Recreating Elm Park atmosphere

[Only one Trevor Morley]

Much has been made about the lack of atmosphere and its welcome return against qpr. I feel we need the pre match atmosphere to mirror that of elm park when 6,000 fans would produce some decent noise.

But I believe it is the pre match music that really got people going so can I suggest a return to the sound track of early nineties Elm Park. My three to get the ball rolling would be
I’ve been waiting for a girl like you- foreigner
Now I know what made Otis blue- Paul young
Tamsin archer- sleeping satellite

These are the tip of the Elm Park iceberg. Suggestions please.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Need bucket loads of p*ss sloshing from down the back for the East stand and we're sorted

[AthleticoSpizz]

Mouldy ol’ dough

Earles a winger

Friday on my mind

(all actually played on the creaky old tannoys)

[Snowflake Royal]

Unreserved standing and a low overhanging roof would help.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Pay at the gate

[Only one Trevor Morley]

Mouldy ol’ dough

Earles a winger

Friday on my mind

(all actually played on the creaky old tannoys)

When I started this thread these were the exact type of examples I was after. In particular Friday on my mind!

Mighty Quinn probably needs an honorary mention.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Most definately!

There was also that (allbeit short lived) chant from the SB....’We’ve got a bigger bloomin’ biscuit” aimed at the midlands teams biscuit making prowess......and in praise of our very own Huntley & Palmers...and to the tune of the Jacobs Club advert at that time.

[Norfolk Royal]

As a previous poster has already alluded, you could never replicate the atmosphere of Elm Park at the Madejski Stadium without first flooding the concourses with urine.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yeah, yeah....it gets wheeled out everytime...and is nearly true (despite having to step-up a foot to be be able to step onto the top step of the Southbank terracing of course)

Any ‘original’ and actually-true analogies would be nice tho?

[Dickie's Spear]

Safe standing ? At least a nucleus of vocal support can be assembled together rather than isolated pockets all spread out over the stadium.

[Coppells Lost Coat]

People these days are too happy to complain at almost anything therefore sucks out most joys of going to the match. Here are some of my observations of what people have complained about at the mad stad - that pie stinks, sit down, stop swearing, sit down, stop banging the chairs, get that flag out of here, sit down, stop swearing, I cant see, the away fans are standing??
So you can see why people are unable to create any sort of atmosphere, if at the very start those we sit next to near to start moaning.
So stop whining and get on board people its great fun and match days will become entertaining again

[Norfolk Royal]

Yeah, yeah....it gets wheeled out everytime...and is nearly true (despite having to step-up a foot to be be able to step onto the top step of the Southbank terracing of course)

Any ‘original’ and actually-true analogies would be nice tho?

Although the top step of the South Bank terracing would not be a concourse. Before stepping up to the top step you would be standing in a lower gutter walkway containing fluids of indeterminate origin but which I strongly suspect to have contained urine.

[Forbury Lion]

Which era of Elm Park atmosphere does everyone want to recreate? - Go far enough back and you just have working men, none of these IT professionals, Office people, women, kids etc etc and songs about the Royals being "bright and gay" (I have the lyrics saved somewhere!).

Alcohol played a bigger part in the match-day experience - with no parking to speak of, most got the bus/train/walked to the ground and had a few pints on the way.

[Wax Jacket]

I guess the aim isn't to recreate the 2,500 people watching bottom half of Div 4 stuff

[Old Man Andrews]

Elm Park is dead (sadly)

Football has changed and the club since the Elm Park days

We have the most apathetic and fairweather support in English league football

We need to stop living in the past and realise our atmosphere will never change

We will never get safe standing, lets stop going on about it


Essentially just deal with it. If you don't like the atmosphere and want a load of noise this isn't the club for you. It is what it is.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yeah, yeah....it gets wheeled out everytime...and is nearly true (despite having to step-up a foot to be be able to step onto the top step of the Southbank terracing of course)

Any ‘original’ and actually-true analogies would be nice tho?

Although the top step of the South Bank terracing would not be a concourse. Before stepping up to the top step you would be standing in a lower gutter walkway containing fluids of indeterminate origin but which I strongly suspect to have contained urine.

yes indeed, fair does

[Forbury Lion]

As a previous poster has already alluded, you could never replicate the atmosphere of Elm Park at the Madejski Stadium without first flooding the concourses with urine.

From my experience of using the West Lower toilets, you can't fault the fans for lack of trying - floor covered in urine.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

You could try knocking down the stadium, rebuilding EP brick by brick and replacing all of the fans? That might be a start.

[Zip]

[quote="Wax Jacket"]I guess the aim isn't to recreate the 2,500 people watching bottom half of Div 4 stuff[/quot

Yep. Plenty of games at Elm Park would have been dire affairs played out in front of very small crowds with little atmosphere. The Elm Park experience is exaggerated. Besides we do have a decent atmosphere at the Madejski on occasions. Fulham in the play offs was superb. The last few minutes against QPR was brilliant. The Derby and Leeds games had a decent atmosphere too.

[Victor Meldrew]

I guess the aim isn't to recreate the 2,500 people watching bottom half of Div 4 stuff[/quot

Yep. Plenty of games at Elm Park would have been dire affairs played out in front of very small crowds with little atmosphere. The Elm Park experience is exaggerated. Besides we do have a decent atmosphere at the Madejski on occasions. Fulham in the play offs was superb. The last few minutes against QPR was brilliant. The Derby and Leeds games had a decent atmosphere too.

The examples that you give are right but the atmosphere came about through what was happening ON the pitch.
If we see the players putting in the same effort as for the QPR game the good atmosphere will develop naturally and not through Sweet Caroline (what happened to that?) or the moron yelling "Back the boyz......."

BTW the Gents on the South Bank needed wet-proof shoes but for the one at the Tilehurst end you needed a torch and was like a dungeon.