To the East Stand: please stop 'supporting' my club

[RoyalBlue]

I miss the hooligans, the"boys," call them what you will but as a contribution to the vocal support they made a big difference. What happened to all the lads who used to gather near the corner flag on the South Bank? When we first moved to the Mad Stad with the unreserved seating they came along but I hardly recognise a face now. The stewarding and stadium management have ripped the heart out of this club, we are no longer supporters, merely an audience.

I think you have a point there. In my younger days, I went on a few away trips with those who would then have been known as 'the boys'. Boisterous? Yes. Intoxicated? Yes. Very loud? Most definitely. Troublesome? Only very rarely and then usually on an individual basis. Certainly far less trouble than any high street late at night nowadays.

I guess when Bristol have the benefit of a 21st Century stadium, complete with 21st Century stadium and safety managers, they too will see a drop in levels of truly loud and passionate support. I say this as someone who was once told off by stewards for 'shouting (not swearing) too loudly'!

[loyalroyal4life]

I miss the hooligans, the"boys," call them what you will but as a contribution to the vocal support they made a big difference. What happened to all the lads who used to gather near the corner flag on the South Bank? When we first moved to the Mad Stad with the unreserved seating they came along but I hardly recognise a face now. The stewarding and stadium management have ripped the heart out of this club, we are no longer supporters, merely an audience.

I think you have a point there. In my younger days, I went on a few away trips with those who would then have been known as 'the boys'. Boisterous? Yes. Intoxicated? Yes. Very loud? Most definitely. Troublesome? Only very rarely and then usually on an individual basis. Certainly far less trouble than any high street late at night nowadays.

I guess when Bristol have the benefit of a 21st Century stadium, complete with 21st Century stadium and safety managers, they too will see a drop in levels of truly loud and passionate support. I say this as someone who was once told off by stewards for 'shouting (not swearing) too loudly'!

To be honest the situation is not helped by the conduct of the stewards who insist on seated fans throughout the game. I think it is plain daft not to allow the back rows to stand up and chant, it helps the atmosphee build within the stadium.

[RG30]

Billy Davies on the support;

"I want to say a huge thank you to the wonderful away fans for their support and the way they got behind the players and the manager. The home fans should take a leaf out of their book."

http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~1573619,00.html

[Scylla]

It's not much fun watching Reading at the moment but at least we don't get lectured to by Billy oxf*rd Davis. Poor old Forest.

[madreadingfan]

Billy Davies on the support;

"I want to say a huge thank you to the wonderful away fans for their support and the way they got behind the players and the manager. The home fans should take a leaf out of their book."

http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~1573619,00.html

WTF, i hate billy davies hes an arrogant cnut their supporters only started singing when they scored!
other than that they were bloody awful

[Platypuss]

Billy Davies on the support;

"I want to say a huge thank you to the wonderful away fans for their support and the way they got behind the players and the manager. The home fans should take a leaf out of their book."

http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~1573619,00.html

Maybe, just maybe, he was referring to the fans at Forest home games.

[floyd__streete]

Billy Davies on the support;

"I want to say a huge thank you to the wonderful away fans for their support and the way they got behind the players and the manager. The home fans should take a leaf out of their book."

http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~1573619,00.html

WTF, i hate billy davies hes an arrogant cnut their supporters only started singing when they scored!
other than that they were bloody awful

Oh dear You're a mad, madreadingfan, you are.

[Jackson Corner]

Billy Davies on the support;

"I want to say a huge thank you to the wonderful away fans for their support and the way they got behind the players and the manager. The home fans should take a leaf out of their book."

http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~1573619,00.html

They were booing them off the park when they lost to Derby. And as mentioned they were silent first half. All away fans outsing Reading, it's nothing new.

[Big Bears Blouse]

From the North as well. What the hell was the boo's ringing around the stadium at the end? F*** off, seriously. If you can't shout during the game, whats the point in booing after.

It's like watching someone do a job wrong, for an hour, not saying anything, then telling them after it's wrong.

WE WERE ONLY 1 0 DOWN WHEN WE GET A CORNER AT THE END OF THE MATCH. I seriously exploaded... crisps went everywhere. Why? I wanted the team to win! Did it seem like anyone else did when they sat on their friggin arses and clapped politely?! No, of course it didn't. Some 'fans' should be ashamed of the silence in the stadium during times like these.

