Nick wrote:Agree with alot of the above.
Its so frustrating. I still get the buzz about going to a City game, I remember when I didn't have a season ticket at Maine Road, and the buzz of getting a ticket. But now, we dread it slightly due to the influx of tourist fans this season and Showsec's desire to ruin 'the matchday experience'.
Success - as Carl's writely states above, Munich, Dortmund etc etc all have fortresses. Success should not mean the atmosphere gets even worse, it should be the opposite. While I agree, there is an expectation of a win, goals, I still cheer every goal as if it is a decisive match winner. The atmosphere has been shit since we've moved grounds. I was never lucky enough to have a season ticket at Maine Road; I had to sit in the other stands. It was a bit crap their, but you could clearly hear the whole of the Kippax (thats AFTER the real/standing Kippax).
Since moving, we've tried to get pockets going, from South stand, to north/east corner, to 110/111 to back to the South.
My issue with tourists is that they are not interested in the game or city and so don't contribute anything.
My issue with City/showsec is that they are making things worse. I move a row back and block over every year. Every year showsec decide that standing starts further and further back. I moved to the side where every person stands. Since WBA; Showsec have decided that our row is now allowed to stand; despire every row behind standing, and wanting to. City's stance is safety'. How can this be truie when everyone is stood up just seats away and we have a full 3 tier stand stood up?
The most puzzling question is why the south stand is so crap. All the 'hardcore' that stood near me last year, moved to the south because of 1) money and 2) to stand. It is now silent. I wanted to stay in 110/109; to keep the atmosphere going. Whats the point in the problem moving and getting worse?
In reality there will be a mad scramble for tickets further back in 109 and in 110/111 and there isn't enough seats.
Surely thats says something to City? People want to be in this area and they want at atmosphere. There are enough empty seats all over the ground to house newbies that don't necessarily want to stand or sing.
I think the club is allowing the whole of south stand bottom tier as a singing section and they are allowed to stand next season. The issue for me is the clubs lack of consistency.
At the beginning of the season the club openly asked for a good atmosphere against Chelsea. We were all allowed to stand up on the south stand 3rd tier without anything being said and the atmosphere was delivered in spades. The next game everyone was forced to sit down by showsec. It's a joke. You either want something or you don't. They cannot just pick and choose to switch it on and off when you want.
I blame the club for causing atmosphere issues as they are consistently inconsistent in their approach and need to sort it out. Also the health and safety tag line rolled out is complete and utter bollocks used as an excuse.
When they allow standing, it's argument free. When they try to enforce the sit down rule, it leads to arguments with showsec and a lot of game time being missed due to people arguing.
