Say WHAT now???

[Seal]

The only way to get a good atmos is to revert back to terracing and try ti re-create the south bank.

For me thats half the problem. Terracing will not come back at our ground. The Southbank is history. The reason Y25 was picked as the Main Singing area is because thats the rough equivelant of where it used to be at EP.

If everyone who wanted to stand and make a noise 'sat' in the North Stand you would have a far far better atmposhere.

What we have now is a bunch of Mongers sat in an area of the ground where no one else can hear you chanting great 'supportive' songs like "your support if oxf*rd shit". The Irony. Yet when the club comes up with something to make an atmoshere, it gets slagged off. But what have the fans done themselves to improve it in the 14 years since we moved? Sod All. (I dont count CLOLappers in that, but the Scarves thing looked pretty good to me against Leeds)

if you want to see how to create a good atmosphere at an all seater ground, take a look around grounds in Europe. Not 15 years into the past.

That's because we have a tradition of our singers wanting to be near the away fans. Whether that's right or wrong is a mute point.

Based on this fact, here is my three point plan for stadium atmosphere success:-

1) Move the away section to the East Stand South end, limit of c.2500 seat
2) The South stand, with it's lower roof and good noise generation becomes the designated singing stand, with (unofficially of course) more 'relaxed stewarding'
3) All East Stand and North Stand singers move to this stand

This ensures we have all singers in one stand, instead of spread around the ground not even singing the same songs. It ensures that those fans who like the 'banter' can sit near the away fans. It means the away fans don't get a whole end, and are surrounded on both sides by Reading fans as the map below illustrates:-



In terms of logistics, the only design change needed is a barrier in the East stand concourse to seperate the fans, but loads of grounds, including Wembley have easily implemented this, so I don't see that being a problem. Then the final challenge is to persuade the East Stand ST holders to move to the South Stand.

This could also work in the North Stand, but the issue I see there is it's a greater displacement of people. The way round you are only asking for 3 blocks to move, the rest can do it voluntarily...

[Jerry St Clair]

At a recent meeting between STAR and RFC on 12 April 2012:

RFC asked STAR for ideas about increasing the atmosphere as it has been said
that the Madejski Stadium is quiet and everyone would like to hear more from the
crowd. STAR commented that the Fans Zone time at Brighton seemed effective for getting the singing going and reminded RFC that the standing rules do not help the atmosphere at all.

The crowd have been superb recently imho! Fair comment about the standing rules though!

The “for every yob we ban we gain a fsmily of four“ policy is not compatible with having a good atmosphere. Simple.

[Cobi]

I would be in for that but they wont do it. Not enough people will back it.

[Jobbo no.11]

The only way to get a good atmos is to revert back to terracing and try ti re-create the south bank.

For me thats half the problem. Terracing will not come back at our ground. The Southbank is history. The reason Y25 was picked as the Main Singing area is because thats the rough equivelant of where it used to be at EP.

If everyone who wanted to stand and make a noise 'sat' in the North Stand you would have a far far better atmposhere.

What we have now is a bunch of Mongers sat in an area of the ground where no one else can hear you chanting great 'supportive' songs like "your support if oxf*rd shit". The Irony. Yet when the club comes up with something to make an atmoshere, it gets slagged off. But what have the fans done themselves to improve it in the 14 years since we moved? Sod All. (I dont count CLOLappers in that, but the Scarves thing looked pretty good to me against Leeds)

if you want to see how to create a good atmosphere at an all seater ground, take a look around grounds in Europe. Not 15 years into the past.

That's because we have a tradition of our singers wanting to be near the away fans. Whether that's right or wrong is a mute point.

