Darwen End Closure / New Singing Section

[pk1875]

43 minutes ago, meadows said:

I’ve been vehemently and publicly critical of many aspects of the club for aeons. The programme, the 1875 membership scheme, ticket pricing for a couple of examples so to suggest I would toe any club line is just a gratuitous & wildly wide of the mark insult. 

I’m disappointed you resort to such a childish jibe in what was a civilised discussion and bid you a good afternoon and hope you enjoy the season wherever you are located. 

Likewise, lets hope its a good one for all fellow Rovers fans

[blueboy3333]

If Waggott promised to support and promote the idea of a singing section in the JW lower but failed to do so then he has indeed talked the talk but not walked the walk.

I think he comes across a bit contrived to be honest, he'll say what he thinks people want to hear. 

[AshleyClifford]

Regarding the darwen end, it was never that busy. I’m sure someone could provide figures. If the club made a promise to advertise a potential relocation to the w01 w02 they should have done it of explained why they can’t. If it was an announcement at a fans forum then strictly speaking it’s been done. I know about it because it’s been mentioned on here , and on the rovers face book group, I expect people will also talk about it with friends and colleagues - so I think the awareness is there.

in fact w01 is available this season, last year it was used as segregation. 

This sort of thing has to be organic. I have sat in the jack walker lower for the past 3 seasons, and I for one would not be happy if someone either stood up in front of me all game/or decided they liked my seat better.  I do enjoy standing at football but I would not want to be in someone else’s way. 

[pk1875]

3 hours ago, AshleyClifford said:

Regarding the darwen end, it was never that busy. I’m sure someone could provide figures. If the club made a promise to advertise a potential relocation to the w01 w02 they should have done it of explained why they can’t. If it was an announcement at a fans forum then strictly speaking it’s been done. I know about it because it’s been mentioned on here , and on the rovers face book group, I expect people will also talk about it with friends and colleagues - so I think the awareness is there.

in fact w01 is available this season, last year it was used as segregation. 

This sort of thing has to be organic. I have sat in the jack walker lower for the past 3 seasons, and I for one would not be happy if someone either stood up in front of me all game/or decided they liked my seat better.  I do enjoy standing at football but I would not want to be in someone else’s way. 

The disappointing points are that the club clearly didn't learn from the BBE Upper family stand closure with lack of consultation, The club promised that "Ryan" I think it was? The Twitter and social media guy would be in touch and help spread the work and build interest which didn't happen. As it stands now some have scattered in the other 3 stands some haven't bothered renewing. 

[Paul]

19 hours ago, pk1875 said:

As it stands now some have scattered in the other 3 stands some haven't bothered renewing. 

Really? Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. Presumably these fans want to watch Rovers yet deny themselves the pleasure. I realise people are upset and it appears the club didn't handle this well but I, who have no interest in sitting in the DE, have been fully aware all summer of the closure.

This smacks of if I can't play by my rules I'm taking my ball home.

[Mattyblue]

I never get the 'if I can't sit/stand in my seat I'm not going'. I've been in my seat for nearly 25 years, I too would be narked and I'd have a good grumble if my area was closed, but give up watching my club over it, never (yes this is easy for me to say because they won't be closng the BBEnd lower, but I can promise you!)

However, without doubt the club has missed a trick here, a decent bit of PR could have been something like;

'With the Darwen End now away supporters only, we invite all singers to join our new Barmy Army (or a better title ha!) section, bring your banners and flags!'   

[pk1875]

51 minutes ago, Paul said:

Really? Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. Presumably these fans want to watch Rovers yet deny themselves the pleasure. I realise people are upset and it appears the club didn't handle this well but I, who have no interest in sitting in the DE, have been fully aware all summer of the closure.

This smacks of if I can't play by my rules I'm taking my ball home.

Seriously yes, I was surprised to hear this too. Maybe It was the straw that broke the camels back for them after a few years of turmoil? Maybe just a convenient excuse who knows?

 

28 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

I never get the 'if I can't sit/stand in my seat I'm not going'. I've been in my seat for nearly 25 years, I too would be narked and I'd have a good grumble if my area was closed, but give up watching my club over it, never (yes this is easy for me to say because they won't be closng the BBEnd lower, but I can promise you!)

However, without doubt the club has missed a trick here, a decent bit of PR could have been something like;

'With the Darwen End now away supporters only, we invite all singers to join our new Barmy Army (or a better title ha!) section, bring your banners and flags!'   

