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Saturday 4th May 2024
Kick off 12.30 pm
Kingpower Stadium
Championship
Who wants to join me in W01?
- Thread starter 1SimonGarner
- Start date
Marlow Rover
Senior Member
Is that true? I haven't seen it anywhere.... The cost of £100,000 - how many fans/seats would that represent?
I'm not impressed by the penny pinching lack of foresight at the club - in my opinion this sums up Waggot - keeps his job by showing Venky's a balance sheet that improves year on year, but doesn't in any way benefit the club. His season ticket campaign was short-sighted and unambitious (as evidenced by being outsold by PNE, Blackpool, Preston, Bolton and Wigan), the matchday food/drinks (outsourced to Sodexo or not) is shite, the ground is in a pitiful condition. Safe standing is an interesting idea that could very much improve the matchday experience and atmosphere AND may improve ST sales - I hope it hasn't been flat-out denied for the sake of £100k.
blueandwhitehalves
Senior Member
I've often wondered about the psychology behind singing at football and if that's changed over the years. Every generation in this country seems to be more self-conscious than the last. In the generation before mine, you'd often see guys shirtless in summer, walking around, mowing the lawn, at gigs or whatever. I think you also saw a bigger variety of hair styles (long hair!) and fashion styles, and they had more confidence randomly talking to strangers (at my gym its always the older generation who start conversations).
Combine that with the change in supporter type during the 90s, i.e. young guys now going to games with their girlfriends or families, rather than their mates. And I think there's a psychological block for many young men now where they see singing positive songs about Rovers as being a bit embarrassing. So its always the ones with swearing or slagging off Burnley that get sung the loudest, and they all get sung too fast as though trying to get it over as quickly as possible (which is why a drum is so important).
And then as you say 1SG, many like to stand with the singers but spend their time moaning at the team, "looking hard" or abusing the away fans. Which is the last thing you want as it dilutes the singers. There's a lot of good singers in N01 (including my inspiration growing up, a lad in my school a few years up called Mark, who still leads it) but they're diluted by a lot of hangers on who don't contribute but want to stand there anyway. Guess that's what W01 has going for it at the moment.
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
Some good observations in there BAWH and I'd agree with all of that.
I'd also add that the problem in modern football stadiums - and certainly at Ewood - is not just whether people in the ground are comfortable singing but how they react to people near them that are. If I'm out in public, on a bus, walking through town etc, I'd never dream of balling at the top of my voice and swearing in front of women and children, but at the football, for me different rules apply. This is where the big divide between the singers/standers/swearers and the others exists and where we the singers start to get wrongly labelled as hooligans or idiots as I've been called a few times in my arguments at Ewood.
No doubt some of it is down to the snowflake generation, but it's also a result of modern stadia and the more fervent types not having a specific place - like the terraces - to congregate en mass. I remember many years ago sitting in the JW upper with my dad for one game because his ST mate couldn't go. My dad isn't a singist but has followed the Rovers all his life and his dad before him and was really responsible for me becoming a big Rovers fan by taking me to home and local away games when I was younger. After the Rovers had scored I had the temerity to stary standing for about 20 seconds and join in a song from the Blackburn End, the old bloke in front of us turned round and said "get back in't Blackburn End with tother hooligans"! My dad who despite not being a singer is far more aggressive than I am used the rest of that match to sing as loud as he could in ear of the fella and encouraged me to do the same.
Now I know for a fact that some reading the above story will side with the old fella, maybe more than will be on my side, but in one short anecdote I think it sums up the divide and why there's a problem getting an atmosphere going in the modern stadiums. As an aside, growing up my Dad never swore in front on his kids, never heard it once from recollection apart from when he took me to the Rovers and it certainly didn't suddenly turn me into a menace to society or a bad person, I grew up fine. These parents protecting their kids from swearing at the football should spend a day with them at school, they'd hear a lot worse.
