Warrington Wolves fan/season ticket holder, have been for many years, like I've been going to City for many years also. And before anyone starts having a go, or saying I'm comparing rugby to football...rugby fans to football fans...Eastlands to the Halliwell, I'm not at all, It may appear that I am, and it may appear I'm just giving abuse to the Etihad, but I love both clubs as much as the other and I believe Eastlands with three times as many fans, could be a noisier place!! I'm merely just stating Facts here!
Not to brag or anything, but Warrington are known to have one of, or the best, fans in the super league, none stop singing/jumping around etc...
Now, first point; Obviously the stadiums are completely different,
Eastlands: made up of three tiers, consisting of 48,000 seats...Four stands - none standing!
Halliwell Jones: Made up of one tier, consisting of 15,000...Four stands- One reserved for away fans, two seated, one standing.
- Halliwell, The South stand (unreserved standing) is where the main action goes on... constant singing, songs, clapping, chanting, whistling, stamping, just getting the atmosphere going, there's plenty of youngsters and oldies, even the grey haired lot sing, so age doesn't matter! On the opposite side of this, North stand, the seated lot, also known as ''the posh totties'' you look over to observe them sat, no singing...not a single murmur...no clapping....nothing! Funny that? Not proving standing at the Etihad would work, just sharing that, Warrington have two lots of fans, however all our noisy group are bunged together in the standing area to get the best atmosphere going, everyone goes mental at ref decisions and tries, it's just truly amazing, all the years I've been going, not once have I been and not came away with a sore throat!
Now build ups to the match...
- the Halliwell has songs playing beforehand, mainly crap things, last season the favourite was 'Get Lucky - Daft Punk' people enjoy these, generally start singing along with it, getting themselves pumped before the match. Then the reading of the line-up, cheering every player and singing their songs, they give you a wave and respect your effort. You've got our mascot (Wolfie) running up and down getting people involved calling them to the pitch to play a game with, dropping his plants whilst we chant 'wolfie show us what's on your bum' childish yes, but it's fun for kiddies and the grown ups, he then runs round peeing off the away fans and having a laugh, he seems a pretty cool chap really!
-At the Etihad, build up is more or less the same, just no one sings along to songs, no one seems ''pumped up'' everyone just tucks into their food, yes, the reception when reading player names is pretty good though.
During the Game...
- Warrington south stand, singing our famous songs, singing individual player songs, singing/shouting abuse at the the away fans, Yes, we have people with drums, couple lads have drums, doing a tune to get the singing going again, giving you goosebumps at the loudness of everything. Scoring a try, the suspense waiting to see on the board whether it was a try or not, the songs/chants the stadium play when you score, getting you singing this, mainly loud Queen songs, aha again more singing... 'Come on the Wire' and what not. It's awesome!
- Eastlands, third tier, not a single noise, occasional abuse to a player, stand up, and clap if we score then sit down again...maybe if music was played every goal, people would start singing and then be all excited and ready to sing more...I don't know?
Half Time...
- Halliwell, more songs, same track again aha, cheerleaders on the pitch dancing and doing their stuff, people don't really watch, getting fans on the pitch to partake in a half time game, to win a prize or something, others normally just go get more drinks...and come back singing again.
- City, get music on, people talk...take pictures...half time games seem pretty cool as well, they get the fans involved and allow people to win a prize, which is a good idea again!
Second half...
- Warrington, same as first, people get anxious if you're losing, atmosphere at Halliwell shoots up, getting behind the team, thoroughly supporting them, backing every single player, even the ones we're less keen on...The ''Dzeko's and Garcia's'' the players generally react to this and seem to play better with the noise.
- Eastlands, if you're losing...abuse abuse abuse...the majority just expecting a result, anything less than 3-0 seems a disappointment this season. They're either deadly quiet muttering to people how shocking players are playing and how we should get rid of them, or their shouting abuse and giving the ref some stick for every decision made.
End of the match...
- Halliwell, More or less EVERY SINGLE fan is still there by the end, Why? to show appreciation to the players for entertaining us and helping us progress in the league! Why else? The players appreciate this, after every match they do a lap of honour, whether we've won or lost, they come over to the stands, you can get pictures/signatures/handshakes from the players if they come close enough, they applaud all of us and thank us for the support, everyone's still singing and showing how much we love our team!
- At the Etihad...ermmm not quite the same reception, generally a lot of people have already left, whether you're 5-0 up or 1-0 down, the players I suppose clp a couple times then scurry off down the tunnel, not really doing a lap of honour or showing their appreciation.
Honestly never wrote this much in my life aha, just bored and winds me up how the stadium always seems so quiet, and against Chelsea of all teams? I thought the stadium be completely rocking from the Noise!
Anyways, I'm sorry for all of this, and if you bother to read it then good for you, I don't expect people to, just as long as I know i've expressed my opinion I don't mind!(:
Again, not at all favouring the Wire, just showing you how much fun and how great it is when you're really involved in a ''singing family'' kind of situation where everyone gets going and sings and honestly it's just great! I genuinely wish City was like this, that's why away matches are better, you stand the whole time so can throw your voice around and you can chant properly, stomp around and stuff!
Positive here though...I do thoroughly enjoy what the 1894 group are doing and do believe that in a few years they would have really made an impact and the singing block will be real and huge and will be a great thing to have at the Etihad!
Rant officially finished.