Newcastle Support

[Park Life 71]

I guess it's probably a common theme all over the football world with fans becoming more uniform everywhere. I just read a good article this morning from a journalist from Freiburg having a good go at the fans of his hometown club. He says it was great when they used to be different and were proud to be different, now they (especially the young Ultras) are singing the same lame songs as others, shouting the same embarrassing abuse as others and lacking any kind of originality.

 

That's the common theme where you see those Ultra kids taking over the fan scene and unfortunately Newcastle is no exemption anymore. They think of themselves as the saviours of football, deliberating it from the prawn sandwich brigades and passive bandwagon jumpers. But in the end they are of the same kind of modern football's boring conformity.

 

I found St Pauli a bit different tbf.

 

 

English football could use a Pauli or two, certainly. Although you could argue there's just as much conformity in the whole skull 'n' crossbones "alternative" thing.

Yep, I know a couple of St. Pauli fans who think that the commercialism of the club is nowadays on par with the likes of Bayern etc. Once they move to a new stadium an lose any kind of Millerntor nostalgia they are probably going to be a club like any other.

 

There is still some of it left at Pompey, Millwall and Brentford. Saw some of the old crowd on Sun night and the passion was still there.

[Guest alex]

In the 80's I will say now, with no delusion, there was not a better support than Newcastle's generally. Everyone who used to play at St James' used to say the same, even Liverpool players. Keegan on joining said he realised in 1974, Newcastle had "by far" the best supporters in England, and to be honest I seen it as a kid all the way through the mid to late 80's. The crowd needed the tinyest bit encouragement and we were tremendous.

 

Through the 90's we were pretty good, nearly every game from the 95/96 season was played in an almost unrivalled atmosphere, the Barcelona game for me the best atmosphere we've had down there, Brian Moore and Fat Ron saying the best they've ever experienced. Through the late 90's despite the frustrations, the support was still good, and despite an absolutely wank season (cos of injury) in 2001, the crowd was still pretty patient. We had two really exciting years then bang, we came 5th playing pretty poorly, we lost less games than Man Utd, but 17 draws frustrated everybody culminating in SBR calling us ungrateful bastards. Since the August of 2004 when he was sacked, the support has deteriorated with the team on the pitch.

 

In the last 6 years, I'd guess 15000 kids who are new to Newcastle have absorbed this shit, whereas the kids slightly older like me have seen lower lows and very high highs the younguns have seen fuck all. I realised the support was on the wain in Roeder's season, I reckon we've lost more than 8,000 fans which is what the gate statistics are telling you, I think we've lost at least 35,000 fans willing and able to go who take a keen interest and would go regularly, I know plenty of them, some of them good kids who saw the worst days of the Smith era with me, and we're left with a hard core who you would presume would do everything in it's power to help the team.

 

Look at the facts though

• We sell out every away commendable in itself, only Man Utd and Liverpool do that at every ground, although Chelsea and Arsenal sell out most, but the support is fucking shit. Boring songs, hardly audible, apparently even with 7000 at Barnsley we were mediocre
  
• We boo players we don't like, Harewood being a prime example
  
• The fans have now decided since November time I'd say that it isn't necessary to create a home atmosphere because weshould be winning anyway
  

Then worst of all you have people saying don't get behind new players because it's a symbol to the board that we're accepting their standard of transfers. All we had in the past was the support to be proud of, and we were the best, that's not deluded, it is a fact in this country we were the best, we're shit now fuckin shit, and if we have a league hardcore of 38,000 now, if it meant another 18,000 of the negative cunts fucked off and we were left with 20,000 it wouldn't be such a bad thing.

 

 

Society in general has got more passive imo. I've been living abroad mostly for the last 7 years, first France and then Germany...I was a bit shocked how passive, unthinking and poncey England has become since I came back.

I doubt if you'd even get something like rave culture / acid house occurring now. Or maybe we're just getting old

 

you're obviously not down with da kids alex. we've had nu rave, grime and dubstep all emerge in the past couple of years

I think you've misunderstood what I meant. I was talking about a counter-culture like that starting from scratch rather than new style of music emerging into what is already an established 'scene'.

