Etihad Atmosphere - 2022/23

[trevorriley]

One easy way to give people who want to sing the opportunity to clump together in a more organic way, without having to designate a new "singing block" and move people there en masse, would be for a ticket to be valid for a section as a whole rather than for an individual seat. So if you had a ticket for anywhere in, say, blocks 116-119 in the south stand lower (where there are currently rail seats), you could stand anywhere in that block. When I had a season ticket in 118 before I moved to Berlin I knew about a dozen or more people scattered in different locations in those blocks, but we could only meet up at half time on concourse. People who want to sing are more likely to do so when they're with their mates, plus it's just more fun with your mates.

I don't think this would actually happen though, in the UK. (Although it's normal on the continent.) For one thing the police would hate the idea that they couldn't identify a miscreant from a video by his seat location. Furthermore, from the point of view of safety from overcrowding you would need to put a barrier between the 'open' blocks and the other areas of the ground that were still occupied on a seat-by-seat basis. Plus a lot of people would hate that they can't stay on the concourse until 2:59:59 and still be guaranteed their preferred spot. (Which brings me on to my other point - you should be allowed to drink in view of the field of play. But that's another debate.)

yes mate, it wont happen... The club / police / FA force it upon us to have a seat number... We have tried to push this.

this is why in the 7s and 80s the atmosphere was better, you just aid to go in a stand.

 

[trevorriley]

This for me is the most compelling argument for Ultras - they would take the pressure off the people who have gone into themselves, and maybe bring them out of themselves.

Am I defending sitting there in silence? No, it's not for me...but I also know that a lot of those folk who do were going in week in week out when fans like myself had lapsed, moved away, couldn't or wouldn't set aside the money to attend matches....so I'm not going to question their devotion to the club just because I like to shout and they don't.

Ultras would acknowledge the fact that some of us are always going to be shy - it would mean that there's always a noise coming from somewhere whatever, and they would tell the world that we are fiercely proud of our club.

BUT... all that said, I can't see Ultras being something the club would want to support in a million years ultimately...because as well as the fact a lot of fans won't like the sound of a drum and droning chants (and yes it can be annoying), you've the potential for trouble of the black trackies, blue flares, all day Dark Fruit and gear binge variety...as well as a potential vehicle for future protest...and when was the last time we saw any serious protest? Forward with Franny?

So while it's easy to look around the Etihad and think it can all be very sedate - we DO have a lot of young City supporting fans who would flock to an Ultra type movement.

Which means, for me, City has to take into account what's being said about an NS singing section - and harness that desire for atmosphere. The alternative could be a movement the club can't control.

Jazzy, this is the sort of post we need in our battle to improve atmosphere. Its constructive and looks at the situation we are in from both sides. Got it spot on there about Ultras.

If a bunch of young fans want a drum and be utra style just let them, it is better than silent fans in a singing reae.

 

[jrb]

Can’t remember who posted it. Tried to find it. Apologies.

They said being an Ultra or being part of the wider Ultra fan match going fan base across Europe is a different mindset

Going back to Siberiano. (won’t dwell on it again after this post)

More pictures and videos via the link.

Note the 2 tiered stand at the back of the goal with a larger upper tier.

Fans of Salernitana displayed one massive choreography with painting of historical figure, Cermine Rinaldi, also known as "Il Siberiano ULTRAS della Salernitana".

Rinaldi died after heart attack 12th of April 2010. He is remembered for being an fantastic capo, as well as a man who loved his colours, his people and city. 2000 people gathered for his funeral back in 2010 and ever since then we have seen flags and banners with paintings of "Il Soberiano".

Salernitana - AC Milan 04.01.2023

Italy: Choreo for "il Siberiano" ULTRAS della Salernitana!

www.ultras-tifo.net

 

[jrb]

Jazzy, this is the sort of post we need in our battle to improve atmosphere. Its constructive and looks at the situation we are in from both sides. Got it spot on there about Ultras.

If a bunch of young fans want a drum and be utra style just let them, it is better than silent fans in a singing reae.

Trev.

Agree in principle.

The only issue is a younger fan just banging the drum aimlessly throughout the match. That would f*ck everyone off, including me to be honest, and would alienate a drum/drummer quickly to an already anti-drum feeling section of City’s support.(“Can you sing without a drum!”) The Leicester drummer is a prime example of that. The same goes for the new young Arsenal drummer.

If a drum is to be trialed ‘properly’ in a new singing section, if there is going to be a new singing section in the expanded North stand, it has to be done by a person/s who can drum properly. By properly I mean along with the chants, in time with the chants, coming in and out of the chants, in-between the chants, aiding and prolonging the chants, and sometimes not drumming at all, just letting the fans sing.

Catania - Curva North.