The club definitely missed out on this, Waggot even discussed and like a #LoudAndProud hashtag, but then nothing.

[barry_]

as i feared... it's pretty awful in the JWL.

A decent amount but too many who aren't supporting.

The BBE it is ?

 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

BBE slightly more vocal than usual today...think that's were your mates have set up camp.

[Mattyblue]

Definitely seemed to be more standing and singing in N01 than last year...

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Yep,very noticeable from JW.

Still a shame to see 800 away fans rattling around an 8,000 seater stand.

[barry_]

?

[barry_]

(dunno what the tent was all about)

[barry_]

the Riverside seemed to be a bit empty today?

[blueboy3333]

Noticeable they've put the away fans on the other side of the DE from the 'new' singing section in the JWL.  

[Mattyblue]

About standard for the Riverside?

[JHRover]

The tent is the control point for the digital advertising boards. The ones in front of the JW stand are temporary ones until we get our own permanent ones which will run behind both goals and the JW stand. 

 

[Vinjay]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

Noticeable they've put the away fans on the other side of the DE from the 'new' singing section in the JWL.  

Never really seen much appeal just staring at away fans for a hour and half anyway. 

[old darwen blue]

16 hours ago, barry_ said:

as i feared... it's pretty awful in the JWL.

A decent amount but too many who aren't supporting.

The BBE it is ?

 

To be honest the singing was a bit quiet at first but as the game developed and in particular near the end of the second half the atmosphere had noticeably risen. I did notice a good few people around where I was sat who appeared to be existing JWL supporters getting a bit more involved. It’s early days yet and as a Millwall fan posted earlier the drummer doesn’t half annoy the away fans so it’s worth persevering with for that reason alone!

There were about 800 Millwall fans in the Darwen End yesterday and they were quite loud. There looked to be about 4000 in the BBE and apart from a couple of exceptions you couldn’t hear them, FIVE times as many. In my opinion there are too many spectators and not supporters in the BBE and that was the problem to begin with which necessitated setting up the singers section in the DE.

If anyone now wants to move from the JWL to the BBE then I hope you get a seat in an area which has more supporters than spectators or I fear that you may be disappointed.  

By comparison 4000 Rovers away supporters make a very loud noise. The Blackburn End isn’t what it used to be and to the credit of those that set up the original Darwen End group originally then they deserve praise for their attempts to increase the atmosphere and the support to the team on the pitch which is what we all want anyway  I think it’s a bit early to be throwing the towel in  

 

Edited August 12, 2018 by old darwen blue

[Mattyblue]

It’s obviously acoustics.

There were plenty singing in N01 yesterday, I could hear them loud and clear and it went across the rest of the End at certain points. 

I used to get told that the Darwen End made plenty of noise but I couldn’t ever hear them, just like I couldn’t hear the JW corner yesterday.

End of the day, if there’s going to be around 4,000 folk in the Blackburn End then that is where the noise will come from, not 100 people stood as far as way as possible from that End.

If there is not going to be a proper Ultras area set up then the Blackburn End has to be the focal point, so let’s hope it continues to improve, more folk move back and and it gets back to its former glory.

[MillwallSE16]

If that's a "singing section" away to our left then god help Blackburn. It was a rag tag collection of around 50 people, one with a stupid drum that didn't even do anything rythmic, he just banged away regardless. The rest just stood around and did nothing. The end opposite us made by far the most noise

When I said the drummer was annoying - ANY drummer is annoying. No place for it in football, but this one was much much worse than others. Middlesbrough (as well as most Northern teams) have a drummer but at least they get the rest of the crowd going, at your place, it was like giving a 3 year old a drum for Christmas and watching them just bang away at random moments

I think it can be dangerous to try and intimidate away fans, this has happened countless times with us and they are always surpised when we confront them. We end up being the "thugs" Not condoning it but why give it, then claim innocence when it all goes pear shaped - Rotherham a couple of years ago, exactly the same happened and it ended up in violence inside & outside the ground. Our KO time has been moved to a Sunday at 12 when we play them this year meaning less will go and less £££ for Rotherham.

Our turnout yesterday was pretty poor, last season we averaged about 1,200 away (which when you consider our home attendance is pretty good) but we do seem to pick & choose. Some games we sell out 3,000 in a heartbeat others we struggle to reach 1,000. We do have a membership scheme though. To attend an away game, regardless whether it is West Ham or Carlisle you have to be a member. To get membership, you pay £20 a season and have to supply a passport or driving licence and a utility bill, so it's not just a case of filling in an online form. This stops the casual fan going, some are not sure if they are working then can't attend. We were explicitly told that there would be NO sales on the day for Millwall for yesterday.

Apart from the boring game I thought it was a good day out, decent weather and the Blackburn fans we came across were decent and friendly so best of luck for the rest of the season.

Ps How many different shades of Blue have you had in your shirts over the last few years! Must have seen half a dozen different kinds in the shirts that people were wearing

 

 

 

[old darwen blue]

Your obviously a staunch Blackburn Ender Matty as I once was so good luck in your attempt to covert spectators into supporters then. I dont think that the addition of a 100 singers from the Darwen End as you put it will make much difference though. 

On a side note I quite liked my view from the back row of the JWL. 

[Paul]

Ah so people who don’t sing are spectators and not supporters? 

Presumably I should give up, return my ST and take up knitting? Try telling the guy next to me, 60+, who goes home and away and to the reserves (whatever we call them now). The wheelchair fans who go home and away and the PLAYERS went to thank for their support last season.

Why is it we have a section of our supporters who find it necessary to label other fans in an unflattering manner? What does this achieve?

The drum was very irritating for the first 20 minutes but we didn’t notice it after that. Either he stopped or we got used to it. I hope I simply got used to it.

The BBE, unsurprisingly, was far louder. 

Edited August 12, 2018 by Paul

[old darwen blue]

1 minute ago, MillwallSE16 said:

If that's a "singing section" away to our left then god help Blackburn. It was a rag tag collection of around 50 people, one with a stupid drum that didn't even do anything rythmic, he just banged away regardless. The rest just stood around and did nothing. The end opposite us made by far the most noise

When I said the drummer was annoying - ANY drummer is annoying. No place for it in football, but this one was much much worse than others. Middlesbrough (as well as most Northern teams) have a drummer but at least they get the rest of the crowd going, at your place, it was like giving a 3 year old a drum for Christmas and watching them just bang away at random moments

I think it can be dangerous to try and intimidate away fans, this has happened countless times with us and they are always surpised when we confront them. We end up being the "thugs" Not condoning it but why give it, then claim innocence when it all goes pear shaped - Rotherham a couple of years ago, exactly the same happened and it ended up in violence inside & outside the ground. Our KO time has been moved to a Sunday at 12 when we play them this year meaning less will go and less £££ for Rotherham.

Our turnout yesterday was pretty poor, last season we averaged about 1,200 away (which when you consider our home attendance is pretty good) but we do seem to pick & choose. Some games we sell out 3,000 in a heartbeat others we struggle to reach 1,000. We do have a membership scheme though. To attend an away game, regardless whether it is West Ham or Carlisle you have to be a member. To get membership, you pay £20 a season and have to supply a passport or driving licence and a utility bill, so it's not just a case of filling in an online form. This stops the casual fan going, some are not sure if they are working then can't attend. We were explicitly told that there would be NO sales on the day for Millwall for yesterday.

Apart from the boring game I thought it was a good day out, decent weather and the Blackburn fans we came across were decent and friendly so best of luck for the rest of the season.

Ps How many different shades of Blue have you had in your shirts over the last few years! Must have seen half a dozen different kinds in the shirts that people were wearing

 

 

 

It’s not a singing section pal, we had one where you were sat but the club got rid of it and didn’t help by moving everyone involved.  People who used to sit there just decided to move to the area where the drummer was of their own choice, the club didn’t facilitate anything. 

Youve got great support by the way and I don’t buy into all this all Millwall fans are thugs.  

[Mattyblue]

8 minutes ago, old darwen blue said:

Your obviously a staunch Blackburn Ender Matty as I once was so good luck in your attempt to covert spectators into supporters then. I dont think that the addition of a 100 singers from the Darwen End as you put it will make much difference though. 

On a side note I quite liked my view from the back row of the JWL. 

I’m not staunch anything, I just sit there out of habit really.

But it’s obvious surely that a vastly more populated home End has more chance than a few dozen people tucked away in a corner, miles away from that End and seemingly miles away from the away fans too as the club has switched the away half of the Darwen End to the Riverside...

Edited August 12, 2018 by Mattyblue