Mr Donald, please move the away fans back to the South Stand

dangermows said:
Apparently so.
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I still blame the youth of today. In my day the best atmosphere was quite often before the game... as the anticipation ramped up the Fulwell got into full swing cumulating in a crescendo of noise as the players ran out. Well they killed that with DJs, dance of the nights etc.
Today’s fans expect to be motivated to support... Iam afraid paper clackers are the only way forward if you want to include everyone.
Of course safe standing should make a big difference as I think people are just more inclined to sing stood up ... I always was.
 


Chewit said:
I still blame the youth of today. In my day the best atmosphere was quite often before the game... as the anticipation ramped up the Fulwell got into full swing cumulating in a crescendo of noise as the players ran out. Well they killed that with DJs, dance of the nights etc.
Today’s fans expect to be motivated to support... Iam afraid paper clackers are the only way forward if you want to include everyone.
Of course safe standing should make a big difference as I think people are just more inclined to sing stood up ... I always was.
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That's nowt to do with young uns and everything to do with all seater stadiums with bars. You don't need to get in early to get a spot, instead you can stroll to your seat on kick off having just finished your pint.

The atmosphere at the SoL for the Sheff Utd play off was better than any atmosphere I witnessed at Roker (only started going in 88 mind, but includes quarter final against Chelsea, although it was mental when we scored our second).
 
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tynevalleyblackcat said:
No I just think this whole thread and the original suggestion will cost the club money and annoy current season card holders at a time when we are trying to grow the support and reduce the cost base. I think its a rediculous and completely unnecessary suggestion.

The answer to the atmosphere issue (if indeed you think its even an issue), is to get behind the team more. Its that simple. Nobody needs to move, Some people need to move their tonsils a bit more though.
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Apologies for missing your response here.

I think there is an issue with the atmosphere, again this is my opinion. If there is no buzz at the match, people will not come back. Some of the highs come from the team's performance on the pitch but they come also from the tribal interactions between supporters.

Just like you, I have watched the team home and away for many years (less away since becoming a responsible adult), in the shit seasons and the good. I have also had my fair share of crushing defeats and watching away/home supporters gloat. Have you not also seen the faces of supporters of opposing teams after a 93rd-minute goal away wherever? I was climbing the fence to the home end at the Baseball Ground singing my head off as the 5th went in for Derby, it is a bittersweet love affair, take the rough with the smooth.

I could also be a blinkered old fool.
 
dangermows said:
That's nowt to do with young uns and everything to do with all seater stadiums with bars. You don't need to get in early to get a spot, instead you can stroll to your seat on kick off having just finished your pint.

The atmosphere at the SoL for the Sheff Utd play off was better than any atmosphere I witnessed at Roker (only started going in 88 mind, but includes quarter final against Chelsea, although it was mental when we scored our second).
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Aye Sheff Utd was up there with RP...but that was relatively soon after RP anyway. Some of the atmospheres at the SOL in early days were electric... people didn’t just stop making a noise when they left RP its been diluted over time and lets face it many fans have had to develop a sense of self preservation in the last decade.... investing emotion and passion into the team was rewarded by being constantly kicked in the teeth ....there was no respite from it, very little hope.... we need to let ago again and have blind faith.
 
tynevalleyblackcat said:
Is there one single person who currently has a seat in the South stand area who thinks this is a good idea? or is it just people who sit elsewhere and wont be affected by any move?

The club had to offer sweeteners to those relocated from the concourse at the start of this season and would be almost forced to offer similar sweeteners to those moved from the south stand. That would cost us money long term and it would also disperse the only buggers in the stadium who currently try to create any atmosphere.

We have just renamed the end the Roker end after a fans poll and put a mural on the wall there of some ex captains, so yes it would be a great idea to move all the Sunderland fans out and put the away fans in a prime spot behind the goal.

From the clubs point of view, they are saving money by having the concourse closed for league games unless the crowd is large. By moving the away fans down to the lower bowl, you effectively reduce the capacity of the lower bowl for home fans by 3,000 plus the extra segregation required meaning the club would then have to reopen the concourse for smaller crowds than we do now. Yesterday for e.g. would have required us to reopen the concourse requiring extra stewards and extra costs that are better spent on the team.

The suggestion would:

A) Cost the club money
B) Piss off a large number of existing season card holders
C) Disperse those few that currently try to create some atmosphere thereby making it even worse
D) Increase the support at pitch level for our opponents
E) Enable the media to position their camera men at the North Stand end and get action shots during the game with a backdrop of empty seats whenever there was a small away following. This used to happen all the time when the away fans were in the South stand and even at games when the official attendance was 46,000+ they would publish shots like this.

It's quite frankly a terrible idea with no upsides that I can see.

Presumably we would not yesterday have been able to sell an extra 1,000 tickets to Luton which has probably earned the club something like £16,000 as the away end would be 3,000 max in the South stand for league games, unless we also stopped selling season tickets either side to enable the away end to be expanded when required.

Its a mental idea that has no benefits and would cost the club money long term.



That is the correct answer. Its madness that we are still kicking the other way when the South stand became the home end what 5 or 6 years back now?
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My ST is in the South and I'd happily get shunted out to the SWC or SEC as the atmosphere has been wank for 6 years.

The mural will have cost relative pennies so should be an irrelevance to the whole thing.
 
Sheff Utd was the tops at SOL.

The Chelsea semi final is the point in time i would go back to if next door neighbour said "oww mate, sit in that and just pull that lever"

On the machine that is.

Sorry....or just before the teams were walking out v Norwich in Milk Cup Final.
 
dangermows said:
That's nowt to do with young uns and everything to do with all seater stadiums with bars. You don't need to get in early to get a spot, instead you can stroll to your seat on kick off having just finished your pint.

