Why is our away support miles better than our home support? I really don't get it.. When we were at Cardiff our fans were singing non-stop at 2 nil down, if we were 2 nil down to Cardiff at home all you'd hear from the home fans is moans and groans. So the question is: why are people more willing to actually support the team away from home, but not at home? At OT on Wednesday there will be 9,000 ST holders, if those 9,000 ST holders all sat in the South Stand and sung like they will at OT, the atmosphere would be much much better. And I'd bet that our home form would also improve
Its the way modern crowds are. People have entertainment at their fingertips instantly. People demand to be entertained first and foremost. Away from home attracts the more hardcore supporters, couple that with lowers expectations away than at home.
I've been preaching the same thing for yonks..Our home support is abysmal if things are not going well..And that is when the support is needed the most..
Being seated doesn't give you the same feeling as standing packed in with fellow fans. It's far to easy to just sit and watch and not get involved. When you're part of a mass, shoulder to shoulder it's impossible not to join in.
Its always been that way though. Even back in the day Roker could be a graveyard for players that struggled and yet the away support was always amazing even in adversity. I think its the way of most clubs tbh and nothing especially unique to us and too much made of it at times.
It's not something that should be dismissed like that though, it's not right that our home support is ****e, especially when our away support is class
I believe it is very important for the good of the club, and was an important factor of our relative success in the early day of the stadium opening...
It's got worse since they moved the away fans, the South West Corner which seemed to be our singing contingent have disappeared? It seems to take an awful lot to get the crowd rocking. I remember atmosphere before a game! Where both sets of fans would have a sing off as you were! The americanisation of football has it's part to play in diminishing the atmosphere too. Songs played just before kick off to get the crowd going. Songs welcoming a goal ( thank **** that died a death) Maybe it's a generational thing? It's more a case for some people that they would rather shout and swear at their own team than actually support them. I myself was a singer! Used to love a good chant however I have now given up! What's the point of doing it on your own? Many a time I've started only to end alone getting puzzled looks from the people around me. Maybe I should take a stick and hit people until they join in? Perhaps the old football that we all used to love has died and we have a new sanitised version where tackling is all but banned, having fun is frowned upon. Police treat fans with contempt as do some players and managers. We can no longer relate to the players on the pitch. They are no longer one of us, they don't drink with us they don't understand how we feel. We in turn are less forgiving of them. They get millions of pounds they should be exceptional and leave their lungs on the pitch! We forget that they are human and make mistakes and need encouragement. It seems it all went wrong somewhere and who knows where?
Even though trouble's rare, these days, I still feel that going away is a bit of a 'lions den' kind of thing. I think you always feel like sticking your chest out and shouting the odds away from home. During the 70's and 80's a bit of bravado was vital and singing your head off, and supporting the lads, brought everyone together. Just saying ............
Dead simple - its the congregation of dedicated people in a small area. At SoL they are spread out, but away they are brothers in a cause.
All seater do dampen the atmosphere. I remember going when 15 and into the clock stand paddocks. At that age you could find the singers and stand with them and join in. I used to seek them out. Kids these days can't really congregate once in the ground. You just sit where you are told
Identify the season ticket holders that go to away games and ask if they would like to sit in one area of the ground. Perhaps offer a small discount to offset the inconvenience and request they sing their bloody hearts out like they do at away games. Even if they sit next to family/friends who do not go to away games get them involved too.
Might I suggest a couple of reasons. 1. a higher percentage women and children attend home games raising the pitch of the noise to a much less threatening tone. 2. you get a higher percentage of whinging middle aged bastards who bellow abuse at the players from kick off to full time. I'm not implying all middle aged supporters are abusive, it just tends to be a man in that age bracket I see doing it. And by the same token, I'm not implying all women and children have high pitched voices, I'm sure some of them sound quite manly.
