Picking through the bones of not just yesterday, but the last 2 months, on and off the pitch, i wonder if maybe we the fans have a part to play in dragging the lads back to their feet. I think back to Quinns comments about 'a full stadium inspiring the players, players thriving in a great atmosphere...' Well, the atmosphere at the SOL this season has been, without pulling any punches, dreadful. I look at other clubs and there players over achieving, and i can see a direct link to boistrous and noisy home fans, the wall of noise creating giving players who aren't the most gifted motivation, making them feel bigger, making the feel part of the club, and pushing them on to work harder for the shirt. Is there a direct link? Blackpool. Should be down by rights, fans behind them, loud and raucous, could still stay up. The Toon. Like it or lump it, they make a racket, sing and shout, team is over achieving. West Brom. Loud fans, relegation favourites, likely to stay up. Stoke. 3rd year in a row and doing well again. Flip side, Wigan, bottom of the pile. Villa struggling. Can we, by makig a wall of noise last seen in the Keane era promotion season, give our players confidence, a boost, help them find that extra 5%, show them what made Niall come back, find investors and rebuild a club he fell in love with, fell in love with because we used to make the hairs on his neck stand up. I think we have a massive part to play here, and we need to start doing it. **** complaining, questioning the players and Bruce, let's do that at the end of the season. Sunderland Association Football Club needs you, needs us, and it's needs us badly, starting on Saturday against a WBA side who will be vocally backed by their always stellar away fans. Let's do our ****ing bit, and earn our right to have a go when it's all going to ****. WE ARE SUNDERLAND.
I agree, again, all fans that can afford to go to the match should go, and MAKE SOME ****ING NOISE! The atmosphere for the Liverpool game was crap despite the huge number that turned up. In the past Sunderland was known for its massive and vocal crowds, we need to bring that back, and fast.
I'm convinced there's a link. Remember games like the Chelsea 4-1 under Reid? I could barely speak after we screamed the place down for 90 mins. Sheff Utd play offs, Burnley, Edwards goal, we used to lift the roof. WHAT THE **** HAPPENED??
What a breath of fresh air - brilliant article. The SOL has been like a morgue this season - don't know how to get the atmos back though. Lol Bart
Maybe some of us need to move seats, get a motion going, all get together, extend the madness of the SWC. I sit North Stand, it used to buzz around me, now it's ****ing tragic. I'd move seat if we had a plan, the Toon have there Leazes section, the club moved them, so they all plotted together and made sure the 'cheerkeader' sort remained together, lets get it going!
Not sure if I should even comment as it's over a season since I was there. But I have read a lot lately from others about the attitude of some of our supporters looking down their noses at the louder (IMHO the louder the better) element of our support. Quietly clapping whilst the more vociferous are screaming and shouting. I have mentioned about my son and his friends being shouted at by our own supporters for jumping up and getting involved in the game.(There is one gentleman in particular seems to have taken a dislike to my son, I may be heading over to the SOL and risk putting myself in bed for a few days with an aggravated back to have a few words with said gentleman myself.) And the ones that complain about swearing, **** OFF this is FOOTBALL a workingmans sport not soccer. If anyone tried to tell me to stop swearing they would get one hell of a slap. Options for geeing up a none performing player. "Come along Richardson you can do better than that old chap!" "Get yer ****ING finger out Ricco!"
MR, I posted before the Liverpool game that i was going to launch into Niall Quinns disco pants exactly 5 mins into the game, and i was true to my word. No ****er joined me, although i did get a ripple of applause, scare the odd child,and give everyone in a 20 seats radius a good chuckle. I'm going again saturday lads. 8 mins after kick off on saturday, i'm doing a 2 verse rendition of wise men say, alone if needs be! Keep our eyes peeled north standers!
And much kudos to yourself mate. I remember once we were trying to get a chant going in the Fulwell End and me and some of the other "lads" were actually looking about and pointing at groups of lads not singing and telling them "If you're not gonna ****ing sing get the **** outa the Fulwell!" At the time we were more than capable of backing up the words with actions.
Good article Brucey and I think you may well b right but I have no idea how to change it. Sitting certainly does not help, when you all stood only your head stood out so the less confident could shout with some annonimity. When you sit you are more on show so stand out more, for many thats intimidating. Sid before I sit in the east stand, cracking view but dead, a chap in front of me is very vocal and every time he shouts there are smiles all round that say, look at that fool. Maybe time to join in with him on Saturday.
I recall last season at Burnley, we were hammering them and it looked like a rout. They won the ball in midfield 2/3rds of the way down the pitch in our attacking half and a cry echoed around every part of the stadium like they'd just won a penalty. Ten seconds later it was in the net. Thirty minutes later it was 3-1 and all over. I said to my mate at the time that the home crowd scored at least one of those goals and I was left with the feeling that every one of their supporters had played a role in their victory (well, ...David Nugent done good too).
The seating thinkg is mute syd, as everyone else has to sit as well! I remember that game well mate, it was a prime example. Burnley, like Blackpool this year should have been no hopers, but the efforts and lift given by the crowds unquestionably gives a boost. We used to do it, we need to get back to backing the lads, properly.
it always seems to be that away fans are the most vocal, safc have good away support its just a shame at home games all them folks are spread around and the noise is lost. who has the noisiest fans? remember the pompey lot always created a great athmosphere
There must be a way we can all get together, if you shout and sing, you know who you are, lets all get together and make some noise! Even the non-singers enjoy the match more when there's an atmosphere, and the players!
