How can we make a good match day buzz at the Mad stad?

[SHORT AND CURLY]

Stamford Bridge is a ground full of Hooray Henries and fickle fans.
How anyone can be critical of Readings support after visiting that funny farm needs a reality check.

[handbags_harris]

When visiting other grounds I often notice a big match day buzz about the place, but not so with Reading. Now I'm not singling Reading out here as there are a lot of clubs in the same boat.

For instance - matchday at The Emirates, Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, West Ham etc......there are a lot of street sellers, burger and food kiosks all over the place, plenty of boozers etc. This just isn't the case with Reading. Apart from the council granting permission for more pubs etc to be built around the stadium, what else can be done to improve it?

I'm sorry, you what? A crowd of Henley residing, tory voting toffs in amongst National Front skinheads called Nige create a real matchday buzz don't they? Stamford Bridge is down there with the least atmospheric grounds I've ever been to!

Do you want me to wheel out the survey which proves what you've said is utter bollox?

The Bridge has a much atmopshere about it than the majority of other grounds in the Country. Plenty of boozers to choose from, lots of atmosphere in and around the ground. Singing in the pubs. Top stuff. At Reading you get the Hotel, full of people in their fleeces and hiking boots talking about 'Murts' big move to Charlton.

LOL, everyone knows survey's can be easily swayed to get the results you want. Either way, I'm not arguing the toss about the Madejski because I know what you say is true (give me Elm Park over the Madejski any day), however I now couldn't give a toss what my own ground is like atmosphere-wise so long as my team wins, because I know it's not going to get any better. We've been massively plasticised, and the club are trying to attract their own "brand" of conforming fans who make the atmosphere as welcoming to me as a mass gay orgy.

Away games are a whole different kettle of fish though. That's where atmosphere takes it's place IMO. For the average club, lots of away fans = good atmosphere. Few away fans = crap atmosphere. The big 4 are different, because they get big away followings to their grounds regardless. I've been to Stamford Bridge, as well as another 60-70 odd football grounds (league, non-league, and abroad), and Stamford Bridge as soulless as any new identikit stadium in an industrial estate. I only wish I'd had the opportunity to compare the old Stamford Bridge (say, late 80's back) to now, because I think the old Bridge would have been infinitely more atmospheric than the new one.

[Harry Carry]

Stamford Bridge is a ground full of Hooray Henries and fickle fans.
How anyone can be critical of Readings support after visiting that funny farm needs a reality check.

Says a supporter of the most plastic club in the Country....

Reading FC founded 2005

[who are ya?]

Chelsea FC, est 1905-2003

Chelsea FC 2, est 2003-present day

[Winchester Royal]

Built a housing estate in the car park complete with pubs, swings, a subway for away fans to walk through, a train station where the away fans get stared at, and seriously, just build some pubs. Please.

[Harry Carry]

Chelsea FC, est 1905-2003

Chelsea FC 2, est 2003-present day

Worst fishing attempt EVER.

[who are ya?]

No fishing involved. It just feels like a completely different club these days (that's not including the old school Chelsea fans)

[Harry Carry]

No fishing involved. It just feels like a completely different club these days (that's not including the old school Chelsea fans)

You need to go where the old skool drinkers go. All clubs have gone this way, except the likes of Chelsea still have a big game, big event buzz about it every matchday, where as the Madstad never has.

[Royal_Warrior]

One Vision - Queen gets my vote

[readingbedding]

Didn't a helicopter land correctly as pre-match build up before the first game at the Madejski?

[punkindrublic]

The problem that we have at the Madejski, is the pcunting stewards. Whenever any form of atmosphere starts in the East stand, they make us sit down, and like sheep we do. I was talking to my mate (a liverpool fan), and the stewards try to make them sit down in the Kop and they have none of it and every single fan stands up and stays up and the stewards can do fcuk all.

Standing Up = Atmosphere
Sitting Down = Dead.

[Vision]

One Vision - Queen

No need to get personal love.

[Harry Carry]

The problem that we have at the Madejski, is the pcunting stewards. Whenever any form of atmosphere starts in the East stand, they make us sit down, and like sheep we do. I was talking to my mate (a liverpool fan), and the stewards try to make them sit down in the Kop and they have none of it and every single fan stands up and stays up and the stewards can do fcuk all.

Standing Up = Atmosphere
Sitting Down = Dead.

and the fact (and I've seen this on a few occasions) that Reading fans get fellow supporters kicked out for trying to start an atmosphere. I've seen this at Sunderland, West Brom and a few home games.

[Toon Toon Blue army]

The problem that we have at the Madejski, is the pcunting stewards. Whenever any form of atmosphere starts in the East stand, they make us sit down, and like sheep we do. I was talking to my mate (a liverpool fan), and the stewards try to make them sit down in the Kop and they have none of it and every single fan stands up and stays up and the stewards can do fcuk all.

Standing Up = Atmosphere
Sitting Down = Dead.

and the fact (and I've seen this on a few occasions) that Reading fans get fellow supporters kicked out for trying to start an atmosphere. I've seen this at Sunderland, West Brom and a few home games.

Has happend to me twice at Birmingham away last season and Forest away this season. Someone told on me for standing up I was not kicked out though, just warned.

[who are ya?]

I've seen that happen a few times. I saw a family kicking up a fuss and trying to get these lads kicked out at Hillsborough when we lost 3-2 a few years back, the woman would not let it die untill something was done and it's people like this that shouldn't be allowed within 4 miles of any football stadium on match day.

[weybridgewanderer]

I've seen that happen a few times. I saw a family kicking up a fuss and trying to get these lads kicked out at Hillsborough when we lost 3-2 a few years back, the woman would not let it die untill something was done and it's people like this that shouldn't be allowed within 4 miles of any football stadium on match day.

yes coz their kids are not the future support and how dare they turn up and expect to be able to see the game when I want to stand up

[graywok]

Attach the Pitch announcers Microphone to Cilla's vibrator.

[Winchester Royal]

I've seen that happen a few times. I saw a family kicking up a fuss and trying to get these lads kicked out at Hillsborough when we lost 3-2 a few years back, the woman would not let it die untill something was done and it's people like this that shouldn't be allowed within 4 miles of any football stadium on match day.

yes coz their kids are not the future support and how dare they turn up and expect to be able to see the game when I want to stand up

Well said WW

We should be prepared to cater for all. Any fan WANTING another to be thrown out for supporting the team can leave, as far as I'm concerned. I don't want them in the same ground as me. OUR kids are the future support as well, and frankly, I wouldn't encourage them to get into it at the moment. It's expensive, run by idiots and there's too many people like the above around.

[punkindrublic]

I can appreciate that the kids are going to the matches and are the future of the club. But when I was a kid I sat in the "family" section in the West stand with my family.

I dont understand why families sit in the East Stand, do they not understand that, that is where the "hardcore" reading supporters sit, where people want to make atmosphere, where people give the away fans banter, its all part of supporting football. I like making noise at matches, but if other Reading fans are grassing up people for standing up in the East, fcuk back to the West or North, where you can quite happily sit down and be quite. The east stand has always been the singing area of the stadium, I like the fact that people stand up in front of me, because they make an atmosphere causing me to stand up and get involved too. Everyone knows, when we sit down the atmosphere dies. That's why standing up at the Mad Stad is a good thing. RANT OVER.

[Sarah Star]

What about the guy next to me who can't stand up easily and has been going to games for years and years?

Mind you, he doesn't join in the singing and chanting much and never has done. Still sits in the East Stand though.