Club 1871

[madreadingfan]

The new south stand singers are definitely a talking point over recent weeks and I could see there has been a lot of positivity about the group as well as other fans who are unsure.

One of the members went onto The Tilehurst End for a Q&A and I think it has helped answer a lot of fans questions around the megaphone, drummers, plans for the future etc. Well worth a listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq_T7-Qdk38&t=3s

I think it's a fantastic initiative and excited for what holds for the future. Apparently, they have over 200 fans in there for Ipswich according to their Twitter page - @club1871.

[Old Man Andrews]

The new south stand singers are definitely a talking point over recent weeks and I could see there has been a lot of positivity about the group as well as other fans who are unsure.

One of the members went onto The Tilehurst End for a Q&A and I think it has helped answer a lot of fans questions around the megaphone, drummers, plans for the future etc. Well worth a listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq_T7-Qdk38&t=3s

I think it's a fantastic initiative and excited for what holds for the future. Apparently, they have over 200 fans in there for Ipswich according to their Twitter page - @club1871.

Really pleased that there will be more people than ever this Saturday, should be a great atmosphere.

Well done to the Tilehurst End for their unbiased coverage too! Very fair.

[genome]

Interesting comments on this by Chris Gunter. He's apparently asked the club to reduce away fan's allocation in future.

https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/gunte ... uth-stand/

[massifheed]

Thought the podcast was a decent go at explaining the situation and motivation behind the south stand lot.

I have to admit to being somewhat bemused by the fuss that surrounded them when it started. On the one hand I can understand how it looks to existing supporters if a group feel the need to detach themselves and move to a different part of the ground (and then also seemingly receive preferential treatment because of it).

But also, if the intent is to generate a solid amount of noise and an atmosphere that doesn't let up for the whole 90 minutes, I guess it's easier to try and organise that from one section full of like-minded people, rather than trying to do the same where there's probably a good amount of people watching who have no interest in all that.

I'm pretty much always in the ED, and there are a couple of guys close by that are always starting up chants. But there's no one else around that area that really does. I can see how it would be hard to increase that if people aren't interested. And, from what I've seen, your average Reading supporter isn't up for it so much. I might be doing Reading fans a disservice, but I think that some clubs are loud, others aren't, and we're in the second group.

Maybe others on here who have been fans across decades can say if Reading was ever really a club full of loud support? If so, what do you think - apart from a marked change in what happens on the pitch - will bring the noise back?

[muirinho]

Really pleased that there will be more people than ever this Saturday, should be a great atmosphere.

Well done to the Tilehurst End for their unbiased coverage too! Very fair.

I am very confused by OMA Mark II. I almost want the old version back, at least I knew where I was....

[Old Man Andrews]

Really pleased that there will be more people than ever this Saturday, should be a great atmosphere.

Well done to the Tilehurst End for their unbiased coverage too! Very fair.

I am very confused by OMA Mark II. I almost want the old version back, at least I knew where I was....

I think its good to re-evaluate the facts and listen to people though. The guy in the interview did a good job of explaining their position and intentions. Its very hard to be against what they are trying to do even if it isn't something you'd want to be part of yourself.

[Forbury Lion]

re: Club 1871, Isn't there already a Reading FC hospitality package/club with this name?

[royalp-we]

My opinion, fwiw, is that the club should move the family section back to where it was originally and have the singing section in the Eamonn Dolan Stand next season.

Get some flags, banners and Club 1871 in to that end of the ground and make the North Stand a wall of noise.

[notloyalenuffroyal]

My opinion, fwiw, is that the club should move the family section back to where it was originally and have the singing section in the Eamonn Dolan Stand next season.

Get some flags, banners and Club 1871 in to that end of the ground and make the North Stand a wall of noise.