[Craig 6700]

The Sky TV generation has a lot to answer for IYAM. They've made it so easy to sit at home and watch football that the reason for actually going to the match is lost on many.

 

When I was going in the 80s and 90s, there wasn't one match when we were on the TV when I didn't go. And I wasn't a season ticket holder for every season either.

[Isegrim 9900]

I guess it's probably a common theme all over the football world with fans becoming more uniform everywhere. I just read a good article this morning from a journalist from Freiburg having a good go at the fans of his hometown club. He says it was great when they used to be different and were proud to be different, now they (especially the young Ultras) are singing the same lame songs as others, shouting the same embarrassing abuse as others and lacking any kind of originality.

 

That's the common theme where you see those Ultra kids taking over the fan scene and unfortunately Newcastle is no exemption anymore. They think of themselves as the saviours of football, deliberating it from the prawn sandwich brigades and passive bandwagon jumpers. But in the end they are of the same kind of modern football's boring conformity.

 

I found St Pauli a bit different tbf.

 

 

English football could use a Pauli or two, certainly. Although you could argue there's just as much conformity in the whole skull 'n' crossbones "alternative" thing.

Yep, I know a couple of St. Pauli fans who think that the commercialism of the club is nowadays on par with the likes of Bayern etc. Once they move to a new stadium an lose any kind of Millerntor nostalgia they are probably going to be a club like any other.

Your team is Magdeburg?

No, Hessen Kassel. They used to play 2nd Bundesliga in the 80s, failing to win promotion by finishing just outside the promotion spots three years in a row (once dropping from first to fourth on the last day and losing out on promotion on goal difference). They went bancrupt in the 90s and had to start at the lowest level.

[Park Life 71]

I guess it's probably a common theme all over the football world with fans becoming more uniform everywhere. I just read a good article this morning from a journalist from Freiburg having a good go at the fans of his hometown club. He says it was great when they used to be different and were proud to be different, now they (especially the young Ultras) are singing the same lame songs as others, shouting the same embarrassing abuse as others and lacking any kind of originality.

 

That's the common theme where you see those Ultra kids taking over the fan scene and unfortunately Newcastle is no exemption anymore. They think of themselves as the saviours of football, deliberating it from the prawn sandwich brigades and passive bandwagon jumpers. But in the end they are of the same kind of modern football's boring conformity.

 

I found St Pauli a bit different tbf.

 

 

English football could use a Pauli or two, certainly. Although you could argue there's just as much conformity in the whole skull 'n' crossbones "alternative" thing.

Yep, I know a couple of St. Pauli fans who think that the commercialism of the club is nowadays on par with the likes of Bayern etc. Once they move to a new stadium an lose any kind of Millerntor nostalgia they are probably going to be a club like any other.

 

It's beyond belief that you get ads during the game at the AOL (HSV).

[Park Life 71]

In the 80's I will say now, with no delusion, there was not a better support than Newcastle's generally. Everyone who used to play at St James' used to say the same, even Liverpool players. Keegan on joining said he realised in 1974, Newcastle had "by far" the best supporters in England, and to be honest I seen it as a kid all the way through the mid to late 80's. The crowd needed the tinyest bit encouragement and we were tremendous.

 

Through the 90's we were pretty good, nearly every game from the 95/96 season was played in an almost unrivalled atmosphere, the Barcelona game for me the best atmosphere we've had down there, Brian Moore and Fat Ron saying the best they've ever experienced. Through the late 90's despite the frustrations, the support was still good, and despite an absolutely wank season (cos of injury) in 2001, the crowd was still pretty patient. We had two really exciting years then bang, we came 5th playing pretty poorly, we lost less games than Man Utd, but 17 draws frustrated everybody culminating in SBR calling us ungrateful bastards. Since the August of 2004 when he was sacked, the support has deteriorated with the team on the pitch.

 

In the last 6 years, I'd guess 15000 kids who are new to Newcastle have absorbed this shit, whereas the kids slightly older like me have seen lower lows and very high highs the younguns have seen fuck all. I realised the support was on the wain in Roeder's season, I reckon we've lost more than 8,000 fans which is what the gate statistics are telling you, I think we've lost at least 35,000 fans willing and able to go who take a keen interest and would go regularly, I know plenty of them, some of them good kids who saw the worst days of the Smith era with me, and we're left with a hard core who you would presume would do everything in it's power to help the team.

