Okay. So, have we all got over Monday yet? I haven't. One of the reasons i haven't is that i'm still so frustrated at the performance...of the fans. It was truly shocking. I think most of us agree on that. So, there is a movement afoot. People who are fed up with the silence at home games and who want to make a lot more noise. Be it with safe standing, an area for singers, or something that could help get the Vic rocking a bit. We all know that it won't be easy. It's a family club and there are a lot of people who just like to sit and watch football, especially now that the football is well worth watching. But, if you were asked to come up with ideas on how to improve the atmosphere at the Vic, what would you come up with? There's your challenge ...
Fit a db meter reader on the underside of the Rookery roof. Excluding whenever we score, if the Rookery crowd hits 100 db or above at least 10 times during a game there is some form of prize for us all.
Do you follow ROY MOORE on Twitter, there is a large move to get a singing area, this is obviously very difficult with a three sided ground and load s of restrictions because of the attitude of many Watford fans. The Vic Rd End is sold out next year and so that is impossible, the club will not move the 2,000 that have paid up for next year. The Rookery only has a small block of about 200 - 250 that can be given to get like minded peopel together to sing and its over towarsd the South West corner. There is a small possibility that the East Stand could be used, it might need a little bit of work, but there are 1200 seats that can be used to get a 'singing group' together. Roy is hoping to meet with people at the club this week in the hope that they maybe able to jump on board with this and help us out. Personally if The East Stand coudl be opened up,l id stick the away fans there and make what is now the away fans part of the Vic Rd end the 'unreserved\singing area.
For the time being, I would say allocate the two central blocks behind the Rookery goal, maybe from about halfway up, as the desgnated singing section. Then electrify each seat to encourage people to stand and sing (kidding). I can't really see this happening though as people like their seats there and unlikely to move just because they don't really want to sing. Otherwise, I think we may need to wait until the East Stand is built. I think I would then allocate the Lower Rous to away fans. I would then move the family area to the new East Stand and offer first choice to the current Lower Rous and Vic road end season ticket holders. I would then refurbish the Vic Road end with safe standing and make it for home fans only, and non-reserved Unfortunately I think this is going to be a long time coming, and a long time to change the culture. With success and good football, we should start attracting the next generation of fans. If we can get them into that culture of singing the whole game, this will improve the atmosphere. This is no way having a go at 'older' or quieter fans or anything like that. Everyone is entitled to support the team how they see fit, and just by turning up they are supporting the team!
I'm not sure if this has been attempted in the past, but seeing as we are now an Italian team residing in England, why don't we adopt a Watford Ultras fanbase? Similar to in Serie A (although less fascist)? I remember a group of kids trying to set this up a few seasons ago and it failed miserably, but what if the group was endorsed, and indeed funded by Watford FC? What if Watford FC were to fund banners and flags? If they reserved a specific section of seating (home and away) for the group? There must be at least 200 supporters who would be up for this, and that number would surely give enough gravitas to creating an atmosphere. Is this impossible within the next 5-10 years? I am not really one for singing and shouting at a football match. But, at Wembley, it was like sitting in a North Korean morgue. Only me and the people I was with seemed to be displaying any sort of passion.
That is where I would start, this and then the creation of a safe standing/singing area behind one of the goals.
The problem with that Bloother is that atm safe-standing areas haven't been approved, would the Pozzos be prepared to pay for a possible "white elephant?"
An elephant of any colour would certainly add to the noise levels!! I think there is a move towards safe-standing areas, although nothing will happen overnight. If I could I would stand, but Mini Bloother would struggle.
yorkie, my thoughts on the two items that I've highlighted: When we've had visiting (usually American) majorette bands in the last couple of years, them playing the range of instruments during the match has helped. Harry with just the single drum doesn't really do much to get the atmosphere going, so that would mean we'd need more than 1, possibly 5 or 6 plus maybe some trumpets. As for the second one, we're way behind a lot of clubs with this. Maybe there could be a fans competition, send the entries to Rocket Records (SEJs label) and get his lyricist Bernie Taupin to pick a winner. SEJ could then record it and it be played at home games. Maybe even have it released as a single or a track on an album, so those of us who aren't frequent visitors to the Vic know it when we attend matches. We could adopt O Sole Mio, but it would probably end up with the chant of "Just one Cornetto..."
Theres nothing we can do unless we have a sudden influx of fans in their 20's. Fan noise........Its just not going to happen!
This^^^ I know Ive said it a million times but the clubs that are loud/get behind their side throughout games have the majority of their fans between 18 and 40 all in one stand. Basically The Range of age in our Rookery is greater than most other clubs due to us being a family club and only having 3 stands.
I like the idea that Jersey puts above. Rookery Mike has had some thoughts about singing and I reproduce his thinking along the same lines. " SONGS! We don't have a single decent song that is unique to Watford. Almost without exception, the songs that get sung are picked up from other clubs. It's for this reason that I think so few people are minded to join in. Who wants to bellow something that every other club stopped singing 12 months ago? Not me. It doesn't mean anything. 'Hoist up the Watford flag' and 'we love you' are fine, but everyone sings them (or used to). They aren't ours. they are meaningless. We have history, an amazing present, as well as a wealth of interesting and diverse staff and players both past and present. If we can't come up with some decent songs about our club, then there is something wrong. They don't need to be masterpieces, or overly complicated, but they should be about US. That way more people will be inclined to join in. We should singing OUR songs about OUR club, FOR our club."
