[Archived] Darwen End Singing Section

[Ben-2000]

Thought the atmosphere was great in the DE tonight (first half especially). No complaints about the drummer - seemed to add to the atmosphere without overdoing it.

Ben - l'm not on Facebook, how's the fund for the JW flag going?

I've got some money to count up tonight, but we're more or less there I think.

We have found a cheaper supplier which meets all the regulations, just need to get the OK from the club. We will also need to purchase the pole seperately but that shouldn't cost too much.

We were supposed to be introducing another large flag tonight that the club kindly purchased but due to an issue with the supplier we were unable to do so. It was a bit windy in the bottom corner tonight which hindered the fan flags.

I agree with your comments about the drummer, he did really well tonight. Any further feedback from fans would be very welcome.

I don't know about anyone else, but I thought the number standing in the end block tonight were the most it's ever been.

[SAS]

Yes it was all the way down the side.

I sat in the middle and tried to get the songs going from your side but it wasn't catching on

[slats]

Ok at the risk of sounding like a constant whinger he's my issues.

1) you've created a split in the crowd where as the back of the stand are singing one song and you and your little friends down at the front are dancing about making noises which destroys and chant that gets going from either end.

2) members of "the blue brigade" are so full of self importance and teenage "were the proper fans" attitude that unless you start a song yourselves you won't join in with any other and simply wait for that chant to fizzle out before trying to start your own

3) didn't hear the front section sing for most of the second half, even leading to the chants that I'm sure you heard from the back of "where's your famous blue brigade" and "blue brigade your having a laugh"

4) the flags actualy didn't look too bad, only problem was that it was a bit to confined and a bit too regimented ,,, would look a lot better if they were given out accross the stand to create a bit of variety.

5) on the drummer....... Could hardly hear him and the only drumming that was getting everyone going was the crazy sted head with no hair almost beating the side wall down... On the odd time we did hear the drummer he was wildly out of beat and not realy making an impact.

On the plus side (at the risk of going all andy gray) there are a few pretty girls in your group who I'm sure given a couple of pom poms and some short skirts could do a much better job at getting the crowd going.......

I just hope you realise soon how your attitude is causing a massive split in the stand with all the older singers at the back starting to show frustration and to be brutally honest as of last night a bit of aggression from people who I heard throwing insults down to the front.,.,and that is something that there should never be between the clubs own fans......... It just seems that your slowly slowly creating more and more of a divide in the stand when it should be together in supporting the team.......

I hope you see all this as constructive criticism rather than an out an out dig.......

I fully respect what you are trying to do in the stand but you are going about it COMPLETLY in the wrong way,, instead of looking for ideas on a facebook group that hardly contains anybody over the age of 19 and teenagers who want to feel part of some thing .... Ask some of the fans that have been going for years,, older fans on here who have had to sit/stand through the bburn end drummer for years have consistently warned you that it was a bad idea but in your arrogance you decided to ignore them thinking that you know best....

You should be letting the "movement" grow on it's own instead of trying to force it on people, by showing that the darwen end is the place to go to sing more and more people in other stands are thinking about moving accross but this will happen mostly on a season by season basis when people renew season tickets., from just a few mates stood in the corner singing a couple of seasons ago it has already grown to most of the stand

[PAFELL]

I've got some money to count up tonight, but we're more or less there I think.

We have found a cheaper supplier which meets all the regulations, just need to get the OK from the club. We will also need to purchase the pole seperately but that shouldn't cost too much.

We were supposed to be introducing another large flag tonight that the club kindly purchased but due to an issue with the supplier we were unable to do so. It was a bit windy in the bottom corner tonight which hindered the fan flags.

I agree with your comments about the drummer, he did really well tonight. Any further feedback from fans would be very welcome.

I don't know about anyone else, but I thought the number standing in the end block tonight were the most it's ever been.

Heard the game via roversworld last night (radio rovers)who also commented on the chanting in the darwen end - good comments. The singing came over fantastic. What is sad is that the whole ground does not follow you. If those in the darwen end start a chant, then the BBE and the riverside should take it up also. That would create some atmosphere at ewood park.

