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Atmosphere at the Valley
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This is nothing new. It’s who we are as a club. That’s why are away days are so great.3
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Thought yesterday was the best it’s been in a while. Watford and Leicester atmosphere was great but yeah since Southampton the toxicity has crept in a bit. I’ve certainly heard the valley much quieter and more toxic, though.0
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I stand about 5 rows in front of the drummers Niall and Sean, In my humble opinion they are the main reason why the atmosphere is the best its been since I've been going in 1975. First half yesterday was hard going- probably due the the ending on monday and the start of yesterday's game. Second half much better. Portsmouth fans' atmosphere on monday wasn't great - probably a reflection of their nervousness. I think we make more noise than most, possibly because the fans who sing are the middle of a home end rather than standing next to away fans, as is the case at a lot of new grounds. Difficult for me to know how loud we are because I'm in the middle of it. But there are a couple of hundred of us that are singing pretty much non stop.7
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I really don’t think it’s that bad. Maybe it’s different as I’m in the safe standing at the back of CE upper but I think it’s decent, particularly second half when we are attacking that end it can get really goodBraziliance said:It's awful.
Covered End upper is usually fine and they give it a real go. It's a morgue when you sit in West and East.
And I genuinely think we might be one of the only teams where our fans don't stand up behind the goal. 5 minutes to go, we are in the ascendancy, and it's musical chairs. Imagine being a player and you're attacking your home goal and most of the fans are seated and not singing or showing any emotion, hardly gets the juices flowing.
Can't wait to get out of it for next season. Seated area and there is no leg room. It would be class if everyone stood, but it is what it is. I can't explain how much I fkn despise the whole standing up when the players attack the covered End, and then immediately sitting when the ball goes away. Ideally the whole area would stand, but I would rather sit than have to stand up and sit down 20 times again.
Overrall I think our home atmosphere is poor. Away we are very decent and one of the better groups from my experience, our home is one of the worst I've witnessed for the relative size of our club. On par with the likes of Barnsley with the exception of the Covered Upper and a few Covered Lower areas.
Think when comparing to other teams we are probably better than most based on what I’ve seen from being in away ends this season. In fact, the only home ends that I think are noticeably louder than ours are the ones that are next to the away end which definitely helps drive the atmosphere with back and forth. A few grounds are great in the lead up to kick off (Birmingham and Sheff Weds for example) but then offer very little in the game. Compared to others I really don’t think ours is awful
I think it could be improved though and hope the club plans to increase safe standing to cover more of the covered end. What would make an even bigger difference (and won’t happen) is if they made the Covered End upper tickets the same price as lower, but I’m probably asking for too much there0 -
Agreed, but the problem is how far the noise travels. Most friends who have been in the Jimmy Seed say they didn't hear much from us, whereas I was in the North Upper where it was noisy for most of the game.PemburyAddick said:I stand about 5 rows in front of the drummers Niall and Sean, In my humble opinion they are the main reason why the atmosphere is the best its been since I've been going in 1975. First half yesterday was hard going- probably due the the ending on monday and the start of yesterday's game. Second half much better. Portsmouth fans' atmosphere on monday wasn't great - probably a reflection of their nervousness. I think we make more noise than most, possibly because the fans who sing are the middle of a home end rather than standing next to away fans, as is the case at a lot of new grounds. Difficult for me to know how loud we are because I'm in the middle of it. But there are a couple of hundred of us that are singing pretty much non stop.2 -
The atmosphere at the valley was better before the covered end got extended, for one more affordable as football was back then and two nearer the pitch. Seating has ruined the atmosphere at football, proper terracing is great, not this safe standing lumped in one place,the swaying and surges are fantastic, although didn’t happen much at our place due to our attendances.As mentioned West and East weren’t bad before the covered end was extended only bit of atmosphere in the lower is probably E&F block where you get more traditional songs from the middle aged supporters.2
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We need more Ultras and Tifos - we could learn a lesson from Palace.
Joking of course, the day we try to copy those utter bells will be a very dark day indeed.9 -
Last season I went to the Valley with my Lincoln supporting mate. I chose the south end of west upper so that it would be fairly neutral and he could be near his own supporters. I have to say that I was really impressed with the noise from the Covered End. My mate actually remarked on how good the atmosphere was... And in that game we were 2-0 down at one point.
I have also sat in the east stand in the past and again the noise / atmosphere has been great.
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Probably doesn’t help that the average age of our fanbase is about 103 years old.11
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It’s the same at pretty much every stadium. A singing section that goes for most of the game and then the rest of the stadium that occasionally joins in or claps along. English fans follow the ebb and flow of the game so when the team is doing well and the game is good the crowd is usually louder. I thought the second half of last season our atmosphere was incredible. For obvious reasons this season it’s been a bit flatter.The only club where I’ve been consistently impressed with the home atmosphere is Portsmouth and that’s even more impressive given their run against us.I’d put us comfortably above average.Just wait until Ewood on Sunday if you think the Valley is bad. Went there last season for the derby with Preston when Blackburn were actually doing ok in the table and there wasn’t a peep from the home fans.3
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Thought first 10 mins of second half yesterday it was really loud, but that’s reflective of what was happening on the pitch. We’re a reactive crowd not a proactive one, always have been.
On a separate note, it felt like I watched the first half in the dark. Did anyone else notice that or was it my eyes?6 -
I still don’t understand why there isn’t safe standing at covered end lower, that would enhance the atmosphere even better.5
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Agree with that, thought it was getting a bit too dark. Second half they seemed to turn the lights up tenfold.ValleyGary said:Thought first 10 mins of second half yesterday it was really loud, but that’s reflective of what was happening on the pitch. We’re a reactive crowd not a proactive one, always have been.
