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Andre Villas-Boas ruffled a few feathers by complaining about a ‘difficult atmosphere with no support’ at White Hart Lane after Tottenham’s narrow 1-0 win against Hull last Sunday.
To be honest, you could say the same thing about a lot of grounds and I think the Spurs manager has highlighted an issue as important as our desire to uncover more English footballers and coaches.
The Premier League provides wonderful quality and excitement on the pitch, which is why 4.7billion TV viewers tune in around the world. Until now, it has also been envied by other leagues for the noise and passion of supporters.
I am desperately keen to keep it that way — but we have to be aware of the problems. Simply saying “We are the Premier League and we have the best atmosphere” has become a cliche.
In reality, some of our grounds are nothing like they once were for noise and passion.
An interesting comparison for me is that a survey from the 1970s showed the average age of a supporter in Manchester United’s Stretford End was 17.
Throw forward to today and the percentage of spectators in the top flight who are under 16 has fallen from 22 per cent to nine per cent since 1983. The average age of an adult Premier League fan is currently 41.
That has to be as big a contributory factor to the reduced noise levels and atmosphere at our stadiums as switching from terraces to all-seaters. As a teenager, you have that exuberance and enthusiasm that’s not quite the same in the 40 or 50-somethings.
A 17-year-old will be less likely to give up on his team, whatever has happened. Your normal 41-year-old will be pragmatic, realistic or even cynical when things aren’t going well.
THE DAMNING STATISTICS
41The average age of a Premier League fan in 2011-12.
17% of fans were aged between 16 and 20 when the Premier League began.
9%of fans were aged between 16 and 24 by 2006-07.
22% of top-flight supporters under 16 in 1983.
9% of top-flight supporters under 16 now.
Just as clubs and the national team need young emerging players as their lifeblood so, too, they need a young generation of fans to maintain the buzz of match-day atmosphere. But we’re in a country now where young people struggle to get on the housing ladder or afford university fees. How are they going to buy expensive Premier League season-tickets? It’s a real shame.
We also have to be aware of the changing expectations of supporters who pay top dollar.
When you’re within the game, results are everything. But, in truth, it’s not exclusively a results business any more — it’s an entertainment business, too. Your average diehard fan, who used to put up with anything as long as the team won, now wants goals, entertainment, high-energy action and incidents to lift them. When prices were lower, fans would put up with more because supporting their team was in their soul and part of their identity.
People paying £70 for a ticket will demand more for their money. There is a shift from being a fan to being a consumer and demanding value for your money.
Increased ticket prices also mean a generation of youngsters are missing out on being inspired by watching top-level football. That used to be common. I was one of those youngsters who learnt from being at games. We’ve got an FA Commission looking at how to develop footballers. There are three ways you can improve as a young player; being taught the game properly, putting in the practice; watching football to educate and inspire you.
I was taken to Old Trafford from the age of five, we’d queue from 11am and the whole day was magical. Watching top players from the angle of my seat in the stadium enhanced my chances of becoming a professional player.
I don’t want young kids to miss out on that — if they go to play centres or the cinema instead, we are going to miss out on the next wave of footballers. We have to be careful football doesn’t become even more exclusive than it has become. Identifying the problem is one thing, offering solutions is more difficult. But there are things we can try.
I was at Manchester United’s game with Real Sociedad recently where a singing section was tested. It’s worth a go. There are clubs that help subsidise away travel and some offer cheaper tickets.
I would like to see more away fans allowed in. In Germany, 10 per cent of Bundesliga tickets are given to the away team. Having been in the dug-out at Wembley for England’s recent game against Poland, I thought the atmosphere was electric. Yes, it was an important game but the noisy Polish fans enhanced the experience, even if I did have concerns about it pre-match.
FA Cup ties — where attendances are lower — can have better atmospheres than some League games simply because both sets of fans get tickets in good numbers. The away fans are the soul of the football club, who follow you through thick and thin. We should be encouraging them, not sticking them up in the gods or not allowing them in at all.
I also think players can help by engaging with fans. And I don’t mean kissing the badge. Simple things like Leighton Baines going over to take a corner for England against Poland recently where he clapped the supporters as he went. They rose to him in response.
Fans have to see that from players representing them, it makes them think “Yeah, come on, they need our support”. Do we see enough player and fan on-field engagement in the Premier League?
Of the hundreds of matches I’ve seen and covered in the past few years, none beats the atmosphere in Dortmund when they beat Real Madrid 4-1 in last season’s Champions League semi-final.
While it could be said this was a memorable and important match, it felt more than that. Seeing those Dortmund lads sat on the pitch at the end of the game in awe of their fans, you got the feeling players and fans were as one.
I know the German model has been celebrated, and rightly so when you realise at Borussia Dortmund you can pay €15-18 (£12-15) for a standing ticket to watch one of the best teams in the world. That price feels about right and helps fans feel part of the team.
We used to have that in England. If we still want outsiders to be impressed by the passion of our football in 10 years’ time, we should think about what we are doing now to maintain and create that bond between fans, players and clubs.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...n-danger-priced-game-Gary-Neville-column.html