The crux of it is this, people like me who grew up on the terraces still want to go the match and stand up, sing, swear call the ref a wanker etc and if we lose people like me, if the consensus is that there's no place for fans like me in modern stadiums then the game will be worse off for it, in truth it's already happening/happened and that's why there's so much discussion about the lack of atmosphere at the game today.
COYB
"The crux of it is this, people like me who grew up on the terraces still want to go the match and stand up, sing, swear call the ref a wanker etc and if we lose people like me, if the consensus is that there's no place for fans like me in modern stadiums then the game will be worse off for it"
And if you put the old fella off buying his next ST? That isn't a good scenario either is it? I'd suggest it's a case of 'when in Rome' sg. Personally speaking I dislike cup matches because the JWU fills up with err ... foul mouthed types who take the opportunity of cheap tickets to sit in the 'posh seats'. Might be best if we all behaved like our Grandmothers were sat within earshot when away from the BBend etc.
And if you put the old fella off buying his next ST? That isn't a good scenario either is it? I'd suggest it's a case of 'when in Rome' sg. Personally speaking I dislike cup matches because the JWU fills up with err ... foul mouthed types who take the opportunity of cheap tickets to sit in the 'posh seats'. Might be best if we all behaved like our Grandmothers were sat within earshot when away from the BBend etc.
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
Not wishing to get into an argument with you Drog, but you using the term "foul mouth types" sort of makes my argument for me. I've got a filthy mouth, I also love animals, love my mum, give loads to charity, have never been in trouble with the police, pay my taxes etc etc so what type does that make me?
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
I'm more than happy to stay in my "place", just give me a place for like minded fans. You mention the BBE like it's anything goes in there, I've had most of my falling out do's with people in there. I've been asked to stop swearing, told I was clapping too loud (honestly) and given more dirty looks than I care to remember, all for singing/swearing/making noise at a football match. You won't make me feel like I'm doing something wrong, I'm past that, you have your way of watching the match, I have mine, it doesn't make me a type of anything.
I think a better idea than having safe standing in these modern grounds would be to have age restricted areas, it'd be no different than people under the age of say 16 not being allowed to drink in a pub or go to see an 18 movie at the picture. No kids in an area, no fussy parents and problem solved.
Or should I say one problem solved.
I think a better idea than having safe standing in these modern grounds would be to have age restricted areas, it'd be no different than people under the age of say 16 not being allowed to drink in a pub or go to see an 18 movie at the picture. No kids in an area, no fussy parents and problem solved.
Or should I say one problem solved.
Old Darwen Blue
Prediction Champion 2021, 2022 & 2023
Yeah, best not to wake them up in the JWU; they need their sleep that lot.
"The crux of it is this, people like me who grew up on the terraces still want to go the match and stand up, sing, swear call the ref a wanker etc and if we lose people like me, if the consensus is that there's no place for fans like me in modern stadiums then the game will be worse off for it"
I grew up on the terraces too but now prefer the comfort of the JWU. I rarely hear the BBE from there, that's why it's called deadwood.
I'd love the "singers" to congregate behind a goal and slow down their singing so that other parts of the crowd could join in.
I'd also love the moaners in the JW to feck off and stay at home, I've seen them moan all during games we are playing well and winning but never, ever clap or cheer a goal.
The piped crowd noise during covid was a godsend, can we do that every week?
I grew up on the terraces too but now prefer the comfort of the JWU. I rarely hear the BBE from there, that's why it's called deadwood.
I'd love the "singers" to congregate behind a goal and slow down their singing so that other parts of the crowd could join in.
I'd also love the moaners in the JW to feck off and stay at home, I've seen them moan all during games we are playing well and winning but never, ever clap or cheer a goal.
The piped crowd noise during covid was a godsend, can we do that every week?
Marlow Rover
Senior Member
EDIT - sorry, you're talking about the 'moaners' not the collective JW crowd? Rest of the post is probably still valid."The crux of it is this, people like me who grew up on the terraces still want to go the match and stand up, sing, swear call the ref a wanker etc and if we lose people like me, if the consensus is that there's no place for fans like me in modern stadiums then the game will be worse off for it"
I grew up on the terraces too but now prefer the comfort of the JWU. I rarely hear the BBE from there, that's why it's called deadwood.
I'd love the "singers" to congregate behind a goal and slow down their singing so that other parts of the crowd could join in.
I'd also love the moaners in the JW to feck off and stay at home, I've seen them moan all during games we are playing well and winning but never, ever clap or cheer a goal.
The piped crowd noise during covid was a godsend, can we do that every week?
You've never seen the crowd in the Jack Walker clap or cheer a goal? Seems a bit of a stretch. I sit there now after many years of being in the Blackburn End Lower - it's a miles better view and to be honest, but for the fans in N01, I rarely hear much from the BBE - which is strange, because surely the only reason to suffer an inferior view is to have a bit of a singalong.... The same thing happens in the JW as in the BBE when a goal is scored, everyone jumps up and goes crazy for a minute or two.
The atmosphere is generally poor all around the stadium nowadays - Tuesday, despite outplaying and beating a much fancied team of the division, the atmosphere was pretty insipid. 'Come on you Blues' when we get a corner OR 'JDT's Blue and White army' doesn't really stir the senses. The only other song was 'Shit Ben Foster' and the BBE was completely split down the middle with that, with the Riverside half about 2 seconds behind the JW half. It was noticeably embarrassing.
A few games last season we really found our voice during the good run - Preston was great, Sheff United too. But otherwise we don't muster a good atmosphere. Maybe safe standing would bring together the scattered pockets of singers and sustain a better effort.
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
That's a good post Marlow. A question for you, does the fact that we have a poor home atmosphere and are looked upon by most visiting fans as having some of the worst home fans the division, bother you? Is it something you'd like to be better but not really an issue with you and a long second best to us being successful on the pitch?
Just interested to get peoples views on how important a good atmosphere at the match is to them.
Just interested to get peoples views on how important a good atmosphere at the match is to them.
1SimonGarner
Senior Member
I know, as has been said elsewhere, there's no escaping them. I've lost count of the number of times I've stood near people, even in N01, that show no signs of wanting to encourage the team and get behind them but as soon as we go behind or passes start going astray they suddenly find their voice. I'm convinced it's something in the water in Blackburn, people seem at their happiest when they're being negative and miserable, even youngish lads.
Anyway enough of concentrating on the negatives, a big positive is whatever the fans or the club tries in the future, we can't possibly be any worse, so any initiative is welcome.
Resist it and get yourself down frwjd ...... the rovers need the income.
steve w
Senior Member
Yea dodgy boxes are killing the game
Marlow Rover
Senior Member
Yep, I don't like the thought of us being known as a club that can quarter fill a stadium with no atmosphere. But, whenever I go to an away game, I barely notice the home crowd anyway - usually the atmosphere in the away end is excellent with Rovers, so whether it sort of drowns it out I don't know. Even places like Newcastle, 50,000 people, I didn't really get this idea that the place was rocking.
To be honest, the thing I dislike the most is looking around the stadium and seeing rows and rows of empty seats. The fact is, the stadium is probably too big for the club now. Could we do better with crowds?... Surely. PNE had sold 10,500 season tickets by 2nd June because of a savvy earlybird campaign. Our lot offered a loyalty scheme that saved people a miserly £30 if they booked before a certain date.... wankers. Waggott in my opinion is a failure in any commercial sense, not least when it comes to ticket sales - funnily enough that's probably my greatest source of embarrassment - we're thousands of tickets behind rivals such as PNE and Bolton!!
Not possible at the moment, health reasons.
No dodgy box here
BB informed megg be that we have a non aggression policy with our neighbouring clubs. Seems like business suicide to me.