We know what the problems are, we could list hundreds of reasons why the atmosphere's crap and we have done. At present we are where we are in terms of season ticket sales and the disbursement of singers. Not every singer wanted to be in the North stand. At least one Ulltra sits (or stands) in the East Stand. We have four distinct singing areas, two in the North, one in the East and one in the South plus others small groups around the ground. Fez's idea is something we can follow up, it may even work. Initially we need to respect those that haven't had people standing in front of them. In time I'd like to see designed parts of the ground (like the North) where it is expected the majority can stand and sing. However, there is nothing to stop people sitting and singing. I'm not keen on following what Liverpool and Palace have done, we're from Hull and I'd like to think we can come up with something a bit more original than St Pauli lite.
I've been in there twelve years and nobody has ever told me to shush and I am the noisiest bastard in there, they do get upset if I call the lino a **** though.
Is there any space around you? Perhaps those that have been asked to stop making so much noise in other parts of the west can be encouraged into that area. It'll be good to find some way of encouraging noise from the west.
The Premier Club is sold out and has been for a while, so there's no empty seats around me. Realistically, the corporate members are not going to start singing whatever happens, they'll jump up when there's a goal, they'll jump up and shout at the ref if there's a bad decision, but they're simply not going to start chanting. Though there's either end of the West and the West Upper that could possibly be encouraged to join in.
It was really more the upper west I was talking about for those very reasons. As mentioned earlier, it'll be good to find a way to let those in there that want to make a noise do so without being asked to shush as some say they have been. Suggestions seem to be to look for areas for like minded people to collect, but also to look at ways the more reserved may feel able to make a noise. I don't like them, but the clappy sticks seem popular.
Having gone to the Leeds V Charlton game last as a 'neutral' last night there's a few things I noticed about the atmosphere. 1. Standing does not automatically create a good atmosphere, around half the ground were standing and the place was dead. 2. Having a big stadium you can't fill kills the atmosphere, with 18,000 there last night it should have been half decent but the 21,000 empty seats made it feel like a reserve game. 3. Away fans really help the atmosphere, the 200 or so silent Charlton fans did nothing, all the Leeds chants aimed at them just fell flat. 4. Twirling your scarves in the air and singing 'we are the champions, champions of Europe' whilst drawing 0-0 with Charlton during a mid-table championship game in a half empty stadium is possibly the most embarrassing thing I've ever witnessed. EDIT: I've just realised all the points above are stating the bloody obvious.
Singing, jumping about when we score, or when we nearly score is part of the Match day experience for me which is why I have always gone in a noisy section ..its why I was in e3...then e1 and now N4....I would hate to be sat in a quiet area of the stadium such as the west stand . if I was Mr Allam I would be working on away to give away any unsold tickets in the north stand to anyone still at school / collage in the hope that that age group would include young uns who will sing. Anyone in the west stand / south stand wanting to help increase the noise why not move next season to the north stand ? Maybe the fans group / ctwd or whatever name they choose can help get all the singers together....somewhere for flags / banners also . Also stalls outside stadium selling stuff shirts t-shirts..badges etc ..food vans etc.
