Etihad atmosphere

[borassic]

I am a Celtic supporter (Be nice, don't shoot me please ha-ha) and have a season ticket at Celtic Park. Now before I start, I know absolutely nothing on the setup you have at the Etihad so forgive my lack of knowledge but I will try and expand on what they have at Celtic Park.

• A ''Green Brigade Ultras'' supporters group with official recognition by the club.
• Safe Standing area - Around 3000 seats in a lower corner of the East stand
• An ever growing songbook
• Banner/Fan/Seat Displays

To the first point - I'm not sure if there is a link between City supporter groups and the club, but to get anywhere in addressing these issues you need the backing from your club first and foremost before you can even think about adopting change. City need to create a group of ''Ultras'' and these need to be managed and controlled by a committee head member or members. This leader (Spokesperson) will have direct input into the club and will be the middle man between club and supporters. This person (or persons) can negotiate with the club to listen to their plans and help adopt changes that the fans are wanting.

Safe Standing area - Now I'm not sure if this is even an option in England yet, but if not, identify an area in your stadium that will house your newly created ''Blue Brigade'' set of fans. Probably somewhere in the region of around 3000 seats.

Now, you need to find 3000 ''Ultra'' type fans, this ideally will be controlled by the head(s) of the "Blue Brigade" committee and not the club itself. You need to identify 3000 fans that will sing and create an atmosphere for the whole 90 mins. These fans will be dedicated to the cause and will sing whether the team are winning, drawing or losing. They need to be 'hardcore' fans that their sole purpose of being in that section is to generate noise, (Not sit down, eat burgers, discuss the weather or whine about the management or players, their job is to sing, not relax) - There needs to be about 5-6 'head' members in particular that will control this section by standing at the front (1 with a megaphone) and co-ordinate the singing. This member(s) will choose which song or chant they want the rest of the section to sing. Ideally, there will be 1 or 2 fans standing beside this person with drums to set the tone of the chant/song. You will need a team of 5-6 members to rotate to keep it going for the 90 mins. These members will be facing the fans and will not be watching the game behind them.

Now, how do you recruit 3000 Ultra type fans? Well, these fans need to be vetted. Every single one need to be capable of belting out song after song for 90 mins and membership criteria would need to highlight this. If you like to go to the game, sit down, watch the football and relax, this group is not for you. Now at Celtic Park, I would say that the majority of the fans that make up the Green Brigade are working class, alcohol fuelled and under the age of 50. Now, you don't need to be pissed to sing and chant but I think it does help, many people grow in confidence with alcohol inside them and in my opinion, it may be a confidence thing as to whether they openly sing or not. Personally, I always sing and chant a lot more after a few beers, when I'm stone cold sober, I can be a lot quieter. Recruitment of these 'Die Hard' City fans therefore need to be vetted by the fans themselves and not the club. You want all your singers together, not dotted around all over the place.

You need songs, plenty of them, 20 or so minimum different chants/songs that you can keep it going. No point having 3-4 chants and singing them 6 times every half. Now, if you don't have these songs, someone creative needs to create these songs/chants. The advantage of having a 'blue brigade' type group is that you only need to teach this song to these 3000 people (the rest of the stadium and fans will soon learn) - How do you do that? Create a 'Blue Brigade' forum where each of the 3000 members will have a login. Post up the chants, co-ordinate the chanting as above and people will soon adopt.

Celtic for example, have a popular chant of "Celtic, Celtic" "Come on you boys in green, Come on you boys in green", Glasgow's Green and White, Glasgow's green and white" - That's it, easy.

Look at the effect it has... (Celtic Away at Kilmarnock)




Easily changed to "City, City" Come on you boys in blue, Come on you boys in blue" Manchester's blue and white, Manchester's blue and white" - Keep it simple. In this case, you need to try and co-ordinate it like the Celtic fans do with one section responding to the original chant so its choreographed. You have to admit, that simple chant above in those videos comes across very well.

You need creative members to lead all this, you need someone dedicated pretty much 24/7, live and die City type to be in charge. He wont even be fussed about the football behind him, his job is to control the group of Ultra supporters underneath him.

