Singing And Chanting

[Scouse Missionary]

For the last two games (well much longer really) the majority of the singing on the Kop has been carried by the lads (and girls!) who are on the upper left part (if you're standing on the Kop itself). Loved the "shall we sing a song for us".

Yes, the Kop can still rouse itself to get behind the team, as in the second half against Birmingham, and yes, it is not what it was - but there is one particular aspect of the failure to respond that is disappointing.

That section has tried to get the "justice" chant going, with little response from the rest of the Kop as a whole. On Sunday I was in Block 107, and last night Block 203. On both occasions I joined in, but felt like a bit of a lemon because I was on my own. If an issue like this can't rouse us, then what chance the rest of the singing?

Is it time to look at some way of tackling the atmosphere. Not officially, not throught the club. We all know the club would prefer us to be the footballing equivalent of the Stepford Wives - remaining crushed into our little plastic seats - except when visiting Liverworld of course, but through the fans themselves?

Anyone got any ideas? Hermes?

[Cath]

My usual spec is Anny Road lower. There are a good few diehards in there who try and get some noise going but we're often too spread out with the gaps filled in by tourists.
Those of us who try and pick up the Kops lead are usually on our own as the people beside us dont know the words and dont recognise Scouser Tommy, Fields of Anfield Road etc. They do manage a half hearted Li-Ver-Pool cos the words is dead easy.
We really do need to think seriously about segregating areas for different types of fans.
Stick the tourists in the Main Stand I say, give 'em free Liverworld catalogues to read during the boring bits, put signs up saying "Owen is wearing No 10 and playing in red" , put the scoreboard where only they can see it and keep 'em up to date with other games going on. If that's the Matchday experience they're looking for then give it to 'em and fleece 'em for as much as their credit cards will take.
Make it clear that the Kop, Lower Anny and possibly the Lower Centenary are all singing all dancing areas (where people do jump out of their seat and use sweary words a lot)
The club needs both types of fan but is in danger of losing the diehards who are the club's lifeblood . Their matchday experience has been forgotten in the clamour to please the high spending tourists.

[Gav]

The best example of how to combat this is The FAI ....Ireland games were terrible affairs singing/chanting wise due to the large numbers of suits and truippers and tossers.In a bid to increase the atmosphere ,they allocated large areas of the ground where the tickets were givin to league clubs fans and since then the atmosphere changed .All the actual fans are in one area and their noise rubs off on everyone else.


Surely in this day and age ,the clubs with their computerised ticketing systems and stuff can allocate certain areas for Season tickets etc whuile leaving other areas (ie back row of the centenery for the trippers).That way pockets of fans in a area together get songs and chants going .Look at the away supporters that arrive at anfield ..why are they so noisy ??? 4000 in a pocket ..its easy to get them all chanting the same thing ..just like when we are away and all our fans are in the same section .one person can easily get that whole group singing ...thats what a big prob is at home games .Those pockets are spread to thin

[Truered]

Scouse Miss you weren't on row 59 Block 203 were you, if that was you well done for at least trying, I was right behind one guy who was trying hard, I also joined in.
Worst thing was got some looks as if to say 'just shut up I am trying to watch a match here!!!!

Agree totally about the guys and girls who stood the entire game singing, I so wanted to move seats to be with real fans!!

Yes I agree, for me the centenary upper has always been a no go area. I was sitting in the main stand, last block kop end, for the chelsea game this and it was pretty good as most of the crowd there were signing, shouting etc. I thought I had found a good block to sit in but . Once the arsenal game the majority of people there were people from central europe and a ridiculous amount of non-english speaking techy asian, who spent the game recording the matches and taking photos of each other. Have to say i'm a very tolerent guy but it really started to annoy me having to get up every 2 mins to let someone in and out. After half time I decided to stand to watch the game, which I prefer anyway, but the steward told me to sit down as I was blocking the view of people behind me, ( and of course the pole in the middle of our view of the pitch wasn't). Thankfully im in the kop for southampton and bolton.


Anyway yes I agree.

[ritchie]

Its definetly the answer, get the fans who actually want to get behind the team together rather than spread out. I think even the Mancs do that themselves with their K stand or whatever it is. Its something we've got to look at, as a good atmosphere makes the match day experience worthwhile even if the games crap and definetly lifts the team anyhow.

