Home Match Build Up Oxford Fanatics - How can we help?

[Marked Ox]

When you say "imagine how many more", we're talking a block of 50 seats, 100 seats, literally anything. So that's the maximum complaints you'd be dealing with.

For me, it would be a pretty simple answer, the club would be asking less than 100 ST holders if they would help improve the matchday experience for 7, 8, 9000 other fans.

Oh, and they don't even have to lose their seats, just arrive 10 minutes earlier and it'll be empty. If they don't want to be in a singing area, offer them a free upgrade to any available seat in the stadium.

It doesn't really need a long run in plan, we drew up plans countless times and presented them to the club, they had these plans and ideas put across and didn't act on them for over 5-6 years. It was simply easier for them to say they'll support us where possible, but anything revolutionary that requires proactive work is pushed aside.

It's a shame, because by now we could have had hundreds of Ultras leading the singing in the centre of the stand, flags flying, people bouncing, and the rest of the leagues in awe of the East Stand. Instead, we are now have an Ultra group disbanded, and another Fanatics group who could end up the same way in 5-6 years time when they realise they can't grow or improve beyond 20 lads stuck in the back 2 rows, mixed in with season ticket holders.

Crystal Palace have the Holmsdale Fanatics, they outgrew the corner of the stand and the club were unwilling to grant them a specific central area. This led to them withdrawing from the stadium all together for one season, which led to the worse atmosphere for many years and fans complaining. This year, the club granted them the top central area of the stand, unreserved seats and moved existing ST holders. They're now having a revolutionary season for UK support and the best atmosphere Selhurst has ever had.

Eventually, the groups grow and need clubs and other fans to work together to keep things moving, otherwise you lose something special just as it's building momentum. Palace saved theirs when it was on the brink. I hope OUFC do the same if the Oxford Fanatics are hitting big numbers in a few years time.

In a hypothetical sense (as I know dealing with Kassam), could the unused area at the back of the East Stand be an option?

 

[Marked Ox]

If people stood in the London Road End for the same reason, you didn't have a reserved 1x1ft square on the terrace, so surely you just stood in roughly the same place each game and arrived a little earlier to secure it if needed.

We did, just needed a crowd surge to free the space about 5 minutes to kick off.

 

[WuTang]

In a hypothetical sense (as I know dealing with Kassam), could the unused area at the back of the East Stand be an option?

Unfortunately not, unless the club paid to finish it off with seating to match the rest of the stand (which for obvious financial reasons would never happen).

Due to the Taylor Report and OUFC being in the top 2 divisions when it was published, we are not allowed terracing in any form, even if we built a new purpose built stadium.

With safe standing moving forward that would probably be given the green light at the new stadium, and possibly even the top of the East Stand. But that's an expensive process inside a stadium we don't own and might be flattened soon.

Safe standing behind the goal at Stratfield Brake would be lovely though!

 

[Marked Ox]

Unfortunately not, unless the club paid to finish it off with seating to match the rest of the stand (which for obvious financial reasons would never happen).

Due to the Taylor Report and OUFC being in the top 2 divisions when it was published, we are not allowed terracing in any form, even if we built a new purpose built stadium.

With safe standing moving forward that would probably be given the green light at the new stadium, and possibly even the top of the East Stand. But that's an expensive process inside a stadium we don't own and might be flattened soon.

Safe standing behind the goal at Stratfield Brake would be lovely though!

I think it will be a must at Stratfield Brake should it happen.

 

[WuTang]

I think it will be a must at Stratfield Brake should it happen.

Great time to start planning these things, finally we have a chance to get everything right.

 

[Wallop]

Can I ask why as a genuine question? If you knew it had the potential to revolutionise the atmosphere would you still be p*ssed off?

I presume most people sit in the East Stand for atmosphere, as the views are far better in the other two.

If people stood in the London Road End for the same reason, you didn't have a reserved 1x1ft square on the terrace, so surely you just stood in roughly the same place each game and arrived a little earlier to secure it if needed. I always wondered why it differs as soon as a plastic seat is bolted onto it.

It always held the club back from providing an unreserved singing section due to people complaining that they'd lose their seat and the club didn't want any negative press. If they arrived at least 20 minutes before kick-off the seat would be available 90% of the time, or certainly the seats either side.

Why of course you may ask! I don't sit in that section as it happens but if I was told that I had to move from the seats that I have selected for many seasons now, it would annoy me. There may be quite a few people who have STs in the seat area you've mentioned that don't want to be part of the singing group and would feel the need to move - why should they?

