Darwen End Closure / New Singing Section

[Mattyblue]

Of course the 2000s were better than now - much bigger home support, much bigger away support (generally), much better players on show, a generally content club/fan relationship, that buzz that only the PL brings.

But run of the mill games against say Charlton with 16-18,000 in the ground weren’t raucous occasions with Ewood in full voice, but we forget those matches - indeed in those days you were probably more likely to get a ‘sidown!’ than you are now.

Our memories always takes us back to the grand occasions that we saw maybe a third of the time.

Edited August 12, 2018 by Mattyblue

[tomphil]

I think Millwall are a good marker for that though proving you don't always need numbers to create a din, 8k of them scattered around their stadium can be fearsome. Again we just don't really have that kind of animated support and never have for bog standard games aside from a few small groups whose influence occasionally used to rub off on the rest. Again though that's pretty standard for most clubs of our ilk.

If I were the club or a supporters group i'd forget about trying to create a singing section anywhere near the away fans just let those who want to banter them sit near them but concentrate all efforts on rediscovering the BBE's soul.  Get it back to trying to drive the team on for 90+ mins whether we are struggling or not on or off the pitch. It doesn't all have to be singing songs either just general loud encouragement and applause particularly when someone like say Smallwood is struggling but you know he's better than that so get behind him.  That used to be the way but football has somehow lost that type of backing.

Edited August 12, 2018 by tomphil

[barry_]

There were games last season that were memorable for the support and passion... Shrewsbury springs to mind. Probably a game that reminded me of what being in the DE was all about.

I did have a look ay the JWL W02 and realised how unsuitable it is for us to be there (because of the age/disabilities of the supporters) I also did notice some elder supporters that seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere.

What you seem to forget is the frustration that is felt because of the move and literally having nowhere in the ground that feels like 'home'.

Such was the feeling after the DE closure, there was lots of discussion with my kids if we should even bother with the season tickets.

[barry_]

4 minutes ago, tomphil said:

I think Millwall are a good marker for that though proving you don't always need numbers to create a din, 8k of them scattered around their stadium can be fearsome. Again we just don't really have that kind of animated support and never have for bog standard games aside from a few small groups whose influence occasionally used to rub off on the rest. Again though that's pretty standard for most clubs of our ilk.

If I were the club or a supporters group i'd forget about trying to create a singing section anywhere near the away fans just let those who want to banter them sit near them but concentrate all efforts on rediscovering the BBE's soul.  Get it back to trying to drive the team on for 90+ mins whether we are struggling or not on or off the pitch. It doesn't all have to be singing songs either just general loud encouragement and applause particularly when someone like say Smallwood is struggling but you know he's better than that so get behind him.  That used to be the way but football has somehow lost that type of backing.

when the DE was reserected by Ben Summer, we weren't intetested in being by the away support... it was S01.The corner of the DE. Purely to try to improve the poor atmosphere around Ewood.

 

[tomphil]

Just now, barry_ said:

when the DE was reserected by Ben Summer, we weren't intetested in being by the away support... it was S01.The corner of the DE. Purely to try to improve the poor atmosphere around Ewood.

 

And it worked for a while but obviously the continuing Venky & co induced slump meant numbers kept dropping so it petered out a lot. Personally I prefer seeing 400 home fans in there next to a similar number of away fans I think it gave that end of the ground some life and at least offered a bit of support to the team down that end on corners etc but it's gone now.

A lot moaned that it looked ridiculous with a few in there and they'd be better corralled together elsewhere to make the ground look fuller when in reality nobody with any real logic knew that would be the case. Now a lot of those same ones will say it looks awful with just a couple of hundred away fans dotted in a section surrounded by entire banks of blue seats.

Can't win in a ground our size.

[Oldgregg86]

In all honesty I couldn't care less either way but imo the ground looked Fuller and better having the darwen end Crew in the darwen end

[tomphil]

3 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

In all honesty I couldn't care less either way but imo the ground looked Fuller and better having the darwen end Crew in the darwen end

Looking directly across from no5 where I used to be and then the JW upper BBE side I have to agree a few in there gave a bit of a presence in visual terms even if you couldn't often hear it.

