless you had to catch a train) to leave ten minutes early rather than the end at the Leeds game. It’s become a habit and a culture. We’re losing (already lost) that ‘see your team to the end and show your appreciation‘ culture that we used to have and many teams still have. It’s just not what you do anymore. At Maine Road I had to wait nearly an hour for my bus and then an hour bus ride home. It’s just what we had to do. But there’s no way after a huge victory anyone thought about not staying to see the team off. It’s getting worse and it is a culture IMO.

TBH there have been matches were I have left before the final whistle. Mainly the CL matches and the odd PL evening match, if City are winning comfortably, which Is pretty much the case for most home games. I’m up the next morning at 4am, and in work by 5am. But as a rule I stay until the final whistle and applaud the team.

I’ve noticed people are leaving earlier and earlier. It used to be just before extra time. Then it was 5 minutes before full time. Now it‘s 10 minutes before full time. And in some cases earlier than that. Maybe they are going to the toilet?

As you say, leaving early has now become part of the match day routine, like staying on the concourse drinking, etc, for many of our fans. Once people get into a habit and a routine of doing something and it works for them, they won’t change that habit or routine if they feel they don’t need or have to. We just have to accept our fanbase and their priorities have changed. Leaving the match early, avoiding the traffic, and getting home earlier is now a priority for many of our fans.
 
I've watched two games in safe standing areas now, and the difference in atmosphere is huge.
 
TBH there have been matches were I have left before the final whistle. Mainly the CL matches and the odd PL evening match, if City are winning comfortably, which Is pretty much the case for most home games. I’m up the next morning at 4am, and in work by 5am. But as a rule I stay until the final whistle and applaud the team.

I’ve noticed people are leaving earlier and earlier. It used to be just before extra time. Then it was 5 minutes before full time. Now it‘s 10 minutes before full time. And in some cases earlier than that. Maybe they are going to the toilet?

As you say, leaving early has now become part of the match day routine, like staying on the concourse drinking, etc, for many of our fans. Once people get into a habit and a routine of doing something and it works for them, they won’t change that habit or routine if they feel they don’t need or have to. We just have to accept our fanbase and their priorities have changed. Leaving the match early, avoiding the traffic, and getting home earlier is now a priority for many of our fans.
There's a bloke near me who arrives ten minutes late cos he was in the pub, leaves ten minutes before half time to beat the queues, gets back ten minutes after half time cos he was finishing his drink, and leaves on the 80th minute to beat the queues in the pub. It's his money to spend, and I love a pint as much as anyone, but I always think if the beer is the main attraction just go out on the piss at the weekend and stick the £100 in a month for tickets in a pot for a holiday or whatever.
 
its not as bad as people make out and make an excuse for. There was no traffic that night. I fully understand that some can’t manage the transport and times due to distance and mobility, and they need to do what they need to do, but t’s a twenty minute walk to town and a quick getaway. We’re talking about tens of thousands. it made no difference (unless you had to catch a train) to leave ten minutes early rather than the end at the Leeds game. It’s become a habit and a culture. We’re losing (already lost) that ‘see your team to the end and show your appreciation‘ culture that we used to have and many teams still have. It’s just not what you do anymore. At Maine Road I had to wait nearly an hour for my bus and then an hour bus ride home. It’s just what we had to do. But there’s no way after a huge victory anyone thought about not staying to see the team off. It’s getting worse and it is a culture IMO.
Couldn't have put it any better! I think psychology has something to do with it also. It's like the toilet roll shortages during lockdown. People said they wouldn't do it, mocked those that did and swore they'd only do it when they needed to. But, then they see more and more people doing it and then they start worrying about if there'll be any left for them, so they eventually decide 'ah fuck it, I'll follow suit' (although we're talking buses and trains rather then bog rolls here )
 
Interesting couple of day’s.

Newcastle fans and Leicester fans.

Both teams depleted. Newcastle not as much. Playing United and Liverpool. The 2 biggest teams in the country.(arf!) Both teams struggling for form and losing games. Newcastle in a relegation dog fight. Leicester mid-table and going backwards. Both sets of supporters up for it. Great support at both stadiums. Supporting their teams for 90 minutes. And the majority of the fans at both grounds staying until the end of the match and giving both teams a standing ovation at the final whistle.
Leicester fans and great support?

Their recent attitude towards Brendan Rodgers is appalling for me. Not a lover of Rodgers but he has gone then pushing well beyond their level, yet those fans have booed him and his team, incredible Jeff!
 
I've watched two games in safe standing areas now, and the difference in atmosphere is huge.
I hope you're right but at a distance I haven't noticed any change. I am expecting it to be dead today because of the KO time.
 
Leicester fans and great support?

Their recent attitude towards Brendan Rodgers is appalling for me. Not a lover of Rodgers but he has gone then pushing well beyond their level, yet those fans have booed him and his team, incredible Jeff!
I wasn't aware that they have booed their team.
 
Several times this season.

If that's true it's pretty amazing. They won the F.A. Cup for the first time in their history only a few months ago. He has them safe as a mid-table side, where in the past they would often have been fighting relegation. I don't think Rogers has the weight for managing a top four club, frankly, but he's good at managing a pretty decent mid-table club and getting them to perform above their level. That inevitably sounds condescending, but it's the plain, unvarnished truth. If I'm able to say this it's because we've often been in that exact same position. With a series of managers who were our level (sometimes, in one or two cases, below it!) I think Moyes is cut from the same cloth, really, and if he gets the Hammers top four they should build him a statue.
 
its not as bad as people make out and make an excuse for. There was no traffic that night. I fully understand that some can’t manage the transport and times due to distance and mobility, and they need to do what they need to do, but t’s a twenty minute walk to town and a quick getaway. We’re talking about tens of thousands. it made no difference (unless you had to catch a train) to leave ten minutes early rather than the end at the Leeds game. It’s become a habit and a culture. We’re losing (already lost) that ‘see your team to the end and show your appreciation‘ culture that we used to have and many teams still have. It’s just not what you do anymore. At Maine Road I had to wait nearly an hour for my bus and then an hour bus ride home. It’s just what we had to do. But there’s no way after a huge victory anyone thought about not staying to see the team off. It’s getting worse and it is a culture IMO.
It’s habit and it did happen at Maine Road too. My dad was an early leaver - around 87 mins and there were always loads leaving at that point as we walked away from the ground with them. Prob not as bad as now though.
 
If that's true it's pretty amazing. They won the F.A. Cup for the first time in their history only a few months ago. He has them safe as a mid-table side, where in the past they would often have been fighting relegation. I don't think Rogers has the weight for managing a top four club, frankly, but he's good at managing a pretty decent mid-table club and getting them to perform above their level. That inevitably sounds condescending, but it's the plain, unvarnished truth. If I'm able to say this it's because we've often been in that exact same position. With a series of managers who were our level (sometimes, in one or two cases, below it!) I think Moyes is cut from the same cloth, really, and if he gets the Hammers top four they should build him a statue.

If Rodgers was managing City I wouldn’t boo him.

Mainly because I’d have torn up my digital season ticket and vowed never to watch a game again.
 

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