It struck me on Saturday, when looking down and seeing just how pathetic the East Stand looks with no freebies in it. Must have been around 1,500 max in a 6,000 stand.
The only two well populated areas of the ground, the North Upper and NWQ (the two cheapest areas), are the two furthest away from the pitch. The are also the two most vocal areas, and the heart of the atmosphere is provided by the point furthest away from the pitch, 60ft in the air.
Had those say 5,000 people been spread around the North lower, West lower and East, I think there is a chance we would have seen a completely different game and performance. The intensity would have been completely different.
The North Upper is a great stand with a cracking view and offers value for money. But i'm sure there is a chance our dire home form is part due to the fact we offer so little intensity close to the pitch.
I can't see it ever changing with the pricing structures as they are.
Anyone else feel similar or disagree ?
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Anyway, I have been going on for years about moving the Away Supporters out of the Jimmy Seed Stand and putting them on the side - either East or West because it always seems to me that we sing our hearts out alot of the time but the good accoustics afforded to the Jimmy Seed Stand makes the Away Support sound louder especially to the East and West Stand Supporters. I have always been put in my place by people saying it would be too costly security-wise to carry out such a plan. But a persceived vocal away support is always going to be the major problem. While posting can I just call for a 'musical' group of people to get together and come up with a stirring hymn-like song or chant - this might help in some way.
Thanks for listening!
My bit of the East stand was pretty full though, as usual, we're the hardcore near the half way line!
also i think north upper aswell is full because its the cheapest and for me i go to quite a lot of aways so the 140 quid i save pays for a few of them.
I'm sure that most of the noise the NU generate just floats out of the ground.
From the East it looks as if thousands of fans in the upper north are singing, arms up, etc.. but you can't hear it all that well.
At most clubs the most vocal section of the ground is that section immediately behind the goal. The North Lower should be one of the most vocal sections of the ground, instead large parts of it are empty (despite the section behind being more occupied) and as a consequence quiet. The fact that it is not more occupied and noisy is largely due to pricing.
Match day pricing in the North Lower should be identical too the North Upper prices. The match day price in the North Lower should not be the same as the most expensive seat in the ground. The match day price in the North Lower would also appear to be falsely high when season ticket prices are compared. The cost of a season ticket in the North Lower is the cheapest ticket in the ground for one adult buying one ticket. This pricing structure I believe commenced under the previous management regime. It's purpose, in my opinion, is to allow the club to overcharge (relative to prices of tickets in other stands) away fans for their tickets, by saying tickets cost the same in the North Lower.
When I watch Charlton away I don't expect to be overcharged, nor should fans visiting the Valley be overcharged.
It's time for Charlton to correct, what I believe to be, an error of judgment in terms of pricing. Match day pricing in the North Lower and South should be amended. Crowd numbers and atmosphere in the North Lower would improve. I also believe the atmosphere in the gound as a whole would also improve, due to the proximity of this stand to both the pitch and the other stands.
Don't buy this security argument, as anyone who has ever been any other ground will see that the most vocal home support are next to the away fans.
From the Jimmy Seed outwards on saturday, there were probably 5,000 empty seats in the West and East stands by the Millwall fans, with about 20 people max in those desolate areas.
No wonder we mostly get out sung by the away support, whether its 3000 Millwall or 200 Oldham.
If the 'North Upper' contingent were sat towards the end of the East or West stands then the noise would be brilliant. As things stand, there is absolutely NOTHING intimidating about The Valley whatsoever, which works against us big time.
In the meatime I believe we could fill the Valley on a regular basis, seriously, and get more revenue with the right plan - keep watching this space http://www.castrust.org coming soon.
Most clubs are starting to move away fans, Aston villa have moved them to the side of the ground, man united want to move them to the top of the Alex Ferguson stand. I think the club should at least try it for a game were you only get a few hundred fans and see how the club copes with it.
The NW part of the west stand would make more sense than the East, as you could use the same ground approach for the away fans, but would go down like a lead balloon with the fans and loungeholders over there, but I'm not sure I agree with the trend at football grounds these days of moving away fans. The away fans are making too much noise, so let's stick them along the side or in the car park. If the home fans can't outsing the away fans, quietening the away fans will just make the atmosphere ever worse!
Wasn't the Upper North chosen as the 'noisy' section as it has better accoustics than the Lower North?
Do you think a ticket for a seat in the South Stand is comparable to one in the West Stand (when you consider facilities and view), and should be priced the same?
I agree that the club do not appear likely to move away fans to a different stand (whether I agree with the club's reasons is another matter).
Last season when we played Huddersfield and Sheff Utd the atmosphere was good, this season against Cardiff was good. The team play off the crowd, but the crowd also play off the team, and our dismal home performances have hardly helped this year.