Criticism of Away Support at Edgeley Park

[Simi]

Personally I'd like to see unreserved seating at most grounds.

I find it generally easier for many reasons. Firstly, the people that I go with all live in different areas to me so getting tickets with them for a reserved match is a nightmare and if often means sitting where we shouldn't which I don't like doing.

Also, the people that want to stand, generally head for the back of the stand where it becomes easier for the people that do not wish to stand to see the game.

I doubt we'll get it many times this season, but it worked for me yesterday.

[Bert]

Personally I'd like to see unreserved seating at most grounds.

I find it generally easier for many reasons. Firstly, the people that I go with all live in different areas to me so getting tickets with them for a reserved match is a nightmare and if often means sitting where we shouldn't which I don't like doing.

Also, the people that want to stand, generally head for the back of the stand where it becomes easier for the people that do not wish to stand to see the game.

I doubt we'll get it many times this season, but it worked for me yesterday.

Yes, there was a good 20-25 of us there yesterday, we caused no trouble, just got together as a group of mates, doing what we enjoy.

[Hullfox]

Saying this, I know not everybody is going to, or want to stand.

Indeed, nor is everyone going to or want to sing.

If you took a profile of ages of the 1700 yesterday and could actually determine on how best they enjoy their football, I'm sure that a sizeable amount would not be either interested in standing or singing. I agree that it would be best to have an element of unreserved seating, clearly set aside for those who are more vociferous and/or who wish to stand. This way you wouldn't get pockets of fans singing different songs at the same time either which is horrible.

It does come across however from some that those who do not stand/sing are some sort of second class supporter.

[Guest]

To be honest, the thread on the stockport 'forum' quickly decends into each of them criticising each other for parking offences etc. It's only for really the first poster who thinks our support was a poor turnout, and each pleb is entitled to his/her opinion. It's mostly a thread about criticising a few people who parked in spaces designated for disabled drivers.

[Daggers]

I,m sure SC will have learned their lesson and change it in the unlikely event that we are back there next season!!!!!!

I reckon that seeing as they have had large contingents of support visiting the ground in the past and it was still a bit of a mess then I'd not hold your breath for future changes.

Yesterday was a collection of problems - primarily being that we are attracting a section of support who wish to simply collect their ticket stub and add it to their collection towards 'The 92'. They were never going to make any noise and half of them seemed content to carp about players or other fans in the myopic fashion that seems to run to the core of the support.

Then you have those who do not have to stand and do not want to stand...but who will happily sit down near the rear of a stand in order to prevent anyone in front of them standing. One presumes that this is simply to give them another opportunity for something to moan about when it does happen.

The stewards were a good bunch, polite and good natured with a simply job to be done...and one in which they wisely gave up bothering with for the second half as no one at the rear of the ground were causing any inconvenience or risk - but having sat those who wanted to chant and stand down in the front rows during the first half further killed off the atmosphere.

I wonder at those who go to a football match and see that they play no part in creating an atmosphere - exactly what kind of sterile, insipid afternoon would we all have if everyone felt the same way. To be so pathetic as to not join in or clap really makes me wonder why they bother? You don't need to be doing it for the full 90 minutes - but not to bother at all?

On top of everything else we have the lobotomised who believe that simply paying money for a ticket guarantees them the right to bitch for 90 minutes because they have not seen any European Championship-level skills and goals. They are the ones who will phone the Moan-In every week but who are always one match late; they buy tickets for games on the back of last week's performance and expect to see the same fayre served up (like the cretin in front of me believing he should be watching a repeat of us beating Franchise).

For me, the best thing to come from yesterday is that half of them won't bother going to Cheltenham.

[Floating Fox]

I reckon that seeing as they have had large contingents of support visiting the ground in the past and it was still a bit of a mess then I'd not hold your breath for future changes.

Yesterday was a collection of problems - primarily being that we are attracting a section of support who wish to simply collect their ticket stub and add it to their collection towards 'The 92'. They were never going to make any noise and half of them seemed content to carp about players or other fans in the myopic fashion that seems to run to the core of the support.

