A while ago I posted something about the need for us to get behind the team. It was when Arsene Wenger was under the cosh and he said something along the lines of “supporters support”. Well on Saturday at Fulham I saw this Philosophy in action. From the very beginning the support was tremendous and most unlike the sour atmosphere on the preceding Tuesday night. This surely transmitted to the players who gave their all and gave one their best performances of the season. What was it that created the positive atmosphere at Craven Cottage? It’s hard to say but surely it was the difference between being on the players’ backs and actually given them our wholehearted support. One of the great away days for me. Proud to be among such great supporters.
Think the difference is circumstantial. Many enjoying a long day out in london: much lubrication enjoyed. In contrast a a cold dismal and pretty sober tuesday night in the 'tarn'.
Away fans always go for it, and tell the home fans their support is fvcking ****. I don't know why home fans are crap, but for run-of-the-mill games even suppoosedly crazy fanbases are very quiet.
Still can’t understand why folk are surprised, it’s always been like that. Away all fans are tight in one area, outnumbered , determined to make their presence felt and let’s face it a lot are extremely well lubricated and determined to enjoy the day out. At home more varied bands of supporters spread out,it need something special to get the atmosphere going, it happens just not that often.
My 12 year old grandson sent me his comments in an e-mail. His away days so far have been Wembley versus Oxford in the Johnstones Paint Final and Notts Forest this season, so Saturday's trip to Fulham was a real highlight." Here's part of what he sent. " Grandad, I thought I'd let you know how we went on during our visit to London. Our train was cancelled so we had to wait 30 minutes for another to arrive. Once we got into London, we had to rush from Kings Cross and took the underground. When we got to our stop, we walked to the stadium and a highlight for me was a Craven Cottage pie. We settled down in our seats to watch the Super Reds. It was my favourite away game so far ,because of the atmosphere. We didn't stop singing and the team kept on scoring. All of our fans were jumping up and down the whole game. It was brilliant." My son was telling me that for two burgers a bit of salad and a couple of cans of soft drinks, the local traders were charging £28. Absolute daylight robbery.
Considering our season to date our support hasn't really been hostile or overly negative. Admittedly it can be like a library inside Oakwell at times but this seems typical of home fans generally. I don't know why support seems to be more vocal away from home than at home.
Fulham was fantastic and it was in January 2017 too. At some away games everyone just seems in the mood and enough like minded supporters are close enough to start something special off atmosphere wise. Away from home, when the seating is either unallocated or at least liberally officiated, large groups of like minded fans will congregate together and pockets of these will start songs off which, if circumstances align like at Fulham, spreads across the stand and a great atmosphere is created. At Fulham the lads at the back could stand en masse and jump about starting songs off and it worked brilliantly. At some away grounds where the away end is smaller these lads would be told to sit down or be split up and the fun that followed wouldn't have been possible. At home most fans across the country aren't on an 'away day' and probably sit with family or have season ticket seats which they have had for years. Unless a ground has a singing section or has a strong singing culture its seldom you get a great home atmosphere unless events on the pitch create something special. We're quite fortunate that gangway one of the Ponty End tends to be a singing area and most fans in that area are happy to contribute to a decent atmosphere when the general mood is decent.