It's odd - I don't know why I would be quite so annoyed but I know that I would be......

History suggests that when people are asked to move from their 'designated' seat, one that they have had for a season or more, they kick off about it. I'm not sure it's worth the negative feelings and press that the club would get.

 

[WuTang]

Why of course you may ask! I don't sit in that section as it happens but if I was told that I had to move from the seats that I have selected for many seasons now, it would annoy me. There may be quite a few people who have STs in the seat area you've mentioned that don't want to be part of the singing group and would feel the need to move - why should they?

It's odd - I don't know why I would be quite so annoyed but I know that I would be......

History suggests that when people are asked to move from their 'designated' seat, one that they have had for a season or more, they kick off about it. I'm not sure it's worth the negative feelings and press that the club would get.

Interesting perspective. Comparative to us asking the existing sports clubs on Stratfield Brake to move on, it's for the benefit of thousands more and the whole community but they've been there for years. Despite offering them improved facilities and an upgrade to do so, they've been there for years so is it really worth the negative feelings and press? I would say so, it's all about progression and improvement.

 

[Jimmycarterxi]

If the club thought that a unreserved singing section was a good idea they should have contacted season ticket holders at end of last season to get opinions. If you don’t ask them you will never know. Some might be happy to move seats for a better atmosphere

 

[NottsYellow]

Everyone stands in the back five or six rows of the block 19 in East Stand anyway and is happy to join in the singing, encourage the flag waving etc.
For the whole thing to be effective it needs to cover a bigger area than just 100 seats at the back of East stand, ie Some members of the new group should get seats in Block 20 & 17 and spread out the singing and flag waving, to encourage singing across the whole back of the East Stand. ie Try and get a 2 or 3 small groups in each block rather than in one small area of 50 seats.
Could you buy an extra 50/100 smaller flags (just simple yellow & blue) and give out to kids at start of the match to wave all around east Stand and ask them to be returned to a collection point at the end of the game, for redistribution again at each game.
PS I would not be happy for my designated ST seat to be taken away.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

Everyone stands in the back five or six rows of the block 19 in East Stand anyway and is happy to join in the singing, encourage the flag waving etc.
For the whole thing to be effective it needs to cover a bigger area than just 100 seats at the back of East stand, ie Some members of the new group should get seats in Block 20 & 17 and spread out the singing and flag waving, to encourage singing across the whole back of the East Stand. ie Try and get a 2 or 3 small groups in each block rather than in one small area of 50 seats.
Could you buy an extra 50/100 smaller flags (just simple yellow & blue) and give out to kids at start of the match to wave all around east Stand and ask them to be returned to a collection point at the end of the game, for redistribution again at each game.
PS I would not be happy for my designated ST seat to be taken away.

A lot of people in the East Stand seem to stand there to be in the atmosphere rather than create it or be part of it. I like the idea of smaller waver flags to accompany the telescopics.

 

[MarkG]

Everyone stands in the back five or six rows of the block 19 in East Stand anyway and is happy to join in the singing, encourage the flag waving etc.
For the whole thing to be effective it needs to cover a bigger area than just 100 seats at the back of East stand, ie Some members of the new group should get seats in Block 20 & 17 and spread out the singing and flag waving, to encourage singing across the whole back of the East Stand. ie Try and get a 2 or 3 small groups in each block rather than in one small area of 50 seats.
Could you buy an extra 50/100 smaller flags (just simple yellow & blue) and give out to kids at start of the match to wave all around east Stand and ask them to be returned to a collection point at the end of the game, for redistribution again at each game.
PS I would not be happy for my designated ST seat to be taken away.

That’s one of the issues with reserved seating and an ageing and increasingly middle class fanbase.

The youngsters in their teens 20s and 30s can’t create a zone because the middle aged in their 40s and 50s have bagsied “their” seats / places by way of reserved seats.

For instance a younger fan can turn up 20 minutes before kick off and think my seat is free, but I then turn up as the match starts and want my seat.

 

[Oxford1996]

For me. The best way it could be done to start..

Blocks 20 & 21 would be an unreserved standing area in the East Stand. It means blocks 18 & 19 wouldn’t need season ticket holders moving where a larger amount sit/stand.

People could stand from the first row up.

Best home atmosphere I’ve seen in L1 is Lincoln who have 2 sections from the bottom up.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

That’s one of the issues with reserved seating and an ageing and increasingly middle class fanbase.

