Away from the actual football ?
Its easy for us to sit hear just slagging off and not offering any suggestions positively.
So then, list exactly the things that you want from the club on a matchday that is out of the hands of the playing side, and whether its being fulfilled at present. It might help the Supporters Director if he gets some feedback.
Me
I want to be able to get in the ground without having too queue for long - fine
I want the food outlets to be fully stocked, with a decent variety of choice, and be served by someone who understands what i'm saying - generally fine, choice of food is ok, the service has improved in the past twelve months, but in the north upper there is still a fair queue for a beer at half time from the main outlet.
I want the pre-match music to help build the atmosphere, not dominate - i think this is something that can be improved. Too much focus is being put on the 'right song', London Calling is quite popular and appropriate but other than that i don't think it really matters what is played in the build up to the game. The main point for me is the last song that should be played before the silly anthem is the red robin, then the anthem, then nothing. Announce the teams, while they're warming up, and then let the crowd take other. Playing music to the ball is kicked dilutes any crowd noise.
Pre-match announcer - Where do i start, my main complaint. Have no problem with the individual, but i suspect from the way he gets players names wrong he has no real football love / background so doesn't have a steer on what is appropriate or not. He is always emphasising the wrong words excitedly, and its all too much, too pre-staged, too panto. The clue is in the job title, pre-match announcer, not pre-match entertainer. The introduction of Floyd and harvey is extremely cringeable for adults, and makes the club look like a junior circus. if they want to big um up for the kids, do it at 2.30, but at 2.55 i'm thinking of the match not some idiot being highlighted in the centre of the arena.
I don't want goal music - fine, its been dropped. Why they tried it in the first place i have no idea as this has been debated before and always attracts about 1% support.
If they are going to do other 'events' around the football to space fill, personally i like it when they involve the kids. Penalty shoot outs, introduce some of the junior teams at half time, and get them to play out one of their training exercises. its a good advert for the club, gets the kids in awe of a big crowd, and will make them feel a lot more part of the club.
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Comments
I would like to be able to take a pint to my seat.
What I'd like is to see is the players applaud the fans and thank them for coming. This is common in Germany, the team will go over to where their fans are, line up and salute the fans, rather than turn around as they are traiising off turn round and wave in the general direction of the fans and then head for the changing rooms.
"I don't want goal music - fine, its been dropped. Why they tried it in the first place i have no idea as this has been debated before and always attracts about 1% support."
This is popular in Germany and works, all the teams have their own music to celebrate a goal, but on the whole I'd rather it was shelved.
Not that I'm a perv of course.
2/ decent quality/reasonably priced/food and drink with some variety
3/Decent pre-match/ half time entertainment, not straight out of Nickelodeon- preferably with some football content- as AFKA says- why not involve the youth teams to encourage the kids
4/ I'm warming to the new announcer (I so know i'll be linched for saying that) now he's learnt our nickname, I actually like the 2nd half announcement which can get the fans going- but it needs to be done for that reason. I certainly like the ID interview, re-run of previous matches and 1st half highlights. I also like the music during the build up but it must be used to build the crowd up- not dampen it out. On the other hand- why not drown the away fans out like they did to us at Molynuex
5/ Something has to be done about the half time crush to go and get a drink- personally it scares me that so many people can't go an hour and 45 without having to eat, smoke, pee, drink etc! Theres a real crush, maybe its due to loiterers at the bottom of the stairs? I don't know 'cos i dont go there at half time. Any idea's????
6 Oh and a one-off introdution of Live Tigers to eat Floyd and Harvey at the Portsmouth match?
if at halftime i fancy a drink,i want the drinks being lined up for the thousands of people who will want refreshment in the space of 15 minutes,not surprise on the barstaff's faces that everyone has turned up at the same time.
i want a bigger screen,just because everyone else has.at the end of the game show some of the highlights/controversial decisions.
i want to leave believing that my money was well spent and that i want to keep returning.
The food/beer outlets which are in place are reasonable, compared to other grounds.
The screen needs to be increased in size, because it is not good enough at present; paticularly as the club seem to be focusing more of its half time entertainment on the "big" screen. I like the idea of putting up the latest scores. In Italy, they put up a spinning roulette wheel every time a goal is scored in Serie A and the crowd then either cheers or jeers as the score comes up. They do the same in Germany for the Bundesliga.
If there was say 250 pre poured beers it would solve a lot of problems, there wont be any problems getting a HT beer at Chelsea in a fortnight cos they pre pour them (and we'll only have 500 there!)
Music is a big thing for me. You want to get the adrenalin going without being too over the top. London Calling always gets me in the mood, things like 'Right here, right now' etc etc.
I remember going to Coventry on the last couple of occasions we have played there and they play banging tunes from 2 onwards. A bit of Prodigy would be nice :)
Agree the announcer is an unnnecessary joke, just get Dave Lockwood to read out the teams.
I think that borrowing from other Club's and from practices in other countries is definetely a great way to go. By and large the CAFC match-day experience is top draw, although from what I understand, is threatening to go too far towards the panto/"let us entertain you" model, which probably has a lot to do with the way yankee sports work. Come along, spend money on merchandise, wave a foam hand etc. etc. We've got cheerleaders, lightshows, fireworks and music when we score.
But what I think we all have to remember (though I don't think anyone has forgotten!) is that, in football, the matchday experience is in large part down to the supporters and their own culture of support. Take away the Club Shop, the big screen, the cameras, Floyd & Harvey, the pa, even the large stands, even the attractive football, and there was still supporters' going to football games and singing their songs and waving their clackers and wearing their colours etc. So, as important as what the Club do to manage the match-day experience, we shouldn't forget that we need to organise the supporters' better and find ways to develop our own supporting culture further. Particularly at this time, as the Club looks to expand our fanbase and The Valley's capacity. How is the question? Without being too grandiose, this website was developed to help address some of these issues and we hope it can grow to become a means for fans to develop old traditions and build their own new ones to contribute to match-day experience. The Valley Flags Campaign is another very good project that will certainly add to the tradition of CAFC supporters' organising these things for themselves to make CAFC what they want it to be.
Listening to him is like being at Pontins I almost expect to hear him say come on down Len time for the knobbly knees competition! It does nothing for me but if the kids enjoy it and feel more engaged with what is going on then I can live with it.
The one absolute no, no for me would be if they tried to take away Red, Red, Robin.
Now there is an idea.
Can just see the stone island brigade eating a king prawn and rocket ciabatta at half time, washed down with cranberry juice.
they are taking over the world. there's been one open at charing cross station now for a few weeks. stocks 3 of everything so sells out of everything decent early on!
Can't help but agree with Rothko on a smoking ban - I've just moved to the north upper, I don't really care if anyone smokes in the open air, but that concourse at half-time is covered in a blue fug - haven't seen or tasted anything like it for years!
Some decent beer (and cider!) swiftly served is all I'd really want from a matchday experience, I usually don't roll up until 2.59 so it'd be nice to know the club wanted me to turn up a bit earlier and have a pint and that, rather than queue for ages for a pint of watery Fosters.
that blinkin' announcer has also converted me to the church of Brian Cole - it's embarrassing to hear him bleat on.
I think the best way would be to show a bit of discretion and common sense. ban it from the concourses as well, but let the smokers sneek down the stairwell off the concourse at half time for a sly puff. That way everyone is kept happy.