Atmosphere today.

[indierich06]

I will say though, I don't think it's a problem which is unique to our club. It's the status quo now - there are a few clubs which are the exception to this, but on the whole this is how it'll be from now on. Welcome to 21st century football.

[Ozwin]

DanLCFC is going to have a breakdown one of these days.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Would unreserved seating help at all? For example L and K designated by the club as a unreserved area? Purely hypothetical, I've got more chance of getting a game for city than this actually happening.

[Jobyfox]

The whole profile of the modern football fan has changed. Fans used to be mainly blokes who would turn up pissed, shout expletives and be rowdy. Football clubs don't like these fans. Football clubs like the "tourist" fans who turn up, buy a programme, spend £50 quid in the club shop, applaud politely at regular intervals and go home all chummy. This is the main problem at clubs like man u and arsenal, probably less so at Leicester but it is the direction football has taken.

It is sadly all about money and they don't give a shit about the atmosphere.

Bollocks to the club. It is very unlikely they are going to do anything to help. So the initiative has to be with the fans. L, K and J need to unite and start organising themselves. The only way to improve the atmosphere is for fans collaborate. There needs to be real shift in the fan mentality.

Agree with all that you've said here, but my point in my earlier post is that it's not something that can change quickly.

Let's say, for example, we decided as fans that the Kop (SK1) will be the singing section. We could all agree to mobilise a group of very vocal fans to sit in this area and generate some atmosphere. The problem is that, if this section is anything like the area that I sit in (SK3), you would have to move out the fans who sit and don't sing for this to work effectively.

I can only speak with authority about the area I sit in and I would say that middle aged, sit down, non singing supporters are in the majority and are season ticket holders. You're never going to create a singing section here until you persuade them to move elsewhere in the ground. That's not to say that these fans should be derided as their season ticket purchase is the lifeblood of our club and they have the right to support their team in whatever way they see fit; but it's just about accommodating all types of fan in the most effective way possible to give the team maximum advantage on the pitch.

[JonnyBoy]

Agree with all that you've said here, but my point in my earlier post is that it's not something that can change quickly.

Let's say, for example, we decided as fans that the Kop (SK1) will be the singing section. We could all agree to mobilise a group of very vocal fans to sit in this area and generate some atmosphere. The problem is that, if this section is anything like the area that I sit in (SK3), you would have to move out the fans who sit and don't sing for this to work effectively.

I can only speak with authority about the area I sit in and I would say that middle aged, sit down, non singing supporters are in the majority and are season ticket holders. You're never going to create a singing section here until you persuade them to move elsewhere in the ground. That's not to say that these fans should be derided as their season ticket purchase is the lifeblood of our club and they have the right to support their team in whatever way they see fit; but it's just about accommodating all types of fan in the most effective way possible to give the team maximum advantage on the pitch.

agree,

would be so much easier if the quite people sat in one area of the ground and then the singers in another.

Everyone wins, no way of organising it though. Like alot of people have said, the club wont help us on this matter

[ousefox]

The atmosphere has been terrible this season especially. Don't know if.it has anything to do with lower crowds or not too.

I've been to five Sunderland games this season and my mate has his ticket in the singing section behind the goal. This was made by the fans who all moved to behind the goal at the beginning of the season. The atmosphere is quality whenever I've been with everybody in the section standing up and the stewards giving in. This is even with the away fans stuck in the gods on the other side of the ground which proves you don't need the kop swapping to get a decent atmosphere. The club even has a barrier between this singing section and the family area now.

[Guest claude_leic]

I rarely go to many home games now that I am at university. Before then, I was a season ticket holder in L1 for four years, which included the League 1 season. Our home and away atmosphere has always been frustrating and stale. Sometimes we can produce a good atmosphere away, such as Leyton Orient away in League 1 and Man City away in the fa cup. In recent years, we have managed to get our fans to stand up for the big away games, which was unthinkable years ago. People always talk about how Filbert Street was a different type of atmosphere, maybe it was, but I somewhat doubt it was radically different.