Ask the club for funding for the group, for co-ordination, for banner displays etc etc

When the laws change, ask the club for a safe standing section.

Now I'll probably get flamed for this post, Why do we want to be like Celtic etc etc? Guys, this is in no way meant as patronizing, derogatory or a we are better than you attitude, it's just simply ideas on what I believe are easy changes to make that can help out with your atmosphere problem

In summary, get all the City die hards together, create a City "ultras" group, find someone to head that Ultras group, ask the club for a section, co-ordinate them all and don't stop singing for 90 mins irrespective of the score line.

I think the lads in 1894 are trying to get the ultras thing going which i fully support. Can't love that song you posted more than I do it's superb, went up to Glasgow for a game with a load of mates a few years back and we got tickets through a friend right in with the green brigade, this song was in my head for days after.

 

[makinghistory]

I am a Celtic supporter (Be nice, don't shoot me please ha-ha) and have a season ticket at Celtic Park. Now before I start, I know absolutely nothing on the setup you have at the Etihad so forgive my lack of knowledge but I will try and expand on what they have at Celtic Park.

• A ''Green Brigade Ultras'' supporters group with official recognition by the club.
• Safe Standing area - Around 3000 seats in a lower corner of the East stand
• An ever growing songbook
• Banner/Fan/Seat Displays

To the first point - I'm not sure if there is a link between City supporter groups and the club, but to get anywhere in addressing these issues you need the backing from your club first and foremost before you can even think about adopting change. City need to create a group of ''Ultras'' and these need to be managed and controlled by a committee head member or members. This leader (Spokesperson) will have direct input into the club and will be the middle man between club and supporters. This person (or persons) can negotiate with the club to listen to their plans and help adopt changes that the fans are wanting.

Safe Standing area - Now I'm not sure if this is even an option in England yet, but if not, identify an area in your stadium that will house your newly created ''Blue Brigade'' set of fans. Probably somewhere in the region of around 3000 seats.

Now, you need to find 3000 ''Ultra'' type fans, this ideally will be controlled by the head(s) of the "Blue Brigade" committee and not the club itself. You need to identify 3000 fans that will sing and create an atmosphere for the whole 90 mins. These fans will be dedicated to the cause and will sing whether the team are winning, drawing or losing. They need to be 'hardcore' fans that their sole purpose of being in that section is to generate noise, (Not sit down, eat burgers, discuss the weather or whine about the management or players, their job is to sing, not relax) - There needs to be about 5-6 'head' members in particular that will control this section by standing at the front (1 with a megaphone) and co-ordinate the singing. This member(s) will choose which song or chant they want the rest of the section to sing. Ideally, there will be 1 or 2 fans standing beside this person with drums to set the tone of the chant/song. You will need a team of 5-6 members to rotate to keep it going for the 90 mins. These members will be facing the fans and will not be watching the game behind them.

Now, how do you recruit 3000 Ultra type fans? Well, these fans need to be vetted. Every single one need to be capable of belting out song after song for 90 mins and membership criteria would need to highlight this. If you like to go to the game, sit down, watch the football and relax, this group is not for you. Now at Celtic Park, I would say that the majority of the fans that make up the Green Brigade are working class, alcohol fuelled and under the age of 50. Now, you don't need to be pissed to sing and chant but I think it does help, many people grow in confidence with alcohol inside them and in my opinion, it may be a confidence thing as to whether they openly sing or not. Personally, I always sing and chant a lot more after a few beers, when I'm stone cold sober, I can be a lot quieter. Recruitment of these 'Die Hard' City fans therefore need to be vetted by the fans themselves and not the club. You want all your singers together, not dotted around all over the place.

You need songs, plenty of them, 20 or so minimum different chants/songs that you can keep it going. No point having 3-4 chants and singing them 6 times every half. Now, if you don't have these songs, someone creative needs to create these songs/chants. The advantage of having a 'blue brigade' type group is that you only need to teach this song to these 3000 people (the rest of the stadium and fans will soon learn) - How do you do that? Create a 'Blue Brigade' forum where each of the 3000 members will have a login. Post up the chants, co-ordinate the chanting as above and people will soon adopt.

