Stand Up if you Love the Blues
By Peter Laing : 03/01/2008 : 
Comments (24) :
When Alex Ferguson speaks, the media usually takes note, and it was interesting to see the effects that his comments have made about the poor atmosphere at their recent home game against Birmingham.
Comments (24) : Having recently attended the away fixture at Man United, I too was suprised by the lack of noise generated by the home supporters; I went away thinking that this was probably due to the ridiculous 12 o'clock kick-off time and pre-Christmas effect. The travelling blue army consistently out-noised our opponents and not being a regular attendee of away games I am informed that our away support is often much more vocal than that experienced inside Goodison Park.
Whatever the reason, the old addage of the prawn sandwich brigade aside and the extortionate £47 entrance fee, lack of atmosphere is obviously becoming symptomatic of the general malaise that is becoming more common place in the EPL corporate era.
The overwhelming feeling from the United experience is that the Glazer-driven theme park is in full effect: plenty of family's and tourist's, rip-off pricing and a constant drip feed from the pocket of those in attendance. With this week's announcement of the submission of plan's for the Kirkby project, Ferguson's comments couldn't have been more timely, Goodison Park may not be a reflection of 21st century football and the atmosphere may not always be great but, when the grand old lady rocks, she certainly does it in style.
Reader Comments
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I’ve been to Old Trafford for the last 10 years, it’s always quiet...
Don’t kid yourselves. Once the Kirkbydome is built, we’ll be paying double for everything - transport, parking, the seats, pies, the programs will all be twice the current price or close to it. You think all this projected cash influx is going to come from filling a slightly larger stadium a few times a season? It’s going to come from one big fat excuse to soak the regular supporter for as much as possible. When only half of the current regulars at Goodison can afford to go, you’ll find the atmosphere change dramatically.
For those who were lucky to be there, there has never been an atmosphere like the European cup match against Bayern Munich in the 80?s or the 60?s Derby matches gainst Liverpool.
Goodison absolutely rocked.
Unfortunately I cant anticipate the same at Kirkby.
Goodison absolutely rocked.
Unfortunately I cant anticipate the same at Kirkby.
The atmosphere, in terms of singing, is always better when fans stand. There is a campaign to allow for 1 stand or one lower tier to allow fans to stand in front of their seat. Unfortunately this will not be of much use if the Kirkby stadium plans stay the same. As when the lower tier stand they will block the view of executives situated directly behind them, and will put fans off from standing too. Everton have not took this into account when designing the new stadium, and the atmosphere will suffer greatly because of it.
Why can?t they remove the executive boxes from the End Stands and double them up on the side?
Why can?t they remove the executive boxes from the End Stands and double them up on the side?
OT even took the steps of banning certain songs and also anti-Glazier banners. I went there against Everton a couple of years back and it was dead. Although one Utd fan said they need to stand up to really make noise and when they do they are ejected by stewards. Everton away fans are total class, outsinging Spurs, Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal at the Emirates. Like Roy Keane said, the real fans are the ones that travel to away games.
To be fair. Goodison park isn’t that loud either!
Football?s money driven now and is losing it?s working class fan?s. The club?s don?t give a shit anymore and this is why i?ll laugh my head off when the arse fall?s out of this game coz it will there?s nothing more certain. Can?t wait to see the look on these greedy twats' faces when they are all potless.
Good point there Jay about the working class fans being priced out.
Man Utd state that 87% of their 78,000 are non corporate fans, but they’re the middle class fans who got in on the Prem band wagon years ago.
I’m sure if tickets were £25 max and you had to queue for them, OT would be astounding... not that they could have built it that big on those ticket prices.
Also, working class people are more keen to shout and sing. Us middle class southern shandy drinkers get a little too self concious about it. and prefer conversation and kettle chips
When on a night out and you hear shouting in the street (such as the omnipresent Aye Aye!!!), its generally the working classes... us rattling our jewellery don’t tend to cause a scene.... hahaha... and I also vote conservative...
