Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:54 pm  

BroncOnIon wrote:

You assume that the crowd would have been the same with the west stand closed. It wouldn't.

You know of people who came to the game solely on the basis that the West Stand was open?

Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:56 pm  

joeo wrote:

It would have been rocking if it had been witnessing a competitive game. And it would have rocked even more so with three stands occupied. What dampened the atmosphere today was the sense that the game was over prematurely, and it would have been dampened even more if we'd all been in the east stand.There's nothing more guaranteed to kill an atmosphere than watching your team struggle against the background of a vast expanse of empty stand opposite.

Some of the best atmospheres I have experienced were in the early stages of games, when both teams are in it. We were competitive for most of the first half, yet the East Stand was silent and I only heard one "London, London" chant coming from the West. Nobody getting behind the team, nothing.

With regards to having an empty stand opposite, don't tell that to any of the pro London Broncos @ Griffin Park band of supporters. In fact, I'd actually tend to side with them on that one - there were some fantastic occasions atmosphere-wise with a single packed stand at Griffin Park.

Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:15 pm  

Dave Lister wrote:

With regards to having an empty stand opposite, don't tell that to any of the pro London Broncos @ Griffin Park band of supporters. In fact, I'd actually tend to side with them on that one - there were some fantastic occasions atmosphere-wise with a single packed stand at Griffin Park.

Good point, the difference was there was something worth shouting about back then. With an uncompetitive team and no play offs or relegation to get excited about our games are basically pretty dull.

Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:36 pm  

Dave Lister wrote:

You know of people who came to the game solely on the basis that the West Stand was open?

No, but I wouldn't have gone if I'd been compelled to sit in the east stand. That doesn't make the west stand my sole reason for going.

You need to realise that the issue is consumer choice and not assume that what's best for you is best for everyone. I'm pleased that the club has got that message.

Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 9:08 pm  

jbuzza wrote:

With an uncompetitive team and no play offs or relegation to get excited about our games are basically pretty dull.

While I agree with the ethos of the above, I thought the team played better than for ages during the 1st half on Saturday - Hardly saw the ball down where I was sitting near the 10 yard line (in the East Stand...), and, what was it, 3 (three) disallowed trys during that time (normal service was resumed for the 2nd half) - and yet, as mentioned above, very little enthusiasm shown by the Home fans. This is of course apart from the group who'd found time to drink about 17 pints before the start and then had to get up and stagger along their row every 7 minutes in order to depressurise their bladder. Couldn't help thinking that there was a lot more cheering, chanting etc at the start of the season even though the crowd was about half of Saturdays. Every silver lining has its cloud...

Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:33 pm  

I prefer the east stand as it exposes me to overdosing on UV, I'm 100 metres from the pitch and can see nothing, no one sings and its full of miserable people-Value for money

Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:43 pm  

east stander wrote:

I prefer the east stand as it exposes me to overdosing on UV, I'm 100 metres from the pitch and can see nothing, no one sings and its full of miserable people-Value for money

Be honest. The attraction is its proximity to the bar. That and the distance it put between you and the former coach.

Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:44 pm  

Boyne wrote:

While I agree with the ethos of the above, I thought the team played better than for ages during the 1st half on Saturday - Hardly saw the ball down where I was sitting near the 10 yard line (in the East Stand...), and, what was it, 3 (three) disallowed trys during that time (normal service was resumed for the 2nd half) - and yet, as mentioned above, very little enthusiasm shown by the Home fans.

I agree they played well enough first half and were a bit unlucky but we didn't do much of note once Wigan scored first in the second half. The result was never in doubt.

Re: East vs West : Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:32 pm  

Dave Lister wrote:

With regards to having an empty stand opposite, don't tell that to any of the pro London Broncos @ Griffin Park band of supporters. In fact, I'd actually tend to side with them on that one - there were some fantastic occasions atmosphere-wise with a single packed stand at Griffin Park.

Good point. Some of the best times were at Brentford in a single packed stand. So how come I don't feel the same at the Stoop? I reckon the configuration makes all the difference. Brentford is a compact little ground, the stand was intimate and enveloping and the mood infectious, unlike the east stand, we were much closer to the action even hearing the impact of collisions, and of course as jbuzza says we were consistently competitive. And we had Homer to lead the chanting. God, what a foghorn. While the Stoop doesn't have the running track or Siberian vastness of Crystal Palace or Barnet its openness is more akin to them than to Brentford's intimacy.

The Brentford comparison is not comparing like with like.

The Stoop is more likely to rock with three stands open. Re-opening the west was the best move of the season.

Re: East vs West : Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:05 am  

joeo wrote:

Good point. Some of the best times were at Brentford in a single packed stand. So how come I don't feel the same at the Stoop? I reckon the configuration makes all the difference. Brentford is a compact little ground, the stand was intimate and enveloping and the mood infectious, unlike the east stand, we were much closer to the action even hearing the impact of collisions, and of course as jbuzza says we were consistently competitive. And we had Homer to lead the chanting. God, what a foghorn. While the Stoop doesn't have the running track or Siberian vastness of Crystal Palace or Barnet its openness is more akin to them than to Brentford's intimacy.

The Brentford comparison is not comparing like with like.

The Stoop is more likely to rock with three stands open. Re-opening the west was the best move of the season.

I agree, give the public what they want, never a bad move in business.