I used to think poor atmosphere was just associated with Leicester, but then I went to Everton Arsenal in the premier league two years ago and a few other Everton home games since. I was amazed at how terrible their atmosphere was, especially when they were playing Arsenal, it was even worse than ours! Everton do not even have a standing area that sings and the only song they occasionally muster up is Everton, Everton, Everton! I have no doubt that Goodisan would be good for the Merseyside derby, but every stadium improves for the "big games." The problem is that, as ticket prices have become more expensive, the more loyal singing types have been priced out. Secondly a lot of the violence has gone ( thank god), which in turn created a hostile more raucous atmosphere. The problem with Leicester is, that we have no big games ( no derbys), we have no defining songs which unite our fans ( like delilah, bubbles and that silly cov song) and Leicester as a place had little identity. There is no solidarity and passion amongst the people compared to scousers, Mancs and Gordies. On the other hand, we have a good numbers following and are proud of our football club. I would place our fans in a mid region compared to other teams fans.

Obviously there are a lot of places like us, not everywhere is like Newcastle, but the best bet we have is to group all the singing fans more precisely in the stadium. We can't remove the families and women that go to all the away games, so pick unusual away games to go, such as fa cup away games and you might be pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere. Some of the league 1 away games, were the best ive been to. Also if Leicester were in the prem playing well, the atmosphere at the walkers would be decent and better than the likes of Reading, Wigan, Fulham and Norwich,

[1994fox]

Agree with all that you've said here, but my point in my earlier post is that it's not something that can change quickly.

Let's say, for example, we decided as fans that the Kop (SK1) will be the singing section. We could all agree to mobilise a group of very vocal fans to sit in this area and generate some atmosphere. The problem is that, if this section is anything like the area that I sit in (SK3), you would have to move out the fans who sit and don't sing for this to work effectively.

I can only speak with authority about the area I sit in and I would say that middle aged, sit down, non singing supporters are in the majority and are season ticket holders. You're never going to create a singing section here until you persuade them to move elsewhere in the ground. That's not to say that these fans should be derided as their season ticket purchase is the lifeblood of our club and they have the right to support their team in whatever way they see fit; but it's just about accommodating all types of fan in the most effective way possible to give the team maximum advantage on the pitch.

I agree nothing is likely to change quickly without large scale fan coordination, or something radical from the powers that be such as safe standing. L , K and J3 have the potential to be very loud and I dont think they are too bad compared to other clubs similar to us. It's when you compare us to European teams that the gap is farcical. Just the whole mentality of everyone involved with generating the atmosphere is different in Europe.

In Regard to fans having the right to support leicester how they see fit. People who sit and disapprove of anyone attempting to generate atmosphere really get on my tits. Fans can barely influence anything that goes on the pitch individually. However when we generate a lot of (positive) noise that really translates onto the pitch. Players say it time and time again. So I really don't see how these people are supporting there team by just sitting there with a face like a smacked arse. They are not "supporters" in my opinion.

[Dan LCFC]

Interesting you say this Rich cos I think you are right. Yesterday I thought Fook it, I'm gonna sing. I sit at the front of the stand, right opposite the tunnel where the atmos is shite. A few times yesterday I turned round, faced the crowd and joined in with the chanting started by L1. I have a pretty loud voice and am a big geezer.

Literally, no-one joined in... And they looked at me like I was knob.

So I continued...

It just didn't work mate, at least where I sit.

Same here, I've sang before and it's just funny looks and almost exclusion, next year is 100% the year I move.

[Dan LCFC]

The whole profile of the modern football fan has changed. Fans used to be mainly blokes who would turn up pissed, shout expletives and be rowdy. Football clubs don't like these fans. Football clubs like the "tourist" fans who turn up, buy a programme, spend £50 quid in the club shop, applaud politely at regular intervals and go home all chummy. This is the main problem at clubs like man u and arsenal, probably less so at Leicester but it is the direction football has taken.

It is sadly all about money and they don't give a shit about the atmosphere.

Bollocks to the club. It is very unlikely they are going to do anything to help. So the initiative has to be with the fans. L, K and J need to unite and start organising themselves. The only way to improve the atmosphere is for fans collaborate. There needs to be real shift in the fan mentality.

