Why are we so quiet?

[Top Flight]

This could be the early stages of a long-term decline in attendances and interest in football generally.

Championship football is in the ascendency not in decline.

Average Premiership season ticket holder is 45. Which is a far more telling statistic.

Sheff Utd had over 27,000 for the game against Bolton. With a ticket price of £18. There's part of the answer. Make the game accessible.

Reading are making the right moves. Will take time to rebuild the core supporter base.

How are they going to get more Millenials and Generation Zedders in through the gate though? Ticket prices will have to go down to get the next generation in. This is generation rent that will make up the next group of Reading supporters. These are people who are having to raise a family in a time of crazy house prices and lots of downwards pressures on wages thanks to our open society which allows labour and capital to be mobile and creates a race to the bottom. My Dad's generation the baby boomers have no problems with the expense of football today. They have good pensions, no mortgage costs. It's no skin of their back. But for the millenials and generation z, football will be dealing with a new supporter base that will have much less disposable income available than the baby boomers and generation x unless they are still living with their parents and have no plans to ever leave home.

[Dixeyroyal]

I reckon Danny Williams wants a lot more noise from us home and away. We must be the quietest, politest and ineffectual supporters anywhere. We only start a bit of noise when something goes well on the pitch. Other clubs fans get going first to gee up the side. Fed up with, Hungerford make more noise than us.

Maybe Danny Williams should do something to get fans fired up then, running 40 yards with the ball and then losing it down another blind alley doesn't do it for me, sorry!

[Greatwesternline]

Jaap Stam had a dream......

This song starts well, but half way through switches back the to how sh*t must you be melody and rythum, as if there aren't enough songs already with the same tune.

To cap it all off, there seems to be an urge to go "oi oi oi" at the end of it. Why?

Its no where near the beauty of We're not Barcelona...that remains my favourite.

Against Brighton i noticed a lot of fans making uterances such as "poofs, gay boys, gays" in the general direction of Brighton fans.

Makes you wonder what the crowd would be like if casual homophobia / racism wasn't generally frowned upon. It'd be a free for all!

[genome]

Jaap Stam had a dream......

This song starts well, but half way through switches back the to how sh*t must you be melody and rythum, as if there aren't enough songs already with the same tune.

It's all from the same tune (Sloop John B), just most chants miss out the first bit of the tune.

[bobby1413]

Its no where near the beauty of We're not Barcelona...that remains my favourite.

I quite liked the "We don't care about Anton..." chant which I remember we sang quite well on the last home game against Burnley when we finished 6th (7th) and had a pitch invasion.

[bobby1413]

We could sing:

Fcuk 'em all!
Fcuk 'em all!
United, Villa and Liverpool!
Cos we are the Reading and we are the best
We are the Reading so Fcuk all the rest!

I also liked the one from 05/06:

Show me the way to Aston Villa,
Man Utd and Middlesboro,
Wave goodbye to Coca-Cola,
the Premier league awaits for me...
Sha-lalalalalalalalalalal

[genome]

Its no where near the beauty of We're not Barcelona...that remains my favourite.

I quite liked the "We don't care about Anton..." chant which I remember we sang quite well on the last home game against Burnley when we finished 6th (7th) and had a pitch invasion.

+1

Also fond of the "where's the money gone?" chant that got noticed by the board after the Sheff Utd home game in 2009*. Trivia: Stephen Quinn scored that day


*

[Ian Royal]

Its no where near the beauty of We're not Barcelona...that remains my favourite.

I quite liked the "We don't care about Anton..." chant which I remember we sang quite well on the last home game against Burnley when we finished 6th (7th) and had a pitch invasion.

+1

Also fond of the "where's the money gone?" chant that got noticed by the board after the Sheff Utd home game in 2009*. Trivia: Stephen Quinn scored that day


*

Where's the money gone presumably sung by idiots with no understanding of football finance given it was oxf*rd obvious where our money had gone and all football money goes. Player and agent pockets.

