New Stadium

[Steed_Train]

Yes the atmosphere was toilet at Wembley but I imagine the completely abject performances didn't help that. The Monaco game was buzzing before we started getting completely outplayed

The Lane is hardly rocking when we put in completely toilet performances.

 

[EighteenEightyTwo]

EighteenEightyTwo or anyone else please can you confirm or disconfirm the 30-50% corporates for the away allocation when we have the new ground? You've got me worried. I'm really hoping that it's just 12-13% as seemed to be the case from the THST meeting.

I was told that but the guy seemed unsure on the exact proportion. It seems that it will definitely go up though.

 

[palmers_green_yid]

Yes the atmosphere was toilet at Wembley but I imagine the completely abject performances didn't help that. The Monaco game was buzzing before we started getting completely outplayed

The Lane is hardly rocking when we put in completely toilet performances.

Was on holiday so missed Monaco. For Leverkusen, there wasn't even anyone shouting, swearing, grumbling, moaning, talking, as there is in the Paxton when we are playing shit...just silence. Perhaps because my ticket is on the side. Would probably be better behind the goal.

 

[sammyspurs]

We need to make sure enough of the right people are in the right place together.

Is 1882 still a thing?
Could be a good time to get organised in terms of letting it be known that the single tier is for the "away fan" atmosphere, if you know what I mean.

 

[palmers_green_yid]

I was told that but the guy seemed unsure on the exact proportion. It seems that it will definitely go up though.

Sorry to pester you...who told you that? Really hope that is wrong. Our support would be the laughing stock of the country if we have that many corporates at Woolwich or Chelsea. We'd need to mobilise against that. Even the current 9% is more than enough and there's no reason, as has been said, why these people shouldn't be in the same LP table as the rest of us.

 

[imitationleather]

That's bad, bad news about the away allocation if true. We've easily got one of the best away followings in the league.

 

[EighteenEightyTwo]

Sorry to pester you...who told you that? Really hope that is wrong. Our support would be the laughing stock of the country if we have that many corporates at Woolwich or Chelsea. We'd need to mobilise against that. Even the current 9% is more than enough and there's no reason, as has been said, why these people shouldn't be in the same LP table as the rest of us.

The sales guy at the SPVRS. Bear in mind it's his job to sell premium seating so he'll be inclined to exaggerate if he doesn't know the exact percentage. I honestly can't imagine they would stretch to half, I agree 9% is more than enough.

If it's true though it would cause a massive division in our fanbase. There could be some serious infighting if something like that happened.

 

[Super Jan Fan]

You have to remember that West Ham are a smaller club. Since the Premier League started they've spent half the time in the Championship. Unless you are born into it, why would you support them? Well, you might have this summer given they were moving into the Olympic Stadium, which was pretty successful in 2012 and you were told it was going to be amazing, going to take the club to the next level etc. But you've probably changed your mind by now.

Even when Spurs were shit we played a certain way that was entertaining, we have a decent history, some decent players (even if we could never keep them for more than a few seasons) and improving/going in the right direction. Never relegated etc. West Ham are a smaller club, simple as.

I don't see us having any problem selling out our new stadium on a regular basis.

There is a risk of losing some atmosphere because it will mean some fans who are not so die hard will get tickets for the first time. There is no avoiding this. But I doubt we will have as many tourists as West Ham because clearly a bunch of people bought tickets there solely to watch other teams or be a neutral and the tickets were cheap. There will be some wanting to do that with us too, but they have to compete with genuine fans and we have more of them than West Ham do plus the tickets will cost more.

Several other things help. We are staying at the same site, not moving to a new area. The stadium seating is close to the pitch - much much closer than at West Ham and a lot closer than the Emirates. And it looks like WHL inside, more or less. The single tier stand too. It all helps.

I hope that the club learn from the mishandling of the move at the other clubs as we need to move existing season ticket holders across into the new stadium into much the same stands and seats if possible. And make it clear which areas are for which type of fans, so everyone knows where they can stand without complaint, and sit without someone standing in front of them all the time. Do that and we will avoid a big headache.

In terms of atmosphere, I think it will help that the stadium is actually going to be great, and we will feel attached to it from the off. But I hope that supporters groups work very hard to encourage atmosphere, to involve new folk.

 

[Bazali]

It has to be said,i don't think i have ever been so enthralled by a building site in my life.Even the extension to the kitchen my parents had built when i was 10,doesn't even come close.

I remember reading about that extension

Didn't you have problems with your DPC?

 

[Raiders]

Quick look on KUMB and one problem with the atmosphere at their new ground seems to be that it's too big for them, so they've got non-football fans and opposition fans (lots of reports of scum fans on Saturday) in the home end. Also their ST holders have all been mixed up in different areas of the ground- as happened with Woolwich when they moved.

I really hope these problems don't affect our new ground. I'd imagine it will be better because (a) we'll have the big stand which is obviously the place to go if you want to sing, swear etc. and (b) we have more genuine fans. Even so, after the shit atmosphere at Wembley, I'm a bit worried what our new ground will be like.