It's spot on, but what gets me - you get plenty of these tourist types in Germany too, yet they make atmosphere.

The post about the fans being split was spot on as well - tieing the two in, you get the tourist types in different areas of the ground in Germany, you get the families/couples etc... I think the club don't help it one bit (as they couldn't give a shit about the atmosphere) and the fans do little collectively to improve it, and 99% of us are guilty.

[Dan LCFC]

I suppose one positive I've just been considering, the aways so far haven't been the best - we've still got to go to Bristol City, Blackpool, Forest, Derby, Palace, Barnsley, Brighton which will all attract big followings (considering every one of them is currently 3pm too), there's a lot of big aways in 2013, there is still hope.

[Maybes]

I suppose one positive I've just been considering, the aways so far haven't been the best - we've still got to go to Bristol City, Blackpool, Forest, Derby, Palace, Barnsley, Brighton which will all attract big followings (considering every one of them is currently 3pm too), there's a lot of big aways in 2013, there is still hope.

Largely quite true. Not been to many awayers myself this side of the year. Will pretty much attend all of these I would guess and I usually pipe up after a lager or six

[Walker]

I suppose one positive I've just been considering, the aways so far haven't been the best - we've still got to go to Bristol City, Blackpool, Forest, Derby, Palace, Barnsley, Brighton which will all attract big followings (considering every one of them is currently 3pm too), there's a lot of big aways in 2013, there is still hope.

Good point. I'll 100% be at Blackpool and Barnsley, guaranteed a half decent atmosphere. What were our fans like at Brighton? I would have thought it would have attracted plenty of thermos flasks and blankets given it's a new ground/ friendly club etc?

[Maybes]

Good point. I'll 100% be at Blackpool and Barnsley, guaranteed a half decent atmosphere. What were our fans like at Brighton? I would have thought it would have attracted plenty of thermos flasks and blankets given it's a new ground/ friendly club etc?

It did, but luckily there were plenty of lads down there for the weekend shant.

[Dan LCFC]

Good point. I'll 100% be at Blackpool and Barnsley, guaranteed a half decent atmosphere. What were our fans like at Brighton? I would have thought it would have attracted plenty of thermos flasks and blankets given it's a new ground/ friendly club etc?

Sold out quickly, all stood from where I saw but sadly the atmosphere was very subdued, so fvck knows why I'd expect it'll be better this year - HOWEVER it is in April, and if we're in contention then, it could be brilliant.

The only aways we've had so far that I'd have looked forward to pre-season were Charlton, Birmingham & Sheff Weds, and arguably Hull + Watford.

[Walker]

Fair enough, may make the effort for it this year then.

Done Blackburn, M'boro, Huddersfield, Hull and Burnley this season and thought Huddersfield was the only one our fans were decent at, the rest were horrific. Don't generally make a big deal out of it as the lot I go with love a decent sess in town centres so you don't notice as much, but it's still been pretty disappointing and poor compared to last season.

[ealingfox]

I took two Premier League supporting mates (Spurs and Chelsea) to Charlton this season, and they both said they were impressed with our support. I honestly don't think we are as bad as some of you make out, or want to believe. As soon as we kick off and the fans aren't Besiktas or Dortmund you start thinking we play in a graveyard.

Don't we have a Fans Committee or some bull to help with stuff like this?

[Bayfox]

Could be worse, did anyone see MOTD last night, how quite was Anfield in the opening few minutes. My lord, talk about pin drop.

[Bayfox]

I stand in L1 and to say the last 2 matches have been poor is an understatement but dont just blame L1 .From L1 I cant say ive heard any noise from the Kop all season .People are quick enough to come on here and moan but instead of moaning try and do something about it .it only takes a few small groups to try and get it going other might join in .Last year when we were getting beat by Boro the noise from L & K was great this season we have had 2 6 goal thrillers and it quie as fook .So lets try and get some atmosphere back into our Home

Yes the KOP is rubbish I'll grant you that and if I didn't have my daughter with me and the price in L1 didn't keep going up I'd move, but come Stand at the back of SK1 one week and you'll be surprised how quiet L1 sounds from where we are, most the time you can only hear jobbers drum.