[Mattyblue]

The Blackburn End started some chanting in the first half. Unfortunately it was drowned out by the cretins constantly booing in the second half.

I thought the DE were excellent last night, the singers filled a whole block and the flags looked good. The drummer didn't seem to be heard much so

[PAFELL]

Ok at the risk of sounding like a constant whinger he's my issues.

1) you've created a split in the crowd where as the back of the stand are singing one song and you and your little friends down at the front are dancing about making noises which destroys and chant that gets going from either end.

2) members of "the blue brigade" are so full of self importance and teenage "were the proper fans" attitude that unless you start a song yourselves you won't join in with any other and simply wait for that chant to fizzle out before trying to start your own

3) didn't hear the front section sing for most of the second half, even leading to the chants that I'm sure you heard from the back of "where's your famous blue brigade" and "blue brigade your having a laugh"

4) the flags actualy didn't look too bad, only problem was that it was a bit to confined and a bit too regimented ,,, would look a lot better if they were given out accross the stand to create a bit of variety.

5) on the drummer....... Could hardly hear him and the only drumming that was getting everyone going was the crazy sted head with no hair almost beating the side wall down... On the odd time we did hear the drummer he was wildly out of beat and not realy making an impact.

On the plus side (at the risk of going all andy gray) there are a few pretty girls in your group who I'm sure given a couple of pom poms and some short skirts could do a much better job at getting the crowd going.......

I just hope you realise soon how your attitude is causing a massive split in the stand with all the older singers at the back starting to show frustration and to be brutally honest as of last night a bit of aggression from people who I heard throwing insults down to the front.,.,and that is something that there should never be between the clubs own fans......... It just seems that your slowly slowly creating more and more of a divide in the stand when it should be together in supporting the team.......

I hope you see all this as constructive criticism rather than an out an out dig.......

I fully respect what you are trying to do in the stand but you are going about it COMPLETLY in the wrong way,, instead of looking for ideas on a facebook group that hardly contains anybody over the age of 19 and teenagers who want to feel part of some thing .... Ask some of the fans that have been going for years,, older fans on here who have had to sit/stand through the bburn end drummer for years have consistently warned you that it was a bad idea but in your arrogance you decided to ignore them thinking that you know best....

You should be letting the "movement" grow on it's own instead of trying to force it on people, by showing that the darwen end is the place to go to sing more and more people in other stands are thinking about moving accross but this will happen mostly on a season by season basis when people renew season tickets., from just a few mates stood in the corner singing a couple of seasons ago it has already grown to most of the stand

Very sad if there is this divide you mentioned. Could also be detrimential in the long run.

Hope you all consider yourselves the blue brigade (or whatever name you want to call yourselves) who are in the darwen end.

[Ben-2000]

Ok at the risk of sounding like a constant whinger he's my issues.

1) you've created a split in the crowd where as the back of the stand are singing one song and you and your little friends down at the front are dancing about making noises which destroys and chant that gets going from either end.

2) members of "the blue brigade" are so full of self importance and teenage "were the proper fans" attitude that unless you start a song yourselves you won't join in with any other and simply wait for that chant to fizzle out before trying to start your own

3) didn't hear the front section sing for most of the second half, even leading to the chants that I'm sure you heard from the back of "where's your famous blue brigade" and "blue brigade your having a laugh"

4) the flags actualy didn't look too bad, only problem was that it was a bit to confined and a bit too regimented ,,, would look a lot better if they were given out accross the stand to create a bit of variety.

5) on the drummer....... Could hardly hear him and the only drumming that was getting everyone going was the crazy sted head with no hair almost beating the side wall down... On the odd time we did hear the drummer he was wildly out of beat and not realy making an impact.

On the plus side (at the risk of going all andy gray) there are a few pretty girls in your group who I'm sure given a couple of pom poms and some short skirts could do a much better job at getting the crowd going.......

I just hope you realise soon how your attitude is causing a massive split in the stand with all the older singers at the back starting to show frustration and to be brutally honest as of last night a bit of aggression from people who I heard throwing insults down to the front.,.,and that is something that there should never be between the clubs own fans......... It just seems that your slowly slowly creating more and more of a divide in the stand when it should be together in supporting the team.......

I hope you see all this as constructive criticism rather than an out an out dig.......

I fully respect what you are trying to do in the stand but you are going about it COMPLETLY in the wrong way,, instead of looking for ideas on a facebook group that hardly contains anybody over the age of 19 and teenagers who want to feel part of some thing .... Ask some of the fans that have been going for years,, older fans on here who have had to sit/stand through the bburn end drummer for years have consistently warned you that it was a bad idea but in your arrogance you decided to ignore them thinking that you know best....

You should be letting the "movement" grow on it's own instead of trying to force it on people, by showing that the darwen end is the place to go to sing more and more people in other stands are thinking about moving accross but this will happen mostly on a season by season basis when people renew season tickets., from just a few mates stood in the corner singing a couple of seasons ago it has already grown to most of the stand

'We' are not causing a divide, the whole end block was full of fans last night and from what I could hear we all joined in with each other's songs - we certainly did at the front. As for chants of 'Wheres your famous blue brigade' (which I didn't hear) isn't that doing what your implying we are doing - causing a divide? I really don't know where you get this self importance / arrogance thing from just because a group of people want to try something new.

When either the top or bottom started a song there was a bit of a time delay, which if the people around the middle-ish of the block joined in shouldn't be too bad... quite a few come to be amongst the noise but not necessarily join in I think.

Hopefully we will have a 'proper' website soon which should be a lot more accessible to people, particularly those who don't use Facebook. I hope then people won't feel they are being left out, or that their opinion doesn't count

[RoverInWigan]

Im sorry you feel that way Slats, you should post this on the facebook page to get your point across. As for a divide, think your being a bit overzealous, this was the first game that those of us at the bottom have not been stood at the back right along side the rest of you, the only reason we moved to the front today was because the large flags we are having have to be at the front and the drum no higher than row 7,no point in having one or two at the front with the drum if nobody is going to go down the bottom with them and sing, hence why we said start filling up from the front. The Blue Brigade lads were spread out at the front and at the back anyway with a few moving both ways at half time. As for the chants and drum noise thing we couldn't hear the chants the same reason you couldn't hear the drum, any how come onto the fb page and have a chat, we want to work together

[slats]

Im hoping it may have just been down to the fact it was an evening kick off which always seems to dim the atmosphere a little bit (people being tired from work, not having a drink etc) but there definatly seems to be more of a split at the last few games.

I think the difference in noise at the west brom game between the first half and second half when everyone was together shows how much louder the stand is when everyone stands in the same section.

Im sorry if I sound pedantic with all this but I do think that a good atmosphere has been a factor of our home form over the last couple of seasons and dont want it to deteriate due to in arguing and bickering.

There was nothing wrong with the atmosphere last season and like I said the section is growing year on year and quite a bit recently with the influx of half season ticket holders joining in..

It has been said many times in this thread already but I feel it is falling on deaf ears...

IF IT AINT BROKE DONT FIX IT

[Tom]

I said this on the Facebook page but may as well here as well, I was sat in the JW last night about halfway and the DE sounded good from where I was, I may not love all the songs but they were definitely making some noise, what I didn't like was the moronic £2 an hour chant but Ben has already said that was a minority rather than a group effort.

This is the problem I suppose they now face, if anyone in the DE acts like a numpty the Blue Brigade will be tarred with the same brush.

I also liked Bens blue flag with the white star, reminded me of something from Pro Evo back in the day

[braddock]

Sounded loud last night. Just need a few songs and you'll be sorted. No Savage Garden though.

[slats]

To be honest that £2 an hour chant was started off by the people in front when a steward mistakenly thought I was smoking in the stand when it was simply a legal electric nicotene (sp?) inhaler thingy.

OK ,, things I think may help... the second half of west brom when you lot were up near the back was a brilliant atmosphere.. no conflicting chants and everybody singing together.

