Victor MeldrewSebastian Maybe I'm being cynical, but I don't think fans actually make that much of a difference to a team's performance. Yes the manager comes out and says things like: 'The support made all the difference' after a win but he also says things like: 'The fans were great today, and we feel like we've let them down' after a loss. Now, forgive me if you will, but he says that regardless of how noisy or passionate the team is. So why would he lie?
Well, here's an idea - clubs need to make money. Ticket income makes money. By telling fans that they made the difference to get a win, the fans are more likely to come back in future, giving the club another £25. Likewise, by saying that they feel they let the fans down, it makes us feel part of the 'club' (in a sociological sense, as opposed to 'football club' sense), and so makes us want to come back and help turn things around next time.
Singing/chanting/whatever at football has never, to me, seemed to be anything to do with creating reusults, that seems a fallacy to me - it just seems to stem from people wanting to get beered up and scream abuse at people, very cathartic, and a lot of fun: but I can't see how that has any tangible impact on the team.
I enjoy singing and shouting at football, so I do - but those around me that shush me, etc, have every right to do so - in the same way that I have every right to continue acting like a lunatic. These people pay HUNDREDS, if not thousands, of pounds a season to follow Reading - they owe absolutely NOTHING to the club. We are all consumers of a product: if we bought some ice cream, and it was particularly good, we remember to buy that same ice cream again, we don't start chanting that it's by far the greatest cream the world has ever seen. If people want to come with their families, watch the football, enjoy it or otherwise, but not scream and chant, for God's sake let them: they're not doing any damage at all, and they're not exactly depriving anyone else (who might sing and chant) from having a seat - looking around we're not exactly devoid of spaces, are we?!
And that't the crux of the matter, I think - I believe it would be more demoralising to see the attendances going down week on week, than to have things a bit quieter. Empty seats are easy to spot, especially in the vast swathes that we are developing - it's amazing how quickly they fill up again when we start doing well. In football, perhaps more than any other sport, people vote with their feet - not their lungs.
Well said Sebastian-have said much the same on here before and have always felt that crowds have a miniscule influence on what your team does on the pitch.
It makes the fans feel better and as you say every club pays lip-service to the idea that fans make a difference because that's what the fans want to hear.
World War-don't get so uptight about the fans and please carry on doing whatever you do but don't expect everybody else to do the same.
Maybe footballers are different from athletes. However, I have heard plenty of Olympic Champions etc. state that they are completely oblivious to the crowd when they are competing.
Oh please take the RTGs off! If this ever happens, I'll eat my shit...
