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Griffo
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What are your views on ultra groups at football?

 

It seems to have improved the atmosphere at Crystal Palace by far. Most clubs outside of England tend to have similar groups. Seems to be catching on more and more with clubs in England now too. It is needed at many grounds in England though, fan culture seems to have been lost at many clubs.

 

Can't say we'd need anything like it at St Mary's, our home and away support tends to be very good vocally. We could do with a few more songs though.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/holmesdalefanatics05#p/u/3/92yVO3ZnXcU

Edited by Griffo
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Went to Selhurst after the Rochdale game was called off and was impressed by their fans. Pretty much all the noise came from the bottom tier of the Holmesdale stand, and they sang for 90% of the game which was a good effort considering how bad the football was and the lack of any atmosphere coming from the Sheff Utd fans.

 

Not a big fan of drums at football, mainly because the drummers never know when to rein it in, however if done properly it really does work.

 

Also all the fans I spoke to, quite a few of them from the older generation were very much in favour of the atmosphere the 'Ultras' created.

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If you look at the Ultras in Italy, France, Turkey and some of the eastern European contries their ends look fantastic with everyone stood up singing and big flags everywhere and flares. They take over and end of the ground as their own and are pretty much left to get on with it. For this to happen at SMS you would need everyone from the Notham , Kingsland & Itchen North in the chapel end and create that as our own end and make it like a Kop rather than having the singing diluted around the groud as it is now with than for some reason people thinking they need to be near the away fans. With policing in England at football today though get any sort of atmosphere going is quickly stamped upon by the authorities. We have seen people thrown out and given bans for things like standing up, swearing, or waving flags. Until the authorities lighten up a bit and allow people to relax and enjoy themselves at football rather than being desperate to eject and ban anyone that doesn't toe the line and behave like they are in sunday service at the local church.

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That's true that the scene is huge abroad, but Palace for example have about 50 at the front of the Holmesdale who are constant for 90 minutes and it gets others to join in until songs spread along the whole end. If anyone wanted to do it, it would only take a small group at the top of the Northam possibly, at first.

 

I'm quite interested in the whole Ultra thing, am looking into taking in a few European games a few times a season.

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That's true that the scene is huge abroad, but Palace for example have about 50 at the front of the Holmesdale who are constant for 90 minutes and it gets others to join in until songs spread along the whole end. If anyone wanted to do it, it would only take a small group at the top of the Northam possibly, at first.

 

I'm quite interested in the whole Ultra thing, am looking into taking in a few European games a few times a season.

 

It could work and could be good but i wouldn't mind betting people in the Northam would moan, slag them off and not join in with them being vilified on here as childish knobs etc, we all know a lot of Saints fans seem to have a superiorty complex.

 

I am off to Rome in September and will be going to Lazio or Roma depending on who is at home that weekend. Either way from what i've on telly the atmoshpere they create looks amazing.

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It could work and could be good but i wouldn't mind betting people in the Northam would moan, slag them off and not join in with them being vilified on here as childish knobs etc, we all know a lot of Saints fans seem to have a superiorty complex.

 

I am off to Rome in September and will be going to Lazio or Roma depending on who is at home that weekend. Either way from what i've on telly the atmoshpere they create looks amazing.

 

Leicester and Middlesborough have both tried to start groups but their fans in general think they're idiots. Leicester had 20 or so complaints from people around them to stewards.. They were moaning about the constant singing and saying it was annoying them!

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Leicester and Middlesborough have both tried to start groups but their fans in general think they're idiots. Leicester had 20 or so complaints from people around them to stewards.. They were moaning about the constant singing and saying it was annoying them!

 

I wouldn't mind betting you'd get at least that many complaints at SMS FFS. As i said above the best way to do it would be to get the everyone who wants to sing in one place behind the goal in the Chapel and turn in it into a Kop. One of the best atmospheres i have seen at SMS was the MK Semi final when we had 95% of the Northam, it looked and sounded brilliant. If all the noise was coming from one place it would sound louder and spead to other areas. It's no conicidence where the grounds that have the best atmospheres have a stand like this.

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I wouldn't mind betting you'd get at least that many complaints at SMS FFS. As i said above the best way to do it would be to get the everyone who wants to sing in one place behind the goal in the Chapel and turn in it into a Kop. One of the best atmospheres i have seen at SMS was the MK Semi final when we had 95% of the Northam, it looked and sounded brilliant. If all the noise was coming from one place it would sound louder and spead to other areas. It's no conicidence where the grounds that have the best atmospheres have a stand like this.

