Crowds - The thread of Australian whining

Yep. We're now stuck in the seventh circle of 'Oh Wellington' hell.

He did, guess it'll be interesting to see if hes back next game.

Tegal - yes of course they'd rather they joined in, that's the whole point of all this. But they're also saying if they don't want to join in, they'd rather they weren't there. I kind of get btwfc's point but I don't personally believe there are as many nervous nellies who won't sing in front of people as he thinks. My view is that the team ain't winning and people just aren't 'up for it' if what's happening on the pitch isn't exciting. I await a home win to see if I'm right!

Yes, he and his 'hipster mate in the floral shirt' were joining in with the chanting afterwards.

To be fair, I think we were down to maybe 2 or 3 of that chant yesterday? Which surprised me. Hopefully we can keep that up. 

Though I'm hoping it isn't just replaced by another chant like "Welly Welly Welly oh"

Well what's all the angst about then, apps, flyers? Let's just get some Leeds lads into the zone threatening people!!

The fuck has Elland Road got to do with it?

That place and the fans just scare me that's all

Leeds fans scare you? I hope that's only because of their appearance.

Let's be honest here. You buy a ticket for the zone, you can expect to stand for the whole game and you can expect to sing.

If you are going to get a ticket for in there just to be seen, you probably get what you deserve. 

Atmospheres are created by people taking part, not just standing there thinking how cool they might look being in the YF zone.

Plenty of seats elsewhere. I have been in and out of the zone like a yoyo, i have not found it elitist. Sure when it was set up, some took the lead to get things going but over the seasons it has progressed quite well. If you want to start a chant, give it a try. Dont criticise those that do because you cant be arsed to.

I have been following this thread and it is starting to piss me off at the finger pointing. FFS let it go, join in and show some gumption. If you want to sit or keep quiet, you might be better off around in aisle 30 so you can hear the zone coming at ya so to speak.

All fans are welcome regardless of where they sit. We have a professional team to support, let's get together and start supporting them.

Rant over.

I'm not sure I know anyone who goes in the zone to 'look cool'? I first moved there because I was sick of kids running riot kicking seats etc in other areas, and I wanted to stand instead of sit.

I would like to bring Jnrette and Jnr Jnr over.  If I do can you all keep the noise down a bit so we can concentrate on the game?

Thanks.

Also if you could teach us the last line of Albert Reira that would be great too.

Maybe we got full RBB and rip all the seats out?

I'd vote for that, terracing FTW!

Now you're talking.

I was at La Bombonera last night and I think we need more clapping. Even Balbobades mate is capable of that. Even a simple clap pattern sounds bloody good with a load of people.

This guy couldn't:

A few of us have bought guests along to the zone over the years that don't know the words, but love the experience. I don't think we should be swearing at people to get them to sing. 

Our job is to try and get people to regularly attend/get season tickets and that means being ambassadors.

During years of cycling advocacy I had to put up with some pretty shitty people with pretty shitty views on cyclists but when you get involved in advocacy you have to bite your tongue and still be polite even if you want to punch them in the face.

We don't own the fever zone. We don't sell the seats to punters and we should no dictate who is allowed into the zone and who isn't. Active members and all that bullshit included. We have to encourage folk to participate but you don't encourage people with twatty offensive behavior.

The only times I've seen people asked to leave the zone was when they were being threatening or abusive and that's something people on here should not be getting involved in doesn't matter who they are or what their intentions are.

When I go to matches, (when not injured!), I sing my heart out 95% of the time. Other times though, if I'm feeling under the weather or absorbed in the football I don't sing. So do I then have to leave the zone? Do I fuck.

I think that we have to be very careful in judging who is acceptable and who isn't in the zone. Sure non-YF come into the zone for the atmosphere and what's wrong with that?  Sure some won't sing - well that's tough titty as well. If people go away from standing in zone having had a bloody good, non-threatening time even if they never sang a word then that's ok with me. They might want to come again and maybe start singing later on.

Well done guys for putting all the work into the chants I think it's amazing, but lets just reflect on how we go about our business in the zone in future.

Sorry just dont get why you would buy a seat in what is WELL known as an active fan zone and then not take part,Sorry not being elitist at all i just dont get it and those trying to make a justification for it Really LOL

I don't particularly like 100 renditions of Oh Wellington, BUT at least the people starting the chant are chanting and isn't that what we want?

As a person that's only really been to the Eden Park games, I've made a point to try and get involved, be in the zone and tried to start a couple of (failed) chants. I kinda laughed at myself along with others about it at the time too but considering I'm normally abused by the crowd, it's actually a nice change to be laughed at instead.