Celtic for example, have a popular chant of "Celtic, Celtic" "Come on you boys in green, Come on you boys in green", Glasgow's Green and White, Glasgow's green and white" - That's it, easy.

Look at the effect it has... (Celtic Away at Kilmarnock)




Easily changed to "City, City" Come on you boys in blue, Come on you boys in blue" Manchester's blue and white, Manchester's blue and white" - Keep it simple. In this case, you need to try and co-ordinate it like the Celtic fans do with one section responding to the original chant so its choreographed. You have to admit, that simple chant above in those videos comes across very well.

You need creative members to lead all this, you need someone dedicated pretty much 24/7, live and die City type to be in charge. He wont even be fussed about the football behind him, his job is to control the group of Ultra supporters underneath him.

Ask the club for funding for the group, for co-ordination, for banner displays etc etc

When the laws change, ask the club for a safe standing section.

Now I'll probably get flamed for this post, Why do we want to be like Celtic etc etc? Guys, this is in no way meant as patronizing, derogatory or a we are better than you attitude, it's just simply ideas on what I believe are easy changes to make that can help out with your atmosphere problem

In summary, get all the City die hards together, create a City "ultras" group, find someone to head that Ultras group, ask the club for a section, co-ordinate them all and don't stop singing for 90 mins irrespective of the score line.

Why dont we bring back singing the players names before kick off. We always did it at Maine Road and got a wave back from the players. Helps build rapport between the fans and players.

 

[SPIDERBOY]

What about if the away fans were allocated in East lower,halfway line outwards,we would have the full south stand who make the majority of noise.
We would have fans either side and above the away fans,would that not generate a bit more?
Think it was like that at Wolves away,couple of year back.

 

[manchester blue]

I am a Celtic supporter (Be nice, don't shoot me please ha-ha) and have a season ticket at Celtic Park. Now before I start, I know absolutely nothing on the setup you have at the Etihad so forgive my lack of knowledge but I will try and expand on what they have at Celtic Park.

• A ''Green Brigade Ultras'' supporters group with official recognition by the club.
• Safe Standing area - Around 3000 seats in a lower corner of the East stand
• An ever growing songbook
• Banner/Fan/Seat Displays

To the first point - I'm not sure if there is a link between City supporter groups and the club, but to get anywhere in addressing these issues you need the backing from your club first and foremost before you can even think about adopting change. City need to create a group of ''Ultras'' and these need to be managed and controlled by a committee head member or members. This leader (Spokesperson) will have direct input into the club and will be the middle man between club and supporters. This person (or persons) can negotiate with the club to listen to their plans and help adopt changes that the fans are wanting.

Safe Standing area - Now I'm not sure if this is even an option in England yet, but if not, identify an area in your stadium that will house your newly created ''Blue Brigade'' set of fans. Probably somewhere in the region of around 3000 seats.

Now, you need to find 3000 ''Ultra'' type fans, this ideally will be controlled by the head(s) of the "Blue Brigade" committee and not the club itself. You need to identify 3000 fans that will sing and create an atmosphere for the whole 90 mins. These fans will be dedicated to the cause and will sing whether the team are winning, drawing or losing. They need to be 'hardcore' fans that their sole purpose of being in that section is to generate noise, (Not sit down, eat burgers, discuss the weather or whine about the management or players, their job is to sing, not relax) - There needs to be about 5-6 'head' members in particular that will control this section by standing at the front (1 with a megaphone) and co-ordinate the singing. This member(s) will choose which song or chant they want the rest of the section to sing. Ideally, there will be 1 or 2 fans standing beside this person with drums to set the tone of the chant/song. You will need a team of 5-6 members to rotate to keep it going for the 90 mins. These members will be facing the fans and will not be watching the game behind them.