[sloughroyal123]

Home atmosphere will greatly improve with the introduction of safe standing IMO

Away atmosphere will improve if we get more willing to travel, stand and sing, need to rebuild a hardcore group of supporters (not saying there isn't already just not many)

[oldebiscuit]

We're always having these debates. Some people want to stand. Others want to sit. Some want to shout. Others want to just watch. Some want to swear and motivationally boo. Others want to positively encourage.

The club needs to cater to all supporters. At the moment the club only caters to those who want to sit down and watch whilst being as quiet as a mouse. If anyone pipes up the stewards kick them out.

Elm Park did a better job of catering to everyones needs than the Madejski does. If you want to stand and sing go to the soutbank. If you want to stand and watch go to the Tilehurst end. If you want to sit and be quiet go to the Norfolk Road end.

The club need to be ready to declare a section of the stadium an area where people can stand up and sing. Those that want to sit shouldn't go in that section.

Pretty well agree with that, but what exactly is a motivational boo?

[lewesroyal]

That's because no one caters anymore for the fans that want to stand up and sing. Everyone has to sit down and shut up. No foul or abuse language allowed.
.

And I agree, there should be no foul and abusive language. You're in a public place. Say the same things in the street within earshot of a copper and you'd be arrested. People should maybe try acting like adults. Please cheer and encourage, I know i do but I get fed up with the "It's what we've always done" excuses for behaving like morons

[Top Flight]

We're always having these debates. Some people want to stand. Others want to sit. Some want to shout. Others want to just watch. Some want to swear and motivationally boo. Others want to positively encourage.

The club needs to cater to all supporters. At the moment the club only caters to those who want to sit down and watch whilst being as quiet as a mouse. If anyone pipes up the stewards kick them out.

Elm Park did a better job of catering to everyones needs than the Madejski does. If you want to stand and sing go to the soutbank. If you want to stand and watch go to the Tilehurst end. If you want to sit and be quiet go to the Norfolk Road end.

The club need to be ready to declare a section of the stadium an area where people can stand up and sing. Those that want to sit shouldn't go in that section.

Pretty well agree with that, but what exactly is a motivational boo?

It's where a player is motivated to play well because of the fear of embarrassment if they get booed for playing badly. In order to avoid being booed they ensure they play well and they give their all. Motivational booing doesn't really work in the modern era anymore. It just leads to unhappiness and demoralised players. It certainly did work in the old Elm Park days though.

[paultheroyal]

Fans moaning about our home atmosphere have clearly not been to Fulham, Bristol City, Derby, Blackburn, Ipswich, Brentford, Birmingham, QPR this season.

[CountryRoyal]

Fans moaning about our home atmosphere have clearly not been to Fulham, Bristol City, Derby, Blackburn, Ipswich, Brentford, Birmingham, QPR this season.

In fairness Derby were loud after their third.

[bracksroyal10]

Maybe once our idiot 16 year old fans stop taking people's allocated seats at away games and giving it the biggen in their fake Burberry scarves/Stone Island jackets we MIGHT just all unite and make some noise at away games.

I've seen some embarrassing moments from our away fans this year, fighting amongst themselves .. spitting at each other during Fulham.

Only when we all start to unite will we see an improvement

[JIM]

why do all our expensive signings get injured in the first month, ?

[Top Flight]

Maybe once our idiot 16 year old fans stop taking people's allocated seats at away games and giving it the biggen in their fake Burberry scarves/Stone Island jackets we MIGHT just all unite and make some noise at away games.

I've seen some embarrassing moments from our away fans this year, fighting amongst themselves .. spitting at each other during Fulham.

Only when we all start to unite will we see an improvement

The 16 year olds are our future so don't call them idiots. For a 16 year old with limited resources to make the effort to support the Royals on away trips that deserves alot of praise.

16 year olds are going to be boisterous. Weren't you when you were 16? Football needs to cater to the needs of all supporters. Not just ones that want to sit quietly in a chair. It's because football doesn't properly cater to the needs of all that we have all these arguments happening all the time at away games especially. Some want to stand, some want to sit. That doesn't work when it is only seats that are available.