 

Look at the facts though

• We sell out every away commendable in itself, only Man Utd and Liverpool do that at every ground, although Chelsea and Arsenal sell out most, but the support is fucking shit. Boring songs, hardly audible, apparently even with 7000 at Barnsley we were mediocre
  
• We boo players we don't like, Harewood being a prime example
  
• The fans have now decided since November time I'd say that it isn't necessary to create a home atmosphere because weshould be winning anyway
  

Then worst of all you have people saying don't get behind new players because it's a symbol to the board that we're accepting their standard of transfers. All we had in the past was the support to be proud of, and we were the best, that's not deluded, it is a fact in this country we were the best, we're shit now fuckin shit, and if we have a league hardcore of 38,000 now, if it meant another 18,000 of the negative cunts fucked off and we were left with 20,000 it wouldn't be such a bad thing.

 

 

Society in general has got more passive imo. I've been living abroad mostly for the last 7 years, first France and then Germany...I was a bit shocked how passive, unthinking and poncey England has become since I came back.

I doubt if you'd even get something like rave culture / acid house occurring now. Or maybe we're just getting old

 

you're obviously not down with da kids alex. we've had nu rave, grime and dubstep all emerge in the past couple of years

I think you've misunderstood what I meant. I was talking about a counter-culture like that starting from scratch rather than new style of music emerging into what is already an established 'scene'.

 

We'er gonna end up sounding like Socialology teachers Alex. Better back off.

[Guest alex]

In the 80's I will say now, with no delusion, there was not a better support than Newcastle's generally. Everyone who used to play at St James' used to say the same, even Liverpool players. Keegan on joining said he realised in 1974, Newcastle had "by far" the best supporters in England, and to be honest I seen it as a kid all the way through the mid to late 80's. The crowd needed the tinyest bit encouragement and we were tremendous.

 

Through the 90's we were pretty good, nearly every game from the 95/96 season was played in an almost unrivalled atmosphere, the Barcelona game for me the best atmosphere we've had down there, Brian Moore and Fat Ron saying the best they've ever experienced. Through the late 90's despite the frustrations, the support was still good, and despite an absolutely wank season (cos of injury) in 2001, the crowd was still pretty patient. We had two really exciting years then bang, we came 5th playing pretty poorly, we lost less games than Man Utd, but 17 draws frustrated everybody culminating in SBR calling us ungrateful bastards. Since the August of 2004 when he was sacked, the support has deteriorated with the team on the pitch.

 

In the last 6 years, I'd guess 15000 kids who are new to Newcastle have absorbed this shit, whereas the kids slightly older like me have seen lower lows and very high highs the younguns have seen fuck all. I realised the support was on the wain in Roeder's season, I reckon we've lost more than 8,000 fans which is what the gate statistics are telling you, I think we've lost at least 35,000 fans willing and able to go who take a keen interest and would go regularly, I know plenty of them, some of them good kids who saw the worst days of the Smith era with me, and we're left with a hard core who you would presume would do everything in it's power to help the team.

 

Look at the facts though

• We sell out every away commendable in itself, only Man Utd and Liverpool do that at every ground, although Chelsea and Arsenal sell out most, but the support is fucking shit. Boring songs, hardly audible, apparently even with 7000 at Barnsley we were mediocre
  
• We boo players we don't like, Harewood being a prime example
  
• The fans have now decided since November time I'd say that it isn't necessary to create a home atmosphere because weshould be winning anyway
  

Then worst of all you have people saying don't get behind new players because it's a symbol to the board that we're accepting their standard of transfers. All we had in the past was the support to be proud of, and we were the best, that's not deluded, it is a fact in this country we were the best, we're shit now fuckin shit, and if we have a league hardcore of 38,000 now, if it meant another 18,000 of the negative cunts fucked off and we were left with 20,000 it wouldn't be such a bad thing.

