The Anfield Atmosphere

[ClassicGirl14]

Is this true?

http://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2013/01/missing-a-famous-atmosphere/

Anfield is too often a pretty sterile place to be, where the only hostility is directed at whichever of our young midfielders is the current whipping boy and there’s barely any singing to be heard outside a few blocks in the Kop.
Not that it’s all about the singing – it’s possible to be part of a positive atmosphere without bursting into a tune every two minutes. It’s just that lots of us have forgotten how.
In reality, too many matchgoers are at the wrong extremes of football fandom. We have a core of jaded, careworn supporters who’ve seen everything in their time rubbing shoulders with a constantly changing cast of customers who’ve rarely if ever been to the ground before and may never come again. Between the two poles there aren’t enough young people, groups of mates, inculcated in the club’s traditions but not yet ground down by the hardship of breaking off from a good afternoon’s drinking to watch some footballers running about.
At the root of all this is the soaring cost of attending football matches. With young local fans increasingly frozen out, the game is either a one-off treat or a soul-sapping drain on the family finances. Neither is conducive to creating the continuity or underlying enthusiasm which are the oxygen a good atmosphere needs to catch light.
Another major issue, and one it’s hard for Liverpool fans to address given the weight of history, is the introduction of all-seater stadia. Whereas once groups of supporters could go to the match en masse bunching together with like-minded souls to form terrace choirs, now it’s tough to sit near even one or two friends.
For season ticket holders the only continuity is likely to come in the form of the annoying gobshite in the row in front who’s been abusing Henderson/Murphy/McAteer/Nigel Clough for seasons on end.
This is not to advocate a return to standing areas – simply to suggest that seating, for all its benefits, has had a profound effect on the way the game is consumed.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Seating, we're not winning anything and an ageing season ticket base are all factors. And yes, the atmosphere is shit.

 

[Hansern]

A mate who was at the Norwich game said the atmosphere hadnt been that good in years.
We've been shite for a few years and had the worst home record in 50 odd years last season, that affect the fans.

We've got something like 4 straight home wins now. If this continues the atmosphere will follow imho.

 

[Squiggles]

The fans should always lift the team though, not the other way around. That's the difference between great support and average support.

That said, if the people paying the money want to keep quiet and sip a bovril then it's their right. It's not something any armchair fan can particularly moan about.

 

[Silver Sean]

It is shite and makes me miss football as it was even more. Might as well put it on a big screen and watch it from a giant sofa. Too much televised football and too many daytrippers has ruined it. Sing now at most games and you actually get looks from 'customers' as if you've broken a rule.

 

[the count]

I have been at two games so far this season, sitting in pretty much the same spot in the Main Stand, Annie road end.
The first game against Man city had a cracking atmosphere the second against Villa was shit.
I don't think that the result had a significant impact on atmosphere, initially at least, as the stadium was rocking before the kick off in the City game, yet was dead before the Villa one.
A good/great game can help boost the atmosphere but it is not the only thing I think

 

[Spionkop69]

Too many people go to be entertained. However the cost of tickets is an issue and perhaps is keeping away some of the rowdier fanbase.

I do wish people would get this simple thing, we go to encourage them. Not wait for them to encourage us. Singing now seems to label you a nobhead.

 

[Silver Sean]

I have been at two games so far this season, sitting in pretty much the same spot in the Main Stand, Annie road end.
The first game against Man city had a cracking atmosphere the second against Villa was shit.
I don't think that the result had a significant impact on atmosphere, initially at least, as the stadium was rocking before the kick off in the City game, yet was dead before the Villa one.
A good/great game can help boost the atmosphere but it is not the only thing I think

Is it weird isn't it? I miss the song for each player during the warm up, and the general feeling of togetherness we used to have. Now it's only a big game against a rival that gets the atmosphere going. If you want to experience what it used to feel like home and away just go away. Still brilliant, funny, tribal and loud.

 

[Hansern]

Atmosphere and good results are connected though.
Even though it shouldnt be, but our history will affect that.

 

[Silver Sean]

How come places like Stoke and Birmingham etc are noisy as fuck and at our place you can hear the players talking to each other.
I agree we're there to encourage the team, sadly tens of thousands who turn up at Anfield now don't understand that. When Gerrard goes to take a corner and a row of tourists in jester hats get their phones out to take a photo it tells you all you need to know.

 

[keniget]

I do wish people would get this simple thing, we go to encourage them. Not wait for them to encourage us.

In some cases I suppose fans do make a difference - in Istanbul for example the fans stepped up to the occasion and I believe they played a part. That was great.

I don't think it's reasonable to expect that kind of thing on a weekly basis. It's not like the team is full of local working class heroes and are fighting for the city. Perhaps that was once the case but it certainly isn't any more. And how much of it is down to a lads getting together with their mates, having a drink and a laugh in a different environment anyways?

