We have one of the best away supports going IMO.
---------------------------------------
I can personally confirm that. We always have had. I have been all over this land watching us and the numbers we take everywhere are phenomenal.
The home support these days is not as good as it has been in the past. It's a sad observation of mine that we used to make more noise with a wide open stadium and fack all to cheer about than we now do with lots to cheer about and a closed-in wrap-around stadium. Partisans have been replaced by tourists.
summer...I agree the numbers we take around for a london club is amazing.
Most people underestimate being a London club, there is so many clubs for people to choose from which slims down the fan base, and the travelling north and distance is hard too but we take big numbers to most places and have done even when we was rubbish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCQqiOlhY8c
Nick
I remember being really excited when Bates closed the stadium in that in the future we would be very loud, but sadly apart from some very notable occasions like Barca CL 2000 (I had no voice the next day), Bruges 1995 and some other notable games it just somehow hasn't happened often enough, I believe because the fanbase identity has changed also (sadly).
Incidently those 2 games I mentioned I was in my usual seat in the Matthew Harding Upper Tier and I swear the floor of the stand was actually shaking. It was a bit un-nerving to be honest.
I've long had a theory that the 15/20 years we spent in the wilderness, almost in Division Three, that we lost a generation of young supporters to Arsenal, Tottenham and the Liverpool/Utd glory brigade.
I seem to remember going in my late 30s and 40s, thinking there were not as many of our fans in the age group of about 10/20 years younger than me!
I would not disagree with that theory Brum. It was well noticeable after several years languishing in Div 2 (with no sign of being able to pull ourselves out) in the attendances at the Bridge deteriorated badly, which is why other Club's WUM's are able to cherry pick the odd appalling attendance to falsely present as the norm of the period. I went constantly during that period (purely through habit) and clearly remember that l felt completely bored and depressed myself at the time.
It just makes it even more sweeter when I see where we are now
Those same other clubs WUMs if you questioned them couldn't wouldn't be able to quote any of our highest attendances in Div two.
The only one they actually seem to know is the 8,000 against Coventry because it's been handed down through folklore and they've heard it on forums like this!
The 6,000 against Orient seems to have gone under the radar!
I remember being at that game against Orient. That is exactly the sort of game I was referring to. How I kept going during that period I just don't know. I feel like a compulsive smoker, I knew the habit was bad but I just couldn't give up.
It was desperate in those days 69, you can understand how a few crowds like that snuck in when you're playing the most awful football imaginable against teams like Orient and Cambridge.
I don't believe any club would have held their attendances during times like that over a period of 15/20 years!
I think the most miserable I ever felt there was a night game v Pompey in Div two with around 15,000. I was in the North Stand without a coat with the rain being driven in by a biting wind. I was soaked to the skin and freezing cold and left thinking, that's it I'm not coming again - I was better by the weekend though!
The ones that really tested my habit were things like the Simod Cup game (at night) against someone like Plymouth with about 7,000 there. Not sure if those stats actually occurred but my memory is seeming to jog me. Can't be bothered to Sandy (google) it to check either.
Luckily I'd joined the Navy and escaped the SIMOD Cup
I did go to the ZDS Final at wembley v Boro though!
Me too! Loads of rucking at that one. Probably due to them relegating us a couple of years before.
In that damned stupid play off
The Munich fans were loud, impressive I am sure to armchair fans on the telly, however the day we start using drums and blokes with megaphones to start the songs we sing I feel that we would deserve to be called plastic.
Are you back home now JFDI?
Yes mate, got home at about 8 ish pm. Was up until 5:30 this morning
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posted on 31/8/13
We have one of the best away supports going IMO.
---------------------------------------
I can personally confirm that. We always have had. I have been all over this land watching us and the numbers we take everywhere are phenomenal.
The home support these days is not as good as it has been in the past. It's a sad observation of mine that we used to make more noise with a wide open stadium and fack all to cheer about than we now do with lots to cheer about and a closed-in wrap-around stadium. Partisans have been replaced by tourists.
posted on 31/8/13
summer...I agree the numbers we take around for a london club is amazing.
Most people underestimate being a London club, there is so many clubs for people to choose from which slims down the fan base, and the travelling north and distance is hard too but we take big numbers to most places and have done even when we was rubbish
posted on 31/8/13
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCQqiOlhY8c
posted on 31/8/13
Nick
I remember being really excited when Bates closed the stadium in that in the future we would be very loud, but sadly apart from some very notable occasions like Barca CL 2000 (I had no voice the next day), Bruges 1995 and some other notable games it just somehow hasn't happened often enough, I believe because the fanbase identity has changed also (sadly).
Incidently those 2 games I mentioned I was in my usual seat in the Matthew Harding Upper Tier and I swear the floor of the stand was actually shaking. It was a bit un-nerving to be honest.
posted on 31/8/13
I've long had a theory that the 15/20 years we spent in the wilderness, almost in Division Three, that we lost a generation of young supporters to Arsenal, Tottenham and the Liverpool/Utd glory brigade.
I seem to remember going in my late 30s and 40s, thinking there were not as many of our fans in the age group of about 10/20 years younger than me!
posted on 31/8/13
I would not disagree with that theory Brum. It was well noticeable after several years languishing in Div 2 (with no sign of being able to pull ourselves out) in the attendances at the Bridge deteriorated badly, which is why other Club's WUM's are able to cherry pick the odd appalling attendance to falsely present as the norm of the period. I went constantly during that period (purely through habit) and clearly remember that l felt completely bored and depressed myself at the time.
It just makes it even more sweeter when I see where we are now
posted on 31/8/13
Those same other clubs WUMs if you questioned them couldn't wouldn't be able to quote any of our highest attendances in Div two.
The only one they actually seem to know is the 8,000 against Coventry because it's been handed down through folklore and they've heard it on forums like this!
The 6,000 against Orient seems to have gone under the radar!
posted on 31/8/13
I remember being at that game against Orient. That is exactly the sort of game I was referring to. How I kept going during that period I just don't know. I feel like a compulsive smoker, I knew the habit was bad but I just couldn't give up.
posted on 31/8/13
It was desperate in those days 69, you can understand how a few crowds like that snuck in when you're playing the most awful football imaginable against teams like Orient and Cambridge.
I don't believe any club would have held their attendances during times like that over a period of 15/20 years!
I think the most miserable I ever felt there was a night game v Pompey in Div two with around 15,000. I was in the North Stand without a coat with the rain being driven in by a biting wind. I was soaked to the skin and freezing cold and left thinking, that's it I'm not coming again - I was better by the weekend though!
posted on 31/8/13
The ones that really tested my habit were things like the Simod Cup game (at night) against someone like Plymouth with about 7,000 there. Not sure if those stats actually occurred but my memory is seeming to jog me. Can't be bothered to Sandy (google) it to check either.
posted on 31/8/13
Luckily I'd joined the Navy and escaped the SIMOD Cup
I did go to the ZDS Final at wembley v Boro though!
posted on 31/8/13
Me too! Loads of rucking at that one. Probably due to them relegating us a couple of years before.
posted on 31/8/13
In that damned stupid play off
posted on 31/8/13
The Munich fans were loud, impressive I am sure to armchair fans on the telly, however the day we start using drums and blokes with megaphones to start the songs we sing I feel that we would deserve to be called plastic.
posted on 31/8/13
Are you back home now JFDI?
posted on 1/9/13
Yes mate, got home at about 8 ish pm. Was up until 5:30 this morning
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