End of our fans complacent era?

[DiV]

Our home support is shit, nothing new.

[Spencer_White]

The team did play a big part in this. A prime example was around half way through the second half when Grella had just missed a chance, we had loads of momentum and a throw in right in the corner with the town end singing the usual "Come On You Reeeds". Then guess what happened? Straight from the throw in one of our players miss controlled it and it went straight back our for a throw for Walsall. Just like that the atmosphere and momentum disappeared.

Id say the support from the stands is more important in a relegation scrap than at any other time.

You are down at the bottom, the team is going to kick the ball out of play for no reason. Thats why you are down there, you're crap.

But its the forgiveness and the encouragement from the fans that can keep you up. I would say 2000-01 would be a great example. Our team was dogshit. But when Danny Invincible scored against Peterborough in the 2nd to last game, Alan Reeves and Bart Griemink ran to the Town End and embraced the fans.

Its that sort of romance that can make special things happen. Im not sure our younger fans realise this. Everything is good or shit, with nothing in between. Maybe they are right, football is more cynical now. Too much about money, and not enough about sport.

[axs]

I think the season ticket promotion in the TE has had a negative effect, some people have bought tickets in there because it's cheap, but aren't vocal at games. So the ones that stroll up on the day end up spread out down in TE2 / 3 and we never get any noise generated.

With the prices closer next season I think some will move back to the side stands. Too many atmospheric sponges rather than people contributing to the support.

[Spencer_White]

The "complacent era" seems more epidemic of football in general than to Swindon specifically. Plenty of clubs seem to be the same.

I have plenty of mates who remind me of this often. But the fact is you can only live in the present.

If you are intelligent I think you can make the best of football now and still have some great days.

I like to compare and contrast to the past, but I will never write off football just because it isnt as good as it was, it always has the capacity to suprise.

I post on here because I believe in the power of ideas to make things better (corny but true).

[Matchworn Shirts]

The total decline of football as a whole in England can be entirely blamed on sky

[reeves4england]

Well when the shit happens the fans need to step up and rasie the players with a few chants.

Look what happens when other teams score agasint us. Most clubs fans have no answer and just sit down and wallow in saddes for abit. Where as what do we do.......FUCK OFF!

Yeh, and then silence again.

Fans make noise when they have something to get excited about. It started well yesterday then died out because the team showed no real desire to win the game. Walsall were crap and hardly even threatened our goal, but despite us controlling the game their keeper only made one or two saves himself. There was no creativity, no courage and no real desire, just a lot of neat passing.

[Batch]

I like to compare and contrast to the past, but I will never write off football just because it isnt as good as it was, it always has the capacity to suprise.

I'm not trying to write off football, nor am I saying we can't improve the atmosphere. Merely that our fans are no better or worse than the majority of other clubs fans.

I guess I disagree with the "our fans are shit" sentiment that frequents the forum. Well I suppose its not incorrect, but its not just our fans- its becoming the norm.

But how to change it? There are a few in the DRS who would quite like a vocal support from there. But most are happy to clap along whenever the ever annoying "barmy army" is wheeled out. You can't make them sing if they don't want to. So I have no idea other than hoping the Town End engine room is noisy enough to entice the dormant vocal element of the DRS.

In some respects the abandonment of the Stratton Bank due to insufficient away following has lead to the demise of Chav corner, which in turn has lessened the atmosphere.

[Ardiles]

I guess I disagree with the "our fans are shit" sentiment that frequents the forum.

I agree with this completely.  I can understand Spence's frustration.  Don't know you personally, but you strike me as someone who probably 'leads the charge' from the stands and, clearly, becomes quickly irritated when others don't follow.  A few points to make there though.

1.  Everyone shows their support in their own way.  Our most passionate fans aren't necessarily the loudest in the stands.  We're all different.  I understand the argument that the team really needs vocal support, but maybe that's not completely realistic at the moment.  Fans love the club, but we've also now gone a whole ¼ season without seeing a win.  Despondency will take its toll.