Now, how do you recruit 3000 Ultra type fans? Well, these fans need to be vetted. Every single one need to be capable of belting out song after song for 90 mins and membership criteria would need to highlight this. If you like to go to the game, sit down, watch the football and relax, this group is not for you. Now at Celtic Park, I would say that the majority of the fans that make up the Green Brigade are working class, alcohol fuelled and under the age of 50. Now, you don't need to be pissed to sing and chant but I think it does help, many people grow in confidence with alcohol inside them and in my opinion, it may be a confidence thing as to whether they openly sing or not. Personally, I always sing and chant a lot more after a few beers, when I'm stone cold sober, I can be a lot quieter. Recruitment of these 'Die Hard' City fans therefore need to be vetted by the fans themselves and not the club. You want all your singers together, not dotted around all over the place.

You need songs, plenty of them, 20 or so minimum different chants/songs that you can keep it going. No point having 3-4 chants and singing them 6 times every half. Now, if you don't have these songs, someone creative needs to create these songs/chants. The advantage of having a 'blue brigade' type group is that you only need to teach this song to these 3000 people (the rest of the stadium and fans will soon learn) - How do you do that? Create a 'Blue Brigade' forum where each of the 3000 members will have a login. Post up the chants, co-ordinate the chanting as above and people will soon adopt.

Celtic for example, have a popular chant of "Celtic, Celtic" "Come on you boys in green, Come on you boys in green", Glasgow's Green and White, Glasgow's green and white" - That's it, easy.

Look at the effect it has... (Celtic Away at Kilmarnock)




Easily changed to "City, City" Come on you boys in blue, Come on you boys in blue" Manchester's blue and white, Manchester's blue and white" - Keep it simple. In this case, you need to try and co-ordinate it like the Celtic fans do with one section responding to the original chant so its choreographed. You have to admit, that simple chant above in those videos comes across very well.

You need creative members to lead all this, you need someone dedicated pretty much 24/7, live and die City type to be in charge. He wont even be fussed about the football behind him, his job is to control the group of Ultra supporters underneath him.

Ask the club for funding for the group, for co-ordination, for banner displays etc etc

When the laws change, ask the club for a safe standing section.

Now I'll probably get flamed for this post, Why do we want to be like Celtic etc etc? Guys, this is in no way meant as patronizing, derogatory or a we are better than you attitude, it's just simply ideas on what I believe are easy changes to make that can help out with your atmosphere problem

In summary, get all the City die hards together, create a City "ultras" group, find someone to head that Ultras group, ask the club for a section, co-ordinate them all and don't stop singing for 90 mins irrespective of the score line.

Great post mate, some good points. We do have an 1894 group though it's in restive infancy but they have done good things. One of the biggest points you have correctly addressed is people who go into the area need to sing. Too many want to go into these areas to be near the atmosphere but not create it or they go there to have "banter" with away fans which they mistake for atmosphere. Thanks for taking the time

 

[trevorriley]

Great post mate, some good points. We do have an 1894 group though it's in restive infancy but they have done good things. One of the biggest points you have correctly addressed is people who go into the area need to sing. Too many want to go into these areas to be near the atmosphere but not create it or they go there to have "banter" with away fans which they mistake for atmosphere. Thanks for taking the time

Great post and cheers CBhoy67, would like to meet you sometime and share ideas. We have been trying this type of re group for over 3 years but it has been slow progress, not through lack of effort either, it has been like a second job for the 4 guys mainly involved. I think in the premier league fans have changed the way they follow football, but hopefully it will turn around with the work being put in. Here are a few notes which are all but the same as your suggestions

The 1894 group has been running for over 3 years, it is in its fourth season.

We have a great relationship with the several people at the club & also stewards in 115 area, we have a store room to store flags & banners in the actual stadium, early access to the stadium on match day ( sometimes 8am ) to lay out mosiacs / banners. The club lets us go in to the stadium 90 minutes before KO on match day.

We advertised 2 years ago for the block 115 area lower SS for singers with full support from the club, out of 750 seats in the block around 500 supporters re allocated in to the block ( to be honest i thought we would have filled it twice over but fans preferred to stay in seats they had been in for several years and also re allocate to the new cheaper seats in the new third tier south stand, which we understand as prices are very high ). Of the 500 that allocated 115 season tickets we where surprised that first few games in we had fans that where not at all interested in singing. We have a number of good singers but nowhere near the 500 that we expected and realistically is a minimum requirement to make any sort of loud noise, believe me we would love 3,000.

