Just recently I have heard so many different managers and players stating that the KC is a difficult place to go and play due to the fans providing either a hostile atmosphere or make it difficult for the opposition to play against. Don't get me wrong this to a certain extent will just be general patter that people say about everywhere. But I wouldn't know whether it was or wasn't because it is our home ground and I am used to it. I know people like to knock the atmosphere. Usually because we go quite when conceding. But do you think it is genuinely seen as a difficult place to play where the fans give the opposition a lot of stick ? I have never seen it As being that way. Steve Bruce, New Signings (Ince,Dawson,Snodgrass) opposition players and managers have all said as much in recent weeks.
We always seem to get **** refereeing decisions against us at places like Palace, West Ham, Everton, Chelsea. Old grounds where the fans are tight to the pitch. That shouldn't influence the ref but based on whenever we play at those places it seems to.
I've seen Galatasaray twice in Izmir where I lived, they take over your city Altay away in Izmir (5-4 Galatasaray) Göztepe away in Izmir (2-0 Galatasaray) It's like nothing else I've seen in football - even away support
I don't see the KC as a tough place to play because of our fans etc. I think it is the team that make us difficult to get a result against? Stoke is an intimidating place. I also remember being deafened by a 5000 or so crowd at Colchester and being royally thumped!!! Some places have atmosphere but we don't have it? Newcastle always had a voice too but methinks might be on our side this week???
This list is probably the order i'd look to in terms of picking up away points. Stamford Bridge Anfield Etihad Emirates Goodison Park Britannia White Hart Lane Old Trafford The Boleyn Ground Loftus Road Selhurst Park Stadium of Light Villa Park St James' Park KC St Mary's Hawthornes Liberty Turf Moor
There are no intimidating Premier League grounds any more. FACT. And ours is one of if not the least intimidating of them all. Sadly any player or manager saying it is is just throwing platitudes out to the masses.
The notion that a ground where home fans applaud Man Utd off the coach and where Stevie G is greeted with applause as he goes to take a corner could be perceived as having a hostile atmosphere is laughable. The only hostility shown by some of our fansis if someone disturbs the contemplation of the PL stars by our sit down, shut up brigade by making some noise in support of City and, horror of horrors, lifting their backside off the seat for a few moments.
i never even went the man city n arsenal home games last season, dislike games against them lot full of ****s with their tops under jacket in the home end, ppl fawning over so called superstars just zzzzz, might sell my pass for the man city game
Couldn't we get something like this? [video=youtube;wfkrlnUHrPo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfkrlnUHrPo[/video] They score, cheer, then just keep on singing. We don't have any proper chants or songs, anything Poznan style or indeed anything that'd make our fans instantly recognisable. Aside from that really gay 'mauled by the tigers' thing, which was famous for all the wrong reasons, we do need to bring in something to really kick the fans off. San Lorenzo, of Argentina, sing their own version of "Bad Moon Rising" and it sounds class. I always liked the idea of having one or two people shout something, then having a whole stand chanting in response, almost like the armies of old. I think away fans need to walk into our stadium and feel that mixture of excitment and nervousness, whereas at the moment it's just hunger and boredom.
Ayresome Park was a horrible place to visit. Raw violence everywhere, and the best result I can remember in my lifetime was a draw in the FA Cup once. ****ty grounds with zero atmosphere? Belle Vue, Doncasters old ground and Boothham Cresent York. Roker Park was a frightening place too. The Old Den wasn't on many people's must visit list either. Stoke's old ground, The Victoria, was an eye opener too. You needed your wits about you all day long. Todays modern stadiums are not hostile at all, I haven't witnessed any crowd trouble inside a stadium for over 20 years where as before all seater stadiums it was everywhere, every week. Teams being difficult to beat on the pitch are a different matter. I would place Everton at the top of the list after Man Utd lost their place when Ferguson retired. Stoke always make it difficult and Chelsea seem to have right idea of pressing teams and influencing referee's and winning free kicks around the box. But that is tactics, not the place itself. Everton seem to get the crowd behind them more then most, not in unison chanting but in disputing every decision. I cannot remember City ever getting a result there. The secret seems to be influencing referee's, nulling the away support by sticking them as far away from the pitch as possible, in evidence at Sid James Park tomorrow, and in some cases putting the visiting team in cramped changing rooms. Burnley do this apparently. The only uncomfortable afternoon I have had recently was at Southampton of all places when I got my flag out in the wrong pub. The worst of recent years, I'm talking the past ten was the infamous Friday night at Ninnian Park, Cardiff. Todays younger generation wouldn't believe what went on at football 30 years ago.
