Jose has a dig at the crowd

[Maccataq]

I often sit in the SAF stand and atmosphere is never great unless a big occasion. When I've sat in the Stretford End it tends to be better and let's face it, your experience will differ depending where you're sat. Away fans always like to mock the lack of atmosphere but then they don't really hear the Stretford End where they are sat. Of course, away fans are always in better voice than the home crowd regardless of what stadium.

I won't sing unless people are singing around me and I guess many people are the same so as others have said, the problems are the acoustics of the stadium and because it is so big and it needs more singing sections strategically deployed around the stadium which I guess is easier said than done.

 

[arthurka]

The stadium is to patched and sectioned... A lot of the patches are really really bad like much of the upper tier of the NW.. There will need to be a huge change in this regard. They will have to have signing fans placed in a lot more places if this is going to change.. For example last year vs Arsenal where I was sitting you could hear a pin dropping and the few who tried were never in sync as the sound travels in a really strange way in there..

 

[redshaw]

The opening home game was decent and the away fans were very loud at Swansea.

Yesterday it was that expectant air already. I was hoping the buzz from the first home game and looking better as a team would continue.

As ever, our fans and English fans in general respond to the action and the weight of the occasion. There's been some incredible atmospheres at OT but you can't turn it in on like a tap. At least when it's good it's for a reason but I do wish we could liven the players more instead of the other way round.

 

[Eire Red United]

I watched the game on TV. Heard the away fans singing early on, but it felt like they got drowned out after that. Of course, TV coverage depends where the microphones are I suppose.

Could hear a chant or two of "you're shit ahhhh" and the Zlatan song but don't remember very much other noise.

 

[Eire Red United]

Every other month this is discussed. As long as there is no safe standing, no flags allowed and ticket prices sky high, this is not going to change.

Exactly.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

I think Mourinho knows that a crowd the size of ours could be worth an extra couple of percent, both in terms of motivation of the players, and pressurising the ref.

I think he's fighting a bit of a losing battle for all of the reasons mentioned above, but definitely worth a try.

 

[tombombadil]

I think the discepancy being pointed out by some who were there last night is that most of you only hear your own section. Out on the pitch, you hear all sections equally. So that probably is the reason for the discrepancy.

 

[Zlaatan]

Just went through an article on SkySports. I haven't watched the post match conference, I suppose the comments were made during. Here are the quotes:

"I didn't see the first goal. I was speaking with Jesse Lingard because Lingard was going to be the next player to come on."
"I saw the ball in the net and all the guys jumping around. It was the first time I saw the crowd. They were very quiet."
"It was easy to know that was a goal because it was the first time I really understood the stadium was full."

I am not from Manchester, not from England and I've been to the stadium once. Yes, I have my volume on tv higher than usual when I watch the game, but it is hard to tell how's the atmosphere. However I heard a couple of times chants dying out - like the Zlatan chant, which I don't even get why were people chanting, when he probably wasn't even in the stands.

I would like to hear what those, who've been on the stadium, think.

Whether the player they are singing about is in the stadium or not doesn't matter, fans sing about old players all the time.

 

[Ban]

Mind games.

 

[matherto]

Late kick off after a good start to the season so an expected win (meaning the crowd don't feel like they have to gee the team up) against a team that we have no rivalry at all with.

Not really surprising it was dead (if it was).

 

[Stretford Red1978]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, YOU'RE SHIT AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH

I hate that chant!! Cos let's face it De Gea obviously isn't! It's such a shite championship style chant!

 

[duffer]

I hate that chant!! Cos let's face it De Gea obviously isn't! It's such a shite championship style chant!

That's kinda why it's funny. I've heard conference teams fans singing "we're by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen".

 

[leontas]

Shouldn't he be discussing this with the owners? Create a standing section at Old Trafford and you can easily solve this.

 

[AshRK]

The home crowd has to improve. Why can't some of our fans do some ultras (without fires). I don't know when was the last time we did any. The best I remember us doing was against barca in 2008 at home. We need to bring that.