Every game for the last 2 or 3 years we have large telescopic flags waving ( at first i got a lot of abuse for waving them but good to see now they are more accepted, we dont wave during the game to spoil fan viewing ). We display quite regular with large banners / surfers / ticker tape and now have around 240 new flags put out that we appeal for fans to wave in the south stand then return in the bins at the end of games so they can be used again at the next game. So far around 50 flags have been taken away by fans never to be returned, a little disappointed about this but we hope the trend of taking them will slow down or stop. We have to place flags in this organised way because security dont let fans in the stadium with flags on sticks, it has to be passed by security in this way.

We are funded by fan donations, i cant thank every fan enough no matter how big or small the donations are, it has been a fantastic response. It makes all the hard work worth while.

As well as campaigns for cheaper tickets, we have supported safestanding for over 3 years pushing the club for support. Fingers crossed this will happen in a season or two, it would be a dream come true to re allocate in to the new north stand with safestanding, we feel fans might then come over in their thousands rather than hundreds to enjoy the atmosphere and colour this wonderful club deserves.

All this time and hard graft, why do i do it ? Cus i love city :-)

 

[ayrshire_blue]

I am a Celtic supporter (Be nice, don't shoot me please ha-ha) and have a season ticket at Celtic Park. Now before I start, I know absolutely nothing on the setup you have at the Etihad so forgive my lack of knowledge but I will try and expand on what they have at Celtic Park.

• A ''Green Brigade Ultras'' supporters group with official recognition by the club.
• Safe Standing area - Around 3000 seats in a lower corner of the East stand
• An ever growing songbook
• Banner/Fan/Seat Displays

To the first point - I'm not sure if there is a link between City supporter groups and the club, but to get anywhere in addressing these issues you need the backing from your club first and foremost before you can even think about adopting change. City need to create a group of ''Ultras'' and these need to be managed and controlled by a committee head member or members. This leader (Spokesperson) will have direct input into the club and will be the middle man between club and supporters. This person (or persons) can negotiate with the club to listen to their plans and help adopt changes that the fans are wanting.

Safe Standing area - Now I'm not sure if this is even an option in England yet, but if not, identify an area in your stadium that will house your newly created ''Blue Brigade'' set of fans. Probably somewhere in the region of around 3000 seats.

Now, you need to find 3000 ''Ultra'' type fans, this ideally will be controlled by the head(s) of the "Blue Brigade" committee and not the club itself. You need to identify 3000 fans that will sing and create an atmosphere for the whole 90 mins. These fans will be dedicated to the cause and will sing whether the team are winning, drawing or losing. They need to be 'hardcore' fans that their sole purpose of being in that section is to generate noise, (Not sit down, eat burgers, discuss the weather or whine about the management or players, their job is to sing, not relax) - There needs to be about 5-6 'head' members in particular that will control this section by standing at the front (1 with a megaphone) and co-ordinate the singing. This member(s) will choose which song or chant they want the rest of the section to sing. Ideally, there will be 1 or 2 fans standing beside this person with drums to set the tone of the chant/song. You will need a team of 5-6 members to rotate to keep it going for the 90 mins. These members will be facing the fans and will not be watching the game behind them.

Now, how do you recruit 3000 Ultra type fans? Well, these fans need to be vetted. Every single one need to be capable of belting out song after song for 90 mins and membership criteria would need to highlight this. If you like to go to the game, sit down, watch the football and relax, this group is not for you. Now at Celtic Park, I would say that the majority of the fans that make up the Green Brigade are working class, alcohol fuelled and under the age of 50. Now, you don't need to be pissed to sing and chant but I think it does help, many people grow in confidence with alcohol inside them and in my opinion, it may be a confidence thing as to whether they openly sing or not. Personally, I always sing and chant a lot more after a few beers, when I'm stone cold sober, I can be a lot quieter. Recruitment of these 'Die Hard' City fans therefore need to be vetted by the fans themselves and not the club. You want all your singers together, not dotted around all over the place.