My position is that fans are all there to support the same team in their own way. As I have no involvement in that league now or in the future, I like being able to get in to it and be an active supporter. Not abusive but enjoying a slice of football fandom that does not ordinarily exist in NZ. The atmosphere is fantastic however I can understand why some people don't buy into it because that active zone is unique to any sport in NZ that I can think of. Not in rugby, league, cricket, netball unless you like Mexican waves. The Breakers kinda have it when lead by the cheerleader/capo Andrew Dewhurst but I get get why some people may find that affronting.

I like to think the zone offers something different than sitting watching or abusing my TV and I have met some cracking people through it as well (men thanks Smithy)

Next home game I want to get my Dad involved as he may have been a quasi Scottish football hooligan in watching Scottish Junior football where hard men played (as he says) For him, I am sure it will bring back some memories.

I guess that's what the zone provides to me as a supporter. I respect it may be different for others but that's ok too.

I need to find those guys next home game and try to make friends. The dude in the floral shirt should be easy to spot!

There is good chat going on in here.

At least we all care and have an opinion hey?

Spent the first half of the match at the Northern end of the ground.  Fever were excellent, sound travelled well.  The loudest chant was "Oh Wellington".  I know that will grate El Grapadura, but its what people know so more joined in.  As the other chants get better known they wil get louder too.  "Welly Oh" echos really well also.  Should be the walk out chant from now on if enough people sing it.

My view of the zone is the more the merrier.  Whether they chant or not.  You are trying to change the psyche of the New Zealand sport going public.  That takes time, but a full zone is the first step.  Having a chant sheet and passing that out at the start of matches on the concourse might sound naff, but it is a good idea.  Find someone who is willing to give up their drinking time to do it.  It won't have an immediate change, but we are working for the future of the fever, not just the present. 

I have never found the Fever to be elitist. All the efforts that I have seen them put in has been to improve the experience for everyone and for the betterment of football in Wellington.  They are not always gonna get it right, but if no-one else is gonna step up to the mark (and they have asked on many occassions for anyone who was prepared to help out) then the criticisms should be tempered.  So Smith had a brainfart; he has apologised to this group multiple times, and is trying to do the right thing by the guy he swore at. Whilst not condoning what Smith did, everyone has brainfarts and it takes a decent bloke to admit he was wrong, in a very public forum, and try to put that right. 

Nailed it.

My entire life is a series of brainfarts.

so we all love each other again? 

Boring 

Is she really going out with him?!

I don't think the chanting always needs to be about volume and everybody joining in either.

The thing I've always liked about the chants that rely on constant repetition (I'm thinking mainly of "Ernie Merricks Yellow Army" and "Twist and Shout") is that they don't actually have to be that loud, they just need to go on for a while, so they can be kept going by a relatively small but determined bunch. Perfect for filling in those lulls when not much is happening in the game to get excited about.

At the Football United game "Twist and Shout" was kept going by a group of maybe 100 West Ham fans, so not incredibly loud, and it ebbed and flowed a bit, but it really added to the overall atmosphere.

This is my reply.

It's not that of the "Yellow Fever executive", whoever the hell that is, and I am not speaking on behalf of "the core" or anyone else. It's just what I think.

One one level I get and agree with the "people should be allowed to support the team the way they want to" line of thinking. I agree, not everyone wants to stand, and not everyone wants to sing or chant, and not everyone wants to have a beer. 

That's okay.

By the same token, part of "people should be allowed to support the team the way they want to" means that if some people DO want to stand, and sing, and chant, and wave flags and banners and carry on, then they should be entitled to do that, too.

The current Fever Zone was created and designated for precisely that purpose as noted by Feverish, 2nd Best, Smithy and others already in this thread. 

So anyone who comes and stands or sits in the Fever Zone and doesn't participate in what it was created for, I think have to be ready to cop a bit of "Come on, why aren't you standing/clapping/chanting/singing?" I agree that swearing and getting abusive is not what we need to be seeing, but to respond to the people who are trying to get people in the Fever Zone to do what the Fever Zone was set up and designated as being for with: "I should be allowed to support the team how I want" is, to me, I'm sorry - bullshit. If you don't want to do what the Fever Zone is for, then expect to be pushed/encouraged/bantered with/and even expect someone to have a go at you...

As Smithy said:

We have tried (for 6 years or so) the nicely nicely let's make it easy and everyone will join in. It hasn't worked.

The alternative is that the Fever Zone is filled with a considerable number of people who don't want to join in, and eventually those of us who do might get sufficiently annoyed eventually and say, "You know what? This is not what I want out of the Fever Zone. Let's reloacte the designated hard core standing, singing and chanting zone to the Northern End, say Aisle 32 where hardly any one sits at the moment."

