Why are we so quiet?

[quickwingerswife]

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.

[quickwingerswife]

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.

[Royal_jimmy]

We are ok at home but I agree that away from home its really quiet now. We have never been loud at away games but this season is just a new low. It isnt helping our form away from home and we need to start being more vocal.. Otherwise why do you even go to games?

[WoodleyRoyal]

Go and support them then. The game has changed, most clubs have shit support, been to plenty of grounds where the fans are a silent as ours.

Promotion to the Premier league (twice) was the worst thing that could have happened to us. Our fans are now bored we've been there and done it, we have nothing to look forward to. We know we won't compete when we get there makes the whole thing a damp squib.

The club is back to status quo, gates averaging between 16-18k is where we always have been as a club and after the last three shit seasons, the fairweather fans have gone leaving behind the core support that is reflective of the size of town we are.

Plus its cold, wet and dark. The brand of football is slow and uninspiring. Stewards are overzealous.

[WoodleyRoyal]

Otherwise why do you even go to games?

to watch football, not all fans want to sing... are they not allowed to go?

[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.

[genome]

I get confused why Reading get stick about atmospheres from their own fans, and opposition fans.

From my experience with away games and noise generated from visiting fans at the Madejski, our atmospheres are no better or worse than the majority of teams in the league.

[Top Flight]

I get confused why Reading get stick about atmospheres from their own fans, and opposition fans.

From my experience with away games and noise generated from visiting fans at the Madejski, our atmospheres are no better or worse than the majority of teams in the league.

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.

But you're right. Every teams supporters are as bad as each other in the Championship.

If you want noise you will find it at Hungerford Town or Wealdstone FC.

[Ian Royal]

Shit football for 4 years and less good performances away. It'll come.

[Top Flight]

I'm not sure it will come Ian.

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

I think there are changes happening. Structural changes. Demographics are changing, the economic fortunes of the millenials and Generation Z after them is very different from those of the baby boomer generation and generation X, the sons of the baby boomers.

The millenials and Generation Z after cost of living is taken into account are unlikely to pay the high prices demanded by Football clubs for watching their matches.

I think there are changes afoot. There are trends that are happening that could mean that we are in a terminal decline when it comes to football and going to matches.

The decline could be reversed, but it cannot be business as usual. The club has to focus its efforts and understand the challenges that the millenials and generation z have and put a proposition before them that would entice them to the football. When I watch Reading on a saturday I see dwindling numbers of millenials and generation z. Reading has a large baby boomer support but their numbers are beginning to drop as old age catches them up and poor health begins to take it's toll.

[bobby1413]

Agree that at home we are ok, many in this league are more quiet than us.

It doesn't help though with stewards now getting in the face of fans standing up in lower half of Y25. And by "in the face" I mean constant waving to sit down and going into the row to tell specific people to sit.

Away - i think it depends on our current songs. As you know we don't have any original songs really. But chants like the "piazon... ola John" one were great. Effective and easy.

The jaap stam had a dream song is good too and I think at times it is good

Saturday the atmosphere in away stand seemed fragmented. There's always about 7-8 individual groups all competiting to be heard.

I.e. One group will start "everywhere we go" song

And just as that starts another group sings "jaap stam had a dream"

Then seconds after another group shout "blue army"

It's rushed, it's not really impactive as it's like listening to 2000 individuals with Tourette's singing after a good session in the pub.

The answer? I don't think there is one. I do think if we had a more hardcore older fan base - not just yoofs- AND also some songs (not just chants) then things would improve.

That's basically describing clubs like Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds.

I do get pee'd off on a big away game to see literally half the fans immediately sit down. Roast me if you want but I just think that sums up some of the fans. Sit down, sit on hands, politely watch.

[LWJ]

The problem we have is all songs are rushed.. we do two repetitions of had a dream, or we rush through blue army etc..

Leeds fans we should take note of. It is intimidating when they are chanting Champions of Europe or something for a substained period or time.. it quietens any home/away support from us anyway.

