CARDIFF HOME THREAD

[northbank123]

I've always said, the biggest mistake (well 2nd...) the Board made in moving to the bowl was not to match seat allocations one for one on the lower tier with a seat at Highbury. By letting the free for all occur with 22,000 new season ticket holders, they split up the old terraces in one fell swoop.

The club did let people chose ticket places, and the intent was to let people be able to sit near their friends.
In theory it was a good idea, but the practice was that not all groups of friends managed to sit together.

I remember going up with my Dad to the Arsenal office (Highbury House?) when he was choosing tickets for new ground. Was a bit of a strange experience to choose your tickets based almost purely on a seat map a bloke was showing you on a computer screen.

[QuartzGooner]

I've always said, the biggest mistake (well 2nd...) the Board made in moving to the bowl was not to match seat allocations one for one on the lower tier with a seat at Highbury. By letting the free for all occur with 22,000 new season ticket holders, they split up the old terraces in one fell swoop.

The club did let people chose ticket places, and the intent was to let people be able to sit near their friends.
In theory it was a good idea, but the practice was that not all groups of friends managed to sit together.

I remember going up with my Dad to the Arsenal office (Highbury House?) when he was choosing tickets for new ground. Was a bit of a strange experience to choose your tickets based almost purely on a seat map a bloke was showing you on a computer screen.

I went to a reception centre in Brewery Road, with a model of the new stadium on the ground floor, and a computer virtual reality version of the stadium upstairs where you could see the view from your proposed seat.

[A11M11]

By lumping the Clock end with the outer wings of the north bank together at one end they took away the vocal interaction from the ground. People from the Middle north bank section were put upstairs and isolated from the banter. They did this for two reasons firstly to keep the vociferous element of the clock end as far as possible from the away support and of course to make their life easier by not having to reallocate season ticket holders when cup matches came round. In all it has taken until now for traditional chanting of the clock end /north bank chant to reappear. Although I am glad we are still referring to the old ground as we do it.

[StuartL]

By lumping the Clock end with the outer wings of the north bank together at one end they took away the vocal interaction from the ground. People from the Middle north bank section were put upstairs and isolated from the banter. They did this for two reasons firstly to keep the vociferous element of the clock end as far as possible from the away support and of course to make their life easier by not having to reallocate season ticket holders when cup matches came round. In all it has taken until now for traditional chanting of the clock end /north bank chant to reappear. Although I am glad we are still referring to the old ground as we do it.

Whilst situating the family enclosure right next to it, so all the away fans can act tough v young kids and the family's that inhabit it.

We have lost (in one fail swoop) an awful lot of our traditional hardcore support for several reasons.

The move away from Highbury - some traditionalists have just refused to go since.

Islington residents were allowed to queue jump the season ticket waiting list, who may not have been brought up with the terrace culture of singing till you were hoarse, giving the ref grief and abusing the opposition players and fans

Forever rising ticket prices - far too costly to justify for the average guy with mortgage (or rent) / kids, meaning our demographic of fan changed to the wealthy

The team regressing from invincibles, with sub standard players replacing title winning hero's.= not much to shout about over the last few years.

Removal of the clock end / north bank (the club couldn't give a toss about what we want) to orange / blue / yellow / red quadrant (or whatever they were) ffs !!

We always had the older element at Highbury ,who had been going / had season tickets for year,s sat in the East and West Uppers, which were hardly renown for being cauldron's of noise.

Football is still trendy - to be at an important "matchday experience" is just another thing to tweet or brag about at the office, regardless of actually supporting either of the teams involved.

Just hope that one day football comes back to the fans.

[markyp]

Being one of the younger posters on here (18), it's interesting to see that some people think that the younger generation are partially responsible for the often drap atmosphere. I have been two times this season and I would go more often if I could afford it (each game costs roughly 100 pounds for me) but each and every time I join in whenever a song gets going.
I've only sat in the upper tier this season, and im the youngest person withiin a 20m radius, with everyone in their 40s+, which rarely results in a great atmosphere where I am.
I am going to the game this weekend and once again Im in the uppper tier North bank. I was hoping for an electric atmosphere, but judging by the tickets available probably not.

well done fella,sing your heart out for the Arsenal