Now I know this is going to be tricky if you are bringing the drum as I dont know the restrictions the club has put on you.

however I do think you need to be at least half way up as that way once a chant starts it sticks....

Now to be honest the drum you have brought isnt realy that loud so I think it could be used half the way up without causing too much discomfort to people who are not too keen on it.

Like I said on a previous post the flags need to be spread about a little bit accross the stand ,, I know this could be a little complicated due to the fact that we all stand over one side but Im sure theres some way to get them a little bit varied.

The us versus the world attitude needs to stop a little bit as we are all fans of the same club and as you said we should be working together.

[onlyonetugay]

I was sat in the Darwen End last night an the atomosphere was tremendous. I prefer to call it the 'Darwen End Singing Section' although that doesn't quite role of the tongue in the same way as 'Blue Brigade'. As far as Ewood is concerned this is more like a 'Blue Revolution' Who'd have dreamed in those dreary non- atomospheric days before we took back our beloved Darwen End, that we'd have a real movement developing. The support gets better and better each game and it's all down to the hard work of the Blue Brigade organisers

Slats, you give good constructive criticism in the main, but every 'revolution has it's teething problems, just take a look at what's going on in Egypt!!! Don't get overly concerned about the chants of 'Where's your famous Blue Brigade' and 'Blue Brigade You're Having a Laugh' Those songs were song by about 4 or 5 guys behind me and were very tongue in cheek, when everything went a bit quiet towards the end.

Apart from the pathetic £2 an hour chants ( remember the minimum wage is £5.93 per hour) and the disgraceful booing of Keith Andrews, what did concern me was the lack of singing in the last 10 minutes as Rovers attacked for the equaliser. It's so important to keep the noise going until the final whistle.

Viva le revolution bleu !!!

PS Failed my French O Level so that might not be gramatically correct!

[RoverInWigan]

I know what you mean by the flags but the only way for that to develop more is if people make them. we had say 7 or 8 flags tonight, 5 of them i made myself so it needs everybody to get behind it, I dont like the two pound an hr thing at all, the stewards have been brilliant, collecting flags from us and storing them for us so all that is just annoying but you will get that at any ground in the country. Like I said maybe the divide that guy felt was due to the drum being at the bottom but thats where it has to go further to maybe agreeing something with the club, but it will never be allowed at the back because of the radio station and police control room. Still dont know where people get this spotty teenager thing from, maybe a lot of people will be teenagers but it doesnt stop this lot from travelling up and down the country week in week out to support their team just like any other rovers fan.

ps. was a bit windy for the flags to work last night

[Ben-2000]

It was agreed the drum would go no higher than row 7 for a couple of games, after which time it will be reviewed. If we could go a bit higher up that would be great, and hopefully that will be the case (as pointed out the way he drums doesn't make it as loud as the long serving BBE drummer did)

[RIML]

I know what you mean slats when you say 'unless you start a song yourselves you won't join in with any other and simply wait for that chant to fizzle out before trying to start your own'

At times no one was joining in with me at the front, I listened to the songs coming from the back rows I tried to get them going at the bottom but it didn't work, it seemed like the people in between weren't joining in and no one was joining in with me. The only problem I have is the people at the back tend to sing the same songs every week, at the West Brom home game I must have heard the 'forever and ever' song about 10 times in the first half, whereas the younger lads at the front want to start different songs, try something new each game and the older people that don't go on the facebook group don't know the words and won't join in for that reason. Like the 'we are the Blackburn boys, the pride of Lancashire, all day and night, we're blue and white and the Andy Porter song which I thought was absolutely brilliant der der der der der der der derrrrrrrrrr.

I think once we get a proper website, advertise the web address like they do on the BRFCS flag and we put all the song words, videos etc on there more people will join in and sing.

[K-Hod]

Thought the drum went well last night, didn't drown out the singing et al. Fans were good last night, went a bit quiet 2nd half but overall, keep up the good work!