Based on this fact, here is my three point plan for stadium atmosphere success:-

1) Move the away section to the East Stand South end, limit of c.2500 seat
2) The South stand, with it's lower roof and good noise generation becomes the designated singing stand, with (unofficially of course) more 'relaxed stewarding'
3) All East Stand and North Stand singers move to this stand

This ensures we have all singers in one stand, instead of spread around the ground not even singing the same songs. It ensures that those fans who like the 'banter' can sit near the away fans. It means the away fans don't get a whole end, and are surrounded on both sides by Reading fans as the map below illustrates:-



In terms of logistics, the only design change needed is a barrier in the East stand concourse to seperate the fans, but loads of grounds, including Wembley have easily implemented this, so I don't see that being a problem. Then the final challenge is to persuade the East Stand ST holders to move to the South Stand.

This could also work in the North Stand, but the issue I see there is it's a greater displacement of people. The way round you are only asking for 3 blocks to move, the rest can do it voluntarily...

Brilliant idea!
Me and a group of friends were discussing this the other day and came up with a similar idea.
Would help SO much but like you say its just persuading people to actually accept it!

[Schards#2]

FWIW I thought the Reading support at Southampton was the best I've ever experienced in 32 years of watching Reading away.

Normally when we take over 2,000 fans half don't sing and most bitch about standing etc. At Southampton, pretty much everyone was singing throughout.

[RG30]

Learn a lesson from the Crystal Palace fans who saw a similar problem and done something about ithttp://europeanfootballweekends.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/holmesdale-fanatics-crystal-palace-fc.html

[If you still hate Futcher]

Much prefer standing at football, and let's face it most do whenever the action is anywhere near the penalty area.

But it won't be allowed due to the nanny state mentality there is at the moment. Why not put up some sort of disclaimer when buying tickets in a certain section so the club are covered in case of any badly bruised shins - could that be a way round it

[Stuka]

Learn a lesson from the Crystal Palace fans who saw a similar problem and done something about ithttp://europeanfootballweekends.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/holmesdale-fanatics-crystal-palace-fc.html

Really don't think the whole 'ultra' thing is for us.
It'd be so forced and anyway I hate that horrible song.

[Cobi]

FL has posted this to RFC to see what they think. Some support already from fans wanting to come across from Upper West. Others don't like away fans having all of behind the goal when we give it to them (makes too much noise etc)

I'd be in for it! Can't see the club going to the trouble of making it happen though.

[Seal]

FWIW I thought the Reading support at Southampton was the best I've ever experienced in 32 years of watching Reading away.

Normally when we take over 2,000 fans half don't sing and most bitch about standing etc. At Southampton, pretty much everyone was singing throughout.

West Ham was great too. Not sure why but it does feel the away support has been a step up this season: more standing, more singing, more concourse banter.

[FiNeRaIn]

The same club asking us to create atmosphere employ the same stewards who spend ALLLLL game nagging us to sit down, ejecting people who don't.

No one sings sitting down.

Fvck off.

[Forbury Lion]

Ideas for improving singing:

1. Play some music before the game in the build up that fans can actually sing along to.
2. Sell more alcohol - It helps, The queues are too long, Lowering the price will help too.
3. Get rid of the drummer or neuter him.
4. Lead by example - I don't see any club officials singing, The players not playing should be singing!
5. Award random voice in the crowd prizes to a singer captured on camera - then point cameras at everyone.
6. Get rid of the back the boys and make some noise chappy - Nobody likes being told what to do.
7. Avoid printing song sheets.

[Maguire]

In all honesty - in this era of all-seater stadia is there really a consistently loud home support left anywhere in the league?

I agree the Madejski is dire (and I'll hold my hands up and say I do nothing to improve it) but where isn't?

I agree with the comments about the away support that Seal makes though - I feel a bit of a sea change in attitude amongst Reading's support wrt to standing all game, singing etc. Obviously it helps when the team is producing stellar results but even so, it's good.

Not sure what the reason for this is - perhaps we gained a lot of teenage fans in the 05/06/07 era who are now old enough to attend aways and enjoy singing. I have no evidence for this, just musing.

[Seal]

In all honesty - in this era of all-seater stadia is there really a consistently loud home support left anywhere in the league?

I agree the Madejski is dire (and I'll hold my hands up and say I do nothing to improve it) but where isn't?

