Threads like this on opposition message boards seem a common theme. Observations as a visiting fan, I would say as a ground it felt a bit underwhelming and flat.
I am not sure whether it’s the acoustics but from our corner we could see the fans in the Union FS section bouncing at one point but couldn’t hear much noise. There was the drum and a small section around it that could be sporadically heard but that was it until the goals when it livened up. In much the same way, I’ve seen posts saying the away fans were quiet but honestly aside for a few minutes after the goals there was chanting and noise throughout, maybe half the issue is the stadium acoustics don’t help? That said when your dishing out thunder clappers to generate an atmosphere you know you’re onto a loser (sorry they’re a pet hate).
You have a team and ground fit for the Prem, and a match day product to match, so the place should be bouncing but it just isn’t. You’ll breeze this league so enjoy it, it deserves more fan interaction than it sounds like it’s getting.
Having been a student there in the 90s and going to the old Filbert Street, the fans are still fairly sound and we had a good chat walking back to the car with a few City fans who were picky of the football and moaning about the atmosphere. The stewarding and safety checks are a bit OTT and tbh the police would have been better sorting out the traffic than worrying about anything going on around the ground, how the club, council and police conspired road closures and no exit plan like that were a shambles!