[slats]

As you know I initialy thought the idea of the drummer was a bad one , this was mainly due to having to endure game after game of the constant drone coming out of the Blackburn End

However last night wasnt too bad, the only down side is it being out of beat but this is almost definatly down to the sound having to travel up the stand.

Now I dont mind holding my hands up and saying that I was a little quick to criticize the idea and should have given it a chance.

however I do think that with you being down at the bottom around the drum it is causing a split with one end not being able to hear the other and therefore causing conflicting songs to be sung.

The few songs that everyone sang together sounded awesome...

It might sound like a difficult serario to mangage because there is always going to be a hardcore element that drift towards the corner and the drummer needs to be at the front.......... just need singers to fill out the middle (middle top to bottom not left to right)

[blue_and_white]

Nobody wanted to move down to the front, they had to because thats the only place the club are allowing the drum/big flag to go. If songs are being disjointed between the front and the back (a pretty small distance) its most likely because not enough people in the middle were singing, which is an increasing problem of people wanting to be in an atmosphere without bothering to contribute to it.

I was at the back 1st half and down at the front 2nd half and we joined in with pretty much every song we heard from the back. I suspect each group was equally loud to each other, i.e. not very. I didn't hear any chant slagging the lads at the bottom off for example. And I really don't understand that hostile attitude personally, surely constantly having digs about people's age and singing mocking songs to them is the only thing creating a divide. I don't hear any Blue Brigade people having a go at the traditionalists (for want of a better word) in that section.

Agreed on the flags not being spread out but the idea was for loads of people to bring them throughout the section, which is why it was mentioned so much on the facebook group and message boards like this. If most chose not to bring a flag you have to assume they couldn't be bothered/don't want one so insisting they have yours to wave is a bit presumptuous. The drum was quite quiet, its certainly big enough so I think its the sticks. Sure we can get some new ones.

I'm one of the older singers (in fact I'm in the group of 7 that started the whole thing at the start of last season, although amusingly I've heard a few other people claim that) and we originally moved because we were sick of the stagnant, negative attitude at the back of the Blackburn End. The whole point of the Darwen End is to be different, innovative and above all positive. Singing the same ancient 4-5 songs and otherwise just standing there watching the game isn't the way to go in my opinion, all you need is a few more moaners to come over and in a year or so we'll just have Blackburn End mark 2.

[slats]

Just out of interest , how many rows up was the drummer last night?

I know the club said no more than 7 for the first couple of games but what are the reasons they gave you for that,?

Just wondering if theres any way round that restriction because I think it would make a massive difference to be further up and fill that middle section

[Ben-2000]

Just out of interest , how many rows up was the drummer last night?

I know the club said no more than 7 for the first couple of games but what are the reasons they gave you for that,?

Just wondering if theres any way round that restriction because I think it would make a massive difference to be further up and fill that middle section

The drummer actually was on Row 7 last night.

If we were in any other part of the stand the location wouldn't be an issue, but at the very end block the control room is at the back. We asked for the drum not to be at the front and about halfway up, the compromise was row 7 and they would review it after a couple of games.

I'd like to think we'll be able to go a bit higher, the drum isnt that loud so will ask the question!

[slats]

cant see how much of a difference it would make to the control room as we bang on the advertising boards underneath there anyway which im guessing will cause a pretty loud din inside,

heres hoping they realise that and let it sneak up a little bit

[london-rover]

just a quick note, you mention about the how the songs got lost from the top of your block to the bottom of your block..

and then you say about the Blackburn end not joining in and how you cant hear the Blackburn end and vice versa ect ect..

well just pointing out if you cant sing together from the top of a block to the bottom.. how do you expect us to all the way over in the Blackburn end 100 odd yards away.. anyway thats all keep up the good work!

[bobsterbrfc]

What song was being sung last night that sounded like it was Slade's 'Come Feel the Noise'? And what's this about Savage Garden?

[dazmaz]

What song was being sung last night that sounded like it was Slade's 'Come Feel the Noise'? And what's this about Savage Garden?

Heard this last night as well. If Im honest I like it, would be great if it caught on...

However please stay away from Savage Garden