You need songs, plenty of them, 20 or so minimum different chants/songs that you can keep it going. No point having 3-4 chants and singing them 6 times every half. Now, if you don't have these songs, someone creative needs to create these songs/chants. The advantage of having a 'blue brigade' type group is that you only need to teach this song to these 3000 people (the rest of the stadium and fans will soon learn) - How do you do that? Create a 'Blue Brigade' forum where each of the 3000 members will have a login. Post up the chants, co-ordinate the chanting as above and people will soon adopt.

Celtic for example, have a popular chant of "Celtic, Celtic" "Come on you boys in green, Come on you boys in green", Glasgow's Green and White, Glasgow's green and white" - That's it, easy.

Look at the effect it has... (Celtic Away at Kilmarnock)




Easily changed to "City, City" Come on you boys in blue, Come on you boys in blue" Manchester's blue and white, Manchester's blue and white" - Keep it simple. In this case, you need to try and co-ordinate it like the Celtic fans do with one section responding to the original chant so its choreographed. You have to admit, that simple chant above in those videos comes across very well.

You need creative members to lead all this, you need someone dedicated pretty much 24/7, live and die City type to be in charge. He wont even be fussed about the football behind him, his job is to control the group of Ultra supporters underneath him.

Ask the club for funding for the group, for co-ordination, for banner displays etc etc

When the laws change, ask the club for a safe standing section.

Now I'll probably get flamed for this post, Why do we want to be like Celtic etc etc? Guys, this is in no way meant as patronizing, derogatory or a we are better than you attitude, it's just simply ideas on what I believe are easy changes to make that can help out with your atmosphere problem

In summary, get all the City die hards together, create a City "ultras" group, find someone to head that Ultras group, ask the club for a section, co-ordinate them all and don't stop singing for 90 mins irrespective of the score line.

That's all well and good, and I don't mean to start an argument, but Celtic attract a different type of support from all over Scotland/Ireland (as do The Rangers) because they see themselves as having a 'cause' which they need to get behind. Supporters of pissed up 20-30 year olds leaving Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Hamilton, Perth, Dundee, etc etc for every Celtic/The Rangers home match ready to get behind that 'cause'. I'm not going to argue against Celtic's atmosphere. I was at both the City games against you and was indeed at the Killie game which you've posted in your videos, and the atmosphere yer fans created at all 3 was electric. But with your 'roots' comes a much bigger clientele and a much bigger 'songbook' to choose from.

With an ageing fanbase, and rising ticket prices, City is completely different and a much harder challenge to sort out.

 

[Dogtanian]

The answer is because of pricing, fans or ones that want to sing are spread out all over the ground

 

[CBhoy67]

Great post and cheers CBhoy67, would like to meet you sometime and share ideas. We have been trying this type of re group for over 3 years but it has been slow progress, not through lack of effort either, it has been like a second job for the 4 guys mainly involved. I think in the premier league fans have changed the way they follow football, but hopefully it will turn around with the work being put in. Here are a few notes which are all but the same as your suggestions

The 1894 group has been running for over 3 years, it is in its fourth season.

We have a great relationship with the several people at the club & also stewards in 115 area, we have a store room to store flags & banners in the actual stadium, early access to the stadium on match day ( sometimes 8am ) to lay out mosiacs / banners. The club lets us go in to the stadium 90 minutes before KO on match day.

We advertised 2 years ago for the block 115 area lower SS for singers with full support from the club, out of 750 seats in the block around 500 supporters re allocated in to the block ( to be honest i thought we would have filled it twice over but fans preferred to stay in seats they had been in for several years and also re allocate to the new cheaper seats in the new third tier south stand, which we understand as prices are very high ). Of the 500 that allocated 115 season tickets we where surprised that first few games in we had fans that where not at all interested in singing. We have a number of good singers but nowhere near the 500 that we expected and realistically is a minimum requirement to make any sort of loud noise, believe me we would love 3,000.

