Fans Complaining to the Club

[philpvfc]

Go to watch a lot of matches at other grounds when I get the chance and I don’t know of any team that has a higher percentage sit down to watch their team especially away fans, pretty well all the bigger clubs has everyone standing all the time in the away end.

[chickensteve]

Re atmosphere. Sitting in the half shut lorne street it's now very obvious that the closed section of lorne street and the always silent executive boxes behind me soak up the atmosphere. Vale park needs the lorne street to be complely occupied. The noise from the Hamil is great but the obvious from my area is that 400 away fans in the bycars can create a great noise. Northamptons fans in the 2nd half never stopped with there noise. It reminded me of south Africa world cup without the vuvuzelas. The bycars was dead because the folk that went in there wanted to sit in a quiet stand. Shocking really.

[smithie]

1 minute ago, Jacko51 said:

The problem for the club is that they cannot legally identify a standing area in an all seater stadium. Until we get safe standing this will remain a problem. 

It's only a problem because no real thought was given to the move. With the end being promoted as a noisy home end, no-one should be surprised or offended by the the livelier and noisier fans going in there. 

 

[Powerline]

11 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

The problem for the club is that they cannot legally identify a standing area in an all seater stadium. Until we get safe standing this will remain a problem. 

Whilst I do agree, the club did make it clear which block was the ‘singing section’, which we all know means standing. So if you go to that section and want to sit down, it’s your own fault. Not sure where these instances of repeated standing happened however, so if it wasn’t in this section, then people are well within their rights to complain.

[eh up nah]

Only at Vale could we have a situation where fans create an electric atmosphere for a huge game, come out buzzing, wanting more, push for it on a permanent basis, the club act on this and make it clear the move is to create an atmosphere and then have half the fans in there demand everyone behaves very nicely and orderly, not get too excited and sit down like good little boys/girls.

 

 

 

[eh up nah]

I honestly think a lot of our fanbase would rather we stayed nice and small and played in front of 3k because it means they can sit in their own space and take in the view without having to worry about noise and stuff.

 

 

[Guitar Ray]

5 hours ago, Family Stand Terrier said:

After what was a great 2nd half atmosphere against Crewe, which was applauded by Crosby, some so called fans have complained to the club about persistent standing.

What an absolute farce. Your aim to make Vale Park a library is going well. Congratulations 👏 

Like it or not VP right now is all seater and to the letter of the rules those fans that stand throughout the game are in the wrong so with this in mind should be respectful of those fans wishing to simply follow the rules and enjoy the game from their seated position, as has been the case since the seats were put in after the Taylor report.  If someone asks you to please sit down they’re actually well within their rights to do so.  Perhaps let that sink in a moment before coming on here and moaning yourself about this subject.

Also, I didn’t realise that it was impossible to sing and shout from a seated position, have to admit that’s a new one on me, and the suggestion that if I don’t stand throughout the game it will result in Vale Park becoming a library is just plain daft.

Moving on, the bigger picture of course is that the club have tacitly allowed standing at the back of the Hamil, but given the make up of the fans in the stand it’s a bit of a mess.  “Singers” (technically “standers”), families, ex-Bycars Enders (mute loners), and a mixture of normal fans from the other stands and some walk ups, all vying for their preferred seat with matters complicated  further by roof support posts and a senseless cordoned off section.

My stated view has been that it’ll take a couple of seasons for things to settle down, so a little common sense and consideration is required in the interim, which may mean moving back a row or two if you wish to stand, or forwards a row or two if you wish to sit.  Naturally this may prove difficult as people get attached to their seat and, more to the point, are generally selfish.

Ultimately in the short term some will move back out of the Hamil into the other stands, as is already the case, medium term we’ll have the whole of Lorne Street open, the suggestion being that’ll accommodate the families, by which time those left in the Hamil will no doubt have established who sits or stands where and lots of singing, standing and sitting in unison will ensue. Joy.

[Family Stand Terrier]

13 minutes ago, Guitar Ray said:

Like it or not VP right now is all seater and to the letter of the rules those fans that stand throughout the game are in the wrong so with this in mind should be respectful of those fans wishing to simply follow the rules and enjoy the game from their seated position, as has been the case since the seats were put in after the Taylor report.  If someone asks you to please sit down they’re actually well within their rights to do so.  Perhaps let that sink in a moment before coming on here and moaning yourself about this subject.

Also, I didn’t realise that it was impossible to sing and shout from a seated position, have to admit that’s a new one on me, and the suggestion that if I don’t stand throughout the game it will result in Vale Park becoming a library is just plain daft.

Moving on, the bigger picture of course is that the club have tacitly allowed standing at the back of the Hamil, but given the make up of the fans in the stand it’s a bit of a mess.  “Singers” (technically “standers”), families, ex-Bycars Enders (mute loners), and a mixture of normal fans from the other stands and some walk ups, all vying for their preferred seat with matters complicated  further by roof support posts and a senseless cordoned off section.