I can see your point, but having been in the ED with the family for the Sunderland game, there is another pocket of noise created using the Drummer. Controversial being positive about the Drummer, I know, but families by their nature are not going to start chants. They are more likely to join in and some of the blue army noise was large from the family section and picked up around the stadium (and, as ever, chanted too fast by Y25, which gradually destroyed it.)

Family in the upper West is terrible. My kids have loved being in the ED for the last 2 seasons (when we can get there) and feel it is "their" area. Everyone is comfortable to be who they want to be. Stewarding is superb in the area with real care taken to help.

Changing the family area back may or may not help the sound, but it would have a real effect on the atmosphere for the kids. What we are trying to do is bring them into the atmosphere comfortably at a young age, isn't it, rather than park them in the West far away from any atmosphere so that is all they learn? Kids learn by doing. So put them near the sound and get them involved and hopefully they will stay involved.

[jar95]

My opinion, fwiw, is that the club should move the family section back to where it was originally and have the singing section in the Eamonn Dolan Stand next season.

Get some flags, banners and Club 1871 in to that end of the ground and make the North Stand a wall of noise.

I can see your point, but having been in the ED with the family for the Sunderland game, there is another pocket of noise created using the Drummer. Controversial being positive about the Drummer, I know, but families by their nature are not going to start chants. They are more likely to join in and some of the blue army noise was large from the family section and picked up around the stadium (and, as ever, chanted too fast by Y25, which gradually destroyed it.)

Family in the upper West is terrible. My kids have loved being in the ED for the last 2 seasons (when we can get there) and feel it is "their" area. Everyone is comfortable to be who they want to be. Stewarding is superb in the area with real care taken to help.

Changing the family area back may or may not help the sound, but it would have a real effect on the atmosphere for the kids. What we are trying to do is bring them into the atmosphere comfortably at a young age, isn't it, rather than park them in the West far away from any atmosphere so that is all they learn? Kids learn by doing. So put them near the sound and get them involved and hopefully they will stay involved.

yeah very valid point re: introducing youngsters to an atmosphere (as much as possible at MS). I had an ST in the ED stand for 9 years, before moving into y25, and now eventually the south stand. Think it's a great way for people to get an appetite almost for an atmosphere. Feel moving them to UW could cancel all this out.

[royalp-we]

I think I get what you're saying.

But surely the idea of the fan group is to improve the atmosphere and grow as a group. Which won't really happen with just a couple of hundred of fans between the South & lower west stand.

What exactly was terrible about families being in the West stand?

[royalp-we]

Ive read this again and im sorry but Introducing them to an atmosphere? The entire madejski stadium is welcoming and family friendly in comparison to almost every other football league club.
It's literally one of the most relaxing and family friendly grounds in the country - whichever stand you might choose to sit in.

I sit in the ED and have done since '98. Personally - I'd prefer to add Club 1871 to the ED, which may enable 4,500 in the North to get involved, rather than 200 or so trying their best in the South stand and 3 sides of the ground silent with the odd 'blarmy' chant.

Apologies in advance if you think this may affect your children's appetite for football.

[muirinho]

Ive read this again and im sorry but Introducing them to an atmosphere? The entire madejski stadium is welcoming and family friendly in comparison to almost every other football league club.
It's literally one of the most relaxing and family friendly grounds in the country - whichever stand you might choose to sit in.

Introducing your kids to an atmosphere requires that there be an atmosphere. There isn't any in West. I know this, because this is where my kids and I started our Mad Stad adventures. If there had been a family stand at the time, we would have gone there. As it was, as soon as they were old enough we moved across to East. Personally I would have not brought young kids to where I am now, because I'd have spent the whole game worried about what they were hearing. I don't mind swearing as such. But "you're shagging your sister" and "does your boyfriend know you're here" type chants are not what I want to be explaining to a 7 year old. Each to their own, and I'm certainly not suggesting kids wouldn't be welcome in Y25 - but as a parent I didn't think it was suitable until they were old enough for me to think - they're going to be hearing a lot worse at school.