On NYD every time we scored you would hardly have known you did the Leicester at the end of the Poznan, which by the way is getting bigger every, as you couldn't hear it.

I have no problem with L1 as I say I would move, but our ground is crap for keeping sound in, this obsession with having about 30 foot of tarmac/concrete etc before the pitch in modern grounds is partly to blame. But I think that boat may have sailed.

From being on FT it really does seem as if we want to do something about the atmosphere, but it makes me wonder how many on here then actually go to the game.

Shoot me down if you want, but I know the whole singing section thing failed last time the club tried it, but maybe now is the time to offer it again, maybe with a discount to FT members for example, next to the away fans and instead of this just the ticket rubbish in the corners we could take 1 section of the Family Stand next to the away fans again and move some of the families into another section, mind you the kids in the family stand may want to stay as they are at least trying with the whole poznan and WLY, as last time, penning them in a bit.

I know it wasn't a huge success but the club did at least try, maybe if it was brought to them by a few spokes people from on here, we could get something going, including the whole ticker tape etc. Maybe once one section actually commits to doing it each week for a few games, it may catch on.

[C-man]

Agree with the above. If we are going to organise, I think now is the time. 

Next season, the ambition is for us to be in the Premier League. Our fans have proven on a number of occasions that we are most vocal when we are the underdog, and as such I would expect the atmosphere to naturally improve, but not much. Gates would go up, meaning that mobilising the most vocal fans and grouping them together will be more difficult than ever.

On the other hand, if we stay down, I would expect gates to drop even further meaning that there would be a number of areas in the ground pretty much empty.

Nothing is going to change this season. The crowd has proven on a number of occasions this season that we are piss awful with the current ground layout combined with the expectation of immediate success.

The gates, considering our general success, have been mediocre at best (only Brighton and Huddersfield have been respectable - cheap prices, shock!) and there are plenty of empty seats in the three available corners of the ground. The South-East corner is particularly sparse, even on days with decent numbers.

So with all that in mind, I am considering writing to the club to ask them if they would consider cordoning off and promoting a singing section in the SE corner from the beginning of next season. Of course, the club might not like the risk of a second standing area forming. I do, however, believe that along with the police, they would be interested in moving more vocal fans away from the visitors (not saying people in L1 have to or even should move - more later), particularly considering the big followings that PL teams would bring.  

The rest of the season would then be spent promoting the move, gathering interest and support in order to start the season with a decent number of 150-250 in the corner. 

I know some of the people on here are concerned that if you start taking fans away from L1, you give the stewards more power. I'm not sure I would disagree entirely but I am certain that there are hundreds of fans across the back of the Kop, N1 etc who don't particularly want to move to L1 but do want an improved atmosphere.

Others may dismiss it as fantasy but I honestly think that it's worth a shot, and it would only take a hundred or so to take off.  I have applied to join the FCC, and so will certainly be raising this there should I be 'elected'. 

Any feedback, positive or constructive, is welcome. Anyone supporting the idea, more so

[BrummieFOX]

Yea I agree it's probably worth a shot this season and the SE corner seems the most sensible place. Lots of empty seats and far enough away from the away fans to stop the club shitting themselves.

My 2 concerns or bits of feedback would be:

1. How best to get the club onside. I think, as you mentioned, the main challenge will be convincing the club that a singing section doesn't automatically equal a standing section and area where 'rowdy' fans are going to congregate. I suppose this is down to the individual getting in touch with the club and simply using non-provocative language such as 'ultras', 'standing section' blah blah etc.

Secondly, perhaps it might be an idea to invite one of the club's powers that be to join us in the singing section? I would be shocked if they did and didn't take away some sort of enjoyment from it. Every friend/girlfriend that hasn't previously had an interest in football that I've taken to a game has loved it and the atmosphere had a massive part to play in that. I think them witnessing it from the stand rather than from behind a glass (probably bullet proof incase we throw something) window in the West Stand, might help the club understand why some fans are so pro-singing/standing/atmosphere.