Every game for the last 2 or 3 years we have large telescopic flags waving ( at first i got a lot of abuse for waving them but good to see now they are more accepted, we dont wave during the game to spoil fan viewing ). We display quite regular with large banners / surfers / ticker tape and now have around 240 new flags put out that we appeal for fans to wave in the south stand then return in the bins at the end of games so they can be used again at the next game. So far around 50 flags have been taken away by fans never to be returned, a little disappointed about this but we hope the trend of taking them will slow down or stop. We have to place flags in this organised way because security dont let fans in the stadium with flags on sticks, it has to be passed by security in this way.

We are funded by fan donations, i cant thank every fan enough no matter how big or small the donations are, it has been a fantastic response. It makes all the hard work worth while.

As well as campaigns for cheaper tickets, we have supported safestanding for over 3 years pushing the club for support. Fingers crossed this will happen in a season or two, it would be a dream come true to re allocate in to the new north stand with safestanding, we feel fans might then come over in their thousands rather than hundreds to enjoy the atmosphere and colour this wonderful club deserves.

All this time and hard graft, why do i do it ? Cus i love city :-)

Thanks to all for the positive comments so far,

From the post above, it looks like you are already making headway into changing things around. It would appear you already have the in roads and connection into the club which is your first major hurdle (You have that) and it would appear you already have a group that are looking for something very similar to what I posted originally (Foundations are already there). There's no reason why someone dedicated would fail in pushing this forward, the ingredients appear to be there.

A few suggestions, looking in from afar, it perhaps needs more support from the club itself to push this forward and expand it? An advertisement campaign from the club to fans (banners/leaflets/emails/postal letters to all ST holders for next season for example) In this campaign, highlight that the club have a new '1894 group' and that this group have been allocated an area where ''Ultra'' type fans are required. Highlight that this area is for the good of the club, to increase the noise and atmosphere at games and that this area needs vocal supporters to better things. Highlight that this area is not a relaxation zone and that you will be required to sing and participate with the rest of the 1894 group (A caveat to state that ST holders who cheat their way into this section and then do not regularly participate will have their seat reallocated outside of the 1894 zone the season afterwards) Ask the club if this is possible, perhaps not as many as 3000 fans initially but say 1500 'ultra' type fans to get things going. (Numbers will expand in time, Celtic for example have about 10,000 now wanting into the 3,000 standing section zone and a waiting list on ST holders to get in) - These fans can be allocated to this new section through word of mouth, other known singing fans vouching for other ST holders who sing. The fans allocated to this new singing section can be approved by the members of the 1894 group themselves rather than randomly by the club. I think this area needs expanding between club and the 1894 supporters group.

Funding wise, ask the club for an annual contribution, it's in their best interests as the crowd can most certainly drive the team on. As you seen at Celtic Park for our 3-3 draw against each other. (The quality of the players in both teams is night and day) For Celtic, that draw earned them a bonus payment of £500k, peanuts to City but a reasonable amount for Celtic. At big spending City, an annual contribution to their official MCFC backed supporters group isn't a huge ask? You don't ask, you don't get.

The Celtic standing section is enclosed, you can't walk in and walk out of it from other areas of the stadium, there are stewards on the entry points and you must show a band that you belong in that section. It's very well organised in that respect.

Choosing an area is also a challenge, the green brigade at Celtic have chosen a corner section as it gives the guys in charge at the front best visibility to control all the fans above them. This video below paints a thousand words, it shows the corner location and the 2 guys at the front co-ordinating everything. Mega phones, the chants and even the movements. There's 3000 fans in that small section all following the 2 guys at the front. This then gets the rest of the stadium going.



The big one here I think is co-ordination, being instructed to sing what and when keeps everyone in sync and in rhythm.

I am of course not suggesting you guys should copy Celtic's setup outright, as someone else has posted, there are challenges including the demographics of your typical supporters. Season tickets in the £400 price range at Celtic Park, most probably double that cost at the Etihad (so may push out lots of working class types that can't afford it) Lots of other differences too of course but I believe you guys already have the foundations there to build on. Standing section will only improve that, we are all hoping here at Celtic that a 2nd or expanded standing section area is allocated next season as it has been a huge success, we could sell out that section 3-4x over now. I'm sure one day it will happen in the English Premiership too.