 

 

Society in general has got more passive imo. I've been living abroad mostly for the last 7 years, first France and then Germany...I was a bit shocked how passive, unthinking and poncey England has become since I came back.

I doubt if you'd even get something like rave culture / acid house occurring now. Or maybe we're just getting old

 

you're obviously not down with da kids alex. we've had nu rave, grime and dubstep all emerge in the past couple of years

I think you've misunderstood what I meant. I was talking about a counter-culture like that starting from scratch rather than new style of music emerging into what is already an established 'scene'.

 

We'er gonna end up sounding like Socialology teachers Alex. Better back off. ;)

Just need the elbow patches on the jacket.

[Dr Gloom 22148]

In the 80's I will say now, with no delusion, there was not a better support than Newcastle's generally. Everyone who used to play at St James' used to say the same, even Liverpool players. Keegan on joining said he realised in 1974, Newcastle had "by far" the best supporters in England, and to be honest I seen it as a kid all the way through the mid to late 80's. The crowd needed the tinyest bit encouragement and we were tremendous.

 

Through the 90's we were pretty good, nearly every game from the 95/96 season was played in an almost unrivalled atmosphere, the Barcelona game for me the best atmosphere we've had down there, Brian Moore and Fat Ron saying the best they've ever experienced. Through the late 90's despite the frustrations, the support was still good, and despite an absolutely wank season (cos of injury) in 2001, the crowd was still pretty patient. We had two really exciting years then bang, we came 5th playing pretty poorly, we lost less games than Man Utd, but 17 draws frustrated everybody culminating in SBR calling us ungrateful bastards. Since the August of 2004 when he was sacked, the support has deteriorated with the team on the pitch.

 

In the last 6 years, I'd guess 15000 kids who are new to Newcastle have absorbed this shit, whereas the kids slightly older like me have seen lower lows and very high highs the younguns have seen fuck all. I realised the support was on the wain in Roeder's season, I reckon we've lost more than 8,000 fans which is what the gate statistics are telling you, I think we've lost at least 35,000 fans willing and able to go who take a keen interest and would go regularly, I know plenty of them, some of them good kids who saw the worst days of the Smith era with me, and we're left with a hard core who you would presume would do everything in it's power to help the team.

 

Look at the facts though

• We sell out every away commendable in itself, only Man Utd and Liverpool do that at every ground, although Chelsea and Arsenal sell out most, but the support is fucking shit. Boring songs, hardly audible, apparently even with 7000 at Barnsley we were mediocre
  
• We boo players we don't like, Harewood being a prime example
  
• The fans have now decided since November time I'd say that it isn't necessary to create a home atmosphere because weshould be winning anyway
  

Then worst of all you have people saying don't get behind new players because it's a symbol to the board that we're accepting their standard of transfers. All we had in the past was the support to be proud of, and we were the best, that's not deluded, it is a fact in this country we were the best, we're shit now fuckin shit, and if we have a league hardcore of 38,000 now, if it meant another 18,000 of the negative cunts fucked off and we were left with 20,000 it wouldn't be such a bad thing.

 

 

Society in general has got more passive imo. I've been living abroad mostly for the last 7 years, first France and then Germany...I was a bit shocked how passive, unthinking and poncey England has become since I came back.

I doubt if you'd even get something like rave culture / acid house occurring now. Or maybe we're just getting old

 

you're obviously not down with da kids alex. we've had nu rave, grime and dubstep all emerge in the past couple of years

I think you've misunderstood what I meant. I was talking about a counter-culture like that starting from scratch rather than new style of music emerging into what is already an established 'scene'.

 

i was being cynical. i was lucky enough to catch the tail end of the acid house scene. i don't think the crap the kids are into these days compare. there's definitely nowt like the oldschool outdoor raves happening anymore. i might be wrong but i'm not aware of any illegal rave scene these days and most festivals are large corporate affairs with sponsored tents serving cans of warm fosters for £4 a pop.