Then you have those who do not have to stand and do not want to stand...but who will happily sit down near the rear of a stand in order to prevent anyone in front of them standing. One presumes that this is simply to give them another opportunity for something to moan about when it does happen.

The stewards were a good bunch, polite and good natured with a simply job to be done...and one in which they wisely gave up bothering with for the second half as no one at the rear of the ground were causing any inconvenience or risk - but having sat those who wanted to chant and stand down in the front rows during the first half further killed off the atmosphere.

I wonder at those who go to a football match and see that they play no part in creating an atmosphere - exactly what kind of sterile, insipid afternoon would we all have if everyone felt the same way. To be so pathetic as to not join in or clap really makes me wonder why they bother? You don't need to be doing it for the full 90 minutes - but not to bother at all?

On top of everything else we have the lobotomised who believe that simply paying money for a ticket guarantees them the right to bitch for 90 minutes because they have not seen any European Championship-level skills and goals. They are the ones who will phone the Moan-In every week but who are always one match late; they buy tickets for games on the back of last week's performance and expect to see the same fayre served up (like the cretin in front of me believing he should be watching a repeat of us beating Franchise).

For me, the best thing to come from yesterday is that half of them won't bother going to Cheltenham.

Great post.

[davieG]

I was told on 3 separate occasions to sit in the seat number printed on the ticket and seating was reserved, also the fact that stewards actually bothered to move everyone around even deep into the second half to accomodate those who found there seats occupied tells me that is was reserved but if you were all told differently then fine. And although no-one is actually saying us that sat down yesterday are less of a fan, that is the impression I'm getting from pretty much everyone in this thread. Tbh I was more interested in the game than trying to make an atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind standing if everyone else is but it is quite difficult to do so on Row B when children are sitting behind you. Some of my favorite away games have been when constant singing and standing has occurred, but the now seemingly recurrent theme of almost criticism towards those that sit is just not on. It didn't need 1700 to make an atmosphere so I don't see where the problem was.

They weren't moving people to their 'allocated seats' with the end sold out they were simple asking people to move along to fill up single seats in order to create two or more seats together so that late comers could sit together.

As for the atmosphere I suggest it was poor because the performance on the pitch was poor, the players looked lethargic and that reflected onto the crowd, it was noticeable that the atmosphere improved as the team improved in the second half.

[Bert]

They weren't moving people to their 'allocated seats' with the end sold out they were simple asking people to move along to fill up single seats in order to create two or more seats together so that late comers could sit together.

As for the atmosphere I suggest it was poor because the performance on the pitch was poor, the players looked lethargic and that reflected onto the crowd, it was noticeable that the atmosphere improved as the team improved in the second half.

Yeah very true, NP did say the players need to show us what they're about, in the second half they vaguely did that. Well, compared to the first half anyway.

Just a shame Mi Lloyd's song went to his head when he had all the time in the world.

[davieG]

I love unreserved seating and it's a great fillip to creating a decent atmosphere as like minded souls and friends gather together; after all no one likes to be singing on their own.

However for it to work properly I think it's beholden on people to make it work by arriving earlier so that you can get their groups together and grab all the seats either at the back or in one section.

That's pretty much how SK1 worked and as an added bonus it was the platform for many an individual player song because there was a large contingent of singers in the ground whilst the players were warming up.

These things don't just happen out of the blue they develop over time if the right environment is right.

Bring back unreserved seating NOW!

[purpleronnie]

Yeah very true, NP did say the players need to show us what they're about, in the second half they vaguely did that. Well, compared to the first half anyway.

Just a shame Mi Lloyd's song went to his head when he had all the time in the world.

I never understand that the atmosphere should always be dictated on how well the team is playing, its unique to england.

[davieG]

I never understand that the atmosphere should always be dictated on how well the team is playing, its unique to england.

Well when you've watched your team performing appalling for 4 consecutive years your motivation to cheer and support becomes somewhat jaded and needs a kick start as your belief bounces along the rock bottom of despair and despondency.