Anyway, I wish you guys all the best going forward, I'm sure you will get there in the end.

 

[trevorriley]

The answer is because of pricing, fans or ones that want to sing are spread out all over the ground

After the 3 / 4 years work these are the two main factors against the atosphere.

if the re location to a safetstanding area in the north stand doesnt work ( which should create cheaper tickets ) then there is nit much more we can do.

We also need a change in fan culture, I blame sky / BT / MOTD / overpaid pundits / majority of media for this negative attitude towards football that are making fans see the game the same way. Who gives a fk if a defender slips up, we are here for city.

 

[trevorriley]

Thanks to all for the positive comments so far,

From the post above, it looks like you are already making headway into changing things around. It would appear you already have the in roads and connection into the club which is your first major hurdle (You have that) and it would appear you already have a group that are looking for something very similar to what I posted originally (Foundations are already there). There's no reason why someone dedicated would fail in pushing this forward, the ingredients appear to be there.

A few suggestions, looking in from afar, it perhaps needs more support from the club itself to push this forward and expand it? An advertisement campaign from the club to fans (banners/leaflets/emails/postal letters to all ST holders for next season for example) In this campaign, highlight that the club have a new '1894 group' and that this group have been allocated an area where ''Ultra'' type fans are required. Highlight that this area is for the good of the club, to increase the noise and atmosphere at games and that this area needs vocal supporters to better things. Highlight that this area is not a relaxation zone and that you will be required to sing and participate with the rest of the 1894 group (A caveat to state that ST holders who cheat their way into this section and then do not regularly participate will have their seat reallocated outside of the 1894 zone the season afterwards) Ask the club if this is possible, perhaps not as many as 3000 fans initially but say 1500 'ultra' type fans to get things going. (Numbers will expand in time, Celtic for example have about 10,000 now wanting into the 3,000 standing section zone and a waiting list on ST holders to get in) - These fans can be allocated to this new section through word of mouth, other known singing fans vouching for other ST holders who sing. The fans allocated to this new singing section can be approved by the members of the 1894 group themselves rather than randomly by the club. I think this area needs expanding between club and the 1894 supporters group.

The Celtic standing section is enclosed, you can't walk in and walk out of it from other areas of the stadium, there are stewards on the entry points and you must show a band that you belong in that section. It's very well organised in that respect.

Choosing an area is also a challenge, the green brigade at Celtic have chosen a corner section as it gives the guys in charge at the front best visibility to control all the fans above them. This video below paints a thousand words, it shows the corner location and the 2 guys at the front co-ordinating everything. Mega phones, the chants and even the movements. There's 3000 fans in that small section all following the 2 guys at the front. This then gets the rest of the stadium going.



The big one here I think is co-ordination, being instructed to sing what and when keeps everyone in sync and in rhythm.

I am of course not suggesting you guys should copy Celtic's setup outright, as someone else has posted, there are challenges including the demographics of your typical supporters. Season tickets in the £400 price range at Celtic Park, most probably double that cost at the Etihad (so may push out lots of working class types that can't afford it) Lots of other differences too of course but I believe you guys already have the foundations there to build on. Standing section will only improve that, we are all hoping here at Celtic that a 2nd or expanded standing section area is allocated next season as it has been a huge success, we could sell out that section 3-4x over now. I'm sure one day it will happen in the English Premiership.

Anyway, I wish you guys all the best going forward, I'm sure you will get there in the end.

Nice one mate some good points there.

We tried a drum but most fans wanted it slapping over somebodies head. Security on 3 occasions have refused the megaphone even though the club want us to try it. It is down to fear of somebody shouting abuse to say referee and it also might get mixed up in an emergencey announcement. We are trying to come up with ways of the singers congregating at the front of block 115, we get a block of tickets from the club but fans dont take up the opportunity in large volumes.

The club do advertise the 1894 but in certain areas, at city many chiefs few Indians !

Apart from that you have made some great suggestions there, wrist bands etc... Nice one