The death of Molly malone

[Rob1742]

In reality I think there a a number of points.

1. We were never ever the greatest at creating a good atmosphere and were nearly always outdone by Newcastle, Leeds, Stoke, West Ham, Subderland, Man City etc, which I think suggests we are a quieter breed than some of these towns / Cities.

2. The clientele has changed. There was more of an element that went to football that had more than an eye on the opposing fans and there were more bitter rivalries and hooliganism, so fans were more worked up a few years ago. These fans have got older, mellowed or don't go so much and have been replaced by families.

3. Standing and congregating together - you were closer, a tighter group, you felt as one. Now allocated seating etc has taken away that togetherness.

4. The stewarding is probably more tighter as the club now accommodate the more family orientated fans.

So I don't think we were ever a really loud club, then the dynamics have changed a great deal and so the atmosphere has declined a great deal.

Apart from creating a standing section, which I am sure will happen at some point, there is not a great deal you can do. I really hate the drum and the idea of creating an atmosphere in a plastic type way. If it is meant to be it is meant to be and drums and the like just make it look forced.

Our decline in atmosphere will have been echoed around the country. Middlesbrough is virtually dead and how many grounds like Derby have you been to where it is deathly quiet. It is certainly not just our issue. As our atmosphere has declined, so has everyone else's, but the strong ones seem to still remain quite strong.

I definatly don't want to go back to the years where the atmosphere was decent, but those causing it just couldn't wait until the end of the match so they could have a go at each other. I think the fan demographic has changed and the lesser atmosphere has come as a result.

[C-man]

I wonder if those who are so vehemently against the drum feel the same way about those who use the Perspex (or tin in the case of QPR et al) at the back of the stand to generate a beat.

Very strange.