Crowds | Vital Football

Crowds

LancsGordoRoad said:
Watched the Quest EFL highlights last night and wasn`t it fantastic to see fans in attendance ? Some saw their teams win and others lose but just to see some passion from the stands was so very encouraging - so looking forward to getting to a game.
Click to expand...
Great quote from a Charlton fan "We won a throw in the 6th minute and we celebrated like it was a goal, such was the pent up passion from missing live football ".....made me laugh but spoken like a true fan and I totally get it.
 
Bromley_GFC said:
Only 2,000 Arsenal fans at the Emirates last night but after just a few minutes they were already heard singing anti Spurs songs. 👏🏻😂
Click to expand...
I would imagine the players hardly noticed that there were only 2000 there, apparently it's like a morgue when it's full 🤔
Celebrating a long awaited return with anti rival songs is the sort of thing that gives some football fans their "moronic" tag though. I would like to think we'd have more of a party atmosphere when we get back. It's weird but I only get to go to a couple of matches a season and, generally, its never really bothered me (them's the breaks) but now that we actually can't go, I miss it like mad 😧
 
Bromley_GFC said:
I do miss the Gills games but to be honest I'm not sure a 2,000 capacity with no away fans, social distancing, arriving very early before kick off, staggered toilet times, potentially having to wear a mask in the ground? will get my juices flowing. I could actually wait a bit longer for some more normality at football grounds but will be pleased for those Gills fans that do get tickets after such a long wait.
Click to expand...
I tend to agree with this. I've been going for 25 years. ok, the fact that we've got a good side with an astute management team has helped over the last 18 months, but I go to football to have a few drinks with my mate on the train. A chat with the people sitting around us that we've known for all those years is as much a part of the whole ritual as questioning the refs parentage, slagging swindon, or chanting GEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Until there is much more normality I am happy paying a tenner per game and sitting watching on my MacBook. TBH the atmosphere is the same but I can have a drink and watch on the sofa.
 
Bromley_GFC said:
I was gonna say did someone call the fun Police? Then realised you are the Police. 😉

I hear what you're saying but it's catch 22 because those rivalries are what makes the atmosphere at football stand out compared to Cricket, Rugby, any other Sport!

I do miss the Gills games but to be honest I'm not sure a 2,000 capacity with no away fans, social distancing, arriving very early before kick off, staggered toilet times, potentially having to wear a mask in the ground? will get my juices flowing. I could actually wait a bit longer for some more normality at football grounds but will be pleased for those Gills fans that do get tickets after such a long wait.
Click to expand...
Fun police??? I'm the one wanting a party atmosphere 🥳
 
Nobby_66 said:
Great quote from a Charlton fan "We won a throw in the 6th minute and we celebrated like it was a goal, such was the pent up passion from missing live football ".....made me laugh but spoken like a true fan and I totally get it.
Click to expand...

That is true football supporting right there.

I loved that footage a few seasons back of the first set of fans that set up a fake “goal celebration” when they were 3 or 4 nil down.

Classic and absolute dynamite 👍
 
I've missed it. I've missed my Block 4 chums and the banter. I've missed the pre match pint in the Cricketers and ripping my Matchday Lottery ticket into confetti when I don't win (again). I've missed shouting at the officials and singing along to rousing (and awful) songs. I've missed the long walk back to the car buzzing and glowing about our last minute winner (Also obviously missed making up my excuses for why we didn't win!)
I know some of these things will not be possible when I eventually return, but I'll be back at the very first opportunity!
 
I remember being at Priestfield on numerous occasions when my highlight of the game was eating my half-time Mars bar. But, there`s simply nothing like being at the actual game, whether it`s 2,000 or 200 fans and whether you have to take your own kit-kat or not.

In the words of James Ingram - "Ya Mo B There"
If you can - you just gotta be there...............
 
LancsGordoRoad said:
I remember being at Priestfield on numerous occasions when my highlight of the game was eating my half-time Mars bar. But, there`s simply nothing like being at the actual game, whether it`s 2,000 or 200 fans and whether you have to take your own kit-kat or not.

In the words of James Ingram - "Ya Mo B There"
If you can - you just gotta be there...............
Click to expand...
Gills 58 said:
2000 no atmoshere???? It'll will be rocking compared to what old gits like me have suffered in the past.

