Regrouping of singers within the stadium

[Manchester33]

Just so everyone is aware...


The band was NOTHING to do with 1894.

 

[jrb]

Great night, really enjoyed that! I'd say the atmosphere was better than most of the matches at the Etihad ?!??

On another subject, stewards were very annoying last night. I know they often just do what they are told by Mark Ryder (head of security, previous GMP btw) but a couple of things last night were ridiculous

First, they told us to take down the 'legalise safe standing' banner for no specific reason... I replied "take it down yourself" and steward threatened me to kick me out of the ground. Banner got confiscated and got it back at the end of the match. Then after 20/25 minutes into the match stewards came saying we couldn't wave flags because the TV camera behind the goal was getting obstructed.. Again I got threatened of being kicked out of the stadium if i'd have kept waving a flag. Silly mistake by the club, they could have put singers in the South stand where there was no camera, or could have put the TV camera there.

I watched on ITV4. The commentators were repeatedly critical of the atmosphere in the ground.

It looked OK especially as we were losing

I am talking from the fan point of view, standing in the middle of the terrace.

Not interested in commentators point of view,

All I can say is they must have been commentating on a different match. Yes there were quiet spells, but overall the support was very good last night, especially in the 2nd half. Let's see what Stamford Bridge is like in a weeks time.

Carrying on with the Stewards theme. I got told on more than 1 occasion I couldn't take pictures inside the ground last night.(they were pictures of the fans and the stadium looking full and great!) If anyone at City or a senior steward would like to explain why, feel free. It really has come to something when even taking pictures is not allowed, seeing as there are numerous camera visible and being used on a normal matchday at the Etihad.

 

[Kaini Industries]

The big difference between the Etihad and the Academy Stadium, using last night as an example, wasn't the band; it was the percentage of the stadium prepared to stand and sing. I would say about 15% of the attendance last night were constantly singing, at the Etihad it's barely 3%, if half that at times. That is huge in terms of what noise bounces around the stadium in relation to the attendance and size of the ground. Plus you're battling with away fans who are making decent noise sometimes.

If that was transferred to the Etihad it would mean over 7000 fans would be constantly singing, could you just imagine that for a second. When a club with a big following comes in the cup they bring 5800 and some of them make a very decent noise and around the ground it is well heard. But imagine if it was 7000+home fans making that noise...

This is where we've always struggled at this stadium. Even if the two singing sections sing the same song at the same time and every single person in there joined in, it would only be about 3000 people singing. There are twenty...thirty...clubs in this country with larger singing sections than we have (including places well down the leagues like Plymouth, Bristol Rovers and Stockport County). Even next year with the added block it won't be much more than 4000 - less than 8% of the attendance (Sheffield United and Aston Villa's singing sections hold around 9and10000 more than that respectively)......but it will be much better next year still.

Clubs like Villa may have ends which hold 10,000+, but they definitely don't have that many active supporters in a "singing section" (awful term, but it's short)

In fact, Villa have created one in two sections of the Holte End - http://www.myoldmansaid.com/holte-e...ial-set-for-the-rest-of-season-at-villa-park/

I don't think there are many clubs which actually have 4,000+ home fans actively singing for 90 minutes. One of the main reasons there are so many poor atmospheres is because singers are dotted around grounds and can't sit / stand with their mates and aren't able to move. We now have that chance.

Next season, we'll have two sets of vocal fans surrounding a small pocket of away fans, as well as better atmospheres in South level 2 as there'll be away fans up there more often.

 

[buckotheblue]

10 of us in 115 all row V can't wait.

Four of us have moved onto that row, seats 385

9 of us on row x. See you next season

 

[mcfc01]

I really enjoyed it last night in the north stand.Id forgotten how much the atmosphere adds to the match going experience!
I won't be relocating to the new singing section from my present seat in 118 but am hoping the buzz created will spread right across the South stand and beyond.

 

[Bluep*ss]

Some interesting comments on here about last night's game - atmosphere etc...
One thought though - How many singers/youngsters were at the CFA last night ? - BUT are not able to attend the Etihad because they have been
priced out (could not afford it).

 

[Why Always Ste]

Just be aware of the atmosphere tourists is all I can say.
Last night in the singing section a few people who stood close by to us were it seems just there to observe the atmosphere, rarely singing and spent most of the time chatting amongst themselves about day to day issues, completely unrelated to the football.

I wouldn't normally notice but on a terrace when they are stood inches behind you....

If you want to do this then fine, but can you do this somewhere else in the ground which then allows those of us with sore throats today the facility to invite other genuine singers into that section.

Not nice seeing the stewarding last night either.
Telling people to stop waving flags, putting up banners and so on... We want to improve the atmosphere - it seems others want to make it harder.

 

[Bluep*ss]

Just be aware of the atmosphere tourists is all I can say.
Last night in the singing section a few people who stood close by to us were it seems just there to observe the atmosphere, rarely singing and spent most of the time chatting amongst themselves about day to day issues, completely unrelated to the football.

I wouldn't normally notice but on a terrace when they are stood inches behind you....

If you want to do this then fine, but can you do this somewhere else in the ground which then allows those of us with sore throats today the facility to invite other genuine singers into that section.

Not nice seeing the stewarding last night either.
Telling people to stop waving flags, putting up banners and so on... We want to improve the atmosphere - it seems others want to make it harder.

This happens too much. - it spoils the" day at the match" feeling.

 

[supercity88]

I think people need to show a bit of patience towards the atmosphere and singing sections. I used to go to Palace on occasion with a mate of mine who supports them. Their stadium was empty and the noise was non existent. The only time there was noise was with glad all over played from the speakers in the ground and the goal celebration tune.

They addressed it by creating a hardcore signing group that went home and away. They all congregated in the lower corner near the away fans and they gradually got more and more people in there. More moved to be closer to the noise, others joined in with their songs and others went the other side of the away fans to sing as well.

It's no more than a few hundred that becomes thousands as the atmosphere increased. They got publicity last season from MOTD and the press talking the atmosphere up and it has stayed as good this time out.

If we get a couple of thousand in the south stand, with the new roof the atmosphere will sound better anyway. People will then try and move into or close to that stand over the coming seasons to join in. I'm confident we will see an improved atmosphere next season. And it will get better and better.

 

[Why Always Ste]

Don't you feel this could be a problem though if the popularity of certain areas increases, this then gives the club reason to increase the pricing of these areas, thus pricing out the regular singers and inviting those who can afford the extra cost (who may not be as willing to sing)

As much as I've backed the singing section I just don't want to see the section becoming its own spectacle and possibly pricing out the people who've worked hard to campaign for the section.