Stand leaders

[CatMan]

There's got to be something said for attempting to scatter the singing seeds amongst the rest of the ground. Needs to be done correctly however and those chosen must be rewarded with a free seasoncard.

It could get quite competitive given the right instigator of noise in each block. As an ex Sergeant-Major I am willing to drill block 309 into a frenzy.

Where do I apply?

Makes you wonder who suggested such a thing ;-)

 

[bigf42]

I think calling them 'stand leaders' makes it sound a lot more cheesy and regimented than what it'll probably be. I got the impression that it's just up to you to get songs going by continually singing, not just shouting 'come on City' with an embarrassed fade out by the 3rd time when others around have stopped, in your block when they are started elsewhere. Not some kind of conductor.

It's how the Ultras are organised.

It's what happens to a limited extent now....little pockets of fans start the singing. And it's always the same groups.

That's what it used to be like on the Kippax, some voice in the far corner next to the away fans would start a chant and the rest would follow.

The trouble at now is that the same thing happens now in the south stand, then it either gains momentum right round the ground, or dies out, or the lads in the south stand get bored just as the rest get going.

At the derby this season there was a very determined lad who seemed to have taken the single handed mission to get the family stand (L2) going. Hats off to him he did a great job, much to the chagrin of the woman behind him.....

I think there is a happy medium that could be obtained, with volunteers in different parts of the ground tuning into the natural flow and helping to enhance it.

I do abhor the regimented ultra approach, Dortmund last season smacked too much of Nuremberg for my liking....

 

[chris85mcfc]

Whats next a hymm book under your seat

 

[Pigeonho]

If there is going to be a satisfactory outcome to the lack of atmosphere situation, it will come through the introduction of safe standing areas, not through the introduction of some jumped up little Hitlers with safe little songsheets, and the club would be better advised to be proactive in the campaign to introduce a measure that is wanted almost everywhere.

And this of course is where it all went wrong in regards to the atmosphere at any stadium - all seater stadiums. I say 'wrong' lightly based on why that ruling came in, but let's not beat about the bush here, all-seater stadiums have killed the atmosphere at the match.

In part your right, but then how do we explain the silent standing south standers? Something needs to be done, the atmosphere is so flat at times when the team needs us the most.

It's different. Think back to the Kippax, pre-monstrosity. From my experience it was just a complete laugh from beginning to end, with the match going on in the background in the main. Lads taking the piss out of each other for whatever reason, lads greeting each other as the game was going on, lads all pissed up and enjoying their day out etc etc. You can't do all that sat down or stood up in a seating area, it's just not the same. The atmosphere in the Kippax was good, from memory, based on those factors I believe, with much of that atmosphere being created for reasons that were nothing to do with what was going on the pitch. It was like one big fucking pub with lads yapping on, that laughter creating it's own atmosphere and then a big roar if an attack was on, a shot at goal or a goal scored. Those on the continent don't do it like that, they concentrate solely on the football in way the English fan never has, and that is what I meant when referring to it as a religion to them when I was posting in reply to bluemooner. The violent part of the documentary aside, look at the Lazio edition of BBC's Hooligans documentary. That gives a glimpse into what the proper ultras do over there and like I say, focus not on the violent side of it, more the hiring of warehouses to create banners, meetings of mass fans all to do with match-day goings on, mass-snubs towards the players of an entire stand etc. All very different to how it ever will be over here because they have that mentality, the continent does in general, whereas we have our own unique almost cynical way of going to the game - not taking it all so seriously.

 

[Stretford Born Blue]

But that's what it's all about though, a piss up with your mates, the match and a piss up afterwards. It's almost like being a cynic being a fan over here, not taking it too serious like. Think back to the days stood on the Kippax, half the time of which was taking the piss out of those around you, the opposition players and of course, opposition fans. It's a laugh. You can't just change that mentality and bring in some ultra euro-fan type and expect an entire stadium or even one stand to act the same way. It WILL be met with people taking the piss out of those so called 'leaders', because that falls exactly into what I just said - a laugh.
The fans of the euro clubs treat it like a religion, which translates into the way they behave in the stands.

