North Stand Construction Discussion

[jrb]

Why is it that a few hundred ultras in the bottom of the away end on level 1 can make more noise than 1000’s of City fans in SSL1, never mind across the rest of the stadium? We’ve seen it on numerous occasions. The last time being Copenhagen in the CL.

The secret is getting a similar number of City fans together in 1 block/part of the ground.

As it Stand we’ve got small groups of singers and individual singers spread across SSL1, 111, 110, 109 and throughout the rest of the stadium.

Watch any European match and there is one common factor on the terraces. All the singers are together, mostly behind a goal. Numbers range from 100’s to 1000’s all stood together. We‘ve got 10, 20 singers together, if that, with other singers scattered across other blocks and stands. Put simply, we don’t have a large nucleolus of singers in 1 black and stand.

 

[jrb]

I won’t go into the reason why, but singers at the back of 115 have been moved out of there and have been forced to disperse to other parts of SSL1. Or as the club would argue, back to their seats. Stewards have now been put in that area. Without doubt that decision by the club has had a negative impact on the support from the South stand, and in-turn the atmosphere inside the Etihad. Those are the fine margins when it comes to creating an atmosphere at the Etihad.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

It's not rocket science. Why did lots of us go in the kippax?

It was standing, it was where the hardcore support went who wanted to make some noise, it was also the cheapest part of the stadium to get into.

Is it really that difficult to replicate those 3 things, in an expanded 2nd tier?

 

[jrb]

It's not rocket science. Why did lots of us go in the kippax?

It was standing, it was where the hardcore support went who wanted to make some noise, it was also the cheapest part of the stadium to get into.

Is it really that difficult to replicate those 3 things, in an expanded 2nd tier?

There’s a massive difference.

In the Kippax you turned up on the day and stood where you wanted to.

Long gone are the days when you could just turn up on the day, pay to get in, and find a place.

The club want to know everything about you before you can buy a ticket for a specific seat.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

There’s a massive difference.

In the Kippax you turned up on the day and stood where you wanted to.

Long gone are the days when you could just turn up on the day, pay to get in, and find a place.

The club want to know everything about you before you can buy a ticket for a specific seat.

I understand that, but that doesn't alter the criteria of standing, creating an atmosphere and pricing.

 

[jrb]

I understand that, but that doesn't alter the criteria of standing, creating an atmosphere and pricing.

It does.

It stops fans from standing with mates and fellow singers because seats are already sold out.

The club also charge for a citizens card on top of a match ticket.

1894 tried to get @ group of singers together in the middle of 115 for CL matches, but most of the seats were already sold to fans on the CL cup scheme.

It’s now impossible to get a group of singers together at the Etihad. Tickets for the remaining home games have nearly sold out.

The North stand expansion will give City 1 last opportunity to get the singers together. City need to sell season tickets to City fans who want sing and stand together in the expanded North stand.

 

[There is a Light]

‘Everyone’ didn’t get it wrong. 1894 spent months working on that relocation. The information we had prior to that relocation was:

- Security wouldn’t allow standing in level 3 (and would actively police it).

- Ticket prices would cost the same in both SSL1/SSL3 (or cheaper in SSL1).

- Flags on poles wouldn’t be permitted in upper tiers.

- Existing singers in blocks 117 onwards would remain there.

We also didn’t appreciate the difference the roof would make to the acoustics.

We had around 6/700 fans relocating to a singing section. Half of that number relocated to SSL3 when the club announced tickets were cheaper there and pulled the rug from under us!

It’s easy to look back with hindsight, but it’s not like 1894/supporters clubs made rash decisions - it was MONTHS of work including dozens of consultations with all kinds of different people.

Even though it could have gone better - the atmosphere is consistently better now thanks to the singing section in 115. I think people are deluding themselves thinking it was brilliant 10 years ago.

Fair enough mate, it wasn’t a dig at 1894 or anyone btw. I know the effort that’s been put in over the last 10 years and massively appreciate what you do as there’s not many others stepping up and giving up their own time to improve the atmosphere.

I was really optimistic, as I think most people were that it would have made a bigger difference though. It moved people away from 111 and as you say split some up into L3 and some in the lower tier, so whatever happened, it just didn’t work out. Not saying anyone’s responsible but that “new Kippax” feel just hasn’t happened.

Fully appreciate it really won’t have helped if you were told people can’t stand in level 3 (you can) and the rug was pulled when lower ticket prices were announced. That sounds like it would have shafted whatever plans you had and ruled out getting fans into the best place for making noise (the upper tier).

It’s a bit of a shame in hindsight though, as it sounds like the club weren’t clear with their plans and things could be so much better than they are now. Hopefully things like that won’t happen again (even if it is out of your control).

 

[christened at st marks]

Day's of the standing Kippax, it was a totally different fanbase,

No women apart from Helen
half a crown entry fee
only male working class
no tourists or fans from outside North of England
Violent terraces

Now endless families
barely any trouble
full of tourists and fans from all over UK and Ireland
It has now become a family outing
prices blocking hard up fans

 

[Keeper!]

It does.

It stops fans from standing with mates and fellow singers because seats are already sold out.

The club also charge for a citizens card on top of a match ticket.

1894 tried to get @ group of singers together in the middle of 115 for CL matches, but most of the seats were already sold to fans on the CL cup scheme.

It’s now impossible to get a group of singers together at the Etihad. Tickets for the remaining home games have nearly sold out.

The North stand expansion will give City 1 last opportunity to get the singers together. City need to sell season tickets to City fans who want sing and stand together in the expanded North stand.

True but I would also point out that the Kippax was often flat and had a poor atmosphere.

The game has changed and a lot of the passion once created on the terraces has long gone, sadly.

The only thing essential with the new stand is making tickets affordable and easy to obtain on a casual basis.

 

[eyalluvitt]

I’ve been to games at the Etihad and the atmosphere has been mint, then watched it back on tele and it’s sounded like it’s coming from two miles away.

You watch a Liverpool game at Anfield and it sounds like the microphones are in the middle of the Kop. You can hear even individual shouts and choral songs that get going are clear. Games at the Etihad on tele, the atmosphere sounds muffled and like the microphones are not switched on. I reckon you only get to hear on tele the crowd noise that comes through the commentators microphones.

I'm sure at the Arsenal game the sound was on mute unless the Tarquin choir were singing