On a separate note, it felt like I watched the first half in the dark. Did anyone else notice that or was it my eyes?1 -
If the team show heart and a little bit of ability the atmosphere at The Valley can be brilliant. Letting in a soft goal after 2mins killed it, especially after the Portsmouth fiasco. 2nd half was great cause we'd all had an extra pint and the players had clearly been given a bollocking they deserved! Came out fighting on both fronts. No one should be digging out our fans tbh. We always get behind the lads.4
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Well I had a babycham!!! And became really rowdyYTS1978 said:If the team show heart and a little bit of ability the atmosphere at The Valley can be brilliant. Letting in a soft goal after 2mins killed it, especially after the Portsmouth fiasco. 2nd half was great cause we'd all had an extra pint and the players had clearly been given a bollocking they deserved! Came out fighting on both fronts. No one should be digging out our fans tbh. We always get behind the lads.1 -
_uptheaddicks said:
NJ was playing cheerleader* to a sedate West Stand yesterday. The Covered end songs seem to peter out quietly these days. It appears a bit flatter than I had expected at this stage.
*I try to join in (in the West Stand) but it has always been we just clap when something good happens. Not much of a chanting stand (also before the West Brom game never really knew a time when Nathan celebrated with us). All of this 'cheerleading' to a sedate us when TC is dribbling on the other side of the pitch is new to me. Saw he was drinking energy drinks throughout the game maybe it was that.Covered End: I can still hear Nathan Jones Red and White Army being sung at the end (and VFR sung about a few time), so no issues there.
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Why did Red Division get stamped on by the Old Bill? Did they do anything wrong other than try to organise themselves into some sort of "ultra" grouip?Simonsen said:
Red Division...remember them? Fairly shortlived but definitely livened up a win at Watford.Oakster2 said:We need more Ultras and Tifos - we could learn a lesson from Palace.
Joking of course, the day we try to copy those utter bells will be a very dark day indeed.0 -
They got a lot of grief from Charlton fansOff_it said:
Why did Red Division get stamped on by the Old Bill? Did they do anything wrong other than try to organise themselves into some sort of "ultra" grouip?Simonsen said:
Red Division...remember them? Fairly shortlived but definitely livened up a win at Watford.Oakster2 said:We need more Ultras and Tifos - we could learn a lesson from Palace.
Joking of course, the day we try to copy those utter bells will be a very dark day indeed.1 -
Why would it enhance the atmosphere? It would still be the same people and the right side stand anywayBilko said:I still don’t understand why there isn’t safe standing at covered end lower, that would enhance the atmosphere even better.1 -
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I must admit I hate watching football from behind the goal even when you are high up. Just don’t think you get the same idea of space and how moves are developing compared to sitting around the halfway line. Obviously definitely quieter crowd in the East and West stands but was ever thus.6
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Revenue is only reduced if it sells out, which it doesn't.shirty5 said:Would standing up make the atmosphere any better at home games? Possibly but the authorities would not be impressed with the club as shown in October 2023
Since then Safe Standing has come into the top of the Upper Covered End. The only way around it would be to make the whole end safe standing but then you reduce your capacity and revenue coming in
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At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter wether you sit or stand “ I stand” it’s all about opening your mouths and singing, unfortunately we aren’t as “vocally” passionate as other clubs, especially northern clubs.2
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It's the huge shift in the demographic that go to matches.WSS said:Having been to Norwich and Portsmouth, The Valley feels like the Estadio Monumental when Boca are in town.
I used to sit in the West Stand in the PL days with the old man and it was always quiet. I'm not sure much has changed for us in terms of noise since we came back to The Valley. And I don't know what people expect to be honest.
Generally, I think most grounds now have lost a certain amount of atmosphere over recent years.
Like when Tuchel complained about the Wembley atmosphere, what do you expect when you're selling popcorn and pick n mix in the concourse?
Football has been sterilised and is focused on becoming a 'day out', no wonder the atmospheres have suffered.6 -
I’ve thought for a long time that acoustic baffles should be put in the Jimmy Seed so the fans noise doesn’t get out. You only need a small group in there to sing or chant and it sounds very loud.5
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Yes something should be done about the Jimmy Seed, it looks like a great away day for fans!iainment said:I’ve thought for a long time that acoustic baffles should be put in the Jimmy Seed so the fans noise doesn’t get out. You only need a small group in there to sing or chant and it sounds very loud.
Some away days this year, I havent heard the home team once unless they scored. Sheffield United and Preston was silent. Also Millwall were so quiet in the away game this year.
Away days are better for atmosphere but thats always how it has been. We have good support and if we stay in the Championship a few years it will get much better!1 -
Doesn't mean we cant try and make it better tho!
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I sit in the East (towards the covered end) and I don't think you need to beat yourselves up.
Maybe a little subdued of late in line with our recent loss of form, but generally a pretty good atmosphere is generated ... and when I add my happy clapping to it the roof comes off.
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The lights are pretty impressive when they are turned on fully, unlike the other day against Coventry when it was getting more gloomy by the minute and the lights were still on dim mode throughout the first half.WSA said:On a positive - the lights and advertising hoardings look pretty cool. (Shot taken from your video @Braziliance)
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Back to the atmosphere context, it’s been a bit muted of late TBF but that’s been down to the poor run of results. The Chelsea game should be interesting because it looks like a lot of season ticket holders in the Covered End have moved to the East and West so they can bring friends along. It could be more like when we moved back to the Valley and a lot of fans had to take what seats that were available rather than choose to sit in congregated ‘singing’ areas.0