I'm not as optimistic about the new ground as most on here seem to be. I expect a larger amount of tourists, day trippers etc. I predict it won't be a patch on the Lane (which itself was quiet enough on Saturday) but I hope I'm wrong. Personally I'm something like 50-50 about whether this move is a good idea (I know I'm in the minority).

To be fair the atmosphere at Wembley was pretty good. The problem was it did not travel well round the stadium. As you say the single tier (we will not call it a kop) will mitigate that somewhat. Also there is 30,000 less people with a stadium much much closer to the pitch than Wembley.
There will be issues but I am confident the club has done everything they can.

 

[Tomo]

Stadiums have a big affect, Upton Park could at times be quite a bear pit. Just imagine being in a stadium that seems twice as wide as Wembley every game like the OS where you are miles from even fellow fans let alone the pitch.

It's all ok at the start singing bubbles but even the craziest German fans would have big issues keeping buzzing when the pitch is in another time zone and their fellow supporters can be only seen through binoculars.

We pretend we are great fans but the OS would kill us as well, we would all need to be as loud Brain Blessed to retain a good noise throughout.

A team and fan base close together will feed off each other, how the porn Barron's couldn't see this is beyond me.

 

[sammyspurs]

Stadiums have a big affect, Upton Park could at times be quite a bear pit. Just imagine being in a stadium that seems twice as wide as Wembley every game like the OS where you are miles from even fellow fans let alone the pitch.

It's all ok at the start singing bubbles but even the craziest German fans would have big issues keeping buzzing when the pitch is in another time zone and their fellow supporters can be only seen through binoculars.

We pretend we are great fans but the OS would kill us as well, we would all need to be as loud Brain Blessed to retain a good noise throughout.

A team and fan base close together will feed off each other, how the porn Barron's couldn't see this is beyond me.

Not sure I agree there....West Ham fans would be making enough noise if they were top 4 right now.
The ground has an effect, but its the fans that sing.

Im watching a below capacity, Monday night, Boro game home to Hull, and theres more noise than any PL game at Anfield, and that includes Utds visit

 

[Super Jan Fan]

I agree that the Olympic stadium would destroy the atmosphere of any club. Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of cunts fortunately.

 

[Tomo]

Not sure I agree there....West Ham fans would be making enough noise if they were top 4 right now.
The ground has an effect, but its the fans that sing.

Im watching a below capacity, Monday night, Boro game home to Hull, and theres more noise than any PL game at Anfield, and that includes Utds visit

Yeh but the OS is not like any other stadium, it's truly insane, the back rows views are so and you would be better watching in a pub. You only have to see how Wembley compares to WHL then magnify the effect 10X.

I have a West Ham mate (most of my friends growing up are West Ham) who says if you ain't in the front row forget it. Even then if you stand up (and generally singing and standing go together) you get told to sit down, you refuse enough and you get kicked out and banned. He has stopped going and he has been a regular for years.

Far as he is concerned West Ham no longer exists, I asked him about the 5-1 against Woolwich, his response was West Ham didn't lose against Woolwich because they no longer exist, he refers to West Ham as the 'Brady club', 'London Irons' or 'Stratford United'. He is hoping Brady gets on with renaming the club totally so West Ham can do a Wimbledon and reform.

I don't blame him. imagine if Levy moved us into an athletics track with views from the next borough and left Tottenham, changed the name and the badge, got rid of regular fans not just 'thugs', provided the worst facilities and day experience imaginable in an area (Stratford and Hackney Wick) that didn't want them there, stuck cheap tarpaulin around the ground, got violent bouncers to sit in the crowd, talked publically about changing the culture of the club and many other things besides.

They treat their fans like scum, the stadium is totally unsuitable for football on every level, they do everything to alienate their core support. Under these circumstances you will not get an atmosphere of anything other than hate. They may as well play in a sewer, it's a total embrassment.

 

[palmers_green_yid]

Stadiums have a big affect, Upton Park could at times be quite a bear pit. Just imagine being in a stadium that seems twice as wide as Wembley every game like the OS where you are miles from even fellow fans let alone the pitch.

It's all ok at the start singing bubbles but even the craziest German fans would have big issues keeping buzzing when the pitch is in another time zone and their fellow supporters can be only seen through binoculars.

We pretend we are great fans but the OS would kill us as well, we would all need to be as loud Brain Blessed to retain a good noise throughout.

A team and fan base close together will feed off each other, how the porn Barron's couldn't see this is beyond me.

Stadiums do have an effect and you're right the Boleyn Ground was (and I might get slated for this) one of my favourite away grounds to visit because the atmosphere was always special when we played there.

At the same time, I've watched us play Partizan Belgrade in their ground, which is completely open to the elements (noise doesn't carry) and has a running track, and I've watched us play Lazio at their place, which was mostly empty and again has the running track, and both time the home fans were very loud. Same goes for a lot of places in Europe. So I think it is a mixture of the two. Of course fans in those places can stand up and generally have far more freedom than us fans in England have, so that is a factor.