Terracing needs to be brought back as soon as possible then everyone can be happy.

[bracksroyal10]

Maybe once our idiot 16 year old fans stop taking people's allocated seats at away games and giving it the biggen in their fake Burberry scarves/Stone Island jackets we MIGHT just all unite and make some noise at away games.

I've seen some embarrassing moments from our away fans this year, fighting amongst themselves .. spitting at each other during Fulham.

Only when we all start to unite will we see an improvement

The 16 year olds are our future so don't call them idiots. For a 16 year old with limited resources to make the effort to support the Royals on away trips that deserves alot of praise.

16 year olds are going to be boisterous. Weren't you when you were 16? Football needs to cater to the needs of all supporters. Not just ones that want to sit quietly in a chair. It's because football doesn't properly cater to the needs of all that we have all these arguments happening all the time at away games especially. Some want to stand, some want to sit. That doesn't work when it is only seats that are available.

Terracing needs to be brought back as soon as possible then everyone can be happy.

Agree with what you are saying and absolutely they are the future of the club agreed fair play to those who make the effort

If you go back to the incidents I mentioned, yes there is boisterous 16 year old behaviour which isn't a problem but when you are sat in between two crowds of people spitting and kicking off at each other then the line is getting crossed. What sort of image is that for our club?

Swearing, shouting, drunk antics yes its all part of football and there needs to be more done to accommodate safe standing I agree.

I think the club could do more to allocate tickets that ensure away supporters are able to book individually and still have a seat allocated next to their friends without affecting families sitting in their allocated seats.

[Top Flight]

Maybe once our idiot 16 year old fans stop taking people's allocated seats at away games and giving it the biggen in their fake Burberry scarves/Stone Island jackets we MIGHT just all unite and make some noise at away games.

I've seen some embarrassing moments from our away fans this year, fighting amongst themselves .. spitting at each other during Fulham.

Only when we all start to unite will we see an improvement

The 16 year olds are our future so don't call them idiots. For a 16 year old with limited resources to make the effort to support the Royals on away trips that deserves alot of praise.

16 year olds are going to be boisterous. Weren't you when you were 16? Football needs to cater to the needs of all supporters. Not just ones that want to sit quietly in a chair. It's because football doesn't properly cater to the needs of all that we have all these arguments happening all the time at away games especially. Some want to stand, some want to sit. That doesn't work when it is only seats that are available.

Terracing needs to be brought back as soon as possible then everyone can be happy.

Agree with what you are saying and absolutely they are the future of the club agreed fair play to those who make the effort

If you go back to the incidents I mentioned, yes there is boisterous 16 year old behaviour which isn't a problem but when you are sat in between two crowds of people spitting and kicking off at each other then the line is getting crossed. What sort of image is that for our club?

Swearing, shouting, drunk antics yes its all part of football and there needs to be more done to accommodate safe standing I agree.

I think the club could do more to allocate tickets that ensure away supporters are able to book individually and still have a seat allocated next to their friends without affecting families sitting in their allocated seats.

Of course, you are right, spitting and kicking off at each other is crossing a line. We have to remember that at 16 they are still basically children even though they might want to think otherwise and they are trying to grow up. They are still immature and very childish. Still we have to look after these kids and welcome them into the Reading family. Reading should be for all supporters. Not just old fogies and families with young children. It has to be for teens and young adults too.

There is no reason why football can't be for everyone. The club have to think about the different groups that make up the fanbase and try to accommodate them all. I go with my 7 year old kid and the grandad. But I want to see lots more teens, millenials and generation Z's. Otherwise I think football will continue to get more and more boring and attendances will continue to decline. It is not only about families. Nowadays, I go as a family. But in the past I have gone as one of the lads. I went as a teen in the past too that didn't always know where the line was that shouldn't be crossed. We go through different stages in life. We want RFC to accommodate us at every stage of our lives.

[CountryRoyal]

This is strange. Find myself in rare agreement with Top Flight.. I think I need a lie down.