My stated view has been that it’ll take a couple of seasons for things to settle down, so a little common sense and consideration is required in the interim, which may mean moving back a row or two if you wish to stand, or forwards a row or two if you wish to sit.  Naturally this may prove difficult as people get attached to their seat and, more to the point, are generally selfish.

Ultimately in the short term some will move back out of the Hamil into the other stands, as is already the case, medium term we’ll have the whole of Lorne Street open, the suggestion being that’ll accommodate the families, by which time those left in the Hamil will no doubt have established who sits or stands where and lots of singing, standing and sitting in unison will ensue. Joy.

So much naivety in this post. Either that or just being contrary. Fully aware it's all seated, however, despite you being absolutely correct that fans can indeed sit and sing, you and I both know that the atmosphere in the vast majority of football grounds these days, comes from areas where fans predominantly stand. 

In this sense Vale are unlike most other clubs in this country. A lot of our fans simply don't want to be a part of an atmosphere. They don't want to stand, sing, bounce and basically vocally support the team. We are often ridiculed for most of our away support sitting down. We're one of very few teams that do it these days bar a few rows at the back. None of the big clubs sit at away matches, and none of the big clubs main atmosphere generating "ends" sit at home matches either. 

Without safe standing at Vale, I don't think we'll ever create the atmosphere a lot want to see, which is a shame, because we had the chance with the Hamil switch, but too many in there now just don't want to be a part of that, and don't want anyone around them to be either.

[MelbourneValiant]

A lot of grounds have both sets of fans in the same end separated by netting. Can the moaners shuffle off back to the Bycars, have away fans and home fans in the Hamil for the clubs which bring less than a thousand? For bigger clubs give them Hamil End of Lorne Street too if it is ever completed.

When we played Swindon I don't recall people moaning about folks standing and there weren't even any designated singing areas then. Some people would moan if we won the Champions League.

I have said it a million times, the law should change and we should bring back proper terracing with more crush barriers to prevent a 20 step surge, and with no perimeter fencing there wouldn't be a repeat of Hillsborough.

[dishydave]

Only at Vale could we have a situation where fans create an electric atmosphere for a huge game, come out buzzing, wanting more, push for it on a permanent basis, the club act on this and make it clear the move is to create an atmosphere and then have half the fans in there demand everyone behaves very nicely and orderly, not get too excited and sit down like good little boys/girls.
 
 
 

It isn't half the fans complaining it's a small minority. I think what needs to happen is people need to email the club to tell them how much better it is and how they are enjoying it.

[darren1810]

I've no problem with standing at opportune moments. The other night I had a rather excitable lad in front of me who was up and down like a jack in a box even when we were nowhere near the goal. My lad who is so laid back he's horizontal commented after the game about how he'd peed him off too. 

I'd rather just stand in unison but realise by the letter of the law we're breaking it.

I regularly watch footy highlights whether it's the EFL show or whatever and most away fans seem to stand. I'm all for that but it's certainly problematic. 

[Valiant62]

I think the solution is creating an area with those pretend seats or barriers or whatever they are so that in the designated area people can stand etc. i appreciate those types of supporter are an important source of atmosphere and encouragement for the team. Additionally, I dont do that any more and want to be able to sit for 95% of the game, only getting up for goals and those “through on goals” incidents.

I can see how both sides of the argument get annoyed with the other, I cant believe there isnt a negotiated solution to be found. Us sit down shut up ers are large in number and the facility to watch the game that way appeals to many casual supporters too.

Likewise, everyone, I think, appreciates the atmosphere and other occasional visitors would be attracted to a “sitting” (but really standing) area. Standing does tend to go hand in hand with singing.

I used to resist seated areas until there were none left. Now I’ve completely changed my preference. The Taylor Report, by the way stated that “one solution” was all seater stadia. Pounced on by the government as the only solution, I agree it has somewhat sanitised the game more than necessary for safety.

[philpvfc]

Problem is in the Hamil end we have those who used to stand at the end of the Railway mixed in with those who sat in the Bycars, a lot have bought season tickets so may find it hard to move seats. Next season things should settle if those who want to sit find somewhere else to buy their season tickets.

[ollyandpatch]

I am 60 and stand all game in the Hamil.

I am 60 and stand all game at the back at every away game.

IF I reach 70 and don't feel up to standing I will sit either near the front of the Hamil or move stands.

It's not rocket science!

[Valiant62]

6 minutes ago, philpvfc said:

Problem is in the Hamil end we have those who used to stand at the end of the Railway mixed in with those who sat in the Bycars, a lot have bought season tickets so may find it hard to move seats. Next season things should settle if those who want to sit find somewhere else to buy their season tickets.

Or those that stand move?