Yep. For all the plaudits that Dortmund fans receive (personally I think their support is overrated as fuck), I thought the atmosphere from them the other week, while loud throughout, was as repetitive, banal, and irritating as I've heard from a visiting European fanbase at our stadium.
Copenhagen fans last night had a lot more variety to their chants and didn't smash the fuck out of their drum incessantly.
As for our own atmosphere, well it's typical of CL group stage games. It's a largely different fanbase compared to PL games and there were nowhere near as many regulars up at the back of 115 last night as there are at PL games. I'm not going to beat myself up about it though because when it comes to European games, unless there's a lot riding on it English clubs generally get outsung at home games by the visiting contingent.
I was lucky enough to get a ticket (or rather my neighbour won 2, and he reciprocated my previous winning tickets and taking him). This time we were in an East Stand corproate box with views into the away end.
The box was all for winners of Socios competitions, or people who had bought the tickets via Socios accumulated coins.
My neighbour is a Leeds supporter, but has a City mad daughter.
The box was for 10 - shout out to our great host Adele, who's been doing the same sort of job for 13 years - Rugby fans were her worst people to cater for, but she says concert goers and Liverpool fans can also be nightmares.
I was the only City supporter :-(
There was a father+son from Birmingham (and Birmingham suppporters), great laugh, effusive in their praise of the stadium and facilities, let alone the football. They don't like exVilla Jack though - picture on front of programme didn't go down well!
There was a bloke and his brother-in-law. The bloke was from Blackpool, but was a United supporter...I think he was a bit silent when the Birmingham lads talked about the great stadium (they'd also been to Old Trafford) and the comparisons between. hehe. His Brother-in-law was Danish, and was a Copenhagen fan, got on fine with him!
Then there were 2 mates, one Blackburn and the other Porto. Blackburn guy was just too young to be around for their better days.
And finally another couple of people from Birmingham, another father+son, Birmingham supporter and... damn forgotten... maybe West Brom.
The lightshow before kick-off and the stuff on the video screens+sound was great, all the box thoroughly enjoyed that.
The away fans, were led by a bearded cheer leader, who orchestrated the chants/clapping and barely watched any of the game, as he faced back into the crowd from where he stood on the parapet/rail sests. The drummer (who could knock out a decent riff that wasn't incessant monotonous thumping thank god) was a young lad, who at least faced the pitch. They didn't break a chant even when we scored. Seemed like they were having a good time in the rail seats - bouncing in time in lines looked pretty good from above.
Clearly the (City) football was mesmerizingly good, half time was full of 'wow, 'incredible' statements which was nice. At the end, the Birmingham supporters even acknowledged that Jack had been brilliant.
I think I tried to come across as a semi-FOC, which they acknowledged that the 90's & 00's must have been crap and fair F's to all our supporters for keeping going. But I did admit it's still a bit of dreamland watching the sublime footy we play, and I'm still in potential for 'typical city' camp, unless we get to 3-0. I put in the lowest score in the box sweepstake, my neighbour won with his 5-0 prediction - given to the aforementioned Adele for being a great host.