 

[Dobbs]

The criticism bugs me a bit. Fans have been treated like consumers for a while now, there's little regard for the match going experience. Lots of changes that have negatively affected fans but made someone like Mourinho even richer.

If he wants to improve the atmosphere maybe he should talk about KO times, standing areas, fans being able to sit with their mates, the overall sanitising of the game and ticket prices.

 

[antohan]

I only had a stream but distinctly noticed how much quieter it was than previous games. At one point De Gea called "Ball" as he was coming out to pick up a cross and it was heard loud and clear the way you would watching a training session.

 

[Liver_bird]

The fact football is more family orientated nowadays and commercialised means you'll never get a great atmosphere consistently week in week out. The clubs want a better atmosphere but price out fans who can provide it. FSG use the ' Anfield atmosphere' as a selling point almost like a brochure and yet it's a morgue every week. Only the truly big games get any real support. Dortmund at home was incredible for 30mins comparable to anything for the previous 20 and what do they do? Laughably they increase prices. Most fans are apathetic towards their football club these days, the match goers I mean. It's just never going to go back to the way it was unless there's real dialogue between fans and the senior suits but most clubs aren't interested. I can't imagine match day revenue is enough to make a dent in earnings compared to 50k fans singing their heart out. How many extra points could that be worth?
The league is just too money centred which is a shame cause the support for football in England is incredible but I guess they know that

 

[Tony Babangida]

I was in the South stand yesterday and the atmosphere was pretty good I thought. Pretty much constant singing from the Stretty & Scoreboard with other parts of the ground joining in when we were attacking in the second half.

Realistically not everyone is going to make loads of noise all game unless it's a big European night or a derby.

It's hard to sing when nobody around you is, unless you've sunk a few beers before the match. Also, sitting down doesn't help. Safe standing is the way to go.

 

[Stobzilla]

That's kinda why it's funny. I've heard conference teams fans singing "we're by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen".

Thats another thing that should die when you get promoted out the football league into he prem, if you get caught three times you get fecked off back down there.

 

[abaka]

I've been to a load of matches over the years in vaious parts of the stadium but never the Stretty unfortunately. But very few in the last 6 or so unfortunately....and the atmosphere at Old Trafford could always be a bit hit/miss but my last match which happened to be against Swansea at Old Trafford in April (not a great match and understandable) the crowd was dead and the worst I've seen in any football grond....you could hear every groan or tut when a player lost the ball, which can't help with players confidences.

A few times I tried to start chants which I've usually had a hit/miss success rate with but nobody was joining in, instead I got looks of disdain from a guy next to me, probably because I was ruining the audio of his recording, he literally spent the entire match watching it through the screen on his camera.

I tried a Rooney chant after his peanalty, a follow follow, United are going to Stockholm, and then a you only came to see United when Swansea were outsinging us, and not one person joined in....One guy behind me said fair play to you but I would have rather he tried to get involved and support the team.

I think our fans are the best in English football but by and large for smaller games like this, I'm off the believe that it is plastic supporters and the tourists fill out the ground on these days.

 

[Lennon7]

We need safe standing, it's as simple as that. If you're with a mate in a quiet part of the stadium and you're the only ones chanting (seated) you feel like a right tit. If you stand up, you're told to sit down again.

It's great up in the Stretford End cause everyone's stood up anyway, but we just need to get the proper fans together in areas where you know everyone's there to chant and actually support the team whilst having a good time, ie safe standing areas. Have one maybe lower stretty, lower east and perhaps up in one of the quadrants. The rest of the ground can sit there asking who the players are and eating their hotdogs for all I care.

 

[Tony Babangida]

We need safe standing, it's as simple as that. If you're with a mate in a quiet part of the stadium and you're the only ones chanting (seated) you feel like a right tit. If you stand up, you're told to sit down again.