Decided to do a long weekend in Catania, Sicily, taking a Catania match in and going on the Curva North in August or September when the Italian season starts next season. Catania are currently top in ‘Serie D‘ and look certain for promotion to Serie C.

 

[deafmanstevo]

AC Milan Ultras - Curva South

View attachment 65103

At Arsenal.

View attachment 65105

Milan Ultra FOCs at Chelsea.

Outside and inside Stamford Bridge.

It must be that Mediterranean diet?

Curva sud Milano have been voted in the top ten ultras in 2022, better than Napoli and Roma .

 

[deafmanstevo]

Trev.

Agree in principle.

The only issues is a younger fan just banging the drum aimlessly throughout the match. That would f*ck everyone off, including me to be honest, and would alienate a drum/drummer quickly, to an already anti-drum feeling section of City’s support.(“Can you sing without a drum!”) The Leicester drummer is a prime example of that. The same goes for the new young Arsenal drummer.

If a drum is to be trialed ‘properly’ in a new singing section, if there is going to be a new singing section in the expanded North stand, it has to be done by a person/s who can drum properly. By properly I mean along with the chants, in time with the chants, coming in and out of the chants, in-between the chants, aiding and prolonging the chants, and sometimes not drumming at all, just letting the fans sing.

Catania - Curva North.





Decided to do a long weekend in Catania, Sicily, taking a Catania match in and going on the Curva North in August or September when the Italian season starts next season. Catania are currently top in ‘Serie D‘ and look certain for promotion to Serie C.

Palermo v Catania is a crazy derby, and when they play Messina too the other team from Sicily.

 

[jrb]

Remember the recent conversation about the Copenhagen fans. Section 12. Their home end.

 

[jrb]

Palermo v Catania is a crazy derby, and when they play Messina too the other team from Sicily.

This a good read about the intense rilvary, if you’re interested?

The Sicilian Derby | A Tale of Two Cities - Calcio Catania vs SSD Palermo​

The Sicilian Derby | A Tale of Two Cities - Calcio Catania vs SSD Palermo — Through The Turnstiles

A closer look at what is one of the lesser known, but fiercest rivalries in Italian football; Calcio Catania & SSD Palermo battle it out to become “Kings of the Island”.

www.through-the-turnstiles.com

 

[ayrshire_blue]

This a good read about the intense rilvary, if you’re interested?

The Sicilian Derby | A Tale of Two Cities - Calcio Catania vs SSD Palermo​

The Sicilian Derby | A Tale of Two Cities - Calcio Catania vs SSD Palermo — Through The Turnstiles

A closer look at what is one of the lesser known, but fiercest rivalries in Italian football; Calcio Catania & SSD Palermo battle it out to become “Kings of the Island”.

www.through-the-turnstiles.com

"ACAB" graffiti there in Catania, some respect to that particular Police officer (and his family) who was murdered...14 years ffs.

It's where I become uncomfortable with the term 'Ultras' as there's a narrowing line between fans who want to get behind their team and fans who want to mask up in balaclavas and launch flares onto the pitch with the result mattering less than the "who had the best display" attention seeking types.

Some of what they do is really good. I like that they're loud and get behind their team, but tbh I find anything more than that a bit cringey. The 'ultras' groups in Scotland all have one thing in common and that's an overwhelming sense of self importance as well as a go to victim mentality when they step out of line with the authorities.

The history on the sicillian derby is interesting but to be honest I read that as the supports being particularly scummy, although some folk will admire it for whatever reason.

 

[jrb]

O"ACAB" graffiti there in Catania, some respect to that particular Police officer (and his family) who was murdered...14 years ffs.

It's where I become uncomfortable with the term 'Ultras' as there's a narrowing line between fans who want to get behind their team and fans who want to mask up in balaclavas and launch flares onto the pitch with the result mattering less than the "who had the best display" attention seeking types.

Some of what they do is really good. I like that they're loud and get behind their team, but tbh I find anything more than that a bit cringey. The 'ultras' groups in Scotland all have one thing in common and that's an overwhelming sense of self importance as well as a go to victim mentality when they step out of line with the authorities.

The history on the sicillian derby is interesting but to be honest I read that as the supports being particularly scummy, although some folk will admire it for whatever reason.

I get what you’re saying.

They’re the hardcore Ultras. In charge of their sections of the stand, vocal, dressed in black, other colours, balaclavas, fighting, etc.

Then there are other Ultras and general supporters who fill parts of the stand who are just as vocal, wave flags, hold 2 sticks up, but don’t dress in black and other colours, and don’t fight.

Those are the type of fans, not necessarily Ultras, we need to get together in a singing section.

The recently formed Young Arsenal Ultras are all dressed in black, some wear balaclavas, etc. That isn’t what we need or should be looking to in a new singing section.

The video isn’t great.