I agree with the comments about the away support that Seal makes though - I feel a bit of a sea change in attitude amongst Reading's support wrt to standing all game, singing etc. Obviously it helps when the team is producing stellar results but even so, it's good.

Not sure what the reason for this is - perhaps we gained a lot of teenage fans in the 05/06/07 era who are now old enough to attend aways and enjoy singing. I have no evidence for this, just musing.

I actually thought that this could be the case. When I was at school in the 90s there were very few Reading fans as we were so g@sh. However the 00s were much better so I imagine a much larger number of kids who went to school then are now Reading fans. People from that age group will now be at 18+, and as you say, young, full of energy and vocal.

The only other data I have to support this theory is that among the younger (20/21 year old) staff in my office, there are far more of them who "have a mate that's a Reading fan" then was the case when I was their age...

[3 veesinarow]

FWIW I thought the Reading support at Southampton was the best I've ever experienced in 32 years of watching Reading away.

Normally when we take over 2,000 fans half don't sing and most bitch about standing etc. At Southampton, pretty much everyone was singing throughout.

Cardiff in the play-offs was pretty special, once we'd sorted out the mongs singing about Dave Jones instead of their team.

[ZacNaloen]

The only way to get a good atmos is to revert back to terracing and try ti re-create the south bank.

For me thats half the problem. Terracing will not come back at our ground. The Southbank is history. The reason Y25 was picked as the Main Singing area is because thats the rough equivelant of where it used to be at EP.

If everyone who wanted to stand and make a noise 'sat' in the North Stand you would have a far far better atmposhere.

What we have now is a bunch of Mongers sat in an area of the ground where no one else can hear you chanting great 'supportive' songs like "your support if oxf*rd shit". The Irony. Yet when the club comes up with something to make an atmoshere, it gets slagged off. But what have the fans done themselves to improve it in the 14 years since we moved? Sod All. (I dont count CLOLappers in that, but the Scarves thing looked pretty good to me against Leeds)

if you want to see how to create a good atmosphere at an all seater ground, take a look around grounds in Europe. Not 15 years into the past.

That's because we have a tradition of our singers wanting to be near the away fans. Whether that's right or wrong is a mute point.

Based on this fact, here is my three point plan for stadium atmosphere success:-

1) Move the away section to the East Stand South end, limit of c.2500 seat
2) The South stand, with it's lower roof and good noise generation becomes the designated singing stand, with (unofficially of course) more 'relaxed stewarding'
3) All East Stand and North Stand singers move to this stand

This ensures we have all singers in one stand, instead of spread around the ground not even singing the same songs. It ensures that those fans who like the 'banter' can sit near the away fans. It means the away fans don't get a whole end, and are surrounded on both sides by Reading fans as the map below illustrates:-



In terms of logistics, the only design change needed is a barrier in the East stand concourse to seperate the fans, but loads of grounds, including Wembley have easily implemented this, so I don't see that being a problem. Then the final challenge is to persuade the East Stand ST holders to move to the South Stand.

This could also work in the North Stand, but the issue I see there is it's a greater displacement of people. The way round you are only asking for 3 blocks to move, the rest can do it voluntarily...

Can't support this move more really.

[Cobi]

The same club asking us to create atmosphere employ the same stewards who spend ALLLLL game nagging us to sit down, ejecting people who don't.

No one sings sitting down.

Fvck off.

You're a bit out of touch. Stewards in Y26 have been great this last couple of months!

[mr_number]

Doubt that the move of the away fans would happen because the old bill would complain about not being able to get away fans in and out as easily. Not really a decent reason, but I could see it coming up.

Read the Crystal Palace article. Not sure what they're doing so well? They have 200 fans singing a song which at times other people join in on? Have I missed something?

[Platypuss]

That's because we have a tradition of our singers wanting to be near the away fans. Whether that's right or wrong is a mute point.

Kudos if deliberate.

[SLAMMED]

And STAR wonder why no one take them seriously.

Get a grip.