1575 v Donny 1972 - 3 0 with his highness Wilks scoring.
1888 v Chesterfield when already relegated 1971 - 1 1 draw.

Anyone else at them?
Click to expand...
I sort of understand these arguments. But the main difference with attending now with 2000 others and back when we have been crap with 2000 others is back then;

you went with your mates,
had a few pints in the local together to numb the impending pain,
stood in the same place with the same people,
Nodded a hello to the same people (whether you knew them or not),
Bitched and moaned about the performance/defeat with others at the station/pub/walk back to the car/curry house* (delete or add as applicable)

I suppose in my view unless I can do these things, or at least a few of them, legally and enjoyably then I just can’t see the point. But hey, we’re all different.
 
Rob_b100 said:
I sort of understand these arguments. But the main difference with attending now with 2000 others and back when we have been crap with 2000 others is back then;

you went with your mates,
had a few pints in the local together to numb the impending pain,
stood in the same place with the same people,
Nodded a hello to the same people (whether you knew them or not),
Bitched and moaned about the performance/defeat with others at the station/pub/walk back to the car/curry house* (delete or add as applicable)

I suppose in my view unless I can do these things, or at least a few of them, legally and enjoyably then I just can’t see the point. But hey, we’re all different.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, if you are not a season ticket holder.
 
Rob_b100 said:
I sort of understand these arguments. But the main difference with attending now with 2000 others and back when we have been crap with 2000 others is back then;

you went with your mates,
had a few pints in the local together to numb the impending pain,
stood in the same place with the same people,
Nodded a hello to the same people (whether you knew them or not),
Bitched and moaned about the performance/defeat with others at the station/pub/walk back to the car/curry house* (delete or add as applicable)

I suppose in my view unless I can do these things, or at least a few of them, legally and enjoyably then I just can’t see the point. But hey, we’re all different.
Click to expand...

I see and understand your point, Rob.

On the "back then" narrative, for me, I usually drove so didn`t go to the pub etc. But I did tend to watch home games from the same ST location so I get the "Gills Community" mindset.

But more recently, I have attended many more away games than home games and, as away fans, you`re stuck in various different parts of grounds and I see many people who have clearly attended on their own, without others. At long distance away games it`s often a case of the "usual gang" plus many exiled "fifty-something males" who moved away from Kent years ago, having a solo visit to soak up Gills` memories from way back whenever.

But, as you say, we`re all different. There`s no hierarchy, people who know me just think i`m mad to go on some of the jaunts I do - just love being at the Gills games - always will. Don`t care how many are or are not there.

I know someone who goes to all the current Blackburn Rovers home games and kind of likes the surrealism of it, though, of course, he`d prefer there to be a full house.
 
Gills 58 said:
2000 no atmoshere???? It'll will be rocking compared to what old gits like me have suffered in the past.

1575 v Donny 1972 - 3 0 with his highness Wilks scoring.
1888 v Chesterfield when already relegated 1971 - 1 1 draw.

Anyone else at them?
Click to expand...
Possibly but I do remember coming back from holiday with my parents at some time around then and getting the train back from Victoria and my Father suddenly exploding in rage on reading the 1800 attendance for a midweek game in the Express ( his favourite): ‘ Disgrace !!’ etc
Can’t remember whether Basil Hayward was in charge, but as reported previously, he was treated as the Devil Incarnate by him and I grew up thinking that somehow he was almost a criminal !
 
Gills 58 said:
2000 no atmoshere???? It'll will be rocking compared to what old gits like me have suffered in the past.

1575 v Donny 1972 - 3 0 with his highness Wilks scoring.
1888 v Chesterfield when already relegated 1971 - 1 1 draw.

Anyone else at them?
Click to expand...
I'm sure I would have been there 58
 
Gills 58 said:
2000 no atmoshere???? It'll will be rocking compared to what old gits like me have suffered in the past.

1575 v Donny 1972 - 3 0 with his highness Wilks scoring.
1888 v Chesterfield when already relegated 1971 - 1 1 draw.

Anyone else at them?
Click to expand...

Might have been at the Donny match,
Don't think I was one of the 1971 at the Chesterfield match. Same year the EFL was established incidentally.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.