 

It would also help if we got rid of the boring **** that every other club sings.. examples such as.. "By far the greatest team". Every club in England sings it pretty much. All it would need is a group of 20+ to start, then more and more people would join. Maybe it's not a thing for English football, but there's no coincidence that the atmospheres are better abroad compared to England and we're one of the only nations without ultra groups.

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That's true that the scene is huge abroad, but Palace for example have about 50 at the front of the Holmesdale who are constant for 90 minutes and it gets others to join in until songs spread along the whole end. If anyone wanted to do it, it would only take a small group at the top of the Northam possibly, at first.

 

I'm quite interested in the whole Ultra thing, am looking into taking in a few European games a few times a season.

 

Palace fans in that stand have always been very loud, long before they started calling themselves 'Ultra's'. This ultra's thing hasn't changed anything at Selhurst

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It could work and could be good but i wouldn't mind betting people in the Northam would moan, slag them off and not join in with them being vilified on here as childish knobs etc, we all know a lot of Saints fans seem to have a superiorty complex.

 

I am off to Rome in September and will be going to Lazio or Roma depending on who is at home that weekend. Either way from what i've on telly the atmoshpere they create looks amazing.

 

try not to get stabbed in the buttocks

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I don't think the terminology helps much: sometimes it implies a fair bit of the negative stuff too, violence and stupidity. I came across the term in 1990 at the world cup in Italy when I met some great guys at Cagliari (speaking Italian helped!). But one of the reasons it's important is that the crowds are so small, even compared to SMS in the third division: in fact they're impressed here by the crowds at Saints - I make sure I spread the word..

 

I'm not saying a core of singers isn't great: I sing myself and it's obviously a lot easier away than alone in the Itchen! Perhaps we need groups of 20 nutters spread around in the stands so that the singing spreads better. Actually, that wine and beer fuelled idea doesn't seem so bad! What do we reckon is a minimum number for a group - 5x5? 25 slightly subsidised seats (3 pints each!) for guaranteed singing.. doesn't seem such a bad idea?

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I would like to see it happen at SMS, but i just cant see it. The atmosphere at home games has gone way past a joke now. To many fans wanna moan and whinge if you stand up or make a bit of noise anywhere outside the Northam. I like the bouncy thing (without the **** song that goes with it!), and love to see a few flares going off during games.

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Not necessarily a designated group as such, but even a group of fans that will sing non-stop no matter what the score or what's happening on the pitch. More and more would follow on and it would improve our support hugely.

 

Agree with this. Not one for trying to start songs myself but I will always join in once one starts to get going, which probably applies to the majority of people in the Northam I reckon.

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It's just not in our culture. A lot of the Ultra's get to the ground about two hours before kick off. Could you imagine that happening here? Someone suggested forming some sort of Ultras group a few years ago on here and they were laughed off the board.

 

Also just look back at the reaction when Man United came down a few weeks ago and lit up a flare and threw toilet paper about. SuperMikey and others on the main board got their knickers in a twist over it.

 

Not saying I wouldn't welcome it btw, because I would.

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It's just not in our culture. A lot of the Ultra's get to the ground about two hours before kick off. Could you imagine that happening here? Someone suggested forming some sort of Ultras group a few years ago on here and they were laughed off the board.

 

Also just look back at the reaction when Man United came down a few weeks ago and lit up a flare and threw toilet paper about. SuperMikey and others on the main board got their knickers in a twist over it.

 

Not saying I wouldn't welcome it btw, because I would.

 

As I've said countless times, toilet paper and flares etc would be absolutely quality.

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I've been to Rome loads of times to watch Roma play, atmosphere is great. Met quite a few Ultras, all good people, genuine guys who just love going to football and making it a real spectacle at the same time. Been to 2 derbies which were just mental, and been in the Curva Sud - where all the ultras congregate - 3 times. Last time I was there was in Novemeber for the Bayern Munich game, never experienced an atmosphere like it, when Totti scored to make it 3-2 (having been 2-0 down at HT) the roof just totally came off the place, people hugging eachother and falling over, great stuff. I love all the huge flags and flares they have too. Shame Italian football has lost a bit of that in recent years because of the authorities placing so many restrictions on away fans travelling and what fans can take into the stadiums and also the fan card that got introduced which the Ultras are massively against has reduced attendances.

 

Even so it's a million miles away from this country.

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Toilet paper at games would be really something to see.

 

Maybe people that bring their own toilet paper should be given free tickets for their part in making the atmosphere at games unbelievably amazing.

 

Good idea.

 

Toilet paper not so much then, but flares I'd love to see.

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It's just not in our culture. A lot of the Ultra's get to the ground about two hours before kick off. Could you imagine that happening here? Someone suggested forming some sort of Ultras group a few years ago on here and they were laughed off the board.

