Matches Oxford v Sheff Wed Forum inspired Sellout?

[ECYellow]

How about a designated drummer at the top of the east stand to get the chants flowing, also how about printing a laminated card with the lyrics on like at church and give them every home supporter ? You will be amazed how many don't know the songs.

Club need to do their bit too to build up the atmosphere.

A drummer? It’s a ‘no’ from me.

 

[OX14]

A drummer? It’s a ‘no’ from me.

An air raid siren ?

 

[windmill]

The next home game after this will be Pompey so no reason why we can't aim to make it a double sell out!
[/QUOTE]
Thats nigh on a five figure home support. Always been a helluva struggle, but admire your enthusiasm. Building solid support is a painfully long process but I feel numbers are creeping up. I felt the reminder of those we have lost was a very poignant moment yesterday.

 

[Scotchegg]

This is an excellent idea, kudos to Scotchers. I really hope we sell out and the atmosphere is greatly improved.


Yesterday was the first game for my father in law and nephew. Neither are avid football fans but both wanted to see what all the fuss was about. While they enjoyed the day and we’re not too disappointed by us not winning, I couldn’t help but sit in the SSU and have a feeling of bewilderment at the lack of atmosphere. On a number of occasions you could have heard a pin drop.

Without a greatly improved atmosphere I cannot foresee young kids becoming hooked. It’s an area that the club need to hone in on, in order to ensure excellent ideas like this one from Scorchers, do not become futile.

I mentioned in another thread, every single one of us in the ground needs to take a personal responsibility for making a racket. I think we’d all enjoy the match day experience, if a bit more eagerness was injected into making some noise.

I think the club and @OUSP Secretary could take up the issue regarding the atmosphere, but I also think it's a bit of a cop out from us as supporters to expect others to create something that we are all repsonsible for. When I first took my little boy, he was a bit overwhelmed with everything. But he loved the cheering after a goal, and singing "yellows, yellows". I've mentioned in my original post about at Rushden when the away end was singing (I think) "Jim Smith's Yellow Army" over and over again for 30 minutes or more. These things don't always need over thinking. We don't need laminated cards, and we certainly don't need a f*****g drummer. We just need everyone turning up in numbers and committing to 90 minutes of being loud, proud, and a stretch for some, positive!

However, I guess others may feel differently about what makes a good atmosphere and what can be done to support it?

 

[Sarge]

How about a designated drummer at the top of the east stand to get the chants flowing, also how about printing a laminated card with the lyrics on like at church and give them every home supporter ? You will be amazed how many don't know the songs.

Club need to do their bit too to build up the atmosphere.

I hold a similar view to other posters re a drummer (no thanks)

Though 'lyric sheets' perhaps? ....i can remember back in the late 60s/early 70s going through the london road end turnstiles and along with others being handed a sheet with the words to a (potential) new song- some worked some didnt- some old london road end faves started off that way


That said , back in the Manor days, one of the most inclusive chants was the simple , but effective ' Come on Oxford' "clap, clap" belted out on loop /repeated, often with the volume increasing, generally a 2nd half chant that went on for 10-15 minutes plus, belted out by the london road end ...there were times a (potential) defeat was converted into a draw....and a draw was turned into a victory

London road favourites such as When You're Smiling' , ' Those Were The Days' to name two (there were others as well) were equally inclusive as they had very memorable lyrics, and were more than contributory to matchday atmosphere at the Manor

 

[chuckbert]

How about a designated drummer at the top of the east stand to get the chants flowing, also how about printing a laminated card with the lyrics on like at church and give them every home supporter ? You will be amazed how many don't know the songs.

Club need to do their bit too to build up the atmosphere.

Could have some free bread and wine at half time and some knitted cushions to pray on during the last 5 mins of each game?

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

How about a designated drummer at the top of the east stand

A drummer? no no no.

What we need is a weird guy constantly ringing a bell...

 

[Essexyellows]

The other "problem" is that we don`t need much of a reminder who killed the atmosphere - the Club, or more precisely Mr. Mixter.
The treatment of the Ultras was nothing more than a catastrophe for the atmosphere at the breeze block.
A bunch of young, enthusiastic volunteers was shut out and their lives made difficult so they voted with their feet.
The Club has yet to put that right in any way shape or form that genuinely engages with the fans.

 

[OUSP]

Great ideas on here. There are a number of initiatives going on to help improve atmosphere, the return of flags to the back of the East Stand is just a starting point. Much more to come.
We have discussed fanzones with the club and unfortunately they won't be up and running for these two matches (look out for end of Feb/March) but there are other things we can do. Keep the ideas coming.
Anything different has to be passed by safety team at least a week ahead of the match so get ideas in early to help us get these ideas through.
There will be enhanced Covid requirements for the match assuming govt guidelines stay as they are now (in particular vaccine passports / evidence of lateral flows), so it may take longer to get through turnstiles. We are meeting next week to talk through with club how this will work.

 

[Sarge]

Great ideas on here. There are a number of initiatives going on to help improve atmosphere, the return of flags to the back of the East Stand is just a starting point. Much more to come.
We have discussed fanzones with the club and unfortunately they won't be up and running for these two matches (look out for end of Feb/March) but there are other things we can do. Keep the ideas coming.
Anything different has to be passed by safety team at least a week ahead of the match so get ideas in early to help us get these ideas through.
There will be enhanced Covid requirements for the match assuming govt guidelines stay as they are now (in particular vaccine passports / evidence of lateral flows), so it may take longer to get through turnstiles. We are meeting next week to talk through with club how this will work.