It's great up in the Stretford End cause everyone's stood up anyway, but we just need to get the proper fans together in areas where you know everyone's there to chant and actually support the team whilst having a good time, ie safe standing areas. Have one maybe lower stretty, lower east and perhaps up in one of the quadrants. The rest of the ground can sit there asking who the players are and eating their hotdogs for all I care.

Exactly, if you're surrounded by people who don't want to stand up & sing then chances are you're not going to either. Plus those people aren't necessarily all tourists (but some are), some of them are older fans. Safe standing would bring everyone together, if they could get tickets there. It needs to be trialled at least.

 

[pacifictheme]

Feckers better stay home then. Can't believe an attitude like that

Feels like a bit of a sarcastic reply but in my opinion they should. Its not opera. Its football.

 

[RK]

There was constant singing around me, Stretford End T2. Couldn't really hear the Leicester fans.
Clearly the stadium has some "acoustic" issues.

I disagree about the noise levels before/after the goal. OT is always louder when we need a goal, unless we're not really pushing for it (LvG). Yesterday there was more intensity from the crowd before the goals in my opinion.

Bit unnecessary from Jose, especially considering the spectators he's experienced at other clubs. Hopefully it'll have a positive effect.

 

[Oaencha]

Watched the game on BT and all I could hear were Leicester fans.
I worked as a steward part-time when I was in uni. I think we have to fundamentally change the way we see fans at games and how they support their team.
The majority of fans can't get themselves to start singing and chanting. For them, it would be like singing at a cinema.
It's a culture that's slowly dying. They want to watch the game.
Most of the ground I worked at, the fans were explicitly forced to sit. It's simply to hard for stewards to do that, so i cant see safe-standing changing much.

I agree with most of your post but come on... football matches are nothing like watching a film at the cinema. Crowd participation is actively encouraged at matches, so if anything it would be more comparable to theatre or pantomime. You are expected to be quiet in the cinema.

 

[Godfather]

Feels like a bit of a sarcastic reply but in my opinion they should. Its not opera. Its football.

No I meant that

 

[Macern]

You can't really expect a great atmosphere every game when the club is so big and there are so many foreigners attending the games

 

[The Argentinean]

Sorry to burst y'all's bubble but you English have some piss poor atmospheres. English football culture has been sanitized. It's not the same as it was in the previous century.

 

[Hullyback]

Not just a United thing, home games at a lot of clubs are kinda dead nowadays unless it's a big match.

Too many daytrippers there with their half and half scarves, phones out recording everything and not knowing any of the chants or songs.
Then there's the corporate wallys on a free jolly.

The away matches usually have a better crowd despite there only being 10% of the numbers cos it'll be a true supporter going to watch Watford away on a Wednesday night.

 

[DoubleRevv]

I'd suggest a song that some sections of our fans would sing to other less vocal sections..

Something along the lines of:

You're not here to sit,
Stand up on your feet,
Support your team,
Forget your feckin prawn sandwich
And sing for United


I know this is terrible but if we had something funny and yet pointed we could use it to motivate the quieter sections.

 

[Brophs]

Sorry to burst y'all's bubble but you English have some piss poor atmospheres. English football culture has been sanitized. It's not the same as it was in the previous century.

There's no bubble. Anyone who has watched football in other countries, or isn't a complete mentalist, knows that the atmosphere in English grounds is absolutely pony.

 

[van Nistelrooy]

I sat in the East Stand lower yesterday and I thought the atmosphere was pretty quiet, especially considering our early optimism to the season. The singing section were doing their bit, but that was about all I could hear every now and then. I'm sure the Stretford End was as noisy as ever, but the volume certainly doesn't carry around the stadium.

It was a little frustrating yesterday, as there were several people crammed in around me who actually had their backs turned to the pitch for large parts of the game and were just talking with their mates about anything other than football. I know football can be a social event too, but seriously, get behind the team and be vocal to what is going on.

