Sh*t home support

[Blake Griffin]

Jose Mourinho says Chelsea receive less home backing than any of their Premier League rivals. Is he right? Jim White, who has been to all 20 Premier League grounds, analyses the atmosphere on offer at each

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...eague-grounds-by-Jim-White.html?frame=3093340

Spoiler: for spurs ranking

19 Tottenham Hotspur

When Arsenal or Chelsea visit and the default grumble is replaced by passionate support, White Hart Lane is vibrant. Much of the rest of the time it is a palace of whinge.

he's not wrong.

 

[Syn_13]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...eague-grounds-by-Jim-White.html?frame=3093340

Spoiler: for spurs ranking

19 Tottenham Hotspur

When Arsenal or Chelsea visit and the default grumble is replaced by passionate support, White Hart Lane is vibrant. Much of the rest of the time it is a palace of whinge.

he's not wrong.

"Palace of whinge".

Fair enough, that pretty much sums up both WHL and this forum.

 

[Kspur]

Palace of whinge is about right imho.

 

[riggi]

6 West Ham United

The Chicken Run may have gone the way of all terraces, but the Boleyn Ground is still tight, intimate and occasionally fearsome. Though it might help if the bubble machine didn't break down.

Lol

 

[SlunkSoma]

Football isn't what it was. The last remnants of such is concentrated in that of away support, then diluted back at home grounds across the country.

Mourinho's Chelsea wrecked football in this country, so he can fuck off about atmosphere. Cheeky twat.

 

[Nebby]

Football isn't what it was. The last remnants of such is concentrated in that of away support, then diluted back at home grounds across the country.

Mourinho's Chelsea wrecked football in this country, so he can fuck off about atmosphere. Cheeky twat.

How so?

 

[riggi]

How so?

Money init.

 

[Nebby]

Money init.

Seriously? Chelsea getting rich has somehow wrecked football? Somebody needs to explain that one, because it sounds plain daft to me.

 

[VoteMe4Prez]

Chavski support has always been and always will be absolutely rubbish. More atmosphere in a library

 

[SlunkSoma]

How so?

Seriously? Chelsea getting rich has somehow wrecked football? Somebody needs to explain that one, because it sounds plain daft to me.

The injection of that amount of money changed the game, they used their financial might from an outside source and showed that success could be bought. Then City followed suit. It became about money, and entertainment and priced passionate fans out of the game. He now complains about that passion not being there - sure their support has been poor in the past but it's been further diluted by tourist 'fans', killing the atmosphere. That has a knock of effect elsewhere. It leaves other clubs - like us with a mountain to climb to keep pace, and an acceptance that you can't match some of these teams because of their financial power. It's taken the competitive edge out of it, by unbalancing the playing field.

 

[Nebby]

The injection of that amount of money changed the game, they used their financial might from an outside source and showed that success could be bought. Then City followed suit. It became about money, and entertainment and priced passionate fans out of the game. He now complains about that passion not being there - sure their support has been poor in the past but it's been further diluted by tourist 'fans', killing the atmosphere. That has a knock of effect elsewhere. It leaves other clubs - like us with a mountain to climb to keep pace, and an acceptance that you can't match some of these teams because of their financial power. It's taken the competitive edge out of it, by unbalancing the playing field.

As I thought, just plain daft.

 

[SlunkSoma]

As I thought, just plain daft.

Well done you.

 

[Lufti]

As I thought, just plain daft.

You kidding? The most vocal fan group is 16-30 year olds, most of whom can't afford to regularly visit football stadiums due to the cost, meaning they are being replaced with middle age rich men, tourists and retirees for the most part, meaning that yes, the volume in stadiums has dropped. Not to mention people want value for their money and seem to turn up with an entitled state of mind, not entirely unjustified. Money and the loss of standing sections are the two main causes for the poorer fan support.

 

[Nebby]

You kidding? The most vocal fan group is 16-30 year olds, most of whom can't afford to regularly visit football stadiums due to the cost, meaning they are being replaced with middle age rich men, tourists and retirees for the most part, meaning that yes, the volume in stadiums has dropped. Not to mention people want value for their money and seem to turn up with an entitled state of mind, not entirely unjustified. Money and the loss of standing sections are the two main causes for the poorer fan support.

I don't disagree with any of that. But what I do disagree with is the idea that this is all the fault of Chelsea and Abramovich. The situation you describe existed long before Abramovich arrived in 2003. To suggest otherwise is just daft.

 

[poc]

I don't disagree with any of that. But what I do disagree with is the idea that this is all the fault of Chelsea and Abramovich. The situation you describe existed long before Abramovich arrived in 2003. To suggest otherwise is just daft.

It may have existed but the sums of money at his disposal and therefore at Chelsea's disposal was a complete and utter game changer to think otherwise is well er.... Daft ;-)

 

[Nebby]

It may have existed but the sums of money at his disposal and therefore at Chelsea's disposal was a complete and utter game changer to think otherwise is well er.... Daft ;-)

You seem to be confusing two issues. Certainly Abramovich's money changed Chelsea's fortunes. Three titles since 2004-05 is clear for all to see. But I still don't see how he - or indeed City - can be blamed for "wrecking" football in this country as SlunkSoma suggests.

He talks about ordinary fans not being able to afford tickets, and the changing demographic of football supporters. Well all of that predates Abramovich by decades.

If you want to pick out individuals that changed the face of football in this country (for better or worse depending on how you look at it), try looking a little closer to home and what Scholar did at Spurs back in the 80s. He laid out the blueprint that chairman after chairman followed.

Under his stewardship we were the first club anywhere in the world to float on the stock exchange. He also knocked down arguably one of the best Kop stands in English football and replaced it with corporate boxes. We were also the first club to introduce telephone ticket sales, which probably did more to limit ticket access to local fans than anything else.

Good for the game? Maybe, maybe not (it certainly had to modernise and change). Good for business? Undoubtedly. That's why Martin Edwards poached Scholar's commercial director almost as soon as he took over at United.

 

[nightgoat]

6 West Ham United

The Chicken Run may have gone the way of all terraces, but the Boleyn Ground is still tight, intimate and occasionally fearsome. Though it might help if the bubble machine didn't break down.

Lol

3 Liverpool

Stage managed as it may be, the pre-match rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone sets up the crowd brilliantly to generate the traditional Kop roar. European nights in particular can sound like we have all been collectively transported back forty years.




Have a sing-song before the game then everyone shut the fuck up for 90 minutes, more like.

 

[Winchy85]

Anfield is silent most weeks. Their away support is pretty decent, but whose isn't?

There isn't a ground in this country where the atmopshere is decent anymore. Palace make a good go of it but they only have the small section which hasn't caught on!

Our atmosphere has died over the past few seasons. Unfortunately good football makes the atmosphere at WHL and currently the football is awful. And the obvious cost of tickets attracting a certain class of fans who are there for the spectacle rather than to make a noise!

 

[SpursTillIDie1882]

Before the CL foray we had, our support at games was immense.

 

[Borks]

Before the CL foray we had, our support at games was immense.

It's the worst thing that's ever happened to us support wise. 10th highest average attendance last season and 1 season in the CL yet we have the hardest to please fans in the league?