"Lukewarm Stamford Bridge"

[NishC300 1,865]

Since I've never been to England I've unfortunately never been to the Bridge so I don't have any great personal experience stories but I live in Cyprus where the fans are absolutely fanatic and wild! I remember when Anorthosis the 1st Cypriot team to qualify for UCL, people were driving in the streets and lying on top of their car hoods and shouting all night long.

Pyro shows and mosaicos are really common here too. Here's a video of a banner and mosaico when Real Madrid came to play Apoel in Cyprus.

Mosaico can be seen around 1:07. The place where they are making this is not too far from my house actually ;p I don't watch any Cypriot football btw. My friends tell me about this.

The creativity! To show Real Madrid as the queen and Apoel as the finger knocking it out! Amazing! The names of the Apoel hardcore fans is Apoel Ultras! If you ever to come to Nicosia, you'll find lots graffiti with AU79 (Apoel Ultras since 1979). When people here watch Premier League games they always moan about the poor atmosphere. I dunno why but I dream of a day we have a pyro show and mosaico at Stamford Bridge.

Oh and I love Dortmund's support!

Anorthosis hard core fans. They are called Maxitis because they sit in Anorthosis' most vocal stand called Maxites

[JamesGodfrey 87]

We just need an ultra fan at each end of our stadium and get an organised bouncy going on along with plenty of chants etc. Job Done




If only it was that simple...

[Strike 7,502]

The atmosphere is good in some games, especially the bigger ones but when the team is playing Cardiff, WBA etc it's quiet. it would be nice to see the crowd react more to the game. For eg - when a Chelsea player recovers the ball and starts off on a counter.

[The only place to be 11,313]

The atmosphere is good in some games, especially the bigger ones but when the team is playing Cardiff, WBA etc it's quiet. it would be nice to see the crowd react more to the game. For eg - when a Chelsea player recovers the ball and starts off on a counter.

The crowd does react to those types of things. It's just sustained pressure against an opponent who has few attacking aspirations isn't the most exciting spectacle.

This is the case at a lot of grounds nowadays, especially successful clubs. It's just what modern English football is in this day and age and it's probably not going to change. Cheaper tickets aren't realistic right now (how do you stop the people who currently buy the tickets from buying them ahead of the person who already can't afford them anyway??), standing areas aren't (although I agree clubs should relax on the moaning about people standing) and it's hard to change the nature of football fans because it's more deeply rooted in societal and environmental factors.

[bushman 2,043]

Perhaps, serving tea could help ?

That way, most will be awake instead of dozing off from all those brewskies ?

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

It's not going to change. Even if they reduced prices I think it will still attract more 'Yuppies'

West London, one of the biggest sides in Europe, we are the ' cool ' thing to do in London. Doesn't Marco Pierre White have a restaurant at Stamford Bridge? That says it all for me.

[Liquidator 5,176]

Imagine having CU (Chelsea Ultras).

I'm assuming you've never heard of the Chelsea Headhunters?

[NishC300 1,865]

I'm assuming you've never heard of the Chelsea Headhunters?

I have but I don't really know much about them since I don't often see them on TV at the games.

[Spike 12,049]

I have but I don't really know much about them since I don't often see them on TV at the games.

That's probably a good thing. The more militant and cunty Celtic fans and those of that ilk love to bring up the history of the headhunters. Not exactly something to be proud of.

When religion and policitcs get mixed up with football clubs its the worst of the worst.

[remains of the day 564]

It's not the first time Jose has commented on the atmosphere, he made similar remarks in 2004 that weren't so well received back then. In truth, there have been a couple of supporter lead initiatives aimed at improving the atmosphere i.e return to the shed. But I agree with @AlanPatridge that part of the problem is that Stamford Bridge has basically become a tourist site and given the location of the stadium and stature of the club it's not surprising. I lived in London for roughly two years and the sheer number of tourists at the Bridge (many of whom aren't even supporters of the club) is astonishing. This was back in 2005 so I can only imagine what it's like now. It's problematic because already the bridge is a (relatively) small stadium and with so many tourists, obviously the atmosphere is going to be affected. It also doesn't help that many of the chants sung at the Bridge aren't exactly easy for tourists to follow along and join in. You're not going to know the words to 10 men went to mow or Zigga Zagga unless you've been going to the Bridge for years.

Also this whole thing with managers publicly criticizing the home support annoys the hell out of me. As others have said already, there're so many factors beyond the control of fans that directly impacts the atmosphere. The group of supporters that ran over to celebrate with Lampard when he broke the record are facing life time bans for doing so. That's modern football. Supporters (particularly those in England) are restricted in ways that often limits their expression of support.

Another thing....atmosphere needs to be something that is created reciprocally between the players and supporters. The crowd needs to do their part but also the players as well. In the last 10 - 15mins against West Brown when the team actually began to you know, play football the crowd was vocal. If Jose is so bothered by the atmosphere then perhaps he should be setting up the team in such a way that gets the crowd behind them.

[Fulham Broadway 17,333]

Not just Jose- yids n Wenger also not happy. They have a point, the billions of TV revenue would be lost without an atmosphere, and this forum would have about 5 members

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/16/premier-league-fans-atmosphere-concern

[Laylabelle 9,536]

Maybe we'll have another Delia moment.....

The back to the shed worked before when it was done then it seemed to fizzle out a bit.Easy to regonise a problem because its pretty much clear that there is just harder to change it given the circumstances that cant really be changed,prices,standing etc

[dave30 728]

Imagine having CU (Chelsea Ultras).

'Ultras' are a European thing though I don't think that kind of atmosphere would work or be desirable in England.

[dave30 728]

I'm assuming you've never heard of the Chelsea Headhunters?

I wouldn't say ultra's are the same thing as hooligans though.

[Laylabelle 9,536]

Probably getting this but are Ultras more atmospherey whereas headhunters were more bashy wacky?

There needs to be more energy.Traveling fans especially European ones seem to keep bouncing singing going all night whereas home fans tend to be more meh.Though I guess if they're like it at home makes sense to be like it away sort of thing.They do tend to create their own atmosphere in their end/corner

[mac.bo 48]

Too much PC, too many stewards ,more drinking, more standing areas,it used to be for the working man,now its too much glamorised and sold like a concert.

[Blue Warrior 109]

Get the Union Bears and Blue order down for a match, give the place a lift. Still waiting for a Chelsea vs Rangers game at the Bridge. Safe standing is the only way we get the best atmosphere back. The Bridge is still great for the big games, there are worse like Old Trafford etc.