Saturdays Atmosphere

[ShrimplyTheBest]

Having been a shrimper for many years… I have only recently discovered sz since the collapse of the os forum! I felt after Saturday it was the right time to sign up!!! It was great to see the efforts some have gone to with the Blue Voice… even just the addition of a drum made a real real difference and it was really appreciated! Luckily enough my season ticket was in the right place anyway!!! But it was also nice not to be told to sit down. The atmosphere was much improved on recent home games particularly in the second half but what I really wanted to mention was the booing in the first half. We did make a poor start, but Cheltenham started well and took their chances. We cannot assume we are going to win every game against teams below us keeping clean sheets! What the booing did was actually make matters worse – with the players looking like they didn’t want the ball for fear of making a mistake! I had the fortune of bumping into one of the players out with his misses on Saturday night, who mentioned how great the support was in the second half and how much is really helps. He was upset at the player’s treatment in the first half particularly for young players like Moussa. Times when we fall behind like this is when the players needed the vocal support! I can understand Cheltenham’s start silencing the crowd… we didn’t really expect it… but what was the need for the booing??? Well to me it appeared generally that those vocal supporters particularly in the Blue Voice area were not booing, these are the people who use their voices to support the team. The booing was coming from those who never open their mouths to sing and support the side! This is what aggravates me. I truly believe on the whole it was the newer fans who do not realise where we have come from. I understand people will come back saying that they pay good money and if the players aren’t performing then they can vent their frustration, but may I suggest that this could be vented at the half-time or full-time whistle?! This way it would not have such a damaging affect on the players. Lastly on the subject of Matt Harrold, and all the strikers for that matter. The player I spoke to assured me they are all better players than they have shown, and if the fans would just get off their back we would see that!!!

So that’s the first and longest post I will probably ever leave but I think for those of you that have not yet realised our support is vital to the performance of our side. For you guys involved in setting up Blue Voice your efforts are much appreciated… I hope everyone continues to support your efforts and help sing the side to success J

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quality post mate, welcome to the delights of the world of SZ!

 

[DTS]

Spot on. Welcome to the board and agree fully with all you have said.

 

[Bielzibubz]

Indeed, top post. I'd also like to say a well done to the stewards in the Blue Voice section on Saturday who throughout the 90 minutes made no attempt to get us to sit down. Common sense prevailed at last.

From small acorns big oak trees grow. May this be just the start of a whole new era for the Southend Utd faithful.

 

[ShrimplyTheBest]

Exactly Cheers boys...

and btw Hi Dave its me Will... the ex-Brighton Shrimper ;)

Keep up the good work Blue Voice!!!

 

[MK Shrimper]

Got to agree with all that's been said. Welcome aboard :)

 

[madaboutblues]

I was there with my balloons, flags etc on Saturday and thought the atmosphere was much better than previous games. It did go a bit quiet at the end of the first half and I think that is what the Blue Voice needs to focus on a bit more - keeping the singing going when we are losing and not playing well.

As for the booing, I think a lot of people mistake the Moooooooose chant for booing.

I think the players appreciated the support in the second half but needed it more in the first half. Did you see Macca gesturing over us in the West to keep going?

 

[Mr. Benedict]

It's very hard to keep an atmosphere going when the team's playing as badly as it was in the first half - which is one of the challenges that we'll have to overcome with TBV - encourage when we're losing, not slag the team down.

 

[Flaiming Moe]

Welcome aboard ShrimplyTheBest.

Excellent post.

 

[BoyWonder2]

To be honest, I think booing them off at half time gave them the rocket they needed (along with Tilly and Brush tearing into them at half time).

Just out of interest, when was the last time we have booed the team off at half time, I can't remember.

 

[ShrimplyTheBest]

You might be right... something got them going in the second half! Tilly obviously gave an inspired team talk!!! Perhaps to avoid confusion Moussa needs a new song ;)

Any suggestions???

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Perhaps to avoid confusion Moussa needs a new song

Any suggestions???

Just need to get Col Ewe in R3 of the Cup & Franckie boy can score the winner.......

Franck Moussa
woooooo-oh-woh-woh

Franck Moussa
woooooo-oh-woh-woh

He comes from Bel-gee-um
We beat the Col Ewe scum

 

[Prodigal Son]

Indeed, top post. I'd also like to say a well done to the stewards in the Blue Voice section on Saturday who throughout the 90 minutes made no attempt to get us to sit down. Common sense prevailed at last.

From small acorns big oak trees grow. May this be just the start of a whole new era for the Southend Utd faithful.