[Oldgregg86]

8 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Looking directly across from no5 where I used to be and then the JW upper BBE side I have to agree a few in there gave a bit of a presence in visual terms even if you couldn't often hear it.

I agree. That's what I was looking for but couldn't find the words. The visual presence was missing yesterday. Also if I was a player I would want them there as apposed to not being. Slight advantages and all that. 

Edited August 12, 2018 by Oldgregg86

[Vinjay]

13 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

It’s obviously acoustics.

There were plenty singing in N01 yesterday, I could hear them loud and clear and it went across the rest of the End at certain points. 

I used to get told that the Darwen End made plenty of noise but I couldn’t ever hear them, just like I couldn’t hear the JW corner yesterday.

End of the day, if there’s going to be around 4,000 folk in the Blackburn End then that is where the noise will come from, not 100 people stood as far as way as possible from that End.

If there is not going to be a proper Ultras area set up then the Blackburn End has to be the focal point, so let’s hope it continues to improve, more folk move back and and it gets back to its former glory.

Ultras. ? Ultra lite more like it. I've never liked watered down tagging. Real ultras are in places like Argentina and to an extent countries like Italy. 

[AAK]

49 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

In all honesty I couldn't care less either way but imo the ground looked Fuller and better having the darwen end Crew in the darwen end

100% agree i loved it in there last season and the few before that. Now have no desire to go to home games. Because i know the atmosphere is incredibley poor. 

Edited August 12, 2018 by AAK

[CD_93]

5 minutes ago, AAK said:

100% agree i loved it in there last season and the few before that. Now have no desire to go to home games. Because i know the atmosphere is incredibley poor. 

It can only get better the more people that think this way.

Edited August 12, 2018 by CD_93

[AAK]

8 minutes ago, CD_93 said:

It can only get better the more people that think this way.

? Things, can only get better ? i know what youre saying mate but you're preaching to the wrong audience. Not reyt bothered. Ewood has drained all interest for me, and im sure many others. 

[barry_]

45 minutes ago, AAK said:

100% agree i loved it in there last season and the few before that. Now have no desire to go to home games. Because i know the atmosphere is incredibley poor. 

This about sums things up.

Such a shame that the club (waggot & stooges) turned their back on loyal rovers people.

[old darwen blue]

6 hours ago, Paul said:

So moving the singing supporters from the DE is unacceptable but moving the silent spectators is acceptable?

Smacks of double standards to me.

Mine was a constructive suggestion though? Anyway, let’s leave things as they are with a poor atmosphere due to in part to too many spectators as against “sound contributing attendees.” Do you feel better now?

I wonder who will be moved when the owners decide which part of the ground is next for closure, my money is on the Riverside shutting. Watch this space. 

6 hours ago, Stuart said:

There wouldn’t be any Rovers fans in the section below, that was my point. Having them up there keeps them well out of the way and the noise at that end of the ground to a minimum. Stewarding costs are moot because upper and lower sections are kept separate. It would be good to understand why the club don’t think this would be to the benefit of the team on match day - other clubs do. Just to be clear, I’m not asking them to reverse the decision to move DE fans back. The milk is spilled now.

As for being told you aren’t a supporter of you don’t sing, stop being soft. Of course you are a proper supporter, it’s just that another equally passionate supporter but their equally passionate foot in their equally passionate gob.

I think some may care to read my comment again carefully as haste to reply is no excuse for inaccuracy, oh and I always know where my feet are pal but thanks anyway. 

☺️

Edited August 13, 2018 by old darwen blue

[Mattyblue]

Hundred folk gathered in a corner, surrounded by empty seats is far superior than NO1? Where it’s fairly full, people do sing and stand up and you’re in a stand with about 4,000 people. Come on!

It was pretty good in there on Saturday, so stop with the excuses and get yourself down!