The extra noise in the stadium could have really lifted the players to realise 'hang on... we could get something here!' Instead the silence kept their heads down.

Whats going on?

[Platypuss]

The extra noise in the stadium could have really lifted the players to realise 'hang on... we could get something here!' Instead the silence kept their heads down.

Whats going on?

Experience of the previous 5 games?

[Big Bears Blouse]

The extra noise in the stadium could have really lifted the players to realise 'hang on... we could get something here!' Instead the silence kept their heads down.

Whats going on?

Experience of the previous 5 games?

Didn't stop me.

Does the 'previous 5 games' mean that we shouldn't want Reading to win?

[Platypuss]

You asked why the crowd didn't bother. I supplied a possible reason. That's it.

[Royal Lady]

There was plenty of shouting/chanting/clapping around where I sat in the East. But I rarely hear anything from the North or West - doesn't mean it doesn't happen - it's just the acoustics isn't it?

[readingbedding]

Mexican wave looks nice doesn't it.

[Big Bears Blouse]

You asked why the crowd didn't bother. I supplied a possible reason. That's it.

No, that's not it. I supplied another question to ask themselves if they thought that way. That's it.

Just another egonistic moderator.

[Platypuss]

You asked why the crowd didn't bother. I supplied a possible reason. That's it.

No, that's not it. I supplied another question to ask themselves if they thought that way. That's it.

If that actually was a question, it was a pretty stupid one, don't you think?

PS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_question

[Big Bears Blouse]

Does that mean you want an answer to 'it's a stupid question, don't you think'? Because it seems a question that many people need to ask them selves, don't YOU think?

What are your opinions on barely anyone standing and cheering about a positive motion from a team that hadn't performed great for most of the half, but still had a chance to nick it in the final few minutes?

[Millsy]

Billy Davies on the support;

"I want to say a huge thank you to the wonderful away fans for their support and the way they got behind the players and the manager. The home fans should take a leaf out of their book."

http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~1573619,00.html

They were booing them off the park when they lost to Derby. And as mentioned they were silent first half. All away fans outsing Reading, it's nothing new.

ALOL at Reading fans getting wound up by opposition managers and fans having a go at our support being horrific.

It's about time we faced the truth instead of throwing our toys out our plastic pram when I or others state the obvious.

(not directed at you JC at all, just happened to be the one I quoted)

[West Stand Man]

egonistic

????

[Millsy]

It's simple, this club does not have the number of supporters with the same level of pride, belief and passion than a lot of others. That's fine, you can't 'create' this within a fan base it needs to be there historically. We have a small hard core of supporters who do their best home & away but ultimately are drowned out by the people that go along to watch football in a safe environment, probably with their families and that is their Saturday. I'd never question how someone wishes to support their club, their presence at a match is enough in my book, so threads like this really are as pointless and pathetic as the people that start them.

Apart from my disappointment with the final bit of your sentence (although if directed at me telling ppl not to turn up thats fair play because youre right: that sort of anger-talk is pathetic), I have to congratulate you on one of the best posts on this thread.

Fantastic post I agree with 100%. You're right you just can't create this fan base or mould the current fan base overnight.

The reason I do make a noises about this issue is that we can TRY to do something. You're right telling ppl not to turn up as I say is simply pathetic reactionary windup talk I'm not proud of, but it's time RFC seriously thinks of ways to deal with this issue of our growth spurt.

A singers area, a lower east stand roof, unreserved seating, xxxxxxxxxx, - there must be a way of alleviating this problem!!!!!!

Accepting that we have a problem is the first step. Unfortunately this is where so many of our fans have their heads stuck in the sand and come up with excuses, or express their opinions that they don't think singing makes a difference, or just plain deny what's going on. This does not help. As you beautifully point out, simply "this club does not have the number of supporters with the same level of pride, belief and passion than a lot of others". This is the simple fact of the matter and denying it is doing no good.

We have a problem. We can't fix the root of it but we sure as hell can try something FFS. But we have to at least acknowledge the problem in the first place!