I think the problem at the OS seems to be, more than anything else, fans who want to sing and stand being apart from each other, and the presence of non die-hard supporters among them all.

I think you're right that the OS would have killed us.

 

[palmers_green_yid]

The sales guy at the SPVRS. Bear in mind it's his job to sell premium seating so he'll be inclined to exaggerate if he doesn't know the exact percentage. I honestly can't imagine they would stretch to half, I agree 9% is more than enough.

If it's true though it would cause a massive division in our fanbase. There could be some serious infighting if something like that happened.

Thanks for the reply.

Interesting. I can imagine the club wanting it to be high, and THST trying to keep it low. I might ask THST to lobby the club for having premium members in the same loyalty pool as the rest of us, although it may be something they already do. Even as it is, it's very unfair that someone can get a ticket for Woolwich away on the basis of having a box rather than going to more games.

If it happened I can imagine them not taking up the seats except for the bigger games and derbies. You're right there would be uproar.

 

[sammyspurs]

Yeh but the OS is not like any other stadium, it's truly insane, the back rows views are so and you would be better watching in a pub. You only have to see how Wembley compares to WHL then magnify the effect 10X.

I have a West Ham mate (most of my friends growing up are West Ham) who says if you ain't in the front row forget it. Even then if you stand up (and generally singing and standing go together) you get told to sit down, you refuse enough and you get kicked out and banned. He has stopped going and he has been a regular for years.

Far as he is concerned West Ham no longer exists, I asked him about the 5-1 against Woolwich, his response was West Ham didn't lose against Woolwich because they no longer exist, he refers to West Ham as the 'Brady club', 'London Irons' or 'Stratford United'. He is hoping Brady gets on with renaming the club totally so West Ham can do a Wimbledon and reform.

I don't blame him. imagine if Levy moved us into an athletics track with views from the next borough and left Tottenham, changed the name and the badge, got rid of regular fans not just 'thugs', provided the worst facilities and day experience imaginable in an area (Stratford and Hackney Wick) that didn't want them there, stuck cheap tarpaulin around the ground, got violent bouncers to sit in the crowd, talked publically about changing the culture of the club and many other things besides.

They treat their fans like scum, the stadium is totally unsuitable for football on every level, they do everything to alienate their core support. Under these circumstances you will not get an atmosphere of anything other than hate. They may as well play in a sewer, it's a total embrassment.

Mate we don't need to imagine.....I was on my way to do the same as your mate if we got Stratford.

 

[Blanchflower]

got rid of regular fans not just 'thugs'

They treat their fans like scum

Sweeping statement, but whenever I watched us play them at Upton Park 'thugs' and 'scum' described a large proportion of their fans quite aptly.

The issue as I see it is that as soon as Brady started trying to weed out trouble makers where does she stop, as there's an awful lot of their fans that slip into a grey area between being full on hooligans and fanatical supporters.

 

[Paul Allen's Omen]

Yeh but the OS is not like any other stadium, it's truly insane, the back rows views are so and you would be better watching in a pub. You only have to see how Wembley compares to WHL then magnify the effect 10X.

I have a West Ham mate (most of my friends growing up are West Ham) who says if you ain't in the front row forget it. Even then if you stand up (and generally singing and standing go together) you get told to sit down, you refuse enough and you get kicked out and banned. He has stopped going and he has been a regular for years.

Far as he is concerned West Ham no longer exists, I asked him about the 5-1 against Woolwich, his response was West Ham didn't lose against Woolwich because they no longer exist, he refers to West Ham as the 'Brady club', 'London Irons' or 'Stratford United'. He is hoping Brady gets on with renaming the club totally so West Ham can do a Wimbledon and reform.

I don't blame him. imagine if Levy moved us into an athletics track with views from the next borough and left Tottenham, changed the name and the badge, got rid of regular fans not just 'thugs', provided the worst facilities and day experience imaginable in an area (Stratford and Hackney Wick) that didn't want them there, stuck cheap tarpaulin around the ground, got violent bouncers to sit in the crowd, talked publically about changing the culture of the club and many other things besides.

They treat their fans like scum, the stadium is totally unsuitable for football on every level, they do everything to alienate their core support. Under these circumstances you will not get an atmosphere of anything other than hate. They may as well play in a sewer, it's a total embrassment.

Well when you put it like that, you are making me go all gooey eyed for this fella:

 

[Colonel_K]

Well when you put it like that, you are making me go all gooey eyed for this fella:

Will always thank Sugar for getting us out of the financial mess that we had been left with by Scholar/Venables. Problem was he is a business man and tried to run the club as such. He was never as blatant as the Porno Bros and Baroness (they're cut from the same baragh boy cloth though). A lot of fans give Levy/ENIC a lot of stick but they have at least run us a competent business model, whilst trying to invest in the playing squad, they've certainly done an amazing job with the training centre and soon to be new stadium, it's taken over 15 years to get here though.