 

Also just look back at the reaction when Man United came down a few weeks ago and lit up a flare and threw toilet paper about. SuperMikey and others on the main board got their knickers in a twist over it.

 

Not saying I wouldn't welcome it btw, because I would.

 

We used to, i remember queuing up to get in the Milton as soon as the turnstiles opened, 1.30 i think it was, the singing would start about 40 minutes before kick off.

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i have been to milan to see inter milan pay 5 times, and the curve norde ultra's are superb to the extent that i now have a 12ft CN69 flag with the saints stickman on it for my european trips. ultras is a way of life for many, they live for the club and influence the way the club is run from top to bottom, how else would you get a moped into the stadium?

 

http://www.videolife.tk/video/L_Nu6HKVSmk/The-Holy-Vespa.html

 

cant see it in the uk, the last club to have as many flags, flares, ticker tape etc got lambasted throughout the league, albeit non league, and their fans got chucked out of many away games

 

http://jorvikreds.blogspot.com/

 

would love it though!

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I've been to Rome loads of times to watch Roma play, atmosphere is great. Met quite a few Ultras, all good people, genuine guys who just love going to football and making it a real spectacle at the same time. Been to 2 derbies which were just mental, and been in the Curva Sud - where all the ultras congregate - 3 times. Last time I was there was in Novemeber for the Bayern Munich game, never experienced an atmosphere like it, when Totti scored to make it 3-2 (having been 2-0 down at HT) the roof just totally came off the place, people hugging eachother and falling over, great stuff. I love all the huge flags and flares they have too. Shame Italian football has lost a bit of that in recent years because of the authorities placing so many restrictions on away fans travelling and what fans can take into the stadiums and also the fan card that got introduced which the Ultras are massively against has reduced attendances.

 

Even so it's a million miles away from this country.

 

What's the crack with the supports card? I've not been to a game in Italy before so do i need one to get tickets?

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The Ultras @ the Steau game were bloody awesome, and showed several of us good hospitality afterwards. Genuinely friendly. Certainly changed my view of what those groups are like, although expect they wouldn't extend the same welcome to Dynamo fans :)

agree this is the only time oposition fanshave impressed me, the noise at times was amazing althogh the stadium was a bit dodgy i thought it might collapse around us

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Most of our fans struggle to sing in a voice which is coherent, let alone rhythmic.

 

And tbh many barely raise their voice, it's more like a gentle sing-a-long at the back of the bus at times.

 

Other than occasional big games this country is now ****e for atmosphere; South Americans, Turks and most Eastern Europeans can produce a noisy spectacle in big open stadiums with no roof and running tracks around the pitch, it's like a tea party here in comparison.

 

As 'latter day saint' says, these organisations need organisers and they're not easily accepted, look at the grief people like Illingsworth get...and TCWTB down the road (tbf he's a c*nt and should be slaughtered)...

 

I'd like to see it...maybe this was Cortese's idea for the Chapel?...but I couldn't really see it working out somehow.

 

And not enough 'bouncing' these days.

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What's the crack with the supports card? I've not been to a game in Italy before so do i need one to get tickets?

 

the supporters cards just allow the club see who is attending the game, it's like a membership, but you will be able to get tickets for most games by turning up at the ticket office the day before with your passport and details of hotel accomodation etc. for the big games like Inter v Juve i have bought tickets from touts outside the ground during the day and managed to get through two sets of turnstiles by waving my UK passport, even though each ticket has the name of the supporter on, so on several occassions my name has been Lorenzo.......Can't beat the atmosphere, nothing compares in the Uk, FACT.

 

i love it so much that i now own a 12ft FC MILAN flag with CN69 in the corner (one of Inters Ultras groups) along with the saints stickman in the top left hand corner to hang up at Inter's home games when i attend San Siro

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for the big games like Inter v Juve i have bought tickets from touts outside the ground during the day and managed to get through two sets of turnstiles by waving my UK passport, even though each ticket has the name of the supporter on, so on several occassions my name has been Lorenzo.......

 

I was in Milan for that match a couple of years ago but didn't fancy paying €200 for a ticket which might not have got me in to the match. Is it usually a safe enough bet then?

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Its an excellent idea-i'm up for it and would try and rope in a few more.

 

I suggest getting a group together at the back of the Chapel. (I wonder if any existing STHs in the Northam would be allowed to swap their seats?)

 

I was only asking people's views on it! Our support wouldn't accept that type of thing anyway.

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I was only asking people's views on it! Our support wouldn't accept that type of thing anyway.

 

That would be a shame-a lot of our fans would moan but many more would welcome an improved atmosphere.

 

I'm astounded at the Palace fans-they've always been pretty cack at creatingg an atmos-shows what can be done.

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