Ramshock
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did you start watching football in 2014?Has the thought ever crossed Jose's mind that maybe, just maybe he is at least partly to blame.
did you start watching football in 2014?Has the thought ever crossed Jose's mind that maybe, just maybe he is at least partly to blame.
Foiled once again.did you start watching football in 2014?
Van Gaal's second season was by far the worst I've seen Old Trafford. This season is nothing compared to that.Yes the atmosphere has been getting worse for years, but there’s definitely been a step change decline this season.
The patches of passion that existed in the North Stand around us have completely disappeared, and there are even long periods of silence from the Stretford.
The increase in the number of people who disappear ten minutes before half time and don’t reappear until well into the second half obviously doesn’t help.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/fo...rinho-claims-about-old-trafford-a3757671.htmlIn a statement, MUST said: "We note our manager's further comments regarding the poor atmosphere within Old Trafford following the Huddersfield home game.
"The decline in atmosphere is by no means limited to Old Trafford. It's an issue affecting clubs throughout the country. And it's certainly not an issue specific to Manchester United supporters - our away support is widely acknowledged, by fair minded fans, as the best in the country."
"We believe that atmosphere is primarily dependent on the perceived relationship between fans and club - including the degree of supporter ownership and engagement," the group added.
"In the absence of any imminent changes in the former we therefore concentrate on other areas where we can have an impact in the short to medium term."
Funnily enough the most vocal support I have heard in recent years was during the Moyes year!Sorry but this is a large exaggeration. This imposing atmosphere you talk about was only ever in the big games in recent memory. If the on-pitch success returns, then so will that imposing atmosphere for the big ones. OT can still rock when it can be arsed but that's even more unlikely at the moment than it was around those times obviously.
From my (admittedly limited; mainly midweek matches) experience it’s definitely worse now, despite games being rather more incident-filled than they tended to be under LvG. I reckon it’s not helped by the increasing number of attendees who appear to have little or no interest in the football.Van Gaal's second season was by far the worst I've seen Old Trafford. This season is nothing compared to that.
Absolutely! What a great time it was to go wild wild wildFunnily enough the most vocal support I have heard in recent years was during the Moyes year!
My dad was the same in that he found it easy to stop going. I don't know when he exactly stopped because I don't speak to him that much but he had be going to Old Trafford for decades starting in the 70s I believe (away games included) and stopped because he felt it just wasn't the same anymore. He stopped many years ago, though, so it wasn't the after Fergie blues that put him off.I stopped going when they confiscated my tickets. Even though I have access to tickets I don't have a desire or even miss going. I've broken a habit of a lifetime and it was easy.
My wish is for broadcasters to give me a choice to watch every United game at home.
This is the main reason imo and it's not only Old Trafford that's effected by it.It's a guess on my part but I reckon the age group of people attending games is increasing over the years. Ticket and associated costs of attending games is very high for the young.
It's also become, or fast becoming a tourist attraction. A boasting place on social media platforms for those visiting the games.
PS: United also lost their most hardcore atmosphere creating fans when the Glazers took over in 2005.
This. I stood on the Stretty mid 70s through to late 80s like yourself and agree wholeheartedly.I used to stand on the Stretford End in the early 80s and look at the United Road seating and think. ..how boring.
I could blame seating (and there is some blame) but I generally think it more to do with older...more middle class and tourist fans.
Even in my late 20s and early 30s I used to jump up and down watching United even on the TV....but now...Whilst enjoying it still, I've realised it is a brand...it's a group of ridiculously over payed prima Donnas, so self centred they rarely interact with the fans.
Maybe I've fallen out of love with football but I just couldn't be arsed after a 60 hour week going to watch the dull uninspiring football we churn out.
I used to go to every game home and away but stopped around 89. After a seasons break I went to a game and stood in the Scoreboard end (I may have my years a bit mixed but it was around that time) and i remember even then thinking how bored I was.
Let's face it...it is dull as feck...expensively dull as feck.
That's true, I'm from the same era, but I'm conscious that part of that old relationship is that it started young. I saw my first game with my dad. I saw others with family members or with friends. I became confident enough to go alone and go and join my age group (and attitude group!) on the terrace or even sometimes in the cheap seats at the back of the Stretford End.This. I stood on the Stretty mid 70s through to late 80s like yourself and agree wholeheartedly.
A lot of these ideas re improving the atmosphere are a waste of time. The game has changed, people have changed and their relationship with the game has changed. You can't recreate the atmosphere of 30 years ago.
I think this is a really interesting point. It seems to be that the songs that are particularly popular with the away crowd are popular because they're close (or probably in my opinion a bit over the edge). At Old Trafford if you want songs to be picked up by the wider crowd then are we really surprised that a song about going on a piss up with an ex-player who died of alcoholism, to pick one example, isn't being belted out by the entire crowed – even if it is a catchy tune? I don't think that's close to being the biggest issue, but it's an interesting angle nonetheless.We sit quite close to J Stand and the atmosphere is usually quite good around us. My voice is almost always gone the next morning.