[brummiemag1 0]

The lack of atmosphere is in part a reflection of the risk averse, ponceified, politically correct, middle class, inactive, inoffensive society we are rapidly becoming where people are frightened to offend in public and want instant success fed on a diet of Sky tv hype and bullshit

[bobbyshinton 59]

I'm fading into the distance. Used to be go everywhere even when we were at our lowest. (Supafan)

 

Now I rarely go to mid week games or cup games.

 

Why? Age, sky having the match on and not prepared to have the piss taken by club and players.

 

Woor youngen was NUFC daft. Season ticket holder now will not go even if I try and force him.

 

Football is fucked it is heading to the US of A style.

 

 

Only being a Geordie makes me attend nowadays sad I know

[Guest alex]

Modern Life is Rubbish.

[Guest Stevie]

The lack of atmosphere is in part a reflection of the risk averse, ponceified, politically correct, middle class, inactive, inoffensive society we are rapidly becoming where people are frightened to offend in public and want instant success fed on a diet of Sky tv hype and bullshit

Part of it, things like the Mido abuse were justified in my view but it will sadly never happen again, because of the apologists.

[Christmas Tree 4827]

I blame the immigrants. People are too worried to go to the matches spend all the game wondering if the darkies will be round their house robbing them.

 

We never had this problem under Shepherd.

[Guest alex]

The lack of atmosphere is in part a reflection of the risk averse, ponceified, politically correct, middle class, inactive, inoffensive society we are rapidly becoming where people are frightened to offend in public and want instant success fed on a diet of Sky tv hype and bullshit

Part of it, things like the Mido abuse were justified in my view but it will sadly never happen again, because of the apologists.

Worst thing about that 'incident' was the likes of Louise Taylor and their ridiculously (and I hate to use the stupid phrase) 'politically correct' spin on the whole thing. Btw, did you read he's meant to be on only a grand a week at West Ham? Still a lot more than he could earn doing anything else like.

Edited February 2, 2010 by alex

[Dr Gloom 22148]

I blame the immigrants. People are too worried to go to the matches spend all the game wondering if the darkies will be round their house robbing them.

 

We never had this problem under Shepherd.

 

 

[bobbyshinton 59]

Rose tinted glasses are great how I look back and smile when I think about

 

Pissing in peoples pockets or having the deed returned

No roof to keep you dry

fights at every game

shit catering, fucking hell peanuts were a finger buffet

scoring a goal and nearly getting fucking killed at best surfacing like a drowning man 50 yards from my mates

walls for bogs no shitters

pitches like a cunt

standing in lines a fucking mile long just to get in to see Ipswich (notice I did not attempt to spell queue)

 

 

 

all the above and more yet I yearn for a return to basics

[NJS 4411]

The lack of atmosphere is in part a reflection of the risk averse, ponceified, politically correct, middle class, inactive, inoffensive society we are rapidly becoming where people are frightened to offend in public and want instant success fed on a diet of Sky tv hype and bullshit

Part of it, things like the Mido abuse were justified in my view but it will sadly never happen again, because of the apologists.

Worst thing about that 'incident' was the likes of Louise Taylor and their ridiculously (and I hate to use the stupid phrase) 'politically correct' spin on the whole thing. Btw, did you read he's meant to be on only a grand a week at West Ham? Still a lot more than he could earn doing anything else like.

 

Despite being a "do-gooder" I really wanted someone to stand up to her when she said "they are abusing him for being a Muslim" (which we weren't anyway) and say "and so fucking what".

 

Monkey noises aside, I've never heard anything at a football game which has made me ashamed from an offence pov and I think the timidness which has infiltrated crowds is another negative factor. That doesn't mean I'm proud of some of the language btw - but I find any kind of censorship to be wrong.

[Park Life 71]

Manufacturing consent, brand building, financial footprint. Oh yes the new lexicon of football.

[ChezGiven 0]

There are many different ways to be passionate about something, some can be negative some can be positive. Passion is just a way of describing how people express themselves, in the past people were not more or less passionate and the source of the passion was about the same (for Newcastle in particular there is a regional element that incorporates being a geordie). Something has changed though across the game.