 

[Lay]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, YOU'RE SHIT AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH

Most annoying thing ever

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

The singing was only really coming from one section of the ground - Stretford End, upper, quite a small minority really.

 

[We need an rvn]

I sat in the East Stand lower yesterday and I thought the atmosphere was pretty quiet, especially considering our early optimism to the season. The singing section were doing their bit, but that was about all I could hear every now and then. I'm sure the Stretford End was as noisy as ever, but the volume certainly doesn't carry around the stadium.

It was a little frustrating yesterday, as there were several people crammed in around me who actually had their backs turned to the pitch for large parts of the game and were just talking with their mates about anything other than football. I know football can be a social event too, but seriously, get behind the team and be vocal to what is going on.

Just to pick up on your point and not judging, bit did you join in the singing or sit there waiting for others to sing as a big problem is it's just certain sections that sing etc and a large majority of stands are full of people that know the atmo is shite but still sit there and do nothing about it.

And hand up, the few matches I've been able to attend I've sat there and when I've sang (or tried to) I get people looking at me more as disgust than those trying to join in so I shut up unless something exciting happens.

 

[Successful]

It's like 60% tourists and 20% quiet fans. Then there is the bunch of loud bald men in the stands who keeps up singing some tired songs. The atmosphere is what it is when the whole place is like a smaller carnival with all the commercial bullshit that brings.

 

[I Believe]

but the volume certainly doesn't carry around the stadium.

Spot on! The acoustics are awful, even the PA system is rubbish, unless everything is played on the top note!

We need a 'bowl shape' to the ground to get the right volume acoustically, now just occasionally, if the singing section and the Stretford end get to sing the same thing at the same time, you can hear it loud enough, but more by good luck though!

Also I have a theory about each section of the ground and what songs they join in with and those they don't. The "twenty times, twenty times" gets everybody going, at one time many years back "Glory Glory Man United" did, it was virtually our anthem like YAWN is Liverpool's, now though as the players leave at half time, there is barely a ripple, even though the PA system is belting it out!
IMO its all to do with the make up of the crowd, the clientele as it were, the 'prawn sandwich brigade', the 'cloth caps/by the factory wall' contingent; the retro-T shirts 40/50 year olds thinking they are still in their pomp (instead of mid-life crisis) and in the family section, songs unsuitable for children to hear, all make up the reasons for lack of noise at times.

One accusation we avoid, but that gets us all going is "you only sing when your winning", hopefully we will be doing lots of that this season.
However I also have to pay tribute to our away fans (I don't travel now OAP pass doesn't work!) who when I'm watching them on TV or rather listening to them singing us home to a victory on an away ground, it make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, fantastic!

 

[#07]

I sat in the East Stand lower yesterday and I thought the atmosphere was pretty quiet, especially considering our early optimism to the season. The singing section were doing their bit, but that was about all I could hear every now and then. I'm sure the Stretford End was as noisy as ever, but the volume certainly doesn't carry around the stadium.

It was a little frustrating yesterday, as there were several people crammed in around me who actually had their backs turned to the pitch for large parts of the game and were just talking with their mates about anything other than football. I know football can be a social event too, but seriously, get behind the team and be vocal to what is going on.

I was in the North East quadrant and could see you lot looking like you were having a hell of an afternoon? Maybe that was just the singing section? The Stratford End was also vocal and I could hear both. Maybe the sound travels better to where I am?

Around me was good to, by relative standards. Burnley home in the North East quadrant last season was like a funeral by comparison.

I really think this 'it was quiet' stuff is being blown out of all proportion. I can only assume the acoustics are to blame.

 

[Wooly Red]

the gentrification of football- there isn't a ground in the league it doesn't affect

Yea, our "famed" atmosphere also isn't much nowadays, it only goes up on pivotal games but otherwise it's the same library as most stadiums.

 

[Fitchett]

Ridiculous criticism of the United support yesterday. I was in East stand upper as usual and there was a good atmosphere, with plenty of chanting throughout the whole match.