The youngsters in their teens 20s and 30s can’t create a zone because the middle aged in their 40s and 50s have bagsied “their” seats / places by way of reserved seats.

For instance a younger fan can turn up 20 minutes before kick off and think my seat is free, but I then turn up as the match starts and want my seat.

I want a section for state educated Yellows only at the top of the east stand, and anyone caught with the following items: Sourdough, Avocado, Feta, Quinoa or hummus within a mile radius of the ground facing a 3-match-ban.

 

[holdsteady]

That’s one of the issues with reserved seating and an ageing and increasingly middle class fanbase.

The youngsters in their teens 20s and 30s can’t create a zone because the middle aged in their 40s and 50s have bagsied “their” seats / places by way of reserved seats.

For instance a younger fan can turn up 20 minutes before kick off and think my seat is free, but I then turn up as the match starts and want my seat.

It’s the age thing for me, 43 now and it is different when you get to that age, you are a bit more self conscious and less raucous.

I think a big unreserved area behind the goal is the best idea, us older fans will just have to lump it if our seats are in it, the club will die if it doesn’t do anything to get teens/twenty’s/thirty year olds coming to the games.

It’s hardly an attractive day out to a group of lads in there twenty’s at the moment who want a laugh, split up and stuck next to boring old fuckers like us on here.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

On a side note I have just been to the Kidderminster vs Boston game and Kiddy fans were excellent even when losing.
They had 4 or 5 very simple chants but it got everyone singing including the other stands. They still had the odd individual player chant but kept these to a minimum.
It shows that if you do have less complicated signs people will be more inclined to join in. Something I think we tend to drift away from and try and get new chants going constantly that people don’t know the words to.

Only down side was the drum but even that wasn’t needed most of the time.

 

[OUSP]

If you have looked at the latest OUSP mailing you will see that we are looking at ways to improve matchday atmosphere, within the limitations of the current stadium. This will include ideas from the Fanatics as well as from other fans, who have different ways to experience and contribute to atmosphere. If you have any thoughts then there is a link in our newsletter to a short form for sharing your thoughts with us. We hope to have an opportunity to get together in person with fans before the season starts to explore this further. There are also things the club can do and we will be discussing this at our meeting with them next week, so if you have things you want us to include in the discussions, now is your chance.
Link to our mailing and the Atmosphere form is https://t.co/IBg7zyHB3z

 

[Scrongo]

It's quite simple really, everybody just sing your hearts out for lads. Age, sitting down, standing up ,what stand your in shouldn't make a scrap of difference.You create your own atmosphere,if you don't contribute don't complain.

 

[chuckbert]

Just watching some A league and I'm reminded that coordinated colocalised singing plus drum does not create an atmosphere. Well, it creates the atmosphere of an empty stadium with a corner of modern day choir boys echoing round the ground.

Anyone that's ever done choral music will no that _nothing_ beats numbers. 5000 people singing quietly, together, same tune, same metre, will absolutely drown out an enthusiatic bunch with a plastic drum.

Oxford is arguably the world's capital of choral music. Let's be proud of it (like those Welsh blokes are). Sing your hearts out together and the stadium acoustics become irrelevant.

 

[captainox]

Above 3000 this season, and remains unallocated for their playoff game tonight that has hit 6000 sales including said end being sold out.

The reviews of how it goes tonight will be very interesting, for how practical it is.

It didn't go well. Numerous broken seats caused by people standing on them due to groups bunching 2 or 3 to an area of a seat (ppor stewarding to not ask people to fill up empty seats)
Pitch invasion before final whistle which delayed the game (multiple occasions)

Outcome - whole stand is now allocated for play-off final on Saturday and the stadium capacity reduced by 1000, with the front 5/6 rows of the stand behind the goal being netted off.
Believe the OTT nature of the changes are due to the stadium being in its first season with crowds and therefore as part of the safety certificate, there are parameters/conditions that have to be successfully passed. Because some of these haven't been passed/incidents occurred, the SAG (Safety Advisory Group) made up of council, police etc. have forced some sanctions on YCFC.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

It's quite simple really, everybody just sing your hearts out for lads. Age, sitting down, standing up ,what stand your in shouldn't make a scrap of difference.You create your own atmosphere,if you don't contribute don't complain.

I disagree, it's actually not simple because the conditions need to be right for a good atmosphere.