 

When i look at the face of modern football i see a lot of 'disgruntled' fans, 'protesting' against their owners and 'lamenting' the lack of success on the pitch. Why should that be so prevalent at all levels of the game since there is only one winner at the top of the tree? People just like a whinge? Or modern life teaches us that with minimal effort our wants and desires can be met? In which case, football is a beautiful yet unfortunate metaphor for the injustices, corruptions and disappointments of 'real life' (ie the life we have tried to insulate ourselves from materially and psychologically). This creates a tension between our expectations and what we recieve, which in turn leads to unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

 

If you talk about expectations you get shot down though 'how dare you not share my expectations and therefore anger at us not winning, you clearly dont care about the club'. Its the simplest badge of honour to wear these days, 'if you are not as angry as me that we arent winning then you dont care'. So people are still passionate, its just now its the passion of disappointment, of anger and of throwing used season ticket books onto the pitch in a symbolic gesture.

 

I know having such a massive cunt as a chairman complicates this issue but this malaise in football is everywhere and not everyone has a Mike Ashley

[Guest alex]

Manufacturing consent, brand building, financial footprint. Oh yes the new lexicon of football.

Don't think Ashley's read it yet though.

[Park Life 71]

Manufacturing consent, brand building, financial footprint. Oh yes the new lexicon of football.

Don't think Ashley's read it yet though.

 

[Guest Stevie]

The lack of atmosphere is in part a reflection of the risk averse, ponceified, politically correct, middle class, inactive, inoffensive society we are rapidly becoming where people are frightened to offend in public and want instant success fed on a diet of Sky tv hype and bullshit

Part of it, things like the Mido abuse were justified in my view but it will sadly never happen again, because of the apologists.

Worst thing about that 'incident' was the likes of Louise Taylor and their ridiculously (and I hate to use the stupid phrase) 'politically correct' spin on the whole thing. Btw, did you read he's meant to be on only a grand a week at West Ham? Still a lot more than he could earn doing anything else like.

A grand week??? No. The Fish is more than that editting newspaper forums.

[Guest alex]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...nd-striker.html

Sauce needs a pinch of salt, obviously.

[peasepud 59]

Football in general has lost its soul frankly,

 

In the past it was almost exclusively a male orientated domain, a place to go, be with your mates have a few beers before and after the game and while there, sing, shout abuse and generally get the entire weeks frustrations out of your system.

 

Now its been gentrified and turned into a family event, that shouldnt be a bad thing but it has taken all the "fun" out of the match. Now we have gangs of 15 year old girls coming along because its a good place to meet lads or scream loudly at a player. Now, 20 minutes into the game we have lads wandering the ground looking for their seat with their girlfriends tottering along behind in high heels .

 

As a kid I felt that I was part of something, a sort of belonging, in with the older lads in the Scoreboard, abusing those daft fuckers in the Corner (snowball fights at half time), singing, chanting and shouting abuse were all the norm. Nobody left early (at least not as far as I can remember) to get the bus or a good seat in the pub. Nobody went for a pint 15 mins before the first half ended (probably because there was no bar like!), we were all there for 90mins each and every game. As I got older and the ground changed I moved around and really saw the difference, I ahd a ST in the Leazes side of the East Stand when the away fans were in that corner and it was a good atmosphere but still nothing like how it used to be.

 

Our success and style of play I think contributed to the way football evolved, suddenly people wanted to watch matches for which they had no loyalty, I honestly think we were there at the forefront of the "neutral revolution". The first time that people in large numbers would happily watch a team that wasnt their own and cheer them on. Sky may have given them the means to do that but I believe it was NUFC which gave them the reason.

 

And so the Armchair fan was born, suddenly you were able to sit at home and watch us take on Man U rather than have a 6 hour round trip and abuse off Mancs/ Cockneys, it wasnt long therefore before people would think "what the fuck" I'll watch the home games on it as well and support started to drop off a little. For those who were growing up at this time, Sky was all they knew, a lot of parents would have thought it was easier and cheaper to get Sky in and test the bairn out on that before diving in with a ST. These kids therefore could pick and choose, could happily watch half a game, get bored and wander out the room. One thing that was missing was definitely the singing and chanting. You didnt do it at home so when the time came to finally go to a match on your own you werent conditioned into that way of thinking.