The atmosphere at the SoL for the Sheff Utd play off was better than any atmosphere I witnessed at Roker (only started going in 88 mind, but includes quarter final against Chelsea, although it was mental when we scored our second).
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Shef Utd playoff best atmosphere ive ever sampled along with the first ever mags gane at the SOL, 2-2.

... away fans for both games were in the south stand. :cool::cool:
 
Chewit said:
Aye Sheff Utd was up there with RP...but that was relatively soon after RP anyway. Some of the atmospheres at the SOL in early days were electric... people didn’t just stop making a noise when they left RP its been diluted over time and lets face it many fans have had to develop a sense of self preservation in the last decade.... investing emotion and passion into the team was rewarded by being constantly kicked in the teeth ....there was no respite from it, very little hope.... we need to let ago again and have blind faith.
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Good post.
 
People keep posting about moving the away fans to x corner, but it’s really not that straight forward. When the club originally moved them to the NS upper they had to undertake a feasibility study to satisfy the police and safety committee. All four corners were ruled out pretty quickly.

The only corner that could be possibly used is the NE corner, but it would be a total pain for the club/fans. Not only would they have to keep the police/safety committee happy - which will not be easy (particularly around the issue of derby day); and relocate 2000-3000 SC holders; but they would need to invest quite a bit of money improving the facilities and introducing segregation. In addition, they would need to close the SAFCSA shop which is presently located in that corner.

Really, the only area of the SOL the away fans could feasibly go is the South Stand (as it was designed for away fans), but you then have the issue of the family stand being located next to them!

Away fans will not be moved.

dred said:
Not particularly. Dont allow them in. Fans in the North Stand can't use it.
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I doubt the police would want away support sitting in front of the BCB mate. In addition, on derby day, when the ‘sterile zone’ is in place, it becomes extremely difficult to get 3000 home fans into the upper tier. Everyone would need to use the premier concourse turnstiles which would not be ideal
 
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Caer_Urfa said:
Shef Utd playoff best atmosphere ive ever sampled along with the first ever mags gane at the SOL, 2-2.

... away fans for both games were in the south stand. :cool::cool:
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Attacking the other team both games.

I have the full mags match and for most of the first half all you can hear is them.

NorthCountryBoy said:
My ST is in the South and I'd happily get shunted out to the SWC or SEC as the atmosphere has been wank for 6 years.

The mural will have cost relative pennies so should be an irrelevance to the whole thing.
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All you'll get now is away fans dominating, and in a more influencial position, with a few of our lot singing about mini buses. Simple matter is its league one, we haven't got any songs anymore and many of our fans aren't arsed.

The SWC and atmosphere in generally got hammered on here every week before the move. Perhaps our fans are just miserable fuckers?
 
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No team has an class atmosphere every week. The atmosphere is determined by what happens on the pitch, we do not want FAKE atmospheres. Leave the away fans where they are. We don't need away fans to create atmosphere - we need a big game with a performance to match. For example Everton with BSA, Everton with PDC, games v The Mags, Chelsea 3-2 etc etc. The atmospheres in League 1 are exactly as I would expect them to be.
 
tunstallhill said:
So the atmosphere has been wank with all the chanters together, but sticking 1000 away fans in the middle of it will improve it ?
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Aye but there are loads in those areas who don't sing. I barely do.

I did when there were Away fans right by and there was some back and forth but it's boring now. If 3k Leeds fans are in your face it gets you going. People might criticise that but it's how football culture goes and why the SOL has died.
 
NorthCountryBoy said:
Aye but there are loads in those areas who don't sing. I barely do.

I did when there were Away fans right by and there was some back and forth but it's boring now. If 3k Leeds fans are in your face it gets you going. People might criticise that but it's how football culture goes and why the SOL has died.
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Sorry but i think that is bollocks. I go to support Sunderland, not abuse away fans. Why don't we just give the away fans the keys to stadium, hand them 3 points, let them in for free and suck them off one by one on the way out . Atmosphere will be electric. Marching on together and all that. I'll have to learn the words
 
tunstallhill said:
Sorry but i think that is bollocks. I go to support Sunderland, not abuse away fans. Why don't we just give the away fans the keys to stadium, hand them 3 points, let them in for free and suck them off one by one on the way out . Atmosphere will be electric. Marching on together and all that. I'll have to learn the words
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Like i say whether you like it or not that's football culture. If more people had your mindset the ground would be loud but we've had 6 years to prove it isn't unless we're winning in a big game.

Said nowt about abusing Away fans anyway.
 
NorthCountryBoy said:
Like i say whether you like it or not that's football culture. If more people had your mindset the ground would be loud but we've had 6 years to prove it isn't unless we're winning in a big game.

Said nowt about abusing Away fans anyway.
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do you think its only a coincidence that the last 6 years have been utter dirge on the field? can't you see the link between winning only a handful of home games over a 3 year period and the atmosphere at home being relatively poor?

i know one thing for sure, no matter how bad the 3 or 4 seasons previous to this one had been, they would have been significantly worse if every away team who came up and took the piss out of us on the pitch got to have their fans in our faces taking the piss out of us.

i honestly don't get why any sunderland fan would want to give the away team any advantage whatsover. we find it difficult enough as it is to win at home. when we do start winning, the atmosphere will improve, and having sunderland fans pitch side on all 4 sides will be to the detriment of away teams.

also, i disagree with the bit about it being 'football culture'. we can still sing and shout at the away fans and team from the lower bowl. the fulwell end, anfield kop, kippax, stretford end, etc.. weren't famed for being the home end because they were adjacent to the away section. in fact in most cases, traditionally, the home end was at the opposite end of the ground from the away section. so not sure how its 'part of football culture'
 

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