One thing I do notice is that the quality of the opposition makes a big difference to the stewards, and consequently the atmosphere. If we're playing, say, Liverpool, we'll be stood up the whole match and the stewards won't even try to ask us to sit down. If on the other hand we're playing Stoke, we'll be asked to sit down not two minutes after kick off, which really has an impact on atmosphere. It's just so much easier to belt out a chant when you're on your feet.
There is one other reason that I don't think has been mentioned in the thread so far. It might just be my perception but it seems more people are sensitive to the songs being sung and don't want to join in on some of the crass chants. When I was younger I'd sing whatever was going, it was all part of the atmosphere, but these days I do sit out some of the songs that are shall we say a little crude. When you think about it we do have a lot of songs that include words that a lot people don't feel comfortable saying unless they're completely hammered. Is that why some of the more joyous songs are heard so much louder? I love it when 20 Times or Toni Martial Came From France are being sung - everyone seems to partake in those. But then when it switches to "he's a c*nt, your mum's a c*nt, etc..." only a few are singing. The crowd has changed - there are more women and children - but the songs haven't quite changed with the times. We should hardly be singing nursery rhymes to the opposition, mind, but perhaps a little less profanity would actually help the atmosphere going forward.
This is one possibility. I went to the Allianz and was given a section to go in. Everyone is allocated a seat I think (can't remember) but you just stood wherever (allowed to stand) within the section you were permitted to. Atmosphere was great, and that was at an 1860 Munich game where the stadium was maybe 3/4 full.Designated seat numbers is a problem - it stops groups of friends/family sitting together. It stops people migrating to the bit of the ground where they feel most at home - including the bits with a lot of standing/singing.
Though the blame gets placed on day trippers, I think the issue is bigger than that. A lot of ageing season ticket holders, and a lot of season ticket holders who can't make every game but who have no easy way to pass those tickets on.
So some will buy the season ticket to make sure they've got access to the big games, but will either leave the seat empty or show up with a pretty tired/indifferent attitude at some small ones.
Some game timings are horrible - I hate the 5:30s for example, they need the afternoon and the evening. Add the queue to be searched, the traffic jam to get there, the walk in the rain (it's been a bad year for it) and by the time people are in their seat the spirits are well and truly dampened.
The best atmosphere last year I think was for the Chelsea match. A mix of the fact it was a big game against the leaders, us getting hammered at Stamford bridge, and Mourinho. When the team was read out (with a couple of stars missing) the crowd got even more psyched up for it, the team started fast.
But we don't play big games every week, which means the club needs to look at the rest of it. Including the things that they can control, like seat zoning, position of the hospitality seating, easier relocations, and ticketing systems that ensure all seats get filled (not just paid for) every game.
Same here. I first went with my late Dad and eventually being allowed to join up with mates and go in a group of 6 of us about aged 14 upward.That's true, I'm from the same era, but I'm conscious that part of that old relationship is that it started young. I saw my first game with my dad. I saw others with family members or with friends. I became confident enough to go alone and go and join my age group (and attitude group!) on the terrace or even sometimes in the cheap seats at the back of the Stretford End.
It's hard for families to go together now, or friends to go together, which makes it hard for kids to find their place in the crowd. I think that's often a ticketing issue - there may be seats available, even in the same block, but not together.
Obviously prices don't help, but some of this is more of a technical or policy issue than a revenue one for United.
This is it. A large part of that atmosphere was the product of tribes of young local lads coming face to face with each other in a football ground and having a go. Like it or not there was an animosity on the terraces and on the pitch too. Going to the match was not a day out for the sensitive or the easily offended. That animosity has also left the game - there'll be no more Keane like tunnel incidents.You cannot have loud stadiums with an electric atmosphere and be family or tourist friendly at the same time. You need to pick your poison.
I'd agree with this. It was electric. Also Madrid 2003. Fat Ronaldo hat trick, the atmosphere that inspired Roman to invest in football (well, that and Putin with an AK47 to the back of his head). And Roma 7-1.The best atmosphere in old Trafford was when we played Madrid in the knock out stages, the cunet cakir saga.
Barca 2nd leg 2008 was incredible as well. Actually felt like you played a part in the victory, helping them over the line.I'd agree with this. It was electric. Also Madrid 2003. Fat Ronaldo hat trick, the atmosphere that inspired Roman to invest in football (well, that and Putin with an AK47 to the back of his head). And Roma 7-1.
what? The atmosphere has been shocking for years.Has the thought ever crossed Jose's mind that maybe, just maybe he is at least partly to blame.
Has the thought ever crossed Jose's mind that maybe, just maybe he is at least partly to blame.
Careful - we could end up with cheerleadersFair play to the higher ups for doing this, there should be far more engagement with match going fans and not just MUST.
The bolded part would completely kill off any atmosphere and attendances would drop alarmingly, no chance it'll ever happen.I stopped going when they confiscated my tickets. Even though I have access to tickets I don't have a desire or even miss going. I've broken a habit of a lifetime and it was easy.
My wish is for broadcasters to give me a choice to watch every United game at home.