 

Add in all seaters and all the soul has gone out of the game, now people give you a shitty look if you shout abuse and Im not talking racist or the like but just good old fashioned abusing a player for their lack of talent, skill, big arse, stupid haircut etc..... Its guaranteed that Terry wont get any real hefty abuse tonight from the Hull fans, 20 years ago there'd have been a dozen chants and songs developed overnight ready for him coming to town (I particulary liked the classic "wheres your drunken Centre Half" when Paul McGrath went AWOL before a game against us).

 

Nobody can lead the "orchestra" as they used to, nobody can get a new chant going even though in this day and age it should be simple to come up with it and have a few thousand fans know how it goes within minutes thanks to places such as this.

 

It just doesnt happen and thats the sad fact.

 

EDIT: and that Ive just realised was my 10,000th post, fuck me Im glad I didnt waste it on a LOL

[Ketsbaia 0]

Football in general has lost its soul frankly,

 

In the past it was almost exclusively a male orientated domain, a place to go, be with your mates have a few beers before and after the game and while there, sing, shout abuse and generally get the entire weeks frustrations out of your system.

 

Now its been gentrified and turned into a family event, that shouldnt be a bad thing but it has taken all the "fun" out of the match. Now we have gangs of 15 year old girls coming along because its a good place to meet lads or scream loudly at a player. Now, 20 minutes into the game we have lads wandering the ground looking for their seat with their girlfriends tottering along behind in high heels .

 

As a kid I felt that I was part of something, a sort of belonging, in with the older lads in the Scoreboard, abusing those daft fuckers in the Corner (snowball fights at half time), singing, chanting and shouting abuse were all the norm. Nobody left early (at least not as far as I can remember) to get the bus or a good seat in the pub. Nobody went for a pint 15 mins before the first half ended (probably because there was no bar like!), we were all there for 90mins each and every game. As I got older and the ground changed I moved around and really saw the difference, I ahd a ST in the Leazes side of the East Stand when the away fans were in that corner and it was a good atmosphere but still nothing like how it used to be.

 

Our success and style of play I think contributed to the way football evolved, suddenly people wanted to watch matches for which they had no loyalty, I honestly think we were there at the forefront of the "neutral revolution". The first time that people in large numbers would happily watch a team that wasnt their own and cheer them on. Sky may have given them the means to do that but I believe it was NUFC which gave them the reason.

 

And so the Armchair fan was born, suddenly you were able to sit at home and watch us take on Man U rather than have a 6 hour round trip and abuse off Mancs/ Cockneys, it wasnt long therefore before people would think "what the fuck" I'll watch the home games on it as well and support started to drop off a little. For those who were growing up at this time, Sky was all they knew, a lot of parents would have thought it was easier and cheaper to get Sky in and test the bairn out on that before diving in with a ST. These kids therefore could pick and choose, could happily watch half a game, get bored and wander out the room. One thing that was missing was definitely the singing and chanting. You didnt do it at home so when the time came to finally go to a match on your own you werent conditioned into that way of thinking.

 

Add in all seaters and all the soul has gone out of the game, now people give you a shitty look if you shout abuse and Im not talking racist or the like but just good old fashioned abusing a player for their lack of talent, skill, big arse, stupid haircut etc..... Its guaranteed that Terry wont get any real hefty abuse tonight from the Hull fans, 20 years ago there'd have been a dozen chants and songs developed overnight ready for him coming to town (I particulary liked the classic "wheres your drunken Centre Half" when Paul McGrath went AWOL before a game against us).

 

Nobody can lead the "orchestra" as they used to, nobody can get a new chant going even though in this day and age it should be simple to come up with it and have a few thousand fans know how it goes within minutes thanks to places such as this.

 

It just doesnt happen and thats the sad fact.

 

What a way to hit the 10k mark

 

Obviously I'm a young'un compared to you old twats so I wasn't about during the halcyon days of the 70s/80s/early 90s but your description of modern football is spot on. It's sterile. Level 7 does manage to generate an atmosphere of sorts but it's nothing particularly amazing - it's a bunch of charvas singing Geordie Bootboys and Your Support is Fucking Shit x infinity.