Maybe getting the wifi signal at the breeze block turbo charged (especially on matchdays) would be a good move? Waiting to go through the turnstiles yesterday, fella in front of me, with 3 youngsters with him, took nigh on 5 minutes to have all 4 of his electronic 'tickets' verified and read....a combination of his device and the tunstile operators reading device both struggling with the minimal/ poor wifi signal ...if that issue was simultaneously happening at the same time, at every turnstile thats quite a lengthy, and IMO avoidable delay gaining entry to a home match. .. its not too much to ask to have a better /more stable/ boosted wifi signal there at the breeze block on matchdays is it @OUSP Secretary ?

 

[Bath Yellow]

DRUMMER. ?.
NO NO NO
Bad enough going to away games where they have one.

 

[windmill]

DRUMMER. ?.
NO NO NO
Bad enough going to away games where they have one.

I thought we had a sort of drummer with the Ultras? Though quite low key.

 

[Discoland]

I thought we had a sort of drummer with the Ultras? Though quite low key.

They did, for a short time, although used a snare drum instead of a bass drum as it sounded more natural and like clapping as opposed to some dickhead that got a drumset for Christmas a la Fleetwood, Lincoln etc.

IIRC it worked quite well and wasn't too insulting to the ears.

Placement of fans in the East Stand is the main problem. I think until we have the ability to make an unreserved section with tickets for fans who are actively going to be singing and helping start the chants like block 21 at Crystal Palace or the North Curve Celts/Green Brigade at Celtic we'll struggle. I don't think it takes too much of a genius to work out that those starting the chants yesterday were primarily the people that have been doing so for the last 10 years or so.

I haven't noticed a drastic improvement in the last few games since this supposed Ultras 2.0 started up - flags +/- atmosphere. Just seems a bit "all fart, no poo" to me and another group of kids on twitter who have no real idea how to mobilise or organise enough people to make a real difference (unfortunately). I really hope this changes as this team deserves so much better, but these groups need to be more than a few mates shouting about it on twitter to gain traction.

 

[oufc1991]

Couldn't the club do a ticket scheme for these two games something like an adult ticket for both games £30 u18s £15 u113s £10 u7s f o.c that might help get a few more people through the gates

 

[Junior_1]

With attractive home games coming up, that idea above would work really well.

Our group of 10 would buy in to that.

 

[Scotchegg]

Great ideas on here. There are a number of initiatives going on to help improve atmosphere, the return of flags to the back of the East Stand is just a starting point. Much more to come.
We have discussed fanzones with the club and unfortunately they won't be up and running for these two matches (look out for end of Feb/March) but there are other things we can do. Keep the ideas coming.
Anything different has to be passed by safety team at least a week ahead of the match so get ideas in early to help us get these ideas through.
There will be enhanced Covid requirements for the match assuming govt guidelines stay as they are now (in particular vaccine passports / evidence of lateral flows), so it may take longer to get through turnstiles. We are meeting next week to talk through with club how this will work.

If we're looking at it taking longer to get through the turnstyles, why not look at attracting people in earlier? Happy hour in the concourse between 130-2.30? Entertainment on the pitch? First x number through the turnstyles get entered in a draw for a signed shirt? Freebies given out to kids in the ground before 2.30?

Anything that we can do to bring people through earlier will help relieve pressure on the turnstyles as well as giving an opportunity to build the atmosphere before the game.

The commenst about reduced ticket prices is not something that I think is viable. These are attractive games that would likely see decent numbers anyway and I don't think we need to use these games for financial promotions. We have Cambridge at the end of Feb and Burton at the beginning of March where these offers would be better suited.

 

[Foley]

If we're looking at it taking longer to get through the turnstyles, why not look at attracting people in earlier? Happy hour in the concourse between 130-2.30? Entertainment on the pitch? First x number through the turnstyles get entered in a draw for a signed shirt? Freebies given out to kids in the ground before 2.30?

Anything that we can do to bring people through earlier will help relieve pressure on the turnstyles as well as giving an opportunity to build the atmosphere before the game.

The commenst about reduced ticket prices is not something that I think is viable. These are attractive games that would likely see decent numbers anyway and I don't think we need to use these games for financial promotions. We have Cambridge at the end of Feb and Burton at the beginning of March where these offers would be better suited.

Agree with this.
I am really not sure why there can't be fan zones for these big games.
Even if it isn't possible , surely the club could something to improve 'the experience'

 

[ECYellow]

No need for financially incentivised ticketing for Weds or Pompey imo. I think numbers will take care of themselves for these games, however I’m not so sure about the atmosphere.

I’m certainly not one for clappers for adults( can’t stand that white noise at Leicester) but what about something similar in the family section of the north stand for the kids?

 

[Essexyellows]

Think fan zones have been "in discussion" since the Priory closed......

Just do a "tailgate party" at the Fence End.

 

[OX14]

I thought we had a sort of drummer with the Ultras? Though quite low key.

That's what I meant by a drum to get the chants started. Not a full blown drum like that tinpot wyscum have.