[aws]

I read somewhere that 203 is full of locals who refuse on principle to join in with the singing generated by 202 because it's full of OOTers.Don't know if this is true but if it is

[ritchie]

That's just ridiculous. The attitude of some scousers is just pathetic you have to admit.

Probably too busy with their hands down their lacoste trackies.

[Total Longo]

...just after they've took a piss in your pocket and said "Sorry wack i wuz burstin"????? (no-one says "wack" as far as i'm concerned. did they ever? if someone had took a piss in my pocket i would have decked them ) Good old Liverpudlian stereotypes eh?

I miss the piss rivers on the Kop, though, if i'm honest.

The lads at the bacl of 202 try, but they sing utter shite.

They sing pub songs that not many people can be expected to know the words off, then slag everyone off for not joining in.

Every other saturday, Said bertie mee, We dont carry bottles, We all live in a red and white kop, we are the famous kopites (Hate that one, thats all we live off, our history) Liverbird upon my chest (great song, but its never going to get going at anfield as its too long).

There are a lot of oots in 202, but that isnt the problem. Generally those at the back of 202 are elitest wankers. If a song starts off from the other side of the kop, theyll start a different song to try and outsing them rather than joining in. If they start a song off and people dont join in they slag people off. Slagging others off doesnt help at all. I dont sing EVERY song, and me and my mates are less inclined to join in with 202 if we being told we're "Gobshites".

[Stephen Adams]

I got told to shut the fuck up in the kop last night by some southern twat. Fair enough I'm a twat, but I refuse to be told to shut up at a football match.
He got off lightly actually, I spent the whole of last season's arsenal game shouting about rabbits to Thierry Henry, so think yourself lucky you Devon prick.
Ah, beer :beer: :beer: :beer:
Gotta love it

[Big Noel]

Having the family section in the Kop has got to be the most insane idea ever.

Season ticket holders must take some blame for the poor atmosphere. I sit in 206 for league games and the people I sit with have all been going for 15/20/25 years (some longer). You don't hear a peep out of most of them!

The two sides of the Kop may contain a few daytrippers and tourists, but there are also alot of good Reds who do alot more to get the atmosphere going than the ST holders who occupy 104/204 105/205 106/206.

[Paul]

Unreserved seating - it's the only way.

No seats- its a better way

[Scouse Missionary]

Have had the same thought Bellflower. Never happen though, will it?

Me and my lad have always gone to the family stand in the KOP. We sing and chant for our lives and to be honest so do a lot of people around. My worst experience was at Spurs in 02 when we won 2-1 before the 9 in 21 run. Had to stand in front of this wanker from Birmingham who sang all the songs, fair play, but in between just slagged off the team.

I think tho that if language is a problem the family stand needs to be very seperate. I f and blind but the lad knows not to, and I talk to him about what he hears and not to repeat it to his mum.

Had to stop him chanting the 'referee's a wanker' stood on his seat when he was 9 in front of his grandparents, after Matteo was sent off against Boro. He was right tho we were 3 up and it spoilt the game.

When he asked if it was a bad word I said yes, he then asked what it meant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!? I refered him to his mother.

I don't know how some don't because for me it's impossible to stop.

Regards the UC stand only been in there once it was Excellent but it was vs Roma. Mind you me mate sold a spare to a bloke who was so pissed he slept through the whole game. Maybe that's whats happening and we should close the pubs post match???????...................................NAH

Don't know if its compulsory by law or just a premier league thing. Certainly not compulsory in Europe.

[smiler908]

hi all, i was in block 203 the other night on row 41, i thought what spoilt the atmosphere was what was going on, on the pitch, i dont mind entertaining the team and creating a atmosphere but it works both ways, whats to get excited about when the players on the pitch can not be arsed.

in terms of fans not knowing songs why dont the club print songs in the programme, sometimes i pity the ooters who come because they quite simply do not have a clue.

[Mav]

"why dont the club print songs in the programme"?

And if they could make us some flags and provide a nice catchy tune when we score then our transformation to small time club will be complete.

If you want to sing a song, there are plenty of places to find them and let's face it most aren't more than four lines.

Printing songs made me cringe a bit too. I remember going to Portman Road one year, and as a "welcome to all the visiting Liverpool fans, lets all sing YNWA. Come on , the words are in the middle of the CO-Op matchday programme ! " I don't think so.