Man Utd state that 87% of their 78,000 are non corporate fans, but they’re the middle class fans who got in on the Prem band wagon years ago.
I’m sure if tickets were £25 max and you had to queue for them, OT would be astounding... not that they could have built it that big on those ticket prices.
Also, working class people are more keen to shout and sing. Us middle class southern shandy drinkers get a little too self concious about it. and prefer conversation and kettle chips
When on a night out and you hear shouting in the street (such as the omnipresent Aye Aye!!!), its generally the working classes... us rattling our jewellery don’t tend to cause a scene.... hahaha... and I also vote conservative...
Against Arsenal the atmosphere was poor.. even in the first half.
The singing at Goodison at the moment is the best I can remember for a long time..
Even when we were doing well in the late 80s 87-89, I thought the place was quiet for a team who had just won the championship..
Perhaps people come to expect success and dont have much to sing about..
Theres a buzz about Everton at the moment as the fans sense something special is about to happen..
The new stadium is being built in a similar mould to Colognes stadium which also generates a great atmosphere.. Cant wait to get there and start a new area in the clubs history..
Even when we were doing well in the late 80s 87-89, I thought the place was quiet for a team who had just won the championship..
Perhaps people come to expect success and dont have much to sing about..
Theres a buzz about Everton at the moment as the fans sense something special is about to happen..
The new stadium is being built in a similar mould to Colognes stadium which also generates a great atmosphere.. Cant wait to get there and start a new area in the clubs history..
Goodison is quiet when the team play poorly. Usually as is the case Home or away the crowd respond to what happens on the pitch. Although the day trippers dont sing because they probably dont know the words to half the songs
All this talk about the working class and the People's Club is bollocks and just plain old nostalgia!
In the 70s my uncles would take me to the game all the time and they had low skill/low paying jobs. You think you could afford a match ticket for a family member if you were working at a call center or behind the counter at Tesco?
Who here would pay higher ticket prices so we could afford to buy players and subsidize tickets for the working class so we could satisfy our craving for the old days with a bit of high-spirited singing? Not me; however, I wouldn?t fancy an outside toilet anymore either!
In the 70s my uncles would take me to the game all the time and they had low skill/low paying jobs. You think you could afford a match ticket for a family member if you were working at a call center or behind the counter at Tesco?
Who here would pay higher ticket prices so we could afford to buy players and subsidize tickets for the working class so we could satisfy our craving for the old days with a bit of high-spirited singing? Not me; however, I wouldn?t fancy an outside toilet anymore either!
Nick Entwistle i?ll be voting Tory if that Labour lower my sick cheque!!!
For what ordinary people are paying nowaday?s and what they are getting in return is nothing short of a disgracel. Standard is crap and the players are over-rated end ov.
Here?s an example today, Frank Lampard saying he want?s to end his career at Chelsea!!! Now he should be man enough to say it how it is and say" I?m fuckin shite, no real top side in Europe want?s me coz I?ve been found out. But I?ll think I?ll stay here where that daft Russki will pay me 100k a week so I can enjoy my undeserved lavish lifestyle like gettin my back, sack and crack waxed because i?m a total gobshite and I think I?m sommit else"
Another 1 is that oaf Benetiz saying that the Gap for the title race can be closed!! Ha ha. It?s idiots like him that are picking up life changing sums of money every week when in all honesty the reporter doing the interview should have twated him with a bin lid sized custard pie right in the kite and demanded that the fat spaniard got sectioned for a insane comment like that.
Football nowadays is on the way out mate!!!
For what ordinary people are paying nowaday?s and what they are getting in return is nothing short of a disgracel. Standard is crap and the players are over-rated end ov.