Not saying we should or could change things, but there is a reason or two as to why the atmosphere is shit at a lot of grounds, including ours. The Palace fans last night were brilliant, never stopped making a noise....Think it's called passion, showing support for the lads, giving them a boost, thanking them for their efforts and showing togetherness or something...!?.

It's the English way.
I watched that Palace game last night and Sky kept on pointing the camera at their 'ultras'. It's only so obvious because they are the only ones doing it, whereas the rest of the ground are supporting the club in the way fans up and down the land support theirs. It looks and sounds plastic and is a desperate attempt at copying the euro fans, the proper Ultras. At least when our fans copied the Poznan it was as tongue in cheek as anything ever will be, and typical English, (or some may say just typical City), humour.

I stood in crowds following City in the 70's and 80's that were mental, home and away, Never stopped singing and taking the piss out of players, fans, cops, you name it............So what changed......?!

 

[SPIDERBOY]

Dead set against it me(but that's my opinion)..would there be someone with a high vis vest on with STAND LEADER on the back of it,then a load of showsec marching about telling people"no,no,no,you can't sing that,you HAVE to sing what he's singing"?

Summat along the lines like "you fat bastard",being sung towards shrek...and the media will be slating us again for appointing hooligans as dedicated song starters....it's a bad idea IMO.

 

[Pigeonho]

Not saying we should or could change things, but there is a reason or two as to why the atmosphere is shit at a lot of grounds, including ours. The Palace fans last night were brilliant, never stopped making a noise....Think it's called passion, showing support for the lads, giving them a boost, thanking them for their efforts and showing togetherness or something...!?.

It's the English way.
I watched that Palace game last night and Sky kept on pointing the camera at their 'ultras'. It's only so obvious because they are the only ones doing it, whereas the rest of the ground are supporting the club in the way fans up and down the land support theirs. It looks and sounds plastic and is a desperate attempt at copying the euro fans, the proper Ultras. At least when our fans copied the Poznan it was as tongue in cheek as anything ever will be, and typical English, (or some may say just typical City), humour.

I stood in crowds following City in the 70's and 80's that were mental, home and away, Never stopped singing and taking the piss out of players, fans, cops, you name it............So what changed......?!

Seating.

 

[SPIDERBOY]

It's the English way.
I watched that Palace game last night and Sky kept on pointing the camera at their 'ultras'. It's only so obvious because they are the only ones doing it, whereas the rest of the ground are supporting the club in the way fans up and down the land support theirs. It looks and sounds plastic and is a desperate attempt at copying the euro fans, the proper Ultras. At least when our fans copied the Poznan it was as tongue in cheek as anything ever will be, and typical English, (or some may say just typical City), humour.

I stood in crowds following City in the 70's and 80's that were mental, home and away, Never stopped singing and taking the piss out of players, fans, cops, you name it............So what changed......?!

Seating.

And the amount of corporate.

 

[Gingers Dad]

What's this about ?

Excellent idea. Not going to be one but will join in with Stan, as long as there's no reference to Man Utd or Munich's. Might wake up the morgue that is block 232.

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

It's the English way.
I watched that Palace game last night and Sky kept on pointing the camera at their 'ultras'. It's only so obvious because they are the only ones doing it, whereas the rest of the ground are supporting the club in the way fans up and down the land support theirs. It looks and sounds plastic and is a desperate attempt at copying the euro fans, the proper Ultras. At least when our fans copied the Poznan it was as tongue in cheek as anything ever will be, and typical English, (or some may say just typical City), humour.

I stood in crowds following City in the 70's and 80's that were mental, home and away, Never stopped singing and taking the piss out of players, fans, cops, you name it............So what changed......?!

Seating.

And seating amongst grannies and granddad's, complete with flasks and butties! I'm not knocking that, but in the golden days of the pre-Swales Maine Road, the grannies and the granddad's were in Platt Lane while the 'boys' were giving it some in the Kippax. Now we're all mixed in together and because of this the atmosphere has died and match day has changed from a war to an occasion.