Travelling home from Derby on the train last week, I got to thinking 'could we emulate them?' Small town club, saved from near extinction by a wealthy local businessman, new ground and close community ties... sound familiar? Derby are a fantastic club with a superb set up but it took them time to get where they are. Can anyone who went to the game on Saturday say they didn't see, first hand, an amazingly well run, friendly club with awesome supporters? Looking over at the home end once they went ahead, waving those massive flags and the unified chanting that swelled round the stadium was enough to get the hairs up on the back of my neck and made me yearn to hear the same at NYS. Look, I know it's easy to be happy when you're winning but how good would it be to hear this kind of united voice at NYS, whatever the score? I went to Liverpool games regularly as a youth and saw some pretty dire Liverpool performances, but the fans NEVER turned on their players. Wish we were more like that
I know it may sound sacrilegious, but I wish we could be more like Derby...
Derby have the highest attendances in the Championship, we have the lowest. That said many people have queried how to improve "atmosphere" at games. Certain clubs/fans seem to be better than others but why is not always obvious. Btw, Liverpool over the last few seasons has seen supporters more critical of the team than in the past and I have been told the atmosphere is sometimes quite poor.
yes we can learn but to call derby a small town club you have to be joking, firstly it is a city with the nearest serious club 20+ miles away (not counting burton). It has won the title more than once
Ok, so.. Derby population 248,752 Rotherham population 260,000, I think my comparison is a fair one.
Also, to the previous post, you miss my point. What difference does size of the gate Derby get make to the positivity and aspirations of the fans? I said Liverpool fans were never critical of their players when I used to go as a youth, which was 30 years ago, so I think you've missed what I was trying to say. Don't you get fed up with sitting next to people at home games and being surrounded by constant negativity and lack of cohesion in the support? It's so frustrating when players like Pringle get sustained applause as a Fulham player and in the next breath our own are being called some of the most vile names imaginable. But I can remember the same abuse being hurled and Pringle when he was a Miller, now it seems some people think we let the next Messi leave the club!
I have sat next to some really miserable people at the NYS. Eventually I moved to another area where the supporters are more positive in their outlook.
I have sat next to some really miserable people at the NYS. Eventually I moved to another area where the supporters are more positive in their outlook.