[barry_]

A few games into the season and my opinion about the closure of the DE to attract more away support has not changed.

Just why do we as a club not put away fans in the upper tier?

(many clubs do this to away fans to negate their support)

Has the atmosphere changed for the better since the closure? (imo NO)

I've gone back to BBE and all i see are people who would've been in the DE and the usual persecution of home fans by inept security.

 

 

 

[darrenrover]

On 12/08/2018 at 14:36, Claytons Left Boot said:

You need to understand something Barry. There are a lot of fans in the Blackburn End that are aged 40 and over. I am 60.

From being aged 12 or so, I stood at the back of the Blackburn End with all the other singers and generally had a good time. I always stayed well clear of Church Birdy mind, folk of a certain vintage will testify that he was a bit of a loose canon. In fact there were a few characters like that. We were all like minded lads who stood in the same spot each home game giving it our all. We all travelled to away games via coach or train and again gave it our all. If you got back to the railway station in one piece back then, you had done well.

I’m nothing special, there are loads like me. Been on since 1966 and a life long Rover. All over the country watching the lads and into Europe. Seen all the key games, Plymouth 1975, Derby FA Cup c.1976, West Brom FA Cup, Liverpool League Cup, Port Vale 1975, Bury 1980, Leicester at Wembley, Liverpool 1995, Preston for the promotion game, Spurs 2002 at Cardiff, Doncaster 2018, Ankara 2003, Celtic away and a million games I’ve forgotten.

Now, I like a sing song as much as the next man. I like the atmosphere at away matches, I usually stand up and sing at those but, when you’ve been singing/shouting/standing for 50 years or more, sometimes at a relatively mediocre game like Millwall at home, who bring a paltry 851 supporters with them, you like to just sit and watch the game and in silence if need be!

Absolutely me to a tee CLB but replace BBE with Riversider 'teddy' vintage! That said I was in the BBE in a few key dates to remember: Chelsea and the day of the Bolton 'long leather coats'. In the Darwen End for Villa early seventies, not to mention Plymouth in '75!

 

[gumboots]

When they moved the family stand from the BBE upper I was furious and many couldn't understand my anger. Now it's happened to the Darwen end and still nobody gets it. It's about your space. The little bit of ewood that on match days is your home. It might not be an area that's to everyone's taste but for you it's an important part of the matchday experience. Now I understand the economics of the closures but I don't understand why nobody seems to get the sense of loss of enjoyment that those affected may feel. 

[rigger]

personally I am not that bothered about moving from the Darwen end. The attraction for me was the unrestricted seating where you could be near who you chose to be near.

[blueboy3333]

On ‎12‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 21:48, AAK said:

100% agree i loved it in there last season and the few before that. Now have no desire to go to home games. Because i know the atmosphere is incredibley poor. 

proper fan.?

[Oldgregg86]

I don't understand the not going because of the atmosphere argument. We would all love and prefer a raucious crowd in a full house but I go predominantly to watch the football. I watch the u23s where there is no atmosphere at all just to watch the football. Do these people not watch football on tv unless all their mates are round singing for 90 minutes. Makes absolutely no sense to me

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Oldgregg86 said:

Do these people not watch football on tv unless all their mates are round singing for 90 minutes.

?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The atmosphere came across as poor from the home fans yesterday up until the goal...I don't know what has happened to the BBE but it's so subdued these days.We have lost so many of our singer's.

Then again, when you shut almost half of the most popular home stand what the hell do we expect.Can you imagine this happening to the Kop,Stretford End,Holte End,Longside Burnley?

...No neither can I,our own fans literally kicked out of Stands without consultation.

Strange days indeed.

Edited September 16, 2018 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[barry_]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

proper fan.?

he is a 'proper fan' as much as anyone.

Read 'gumboots' assessment of her feeling of alienation after the BBE Upper was closed and you'll (hopefully) get some understanding.

[Mattyblue]

I thought there was a decent atmosphere second half...