We all remember the terrific echo of VFR being sung round the ground while Judas was banging in the final nail of our Premiership coffin.
And we're all familiar with the long souless silences, punctuated by abuse by some individuals recently.
Maybe Henry would like to comment or even get a view from the club?
There's a thought provoking article about stadium atmosphere on the Beeb website. It's long but well worth a read:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7168641.stm
Arsenal supporters have formed
RedAction:
"We have a fantastic supporters' group called RedAction, who are leading the drive to improve the atmosphere and it's getting better with every match.
"RedAction have a section of the ground reserved for them, they work closely with the club and that area is noticeably noisier and that gradually spreads to the rest of the stadium.
At Man City, they are doing it with a
'Singing section':
Over the last couple of seasons, things have dramatically improved, especially since City introduced the specific singing section where you can buy a season ticket there," he said.
And at Villa, they now have
home supporters behind BOTH goals:
Behind the North Stand we used to have the away fans, 3-4,000 behind the goal and it was difficult, because you used to hear them more than the Villa fans.
"Now they have made the whole of the North Stand Villa-fans only and
they have moved the away fans to a corner of the old Doug Ellis Stand.
"Having fans behind both goals now has improved the atmosphere at Villa Park a hell of a lot."
Could we form a Charlton RedAction and get a singing group behind both goals, with singing season tickets?
There must be something we can do? 
Comments
Apart from reintroducing a standing section which will never happen I acan not think of a better idea the campaingn should start here now
if anyone went to Wolves this season, they will know full well the stifling effect of being dispersed all the way along the touchline in a deep stand with a high roof
The Jimmy Seed has wonderful acoustics but the Covered End is not as bad acoustically as some make out. You see to get the best out of acoustics you need to have noise in the first place.
I think a scheme like this would be admirable but I can't see it gathering enough momentum and it kills me to say that.
Here come the snags!
Mind you, away fans already mingle with home fans as they walk down the station end of Floyd Road.
Perhaps, when finances permit, the answer will come by eventually building the 'South West Quadrant' specifically for away fans ...... and we can lay claim to the rebuilt - with designer built in acoustics
But we still need to do something drastic about creating the right atmosphere before then.
ANyway we have a singing section, but its only good when we play a big game, or win well! Alll well and good having a scheme, but when we are losing we wont sing scheme or not i am sad to say! What we need is some new better songs, all we got red army red army and der der der der der which are rubbish! AT leasty with cafc cghant it can sound good, but we need some proper songs, this is where the probs lye imo!
only takes one of those big net things accross the far block and a line of stewards, plenty of other clubs cope fine
Don't care about the Stripey nigels, MCS - not if we can get a rousing, intimidating Valley atmosphere to return.
When we play away, we invariably have a far noiser, 'behind the team' atmosphere, and lots of singing with many more songs than you hear at home matches.
The problem is at The Valley. We have to do better than long periods of silence and only singing when we score.
It never used to be like this - remember 'Fortress Valley' days?
Anyway, I started this thread to show how other supporters/clubs are tackling the same problem.
There must be some inspiration or a springboard for something innotive of our own.
We need to stop making The Valley a hostile place against our own team.
Let's bring the energy & excitement back. And make a rousing intimidating atmosphere that's our 12th man - and get's right behind the team.
Like football used to be.
imo it's not so much the seating segregation as a problem, more the facilities. they would need access to male, female and disabled toilets plus the food outlets. this would have to be a 'stewarded' segregation on the concourse. i don't know the layout behind the east but if it's anything like the rest of the ground the queues are long enough as it is.
palace this year were loud. but that noise was the sound of thousands of nigels crying.
just over 6000 i think.
which is my point, you would still have to allow 1 man and his dog from hull access to the facilities.
But didnt they try something like this when the North Upper opened? I seem to remember the J block being advertised as the 'singing section'?
