I don't know if many of you read the Football League Paper ( a very good paper for Brewers fans and those interested in everything happening in League 2), but I wanted to draw the following item to your attention, and see what your views are.
" NO BOTHER AT BURTON SO HEAD FOR THE PIRELLI
We always hear about fans being the most vocal or the most passionate. But when it comes to being nice, Burton's supporters take the crown
According to statistics released by the Home Office, the Brewers are one of only five clubs in the entire Football League who have had no fans arrested last season.
And along with League 1 outfit MK Dons, they are one of just two without any fans subject to a football banninhg order.
"It really underlines what a terrific fanbase we have" said Brewers Chairman Ben Robinson. "At Burton we are well known as a family club and it is very encouraging to be able to invite our supporters into a safe atmosphere on match days"
Personally, I feel quite proud of that . Its good that you can bring your Granny or your Grandson to the Pirelli. I believe Burton fans are even-handed in their approach, respect fellow clubs, their players and fans. We are nowhere
near as bigoted as our more illustrious neighbours are of each other., for example.
- Its not impossible to be nice and succeed in any walk of life, but it is more difficult. I dream of "nice Burton" lifting the Premier League ( a little unlikely)
- Are we at the Pirelli too nice, too reserved, to really get passionate enough to shout loudly for the Brewers, and really get behind the team and encourage the players to greater efforts. Can the club do anything to stimulate or organise greater vocal support?
- Can the Club market this "nice image" to target increasing attendances?
Should we all " do our bit" by persuading someone (maybe your granny or grandson) to come with you to the next match.
- This site is full of good reasonable (nice!) debate. It got a bit vitreolic last season when passions ran high over Pesch, but I am reminded of the words
of our wise friend Terraceman (still bravely battling on against illness) where he said that everything would return to normal when a new manager was appointed. And he was right!
- Good debate , interesting and reasoned articles. As it is getting near to the end of year awards time, I am sure that if there was an award for this site
it would have to go to Otep, for his leadership and intiative, and Match Predictor. He has stimulated discussion, kept things going in the close season, and I'm sure we would all join together in thanking Otep for his work.
Many thanks Otep
I started with an article on Burton being a nice club. Are you proud or embarrassed by this? Hopefully raised a few issues. Grateful of any comments. Gone on a bit, fortunately I don't write many articles.!!!!
C'mon you Brewers
Brewer Dave
NICE PEOPLE AT THE PIRELLI
posted on 17/12/12
A very 'nice' article BrewerDave and I echo your thoughts on Otep who has got us all debating again.
We are a nice club, with a nice ground a nice chairman and manager and a nice fanbase. Yes, we could do with more fans turning up, but as a realist I believe this will only happen when we start becoming 'invovlved' at the top end of the table. The next three games for me are 'pivotal' to our season - three wins could see us propelled into the promotion/play off places and take us into a whole new ball game, three defeats could leave us as a 'nice' club sitting 'nicely' in mid table.
Excitment and passion brings in the crowds - we have that at the moment, long may it continue and fingers crossed a few more bums on seats in the new year.
posted on 17/12/12
Thank you for the comments guys. The debate and the predictor league only work because of the contributions of everyone so I am grateful that everyone joins in.
The club is brilliant. It is very well run. I think £14 is too cheap. The football matches are entertaining. Standing on the terraces is brilliant. The 22 players on the pitch give 100% and they really care about their clubs.
By comparison for me the Premier League with its journeymen, poor football, prima donnas and cheats makes me feel quite ill.
Much as I like our club I think it is crying out for a (different) Marketing Manager. Kids for a Quid. Better advertising of games. Chip the ball in to a shed at half time. Cheerleaders. Things like that.
I despair when I hear the same old dreary tunes pre-match and at half time. I detest our goal scored tune. Where is the imagination? Where is the individuality? Why copy what everyone else does? Only torture chambers play the same old repetitive tunes to people!
I nearly wept at a recent game when I heard 'Hi Ho Silver Lining' as I got near to the ground. Strewth!
(Walking out to 'Start Me Up' by The Stones has been a small step in the right direction to be fair).
It needs to be an exciting football match experience down there on and off the pitch. The football is enjoyable but that which surrounds the 90 minutes is predictable. Is 'predictable' a near antithesis of 'exciting'?
Everything down there is currently set up for the loyal fan who will go week in, week out (us). We need to get the casual fan and reel them in so that they go every week.
Here are our average attendances since we joined the league. I have read that other clubs at our level have shown a similar decline over the same period because of the recession(s).
3,191 (2009 / 2010)
2,948 (2010 / 2011)
2,809 (2011 / 2012)
2,568 - this season
Just to play Devils Advocate, let's flip it on its head and ask this question? Would you rather have it as it is...or a little cauldron with 5,500 fans vociferous fans in there every game - which inevitably would result in the odd arrest?
posted on 18/12/12
Yes, good article,totally agree with the nice fans stat.
I understand were your coming from regarding the nice family occasion which isnt a problem to me at all.
I think what we lack at the Pirelli ground is passion.
A passion to cheer our team on whenthings arn't going well. The home crowd in general only chant when the team make something happen on the pitch.They don't seem to encourage the team to better things,more the other way round.
Bradford in the league cup was a good example because until we scored you wouldn't have known there were any brewers there.
Another thing which i think contributes to the quiet fan base is the average age of our fans.
Look at the away games especially and i bet 75% are over the age of 40.
Some find it hard to cheer the brewers on and just watch the game.
Agree about the songs as well,the albion ,albion drawl is so depressing.
We need someone to come up with a new song ,one we can all chant that dosn't depress everyone.
Maybe getting new people into the ground might be helped if the club actually advertisewho we are playing outside the ground.
Only club i know of in the area that dosnt.
posted on 20/12/12
Thats a great article Brewerdave and excellent feed back lads. Otep i take my hat off to you,your sterling efforts are very much appreciated by me and obviously by fellow members of this forum. Keep it up my friend.
We are a nice club and generally always have been although in my younger days i can honestly say i was a bit of a lad and got into a few altercations with opposition fans ! Something i'm not proud of and cringe at nowadays when i look back.
I think there are a few things as a club we could do to improve, my biggest moan is the same as always that we should have a large board outside of the ground advertising future games to bring in possible floating supporters,its just common sense to me. On matchdays we could also improve things,i remember the old Billy Brewer at Eton Park with his antics and half time penalty competition etc,he used to be a bit of a hero in those days and got the fans backing and motivated. Song wise i think supporters need one they can identify as their own(such as Stoke with Delilah,Wolves with the Liquidator,Everton with Z cars etc) A tune nobody uses as i've said before is The Farm "Altogether now" this could easily be adapted as the Albion song if it was played before each home game and gives a sense of togetherness in one cause.
I think that as we are a newish club in the football league we are struggling to build a larger hardcore fan base as we are still seen as little Burton Albion but once we actually achieve a play off place etc there is latent support within the town to build upon.
One of the problems within society is though that as you grow you will attract undesirable elements,thats a fact of life,you can't have 5,000 in the ground and have it all nicy nicy,you will attract people who will go over the top with their behaviour. So if we want to grow that is something we have to accept.
Is that something we would want ? I personally think you have to accept it in progressing unfortunately.
Anyway thank you all for your contributions and as i've said before we are all on here because of our love for our club.