Atmosphere Today

[joteddyred]

Even trying to get a simple "Come on you Reds" going, there was people looking at us like we'd tried to shit in their kagoul hoods. Credit to the lads further back who did keep trying despite all the Jeremys and Jemimas - one of the few amusing bits was when they started singing "there's only five of us singing" which as the isolated pockets joined in crept up to "there's only 8 of us singing". And to be honest, that probably was it for our block.

Had the kids with me yesterday so had to keep most of this in after the match because even though I was fuming, I wanted them to feel they'd had a good day. It was my five year old's first game and he was quite nervous because he doesn't like loud noises (hah! no worries on that score, most of them thought they were at the fucking opera) so his day wouldn't have been enhanced by the sight of Dad raging and fuming at what complete dogshit we were. So after the game, kind of restricted myself to a few adonyne "Didn't turn up/outmuscled/completely stopped us playing" type comments and left it at that. But last night I was furious. And it hasn't diminished this morning. Disappointed, embarrassed, humiliated.

Paul – I have exactly the same opinions to you .  I was in the second to back row of the same block as you (I know this because the lads starting the singing were in the back row behind me and shouted your name and waved to you).  I guess they’re probably TEF’s and know they’re season ticket holders, because we had a brief discussion at the beginning about how nervous we were.  I was able to stand up throughout with no objections as others seem to have had, as they were the only people behind me and also standing.  There was also a small group between us and you who were also regularly singing – that was it though.

Also had my 6 year old with me, who was slightly worried with the level of noise and singing prior to the match in the pub and I remember thinking he’s going to be a nightmare in the stadium with all the noise – yeah right!

He ended up most bothered due to the various instances our coach had with Millwall fans as we left the car park.  The shouting and gesticulating he didn’t fully understand and fund quite amusing, but when some stones and cans were thrown and one twat outside actually opened the back door of our coach to try and get on, we had tears.  Just about summed up the whole experience.

Massively disappointed in everything yesterday, not just the atmosphere and the way we played, but for the first time ever Swindon have lost at Wembley and have lost a Play Off Final.  Those records are now gone forever.

[shady]

I think the JPT group stage is regionalised in the early stages, so there's every chance we may play Oxford.

[Spencer_White]

We never got them from 2000 - 2005.

The first few rounds of the JPT are absolute rubbish. The Pox really are not worth the hassle in the JPT.

Bit worried as well. This team could become the breaker of some proud records. Our proud record of winning at Wembley (gone) our proud tradition of red shirts (gone) our proud record of not having lost at home to our rivals for 37 years?

[Red Affliction]

As a product of the 70's & 80's town end (conveniently forgetting '81 to '85) yesterday has to go down as the worst Town support I have ever known if you consider the magnitude of the game & the numbers following us!! In our party of 7 only 4 of us were die-hards but the other 3 joined in with the singing because we encouraged them to do so (note the word encourage & not aggressive insulting). I understand all the frustration & there have been loads of valid points made on here about the stadium acoustics, being outplayed in the 1st half, day-trippers, plastics etc. However nobody is going to follow the lead of people who angrily shout at them to sing, least of all those who are 1st timers or show up once a decade. Call me a liberal cunt in my old age if you wish but if we all made an effort to encourage those around us rather than intimidate them then I'm sure the atmosphere would have greatly improved. That said, the whole Wembley experience leaves a bitter taste. Aside from the pain of the result & the performance, there was the ridiculous ticket prices, extortionate concessions, an £800 million stadium that already has a leaky roof! and the shitty area around the ground. To cap it all off, running the gauntlet of Wembley way through the lowest forms of life I have ever seen compounded my misery on what I honestly thought was going to be an amazing day!!! And when I say the lowest forms of life I don't say it lightly as I'm very well travelled!! How so many people from a relatively small part of London can have so much anger that they can't even celebrate without abusing people is beyond my comprehension!! Yesterday I woke up like an excited 7 year old at christmas & went to bed like a bitter & twisted pensioner!! 3 things would have made all the difference yesterday. 1) If the match was played at the Millennium stadium - better atmosphere & a city centre / bay area with something for everybody. 2) Any opponents other than that shower of neanderthal scum. 3) A team that didn't suffer from stage fright - with the odd exception. I'm still proud of the season we've had & the progress the club has made but right now typing all this out just feels like a "therapy session". Keep the faith & I'm sure Danny & the board won't allow the momentum we've built up to go to waste. Cheers & apologies for the long winded 1st post  

  

[Arriba]

good first post.

[Don Rogers Shop]

Shit 7367th post

[Arriba]

[Bob's Orange]

I had the honour of standing with KOT and the South Oxon Reds for the first half, and they really tried to get the atmosphere going. Sadly it sort of Petered out when they didn't get much response from the surrounding people and I sat on my hands for the second half with my dad.

Not sure who the drunk guy with the hat was that was standing next to me in the first half but fair play he tried his hardest to get some songs going.

[Bogus Dave]

Nobody around us tried getting snogs started, and no-one argued with each other. It was good

[Langers]

It sounds like your area of the ground was not feeling the love!

[pauld]

Nobody around us tried getting snogs started, and no-one argued with each other. It was good

I know you're just on a wind-up most of the time, and think you're being provocative/funny. But you're actually not very good at it and it just makes you come across as a bit of a cock. Please stop it.

[RobertT]

If you want 20k plus of non regulars to join in then it has to be the very basic one to two word songs.  That's why Millwall were loud- one word (and even then they were clearly mostly joining in something they didn't really get because they didn't sustain it and finish it with Wall, they just did a loud Millllll).

90/93 - both times we used basic stuff but yesterday there were pockets of people trying diferent songs at the same time.  Come on You Reds and clapping with Swindon at the end were the only two we would have any chance of getting going.

Oh, and while it made me chuckle a bit, the Milwall fans are stereotype of everything that is wrong with football.  I'd rather be among 32,000 people with minimal atmosphere than the gaggle of Millwall fans outside the ground both pre and post match.  And that is not sour grapes, becasue they were and are a better team than us, not just on the day.

[Nemo]

I know you're just on a wind-up most of the time, and think you're being provocative/funny. But you're actually not very good at it and it just makes you come across as a bit of a cock. Please stop it.

Oh come on Captain Serious, there was an opportunity for a snog based punfest there and you passed it over.

[pauld]

Oh come on Captain Serious, there was an opportunity for a snog based punfest there and you passed it over.

Bugger, didn't even see that. He's still a cock though

[Bogus Dave]

What! I wasn't attempting to be provocative or humorous. I spelled song incorrectly, but the rest still stands.

There was no-one trying to start songs around us.
Nobody was getting irate at the supposed lack of atmosphere
I enjoyed that aspect, as did (i assume) everyone else in my immediate area.

That's not to say I and others around me didn't join in with chants that took place, as we did. It's also not to say I and others around me weren't fully supportive of the players, and vocally encouraged, as we were. Even my dad, who is only a passing fan (boo-hiss) and is one of the most reserved people I know, shouted encouragement at one stage. But because we didn't all come together as one in a perfectly orchestrated sing-song it's invalid and we should all be demonised for 'not being true supporters'.

FWIW I think our support, in volume, was a little dissapointing. Although not to the extent some seem to believe. Is that such a suprise though? We're hardly the most vocal bunch at home, so with numbers so diluted as they were yesterday we were never going to raise the roof. And in all honesty, how will someone shouting, and questioning the strength of your fandom, envoke someone to get involved with chants which at best are too fast paced to enjoy and at worst far too conveluted and obscene for the family orientated fan to sing along too?