NOTE, I am not suggesting that we actually do that... but just imagine if some people did respond in that way and did do that... maybe not all the singers and chanters even... maybe just some of them.

That's not good, because as previously noted, we are stronger together. Splintering the limited number of dedicated singers and chanters weakens the effect.

But let's say that happened, and there were 40 or 50 hard core singers and chanters down in Aisle 32.

Let's say what they were doing attracted a bit of interest, and others went and joined them... And they got theur numbers up to, say 150. And they made a hell of a racket, and sung and jumped up and down and waved flags and maybe even beat drums etc.

Let's just say that happened...

And then let's say that the atmosphere they were creating in Aisle 32 attracted some spectators. People who didn't want to sing and chant and clap but wanted to stand near them and soak up the atmosphere they had created.

And let's say that trend continued and after a while there were 150 or so Aisle 32 Brigaders singing and chanting etc. and 150 odd spectators who liked sitting near them, supporting the team in their own way...

If I was an Aisle 32 Brigader, I MIGHT feel that the spectators who clustered around the Aisle 32 Brigade were actually hampering other singers and chanters joining and swelling the Aisle 32 brigade numbers even further.

Can you see how I might resent the way the supporters clustering around them to soak up the atmosphere we were creating might be impinging on our right to support the team the way they wanted to?

That's a hypotheitcal example. But I think that shows the sort of frustration that those who are frustrated are feeling. 

It's not about "you are not worthy, we are better than you" and it is not about "you don't deserve to be here" or "You're doing it wrong"... it is more like "this space is designated for a particular purpose. If you are not going to join in that purpose... perhaps you might like to thoughfully reconsider your seating choice?"

This is a really good way of putting it actually.

okay not totally sure this is the right place to post this but there has been plenty of talk about the chanting/lack of chanting in this thread...

The Fever crew that have spent countless hours organizing the chant gettogether, Patrick for developing the chant section with videos and also making the app more accessible don't get despondent. The efforts that you have have put in have been working and the chants sounded great on the TV.... a whole heap better than last year!!!!

it may feel like you are pulling teeth however it is working just may take some time.... maybe a little more time if we make the Ring of Fire a fortress again..

Looking forward to catching up with the travelling Fever when you come to Brisvegas in the new year

Thanks for taking the time to post that, that has really helped.

Given the nature of the article in the DP this morning we may not have to worry about it any way.(wink wink)

I see the wink wink... (and the you I talk about below is to everyone, not to you alone Steve)

...but, I've been through this before, with the Kingz, and sort of (but not really, I was pretty disengaged by the time the Knightz unravelled) with the Knightz too.

It's horrible losing your team. Seriously. 

You absolutely have to worry about it. You need to worry about it A LOT.

You need to be a crusader for Phoenix now more than ever. You need to set yourself a goal every single home game, to get at least two new people along to the game who have never gone before. Each game. If you get two this week, you need to get another (different) two the next home game.

We all need to do it.

They are not going to suddenly start showing up on their own. Sure if the team start winning in time, and the weather is good, it might happen with you being apathetic and reassuring yourself "Well I did my part, I bought my ticket."

But...

...will that really be any consolation when they're gone?

Fire Up.

Yep pretty scary especially when put that beside some of stuff we hear from the Welnix guys.You wonder just how much of a fight they would put up if we got shafted by the Aussies AGAIN. 

I kind of get where you are coming from on the 'no right to tell anyone where to sit' theme but it is totally understandable that passionate people [like Smithy] who have put tons and tons of effort into creating something special - can get frustrated and lash out in some fashion. I can also understand the fascination of coming into the zone for a gander and to soak up the atmosphere but it should be taken a step further than that by strong encouragement to participate int he zone and not merely observe or soak. You can actually get quite close to the zone and observe without being part of it if you want to get your fix without exercising your vocal cords.

 

In my head, before the alcohol interrupted the brain signals, that's what I was saying to the nice fellow on Sunday.

Well that only calls into question your commitment to the football if you had time to pull a bird.

Let's hang, draw and quarter Smithy why don't we? The man apologised on here and wishes to apologise to the guys he offended. That should be the end of it.

I admire you standing up to be counted Guy. Total respect for coughing up to an error of judgement. The message may have been right, just delivered the wrong way. We all make mistakes, I certainly have made my own fair share.

Time for us all to move on and try and improve our efforts at the next home game. Anyone up for that?

I challenge you all to sing more, sing louder and sing longer. And in response, I promise to sing along and alone over in Aisle 12 where they still all look at me as being a right dick but at least I will be trying to gee the team along. I just wish others would join in with me.