[Lillehamring]

To be honest, the thread on the stockport 'forum' quickly decends into each of them criticising each other for parking offences etc. It's only for really the first poster who thinks our support was a poor turnout, and each pleb is entitled to his/her opinion. It's mostly a thread about criticising a few people who parked in spaces designated for disabled drivers.

it was also, rather oddly, a thread about bumming...

[FilboFox]

They should be more concerned with their team... if that was them playing well and their fans turning out well... they're in for a long season!

[Daggers]

Well when you've watched your team performing appalling for 4 consecutive years your motivation to cheer and support becomes somewhat jaded and needs a kick start as your belief bounces along the rock bottom of despair and despondency.

[davieG]

A hug just what I needed you must be exhausted after that sit down and have a

[Bryn]

Was the issue that the people were sitting at the back? If I went to an away game I'd make sure I was down the front because I'm not much of a chanter or a stander, but anyone who told me I was scum for not singing is a cunt, pure and simple.

[chesterfox]

Who really gives one about what they think? I was in the side stand - there was a group who sang throughout - to the point that I wanted to tell them to shut the f**k up. But they were brilliant - the atmosphere was good. With 1700 fans I guess there were 1700 differing opinions so what? The constant bitching about each other gets a it boring - I didnt see the in fighting, but I'd hate to think that would happen again can anybody shed any light on it?

IMO it was a good day out great support decent performance which lacked the goal to make it a good one.

[Floating Fox]

I didnt see the in fighting, but I'd hate to think that would happen again can anybody shed any light on it?

There was a hat being thrown around (We all thought In good gesture) , next thing I knew one guy was being dragged away by the Old Bill, with a cut lip & the other guy had blood litterally pooring from his nose.

No idea what it was all about, and wether the hat was anything to do with it, even though it was about 5 seats from me...

[Tommeh]

Who really gives one about what they think? I was in the side stand - there was a group who sang throughout - to the point that I wanted to tell them to shut the f**k up. But they were brilliant - the atmosphere was good. With 1700 fans I guess there were 1700 differing opinions so what? The constant bitching about each other gets a it boring - I didnt see the in fighting, but I'd hate to think that would happen again can anybody shed any light on it?

IMO it was a good day out great support decent performance which lacked the goal to make it a good one.

To be honest I actaully think that the 200 or so in the side stand sounded much better than the 1500 behind the goal, purely because of the roof.

I can see what people are saying when our support was good numbers and a bit of noise etc. but last season at sheff utd, Barnsley and Stoke we set such high standards for away support, I thought yesterday was a big letdown.

I dodn't see the fighting but did see 2 men both bleeding being wrestled out by police about 10 minutes in, I pressume they were the ones involved

[Lillehamring]

you could hear city outsinging stockport for must of the game on the wireless. for what it's worth...

[Floating Fox]

On another note, anyone at the train station after the game? Do they know why Half of the Greater Manchester Police turned up just as we were leaving on the 17:55?

[Daggers]

On another note, anyone at the train station after the game? Do they know why Half of the Greater Manchester Police turned up just as we were leaving on the 17:55?

They were lining up in their riot gear as my train pulled out at 17:35 - I think they feared something might kick off after City fans loaded themselves up with carbonated sugary drinks in the shop.

Did they come to wave goodbye?

[davieG]

On another note, anyone at the train station after the game? Do they know why Half of the Greater Manchester Police turned up just as we were leaving on the 17:55?

Overtime payments

[Simi]

On another note, anyone at the train station after the game? Do they know why Half of the Greater Manchester Police turned up just as we were leaving on the 17:55?

As I said yesterday, more than likely one of the big Northen teams arriving back after there match, although who that could be is debatable. Could have even been someone returning down South. Stoke?

[Maybes]

As I said yesterday, more than likely one of the big Northen teams arriving back after there match, although who that could be is debatable. Could have even been someone returning down South. Stoke?

Mon' the Stoke.