On the rare occasions that I do go to a game, I never find myself thinking that our team of multi-millionaires from all corners of the earth really need some encouragement so I'm going to spend around £100 or more (taking into account ticket(s), travel etc), drive for hours and sit in the freezing cold for 2 hours to try and make sure that happens.

And what's wrong with wanting to be entertained anyways? Is the game of football that we all supposedly love that immaterial to the experience?

 

[keniget]

How come places like Stoke and Birmingham etc are noisy as fuck and at our place you can hear the players talking to each other.
I agree we're there to encourage the team, sadly tens of thousands who turn up at Anfield now don't understand that. When Gerrard goes to take a corner and a row of tourists in jester hats get their phones out to take a photo it tells you all you need to know.

Would you rather support a midtable club like Stoke who have a more local (and perhaps vocal) fanbase turning up?

No more day trippers will be a bad sign.

 

[the count]

How come places like Stoke and Birmingham etc are noisy as fuck and at our place you can hear the players talking to each other.
I agree we're there to encourage the team, sadly tens of thousands who turn up at Anfield now don't understand that. When Gerrard goes to take a corner and a row of tourists in jester hats get their phones out to take a photo it tells you all you need to know.

I could be wrong but am I right in thinking that you blame "out of towners" for the bad atmosphere at Anfield?

 

[FoxForceFive]

I could be wrong but am I right in thinking that you blame "out of towners" for the bad atmosphere at Anfield?

Tbf there's a difference between being an ooter & a day tripper, many non scousers are very vocal, but day trippers are usually just standing agog or taking photos on their phone.

 

[refugee]

In some cases I suppose fans do make a difference - in Istanbul for example the fans stepped up to the occasion and I believe they played a part. That was great.

The Chelsea game was amazing. The atmosphere was sending shivers down my spine and I was at home on my comfy sofa.

 

[the count]

Tbf there's a difference between being an ooter & a day tripper, many non scousers are very vocal, but day trippers are usually just standing agog or taking photos on their phone.

True mate.
Perhaps I am being a bit oversensitive

 

[LarryHagman]

All the big clubs have shit support, apart from when they're playing each other. Its got to be prawn sandwichers that's the issue.
Never gonna change that, tickets will continue to become more expensive and the prawn butty brigade will increase in %age.
Plus, (1) you've got to think, if the tickets are so expensive then people expect to get their money's worth. If the match is shit, people will moan, and (2) in our case, some of our fans expect to win every game 10-0 and get on the team's back after 10 minutes if its not 5-0.

 

[juniormember]

I think the only way is to bring the ticket prices down and increase the local attendance, particularly parents taking their kids to games.
My dad tells me he learned a whole lot standing on the kop as a young 'un, moving with thousands in all directions, singing every song in the LFC supporters' repertoire.
How many lads who used to go to games 30 years ago as a kid, are now able to afford paying for themselves and the kids every game? Not too many in this current climate.

 

[Sunny]

I blame all the Irish. They're right cunts them lot

 

[peterhague]

It's 90% the seating. If you go to the occasional game where fans stand (away games, the odd European game) then fans sing all the way through.

I know the away games aren't a perfect comparison, because they're always said to attract a small hard core of fans, and also an 'us against the world' mentality, but one of the ones I've been to was at Fulham, where our fans take up the entire stand (must be *at least* 6000) and largely comprised of London-based fans just looking for a rare chance to see the team, not some kind of ultra fanatics, and the atmosphere was fantastic throughout.

Bring back standing and I think you'd get a decent atmosphere, without it you won't.

 

[Sunny]

Away fans are always noisier. There's lots of reasons for the lack of atmosphere though

 

[Dreambeliever]

It is shite and makes me miss football as it was even more. Might as well put it on a big screen and watch it from a giant sofa. Too much televised football and too many daytrippers has ruined it. Sing now at most games and you actually get looks from 'customers' as if you've broken a rule.

I sing virtually everytime I go and I'm a day tripper. And in my experience all the day trippers I know love singing the songs they only get to hear on the telly most of the time.

 

[Fabio]

Away fans are always noisier. There's lots of reasons for the lack of atmosphere though

Too many fucking skandos

 

[Red Astaire]

A mate who was at the Norwich game said the atmosphere hadnt been that good in years.
We've been shite for a few years and had the worst home record in 50 odd years last season, that affect the fans.

We've got something like 4 straight home wins now. If this continues the atmosphere will follow imho.

That's because I was there - Sang my OOT lungs out in the Kop. Sunny kept having to tell me to pipe down as I was putting the locals to shame. 😎

 

[Insignificance]

Too many fucking skandos

We are not fucking until later in the eve...

 

[Molbystwin]

Safe standng on the Kop.

Return football it's soul.