Having the drum in the NE corner helps chanting in the ED stand, and makes it easier for the kids to join in and sing along. They're not going to be starting any chants themselves. I hope the drummer stays.

Perhaps moving the family area back to West might work out ok - but only if you move the drummer to somewhere close to them. And as West seem to prefer singing nothing at all, I can't see that going down well.

[jar95]

Ive read this again and im sorry but Introducing them to an atmosphere? The entire madejski stadium is welcoming and family friendly in comparison to almost every other football league club.
It's literally one of the most relaxing and family friendly grounds in the country - whichever stand you might choose to sit in.

Introducing your kids to an atmosphere requires that there be an atmosphere. There isn't any in West. I know this, because this is where my kids and I started our Mad Stad adventures. If there had been a family stand at the time, we would have gone there. As it was, as soon as they were old enough we moved across to East. Personally I would have not brought young kids to where I am now, because I'd have spent the whole game worried about what they were hearing. I don't mind swearing as such. But "you're shagging your sister" and "does your boyfriend know you're here" type chants are not what I want to be explaining to a 7 year old. Each to their own, and I'm certainly not suggesting kids wouldn't be welcome in Y25 - but as a parent I didn't think it was suitable until they were old enough for me to think - they're going to be hearing a lot worse at school.

Having the drum in the NE corner helps chanting in the ED stand, and makes it easier for the kids to join in and sing along. They're not going to be starting any chants themselves. I hope the drummer stays.

Perhaps moving the family area back to West might work out ok - but only if you move the drummer to somewhere close to them. And as West seem to prefer singing nothing at all, I can't see that going down well.

Could this be the most sense anyone has ever spoken on HNA?

[massifheed]

The entire madejski stadium is welcoming and family friendly in comparison to almost every other football league club.

I certainly agree with that. I bring my young-ish daughter to matches and sit in the ED, and think that creating a welcoming atmosphere is something that RFC do really well.

There was the Millwall match though, where we had to endure the away end shouting "YOU'RE F*****G S**T!" at us. But, to be fair, we were.

[jar95]

Ive read this again and im sorry but Introducing them to an atmosphere? The entire madejski stadium is welcoming and family friendly in comparison to almost every other football league club.
It's literally one of the most relaxing and family friendly grounds in the country - whichever stand you might choose to sit in.

I sit in the ED and have done since '98. Personally - I'd prefer to add Club 1871 to the ED, which may enable 4,500 in the North to get involved, rather than 200 or so trying their best in the South stand and 3 sides of the ground silent with the odd 'blarmy' chant.

Apologies in advance if you think this may affect your children's appetite for football.

But in terms of match day experience, it can be totally different which stand you sit in. Also bringing club 1871 to the ED stand would annoy the vast majority of people who dont want to stand / chant all game.

[Theroyalbox]

I think they are best in the ss, ideally closer to east stand but for now its great - gotta have a better name though!

[handbags_harris]

I think they are best in the ss, ideally closer to east stand but for now its great - gotta have a better name though!

We're open to suggestions my friend

[Theroyalbox]

I think they are best in the ss, ideally closer to east stand but for now its great - gotta have a better name though!

We're open to suggestions my friend

Haha! its very tough to name something like this, because your always going to get critics - if you called it Southbank Loyal or Spirit of the Southbank you would have all the same problems you had last week or so. But something with a big of originality would suit you guys better

[Old Man Andrews]

I think they are best in the ss, ideally closer to east stand but for now its great - gotta have a better name though!

We're open to suggestions my friend

Haha! its very tough to name something like this, because your always going to get critics - if you called it Southbank Loyal or Spirit of the Southbank you would have all the same problems you had last week or so. But something with a big of originality would suit you guys better

Having a name may cause issues in the long run. It would kind of single out those in that particular section and leave open that interpretation that it is for the "elite fans". Probably just safer to name it after where they'll end up being permanently placed within the stadium.