To respond to this post the obsession with standing up is why I will not be in the Blue Voice section. More generally, I thought the organisers of TBV tried very hard,a very good effort, but thought that the atmosphere was about the same as usual and reflected the normal atmospherics you get from going 0-2 down quickly, and then staging a comeback.

Personally think the atmsphere is pretty good in recent years apart from when we are getting thrashed, much better than the myths about the North Bank (yawwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnn!)

It is important to be patient as this intiative will take time to gain momentum. Too often it is easy to think that ShrimperZone represents all supporters but is in reality a small percentage of the fanbase of around 6,000 to 7,000. So it will take time for word to get around. Not sure the Echo reaches the parts it once used to either.

As for the first half performance,it was shocking, and did not think the boos were that bad. I could easily have nodded off, the drummer kept me awake.
The best bit was my flask of tea at half-time,and think the level of applause for the team at the end was beyondwhat they deserved.

There you go, an opinion from the middle of the West Stand.

 

[Tin Bath]

I cant remember any booing for Franc Moussa, there was a couple of groans when he passed the ball square in his own half and it was cut out and Cheltenham nearly scored but thats part of the learning curve of football in that I think he realised his error. I dont think it right to boo the team or any players during the game but in the same way a team like to receive applause for a good performance maybe a general good natured boo at half time of full time is a acceptable to convey feelings of the supporters. The two goals were very sloppy, going to sleep at a corner and not working hard enough to stop the cross coming in, as side from that the football played wasnt bad and when it got to 2-2 after 60 mins I felt sure we would go on to win the game but thats not what this thread is about. I dont agree with personal abuse, as long as the player is trying 100% he will always have my support but in the same manner a team expects applause for a good performance and general good natured boo at either half time or full time for a sub-standard performance has its merits, we all agree I feel saturdays first half TEAM display was below the standard required and thankfully that changed in the second half

 

[thechampionship_isupsidedown]

To be honest, I think booing them off at half time gave them the rocket they needed (along with Tilly and Brush tearing into them at half time).

Just out of interest, when was the last time we have booed the team off at half time, I can't remember.

From what it said in the Sunday Times Tilly didnt respond with ire and fire, he was very quiet and assured, and told the players to go out and take their chances, and everything should be alright...

 

[Prodigal Son]

I cant remember any booing for Franc Moussa, there was a couple of groans when he passed the ball square in his own half and it was cut out and Cheltenham nearly scored but thats part of the learning curve of football in that I think he realised his error. I dont think it right to boo the team or any players during the game but in the same way a team like to receive applause for a good performance maybe a general good natured boo at half time of full time is a acceptable to convey feelings of the supporters. The two goals were very sloppy, going to sleep at a corner and not working hard enough to stop the cross coming in, as side from that the football played wasnt bad and when it got to 2-2 after 60 mins I felt sure we would go on to win the game but thats not what this thread is about. I dont agree with personal abuse, as long as the player is trying 100% he will always have my support but in the same manner a team expects applause for a good performance and general good natured boo at either half time or full time for a sub-standard performance has its merits, we all agree I feel saturdays first half TEAM display was below the standard required and thankfully that changed in the second half

Great post, nobody near me booed during the first-half or slagged the palyers off but a half-time boo is surely just saying pull your socks up, we'r not happy. I don't buy into this unconditional love for the palyers thing.

 

[C C Csiders]

You might be right... something got them going in the second half! Tilly obviously gave an inspired team talk!!! Perhaps to avoid confusion Moussa needs a new song ;)

Any suggestions???

The old Modern Romance number Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye Moussa

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

There was no boo-ing, but there was plenty of slagging off, groaning etc but very little appreciation of anything good we might have done first half.

If someone sprayed the ball nicely out wide, it would be met with stony silence and not even a polite applause, but if someone tried the pass and got it slightly wrong it would be met with a roar of disapproval.

This certainly got to Franck Moussa, who had a most uncharacteristically poor touch on Saturday as the negativity of the crowd clearly got to him.

Moussa has played in 9 league games. These include games at Sunderland and Southampton in front of 30,000+, a derby game at Layer Rd in front of 3,000, away at Ipswich and Forest in front of 20,000+.

Yet the first time he's been affected by the crowd, is in only his second home start in front of what are supposed to be our supporters.

 

[C C Csiders]

FWIW I think that Franck Moussa will be the next Southend player to go for £1million+. This is, of course, if the 'fans' don't get to him first and destroy him. I rate that as 50:50.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

, a derby game at Layer Rd in front of 3,000

:hilarious:

Seems hard to believe a few years back that some of our 'derby' crowds against Colchester were actually below 3,000 both home and away!