Sometimes it's difficult to keep quiet! I have friends in Sunderland and I was a guest of their's at the Sunderland v Norwich match back in March! I was seated with them in the Sunderland end and when we took the lead, I lept to my feet yelling YEEEEESSSS then noticed a wall of stony faces glaring at me! I meekly sat down and thumbed through my programme!
This still makes me laugh. Jasper Carrott's take on why away fans should be quiet at certain grounds. [video=youtube;eedH28a4Fus]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eedH28a4Fus[/video]
Mitch really.. tut tut Seriously though no one expects everyone to sing etc.... But there has always been a problem as identified elsewhere... and I think the seating has a lot to do with it.... when we were terraced people would gather together etc etc. Acoustics had also been blamed and a three sided ground clearly doesn't help us at all. I do think in the future having a designated singing area which people can buy tickets for will be a step forward... who knows if they will do it.
Oh I don't know - singing & chanting usually involves hand/arm movement. If the silent ones were asked to stand, they'd be too busy hanging on to their blankets and flasks to join in. There is no one single issue that inhibits the atmosphere at The Vic though - there are a few, such as: 1. Acoustics - being a (currently) three-sided stadium obviously doesn't help, but also the design of the stand roofs simply allows the sound waves to dissipate upwards - they really need to curve downwards more; 2. The rake of the seating in both the Upper & Lower sections Rous Stand is too flat - it needs to be similar to both ends of the stadium to make a noticeable difference; 3. Lack of standing area for the 'noisy ones' who like to gather together and sing. Having only seated areas simply means that many just can't be together with like-minded mates or family - and there's nothing more noise-inhibiting for an individual than having to mingle with people who prefer to sit and watch quietly. And then there are many, myself included, who simply don't like sitting down at a match - it's not natural ; 4. Ticket pricing - it's simply too dear to attend matches these days - the game is no longer the preserve of the working class or young that it used to be & many who would generate the noise simply don't attend as regularly as they would like, if at all. One simple solution may be to play all our home games at night, when cooler ground temperatures would cause downward refraction of the sound waves.
Some of the so called "noisy ones" turning up to every game might be more constructive than pouring scorn on those who go to every game and enjoy it in their own way. This talk of rugs and thermoses smacks of ageism...the targets of this kind of snide remark have often been paying their money and supporting the club week in week out for 40 years or more - truer support than those who've been half a dozen times and shouted a lot.
Last time I was in the LR I was glared at by a 10 year old when I shouted some words of advice to the lino just in front of me. It seems as if I was interrupting the lad's game on the electronic thing he was holding. Really though it is not right to have a go at the patrons of the Rous. I was quite shocked at how little noise came from the Rookery compared to some people who were in full flow just behind me for the whole game.
stewards telling people to sit down and other people moaning at others to sit down and shut up doesnt help atmosphere much either. Until we get unreserved seating and a proper singing section the vic is doomed to be a library . On a positive there are moves afoot
plenty of older folk willing to make a noise me included. what is infuriating is the fans that moan at other fans to sit down ,they are just verbally trying to encourage their sideand we are there to support the same side ,although sometimes I do wonder.
In 2 years time there will be threads like these (why are Watford fans so quiet) and again in 5 years time there will probably be yet more threads of the same. Not all clubs are going to be loud, there will always be quiet ones, lets just accept that we will never be vocal/loud and get on with it. What happens on the pitch and more people going to the games (this seasons attendances have been poor) are more important. The Vic has been quiet for years now so we should all be accustomed to it anyway.
Ok!! I'm not sure how many use WFC Firums, there is a real push for next season to get a group together, it's initially been named 1881 (after our birth year). This isn't a green street style stone island hooligan group, but a group of people who are like minded, who want to sing and create an atmosphere. A meeting has been arranged with the club this week as its vital to get them onside with it all. The meeting is designed to find an area to congregate on match day, once that's decided there will be lots of advertising going out. Hopefully each match day programme aswell (hence why the club need to be on board). This can work, look at Palace this year at The Vic.
Okay in the next week certain individuals will be speaking to the club and putting forward some proposals ,initial reactions are very promising there are some very good and workable ideas , that would be beneficial to club ,fans and atmosphere
Someone should put forward a loyalty points scheme idea to the club. It would give people another incentive/reason to A) Buy ST and B) buy tickets for home and away games. This scheme worked well at Reading.
So there is the yellow order for under 17's and then there will be this group I presume for over 18's???
The last i knew TYO was in tatters because there were a few idiots in there who were chanting inappropriate things and people didnt like it so they split. I think there need to be clear rules about what is acceptable and what isnt. Or you end up with the same senario.
You would get more respect/acknowledgement if you showed a bit of passion/support for the team/club than by telling people how long you have been going for.
Exactly my point...being judged by people who don't attend any more. I make as much noise as can be expected from an old git. Those who aren't by nature shouters but attend regularly deserve respect. The jibes about blankets and thermoses are no more called for than a suggestion that anyone who sings or chants has no brain of their own. Genuine supporters come in many different forms.
Sing "I pay for my season. I sing when I want" For 400ish quid I will sing if I want and where I sit I can stand if I want without troubling others. The Rous don't sing anyway and the Family Area do yellow army and that's about it. So no surprise we were quiet at wembley, especially with 15k or so occasionals who would not know the words to the regular songs anyway. I did get a tap on the shoulder at one point to sit down from some 80+ biddy with a walking frame who to be fair would have been better that Geijo had she come on at half time. Play - Off? Exciting? so people are going to stand anyway. Did spot the Palace black shirts on Wembley Way at about 2 ish making more noise than anyone else. Their plan worked I think.