2.  Did you see the size of yesterday's crowd?  OK - a fair number were only there because it cost them nothing, but even still you cannot escape the general point that  - given the shocking (and, by most, unexpected) season we've had to put up with - we are still one of the best supported sides in this division.  Yes - crowds are going to fall next season when fewer season ticket holders renew, but we're doing OK on that score.  Think back 5 or 6 years to crowds of 4,500 on a Saturday.  Most of us remember that.  We've come a long way.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I agree Ardiles. One of my bugbears about TEF is the constant slating our support gets. OK, it's maybe not the best but it sure as hell is not as bad as it's made out to be. As you say, the support has been pretty amazing this season considering how utterly shit it's been.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

I agree Ardiles. One of my bugbears about TEF is the constant slating our support gets. OK, it's maybe not the best but it sure as hell is not as bad as it's made out to be. As you say, the support has been pretty amazing this season considering how utterly shit it's been.

That's because there are 5,600 ST holders. Trust me if we didn't have that many we'd only be getting 6,000.

[Dr Pierre Chang]

We have far too many fans who are just happy that the club is in existance.

There was a post on here the other day that I found pathetic. I quote 'As far as I am concerned I'm dead happy even if we get relegated. At least we will be in business next season.' Unbelievable.

[sonicyouth]

I didn't say no one has been affected and I'm sorry that you have been. I am just saying the media are trying to make it sound worse than it is. And as you say, if you have been affected, you don't want to be constantly reminded about. But the point is, are you less likely to make a noise at a football ground  than you were pre-recession??

I'm inclined to agree with you but one of the reasons I stopped going frequently is the cost of it and moving away. The recession made football a more expensive luxury even when working.

I don't think it has changed much though, more or less everyone I got to know a few years ago can still be spotted around the County Ground. I remember when I first started going in 02/03 and the difference in atmosphere is noticeably different.

[Spencer_White]

I agree with this completely.  I can understand Spence's frustration.  Don't know you personally, but you strike me as someone who probably 'leads the charge' from the stands and, clearly, becomes quickly irritated when others don't follow.  A few points to make there though.

1.  Everyone shows their support in their own way.  Our most passionate fans aren't necessarily the loudest in the stands.  We're all different.  I understand the argument that the team really needs vocal support, but maybe that's not completely realistic at the moment.  Fans love the club, but we've also now gone a whole ¼ season without seeing a win.  Despondency will take its toll.

2.  Did you see the size of yesterday's crowd?  OK - a fair number were only there because it cost them nothing, but even still you cannot escape the general point that  - given the shocking (and, by most, unexpected) season we've had to put up with - we are still one of the best supported sides in this division.  Yes - crowds are going to fall next season when fewer season ticket holders renew, but we're doing OK on that score.  Think back 5 or 6 years to crowds of 4,500 on a Saturday.  Most of us remember that.  We've come a long way.

I try and never show my frustration at our own fans because it is counterproductive. Ive got a few mates who do it almost every game, and it is cringeworthy, even with a few pints inside of you. I always try and be the last to stop singing, but its difficult nowadays with the kids speeding it all up. It does annoy me that fans now look like they would go down without a fight, and a bit of desperation, that message gets onto the pitch quick.

On point 2, yes it was good, but not great. League 1 is always mainly lower league sides, with a few fallen giants, and we are still well short of the attendances of the bigger teams in this league. Besides which, wanking over attendances of around 9000 is something the scum do, and it looks absolutely pathetic to fans of other clubs. Its a big gap to the support 2nd tier clubs get nowadays, and that is the league we are aiming to compete in. Come back when we are getting 15000+.

On point 1, unless you are contributing financially in an outstanding way (as in over £3000 a year) then for me there is only 1 way to support.

Back when we got 4500 home fans we had the best home end for support in the 3rd tier (2000-2004).

[Benzel]

We need to do something about the fast singing/clapping.

How the hell did that start?!

[Ardiles]

We need to do something about the fast singing/clapping.

How the hell did that start?!

Agreed.  It's a curse.  Reminds me of the thread we had a week or two back about terrace anthems...rousing tunes you could belt out and make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.  The fast clap is the polar opposite of that.

Fast clappers should be neutered.