2. Ensuring the singing section is inclusive for all. I absolutely loved what the Fosse Boys were trying to do and joined them on a number of occasions but I think many were of the opinion that they maybe went about their recruitment methods in the wrong way and came across a bit elitist (e.g. if you don't want to sing these particular songs, we don't want you). Those type of songs have now, ironically, caught on but it was probably a step too far at the time. You have to gradually introduce new songs (especially those with a European origin).A singing section should be for everyone that wants to sing and improve the atmosphere.

Burton should also be a good trial for this and again, maybe worth mentioning to the club that it's happening (though could backfire?) as we're bound to have a positive impact on the atmopshere in what I imagine will be a drab effort from our fans elsewhere.

My input anyway and happy to help in anyway possible.

[Walker]

Agree with the above. If we are going to organise, I think now is the time.

Next season, the ambition is for us to be in the Premier League. Our fans have proven on a number of occasions that we are most vocal when we are the underdog, and as such I would expect the atmosphere to naturally improve, but not much. Gates would go up, meaning that mobilising the most vocal fans and grouping them together will be more difficult than ever.

On the other hand, if we stay down, I would expect gates to drop even further meaning that there would be a number of areas in the ground pretty much empty.

Nothing is going to change this season. The crowd has proven on a number of occasions this season that we are piss awful with the current ground layout combined with the expectation of immediate success.

The gates, considering our general success, have been mediocre at best (only Brighton and Huddersfield have been respectable - cheap prices, shock!) and there are plenty of empty seats in the three available corners of the ground. The South-East corner is particularly sparse, even on days with decent numbers.

So with all that in mind, I am considering writing to the club to ask them if they would consider cordoning off and promoting a singing section in the SE corner from the beginning of next season. Of course, the club might not like the risk of a second standing area forming. I do, however, believe that along with the police, they would be interested in moving more vocal fans away from the visitors (not saying people in L1 have to or even should move - more later), particularly considering the big followings that PL teams would bring.

The rest of the season would then be spent promoting the move, gathering interest and support in order to start the season with a decent number of 150-250 in the corner.

I know some of the people on here are concerned that if you start taking fans away from L1, you give the stewards more power. I'm not sure I would disagree entirely but I am certain that there are hundreds of fans across the back of the Kop, N1 etc who don't particularly want to move to L1 but do want an improved atmosphere.

Others may dismiss it as fantasy but I honestly think that it's worth a shot, and it would only take a hundred or so to take off. I have applied to join the FCC, and so will certainly be raising this there should I be 'elected'.

Any feedback, positive or constructive, is welcome. Anyone supporting the idea, more so

I think it's a great idea. I personally don't bother with home matches anymore, partly because I live in Leeds now but also the fact I find it so bloody depressing, even when we're winning!

However, if something like this actually happened i'd try and get to at least 5 a season and so would the people I go to away games with.

Serious question though, won't people at that end complain about the noise and kill the whole thing after a few games? I feel so ashamed to ask that but isn't that the reason the Fosse Boys were quashed?

[foss1884]

I don't understand why people want to move vocal fans from one section to another. It's been said a thousand times, if you want to sing, move to L or K block. It has been muted recently and just uprooting fans from an established section where you can engage in banter to the other end of the stadium where you cannot be heard is pointless. I'd rather work with what we've created over the last 5 years than destroy it. I'd rather build up N block with singers. I wonder how many who are coming up with these ideas are actually already in L or K block? I bet those that are proposing this are already in the Kop!

[Walker]

I don't understand why people want to move vocal fans from one section to another. It's been said a thousand times, if you want to sing, move to L or K block. It has been muted recently and just uprooting fans from an established section where you can engage in banter to the other end of the stadium where you cannot be heard is pointless. I'd rather work with what we've created over the last 5 years than destroy it. I'd rather build up N block with singers. I wonder how many who are coming up with these ideas are actually already in L or K block? I bet those that are proposing this are already in the Kop!

Aren't there issues getting an adult ticket without an u18 there, though?

[AKCJ]