Here?s an example today, Frank Lampard saying he want?s to end his career at Chelsea!!! Now he should be man enough to say it how it is and say" I?m fuckin shite, no real top side in Europe want?s me coz I?ve been found out. But I?ll think I?ll stay here where that daft Russki will pay me 100k a week so I can enjoy my undeserved lavish lifestyle like gettin my back, sack and crack waxed because i?m a total gobshite and I think I?m sommit else"
Another 1 is that oaf Benetiz saying that the Gap for the title race can be closed!! Ha ha. It?s idiots like him that are picking up life changing sums of money every week when in all honesty the reporter doing the interview should have twated him with a bin lid sized custard pie right in the kite and demanded that the fat spaniard got sectioned for a insane comment like that.
Football nowadays is on the way out mate!!!
My other half is a Man Utd fan along with her brother and dad. The biggest rip-off concerning the Mancs has to be (it came out of a conversation I had with her brother) he has a season ticket for him and his 12-yr-old lad, and with being season ticket holders they are sent cup tickets, and no matter if they want them or not, they are still charged for them. He said that their next European game at home, he can?t make it, but still has to fork out £80 or so, even though he won?t be at the game. Now that is what you call ripping the fans off.
There was something in one of the papers this morning (Telegraph?) on the average decible levels of the Premiership clubs. Goodison came fifth, but top for ’most time chanting’ (lol). Sunderland were top, with Man City, Villa and Chelsea above us if I’m not mistaken (and the RS and Man U way down). Not sure how reliable these things are though!
Goodison was extremely quiet against Arsenal. Ypu couldn’t hear anybody singing. How is this possible? We were up one nil at half-time and outplaying Arsenal (not creating many chances though). I am sick and tired of this discussion, working class or ticket prices. As long as your inside the Park during the game you should be able to participate in hazzling the opponents and chearing the team on. Then you have paid, rich or poor. How is the game today? Who cares! Players wages are high - YES. But still, do you support your club and want it to go somewhere you should show some feelings and join in!!
Re John Maxwell : "The new stadium is being built in a similar mould to Colognes stadium which also generates a great atmosphere"
That stand is kombi terracing, that?s why it works there. We don?t have that over here so you need a different type of stand that will not put fans off from standing.
In the Kirkby design there is a whole row of executive boxes that will put fans off from standing up at the back. You will also struggle to get fans standing up in the upper tier and it is also a safety risk.
The design has to change in order to generate an atmosphere.
That stand is kombi terracing, that?s why it works there. We don?t have that over here so you need a different type of stand that will not put fans off from standing.
In the Kirkby design there is a whole row of executive boxes that will put fans off from standing up at the back. You will also struggle to get fans standing up in the upper tier and it is also a safety risk.
The design has to change in order to generate an atmosphere.
I went to watch Man U v Everton the year Jeffers made his debut by borrowing my mate’s sister’s season ticket.
We were sat in the corner just next to the Stretford End and there was this cockney sat behind us shouting:
"If yer downt sing they wawnt win!"
I was pissing myself. They still beat us though. Bastards
We were sat in the corner just next to the Stretford End and there was this cockney sat behind us shouting:
"If yer downt sing they wawnt win!"
I was pissing myself. They still beat us though. Bastards
That was a boxing day I seem to remember Dawson. 1-0?
Even at away games I?m always being told to sit down because "people have paid good money for their seats".
if you want to stand and have a sing-along in Goodison then the back of the Lower Gwladys is the only place I know.
if you want to stand and have a sing-along in Goodison then the back of the Lower Gwladys is the only place I know.
Back in 1992 I think the average ticket price at Goodison was £12. Prices go up all the time and will continue to do so until there is a price cap enforced. Sadly, just hard luck.
Good Guardian artical on OT atmosphere
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3123786.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3123786.ece
Nick
That’s an article in the Times, you Tory dog!
Did you mean this from the Guardian:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2234261,00.html
There is some quite interesting debate on the stadium move.
That’s an article in the Times, you Tory dog!
Did you mean this from the Guardian:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2234261,00.html
There is some quite interesting debate on the stadium move.
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1 Posted 03/01/2008 at 13:55:31
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