Hate to admit it but we just won't get a regular good atmosphere at Charlton, ever! The fanbase is just not made up of the right people.
On the stand up sit down website (to campaign for safe standing) there is a regular Norwich contributor on the forum who described our away support on boxing day as "the worst at Carrow Road in 10 years". i was there the last time on St Georges Day and it was S**t then. to think it was worse this time! I don't know how some people reckon we create a good atmposphere away from home! We are probably one of the worst in the football leage!!! Palace away being a very nice exception!
Anyone who's been to the Emirates will know that red action has not worked! It's as always a library!
The Man Utd supporters spokesman got it right when he said, in response to Fergusons comments, that until we get rid of the "police state" currently inside all football grounds and let people enjoy themselves again we will never get the atmosphere's back! Adding cheaper tickets, match day ticket sales and standing areas would also help!
Most of the passionate fans at alot of clubs have been forced out by the above already and the game has lost them forever!
I was E-block but couldn't move my group (of then) 10 up to the middle blocks of the upper as there wasn't room for all of us together.
Thought about moving, but got shot down in case we wound up with some of the less desirable characters next to us!
There are a few gaps opening up around me (I do wash) so if any Charlton Lifers want to open up a new singing section in the G Block....
But let's try and explore what can work?
We're not the only club that has atmosphere problems - hence my first post.
But these clubs/supporters seem to be tackling it head on.
What can the Charlton club and us supporters 'hands on' do for ourselves?
Initiatives wanted!
It is a bit of a different situation to Charlton though obviously as their fan base is huge and their players give them something to stand up and sing about. But from what the atmosphere was over the last decade or so up there they have made a marked improvement to it so they are proof that it could work.
I know many wear replica shirts, but years ago, everyone had a red & white scarf down the Covered End - we use to tie them at one end to one of our wrists.
Every time we scored there was a massive waving of scarves above our heads before we went jigging around singing
"Knees up Muvver Brown". They'd be massive colour and noise.
The scarves would also be held above our heads when we sung "You'll Never Walk Alone", which we sung quite a bit in those days.
Red & white scarves are just one good idea, though - keep them coming......
Trying to make a difference ......we need your input, mate.
There will obviously be some logistical challenges and some things by their nature may have to be long term.
But it's time to change the Valley atmosphere for the better.
Could we promote the band more. Even to the extent of encouraging a bigger band with more brass with reduced/nil ticket costs.
I know it might seem a bit choreographed but could we not have some intros like they did in the World Cup rugby. Or maybe the words to Valley Floyd Road could come up on the Video screen at regular intervals.
The fat bastard drummer at leicester had his own stage.
Our PA is not that good either.
I am now in the North West Quadrant as my wife is disabled and was previously in the North East Family area. Whilst both have a few vocal individuals as a rule they are quite quiet. I do not wish to offend anybody but perhaps these areas could be amalgamated in future if ticket sales fall away. The North West quadrant seems to be used as a fill in area. It would be better if it was fully allocated to season ticket sales. If we have to have spare areas they should be nearer the away fans so as to concentrate the vocal support.
I would welcome a small terracing area.
I dont think we should be too hard on ourselves.I have been very disappointed with the atmosphere of home fans at Old Trafford, Anfield and Emirates.
Perhaps we can take a leaf out of Leeds book. Unity can come from adversity and we had that in bundles in the past. Post 1992 was a very emotive era to be back at the valley and then to see the club progress perhaps was a unique and uplifting era. No wonder we sang our hearts out. But pre 1984 the atmosphere at the Valley wasnt that great partly because of the lack of roofing on most of the ground.
The NW quadrant was reserved for matchday sales (ie few or no STs) when we were in the Prem because we had to hold back a certain proportion of tickets to sell on a match by match basis.
Interestingly, Pards has said today (Friday) that he wants to hear some more noise from the band. I think the idea of a few free STs for the band is a good one - it can't hurt and isn't exactly going to break the bank!
Pards on the OS: