Atmosphere at Vicarage Road

What makes her annoying to you?

 

OK maybe "duty" is my subjective opinion and not the best word to use. And of course you are right that people don't have to do anything they don't want to do.

However, I reserve the right to have contempt for the viewpoint that fans should only sing in response to excitement on the pitch. Sure fans can do this if they choose but I think they are missing the point of what vocally supporting a club should be about imo. Agree that not all fans are the same, nor do they need to be, but I think we have too many of the sing when we're winning brigade at Watford to create a decent atmosphere at home or at big away games.

What you suspect may be right about Wembley but my point is I think this is a sad reflection of the segment of our support that you appear to represent. If the players are performing poorly on the pitch in an FA cup semi final that is exactly the time to sing imo to try and get behind them not meekly mirror their surrender.

Try and give it a go, you might be able to play your part in rousing a poorly performing watford team to turn it round in the future. Isn't that a positive thing to aspire to?

 

I agree, it was a positive gesture, but being Holebas, he had to present it in a less-than-positive way! Still, small steps ...

 

If I could turn around a meek FA cup semi final performance with my shouting then why aren't that club paying me 50k per week?

 

I have two points on this.

1. Harry, put that ****ing drum away please.
2. 1881 - keep the songs simple and get rid of the song which does wooahhhh, woahhhhhh, woahhhhh in a slow monotone voice. It's crap.

 

it's the bit when she opens her mouth

 

Exactly this. There was a lot more involvement from the other stands (and the whole Rookery) for the likes of the QSF chant and Ighalo song, easy to sing and people knew the words, would be nice to re-cycle those. Capoue, Amrabat and Behrami being similar but lesser examples last season.

We could really do with developing a few more like those. Players songs are great but generally only get sung when they score/do something special. Managers songs get sung a lot more because they can be used at any time filling between 'team' songs, and a classic like the QSF chant could also go on for ages rising and falling in intensity. No Managers song last season was a miss but understandable when you looked at the manager.

Wasn't there on Saturday but would be good to get a Silva song quickly. Said it before but surely something can be done to Hi Ho Silver Lining?

 

Maybe they will in future. Perhaps not 50k, but if they paid/subsidised people to fill the rookery with hardcore singing it will probably make the club more marketable with the possibility for increased revenue to compensate loss of tickets from real quiet fans. There would need to overseers with whips to force singing conformity and weed out potential whingers.

Aside from the question of paying you 50k a week, I guess it comes down to ultimately whether one thinks vocal fan support can positively influence the team. I think it does.

 

It does but my tale was set in was the Lewington era.

 

I quite like that woahhh woahhhh song as it seems a bit unique (although someone will probably point out it isn't). I'm not keen on the generic "we've got capoue" type songs as most clubs seems to sing a version for their own players and I'm not convinced any of them are better than Zidane.

 

And it's a classic.
An original classic at that.
Plus, it doesnt have to be belted out in time, anyone can join in whenever.
The moronic nature I believe adds to the all round success of the chant.
Long live

 

Me and my 4 year old shout that at regular intervals from our seats in the SEJ.

 

Has anybody thought about "Yellow" by yawnmongers as our new anthem? Just a suggestion.

 

Me and the chaps used to take air horns into the Rookery regularly during the 80s and help massively with the atmosphere. We've passed the baton on now so if we want to sit in the SEJ in relative comfort then that's our prerogative.
Until they kick the quiet ones out of the middle of the Rookery then nothing will change. The 1881 is wasted in the corner. When will the penny drop?

 

That would help massively but realistically how does the club shift 500-1000 odd people who have prime real estate behind the goal & who have probably had their ST's for years? If you put them in the SEJ corner where it meets the Rookery you are then covering both bases?

 

What about something by Elton John? HE used to play for us or something

 

Dear Deathly Quiet Season Ticket Coffin Dodger

You are occupying a seat that someone with a pulse would like to use. We own every seat in the ground. Just because you have a season ticket doesn't mean you physically own that seat forever. Please find attached a list of places you can sit in from now on. Enclosed is also a free Parker pen as I know you folk like that sort of thing.

Love Watford FC x x

 

But wait, if you call by 5pm we will also throw in a packet of Worthers Originals.

 

Joking aside, I have a friend who is a staunch Chelsea supporter, he & his family had 4 season tickets in the same seats for 15 odd years, the club wrote to him about 10 years ago when they redeveloped that stand in to match day corporate hospitality & they said unless he paid 2K extra per seat/per season (which included a pre match buffet lunch & a programme for every game) they would withdraw his ST's & he would lose his seats. He paid & continues to do so!

Wonder if that will ever happen at VR!

 

Perhaps one problem is that our main vocal section is located as far as is actually possible away from the away fans. There isn't a great deal of song banter between fans because most of the time they can barely hear each other.

Not sure what the answer to that is, especially security wise. Move the away fans to the lower gt and create separate gangways between upper and lower? Create a new additional singing section in the vic road end next to the away?

A lot of the time during away matches it seems to be the banter between fans that gets the noise levels up and the vocal home fans are near the away section.

Additionally however, you are probably hoarding 2-3k of our loudest supporters on away trips. How many does the 1881 massive usually get involved 1000-1500?

Also, joking aside about the loud hailers, the acoustics of the ground could actually be half the problem. It was loud enough near the 1881. It clearly does not carry.

And just one more thing, does the wind generally blow into the southstand meaning that the sound gets carried back into it rather than pushed into tbe other stands?

#clutchingatstraws

 

I think we're relatively slow at coming up with player chants - even for those we like. Our centre halves never get a chant, and we miss something for Prodl, Britos, Cathcart, Holebas, Doucoure, Janmaat and Okaka, and will need something for Richarlison, Gray and the gaffer. I'm sure we used to have something for each of the players back in the late 90s?

I think that would help, particularly where they are a bit unique and creative.

 

Agree with both posts.

I now sit in the SEJ just over the half way point towards the away fans. I can't comment on this season as I was away on Saturday but last season I couldn't hear the songs. The entire rookery need to join in for the singing to spread around the ground. I am hoping that you his season will be different to last.

One thing that does annoys me though is the awful din that comes out of the speakers before the match and at half time. I actually can't hear the person next to me over it! Turn the bloody things down

 

From my seat in the Lower GT, I don't recall many songs being sung but because the football was better the atmosphere was better. I'm not so fussed about songs per se but if the 1881 lot manage to make noise and keep the atmosphere up then they've done their job.

 

Dear Watford fc.

I have followed the club home and away for over 40 years.. even when we were one of the least fashionable football clubs in the country. I have bought a season ticket every year since they were first sold. I have sung loud and proud for the Hornets up and down the country but as ive got older i actually prefer to sit and watch. Let the youngsters do their bit.. like i did.

PS I have returned the pen. Please place it somewhere you wont be able to write back with it!

 

I sit on the left side of the SEJ and I can hear the 1881 perfecrly fine when they do sing/chant. However it is noticable that the left side of the Rookery (opposite to the 1881) does not really carry on with the chants which means that it rarely expands any further than the Rookery.

I do attempt to join in with the chants but it's a tad awkward when you're the only one doing so because the people around you are old bores who are more focussed on leaving at the right time to avoid getting stuck in traffic.

I get the impression that half of the SEJ aren't even Watford fans - people there to take advantage of the 'cheap' season tickets. This is probably why there are quite a few empty seats in the SEJ and also why there are less vocal fans.

 

Correct.
The left side of the SEJ is where the players WAGS and families freebe ticket holders sit. Most are not supporters.
The players are paid on Friday so the WAGS are out shopping for more bling on a Saturday.

 

Whatever the case there is enough evidence on here to prove there is an issue. Make no mistake, no one has to justify if they don't want to sing, but it makes a whole lot of difference to the atmosphere in the ground & the confidence of the players on the pitch. Also it is a small physiological advantage to drown out the away fans noise . There is no doubt about any of this.

Someone above suggested a scatter gun approach which I think is a excellent idea to test out. Get 100 or so of the 1881 into a section of each stand & trial if that breeds confidence to start the atmosphere going in that stand. I genuinely think it is more a case of people embarrassed to start chanting in a stand when they know no one will join in, rather than people don't want to sing in the first place. A trial like this would take that issue away.

It would make all the difference.

 

Gents,

If the subject of atmosphere at VR is important to forum members, I will cast a vote on the here suggesting if people want to trial some members of the 1881 get planted in the other stands to generate more atmosphere & help support the team as much as we can. If the result is positive we can then put that evidence to the club for discussion.

Are there any members of the 1881 on here that would like to comment as that would also clarify a lot of things?

I can't think of any other way to suggest than this; If this post gets 10 or more likes then I will cast the vote.

 

That is where the wags sit. They should be moved further along. There are people around where I sit who want to move away from the away fans and be nearer the home end do that they can sing.
But part of the problem is that large parts of the rookery don't sing

 

It is worth trying out putting crack commando teams around the ground but be aware that it may take weeeks to get the muted areas used to the idea of singing!

 

Was in the Lower GT , for the game ,unusual for me . was surprised they did join in, a lot , thought the atmosphere was good , yes we could hear Liverpool, but could also here the Rookery loud and clear . Don't get so down things are so much better than they were on all fronts . Keep up the great work 1881 . COYH