[Sutekh]

Home team fans are always poor. Particularly when playing non descript teams. Reading's are no different in that.

Liverpool and Newcastle are about the only two I've experienced where the home fans have been fairly vocal without the need for a goal or two start.

When you consider the amount of clubs we could have a real derby rivalry with currently in the top 2 divisions (qpr, brentford, watford, soton etc.) it's just amazing that nothing ever develops. Guess we really need 2 or 3 successive games against one of them that develop into incident packed war zones on the pitch. At least then we could be sure of something noisy a few times a season.

Sadly with Reading's current "too polite" style of play that won't happen and despite the reasonable success, and a team looking to be on the up, the style is just too slow, inconsistent and mistake ridden to really get people looking forward to the next game.

Hopefully, when Stam is able to fully iron out all the faults, we'll be able to get much more "buy in" from those less regular visitors and therefore get at least a slight improvement in atmosphere

By the way, don't recall much band/drum noise this season. Have they also packed up and gone home?

[muirinho]

By the way, don't recall much band/drum noise this season. Have they also packed up and gone home?

Band seems to have packed it in (Hurrah). Drum I barely noticed until I moved seats to Y20 for a few games that my son was able to attend - have barely heard the drums from my normal position (Y23)

Agree on the whole repetition thing - doesn't really work that well with Jaap Stam had a dream, but we should be able to get a decent amount of repetition on some of the other chants. Last time I heard anything decent was one of the home games where we hung on after having a player sent off - the last few minutes was a loud "Blue Army" chant, which actually worked really well.

But normally people seem to give up after repeating a chant twice, which sounds woeful

[No Fixed Abode]

Home team fans are always poor. Particularly when playing non descript teams. Reading's are no different in that.

Liverpool and Newcastle are about the only two I've experienced where the home fans have been fairly vocal without the need for a goal or two start.

When you consider the amount of clubs we could have a real derby rivalry with currently in the top 2 divisions (qpr, brentford, watford, soton etc.) it's just amazing that nothing ever develops. Guess we really need 2 or 3 successive games against one of them that develop into incident packed war zones on the pitch. At least then we could be sure of something noisy a few times a season.

Sadly with Reading's current "too polite" style of play that won't happen and despite the reasonable success, and a team looking to be on the up, the style is just too slow, inconsistent and mistake ridden to really get people looking forward to the next game.

Hopefully, when Stam is able to fully iron out all the faults, we'll be able to get much more "buy in" from those less regular visitors and therefore get at least a slight improvement in atmosphere

By the way, don't recall much band/drum noise this season. Have they also packed up and gone home?

I don't agree with Liverpool. Awful atmosphere and I've been to Anfield 6 times now. "Walk on" at the start, not much during the game "Walk on" at the end if they win. Really is the worst over-hyped atmosphere I've ever encountered. Even on those 'special European nights' it's predominantly the away supporters making most of the noise.

[Emeraldroyal]

Derby away.

Best atmosphere amongst our fans for years in my book.
Helped by, you guessed it matters on the pitch
We were superb for the first 25 minutes that day and it's no coincidence.

Agree what othe folk say about home games it's a bit poo and some clubs have bucked that trend with standing sections / drummers etc etc but it all boils down to what happens on the blades of grass.
Yes you can give it the self deprecating stuff and go along for the jolly but I've never bought that I want success and decent football.

Too much to ask I suppose

[Gunny Fishcake]

We are quiet at home, I think the type of football we're playing at present doesn't stir the loins and generate excitement , remember those days when Gilksy got the ball on the wing at Elm Park and embarked on one of those blistering runs....now that was noise. We can make a racket particularly away games , who'll ever forget that night against Southampton at their place 13/4/12 when we won 3-1 , amazing support that night

[Lower West]

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.

[genome]

Fulham away was good this year until the floodg8s opened in the second half.

I was in the home end for the match at Fulham last year, too, at the other end of the stadium and we sounded proper loud, again until the floodg8s opened in the second half.

[genome]

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

Presumably because it takes about 20 years to get a season ticket at any of the bigger clubs.