Quiet Old Trafford

Where were you sat?

It was eerie how quiet the ground went when the handball was given.
Also that one second gap when the opposition score, theres quiet, then all of a sudden you hear a roar from the opposition fans for the goal is always weird.

Was a much better atmosphere about the place even walking in with a few pints on board and having watched the blue sh!te embarrassed. I hated those early kick offs against the scousers cause the bloody police thought we couldn't handle a few drinks first.

I know what you mean about the handball, I'd seen what happened in real time but felt like my brain couldn't comprehend what my eyes were telling it. We recovered though, on the pitch and in the stands, it's how you respond to these things that's a measure of us as a team and fans
 
United tend to attack the Stretford End in the second half, think you'd much rather see that happen right in front of you, than watching it in the first half at the opposite end.

Also, I feel United want to do something to improve the atmosphere, hence giving the green light to the 'singing section' and also asking ST holders about safe standing in a recent survey.

As @Jacko21 said, our fans thrive on the team being in the CL and title race which helps them get behind the team even more. I think the recent comments from Mourinho about the atmosphere will help, we're all in it together after all.

I firmly believe if OT was rocking in the games against Burnley, Stoke and Arsenal we'd have beaten them.
The international Suite isn't a big Suite though and could easily be moved to East Stand.

Really not sure of the logistics or practicalities of knocking down one suite at one end just to rebuild it at the other end, plus there are boxes at the back of the tier 1 upper which would also have to be removed.

In the 70s and 80s probably the best atmospheres were created by the Utd Rd, Scoreboard Paddock and K Stand areas at the Manchester end of the ground rather than the Stretford End.
 
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The atmosphere against Everton was frightening. The atmosphere was to fall asleep, do you have any hope that this will change for the better?
 
The atmosphere against Everton was frightening. The atmosphere was to fall asleep, do you have any hope that this will change for the better?

Pretty standard atmosphere for a crap match with very little at stake.

Liverpool on Sunday will be entirely different.
 
The atmosphere against Everton was frightening. The atmosphere was to fall asleep, do you have any hope that this will change for the better?
Think if we were to watch a team play good football might change hopefully.
 
Second half against Villa was a throwback, and the best I’ve heard it in a long long time (in Stretty upper). It’ll be good next week while we’re in the game, but the team also need to produce spirit, fight and quality to get the crowd going. Something which has been seriously lacking on the pitch over the last decade. It’s bound to take its toll eventually.
 
Think if we were to watch a team play good football might change hopefully.

I’ve been to Old Trafford many times over the last few decades. Unfortunately it’s nothing to do with football quality , our ground regularly has a sh*te atmosphere. Stretford end is always buzzing but you can’t always feel it in other parts of the ground.

Best one I heard was United v Barca semi final in 2008. Closest was probably pool games we won.
 
The atmosphere against Everton was frightening. The atmosphere was to fall asleep, do you have any hope that this will change for the better?

When the team gives the fans something to shout about. I know fans should always follow the team through thick and thin but it’s extremely difficult to fake an atmosphere when there’s essentially nothing to get excited about. The team is playing such dull uninspiring football, that will need to change if they expect a better atmosphere.
 
The atmosphere against Everton was frightening. The atmosphere was to fall asleep, do you have any hope that this will change for the better?

It was rough. I’ve been in TRA most of this season and it’s always banging, but I was high up in the north stand on Saturday and it was silent up there. Could hear some noise coming from the Stretford end but it didn’t carry. But to be fair, it was a nothing game, at lunchtime, and the football is chronic. The team needs to give something back, it’s a two way dynamic.
 
I’ve been to Old Trafford many times over the last few decades. Unfortunately it’s nothing to do with football quality , our ground regularly has a sh*te atmosphere. Stretford end is always buzzing but you can’t always feel it in other parts of the ground.

Best one I heard was United v Barca semi final in 2008. Closest was probably pool games we won.

Saturday was my 7th time over at Old Trafford. My first ever game was the champions league quarterfinal against Chelsea in 2011. It was absolutely electric. I foolishly thought that was what it was going to be like regularly, in all the times I’ve been over since the atmosphere hasn’t been even close to that.
 
I’ve been to Old Trafford many times over the last few decades. Unfortunately it’s nothing to do with football quality , our ground regularly has a sh*te atmosphere. Stretford end is always buzzing but you can’t always feel it in other parts of the ground.

Best one I heard was United v Barca semi final in 2008. Closest was probably pool games we won.
For me best recent one was the 2-0 win v City just before lockdown. Bloody amazing night.
 
It’s too expensive for younger people and the average season ticket holder is around 50 years old.

Add in a shite season and we get a terrible atmosphere.
 
I’ve been to Old Trafford many times over the last few decades. Unfortunately it’s nothing to do with football quality , our ground regularly has a sh*te atmosphere. Stretford end is always buzzing but you can’t always feel it in other parts of the ground.

Best one I heard was United v Barca semi final in 2008. Closest was probably pool games we won.
Roma 7-1 game was also gigantic
 
Saturday was my 7th time over at Old Trafford. My first ever game was the champions league quarterfinal against Chelsea in 2011. It was absolutely electric. I foolishly thought that was what it was going to be like regularly, in all the times I’ve been over since the atmosphere hasn’t been even close to that.
For me best recent one was the 2-0 win v City just before lockdown. Bloody amazing night.
Roma 7-1 game was also gigantic
Poor football leads to poor atmosphere. Football gets better and we are contending again it will lift the crowd.

I think it’s more to do with the importance of the game (or derby) rather than the quality of the football.

My first game was 1992 v city and it was electric.
 
If you want atmosphere, go watch FCUM instead. Old Trafford is a graveyard full of day trippers and half and half scarves.
 
My eldest brother went with school (we're from Ireland) back in 1989, a random home game versus Coventry. The atmosphere gave him tinnitus. Seriously.

My first game was in 2001, for Ryan Giggs' testimonial versus Celtic. The best atmosphere from us was a drunk Terry Christian lookalike shouting 'You scouse bastard!' whilst his missus told him to shut up. The Stretford End was like a library.

We had unprecedented success in the 1990s and I guess the raucous atmosphere declined as we got
more succesful.

It's just shit we haven't got a better atmosphere generated now we are back to our worst. I suppose, deep down, some supporters expect us to dominate.
 
"We only sing when we're winning"... having lost 11 matches this season is a good indicator of reason for the low level of noise.(*)

It's not rocket science!!! ;)

(* doesn't apply to our away fans who always come up with renditions of our favourites)
 
South stand is the worse , I was told to sit down twice in 2 different seats. I also joined in on the Vincent Kompany song a few years back and a guy turns around looks at me and says why the feck am I singing about Vincent Kompany :lol:
 
"We only sing when we're winning"... having lost 11 matches this season is a good indicator of reason for the low level of noise.(*)

It's not rocket science!!! ;)

(* doesn't apply to our away fans who always come up with renditions of our favourites)

I was at the Fulham game and the crowd was dead. The team were awful though, as soon as they got a goal and started trying the crowd responded.
 
South stand is the worse , I was told to sit down twice in 2 different seats. I also joined in on the Vincent Kompany song a few years back and a guy turns around looks at me and says why the feck am I singing about Vincent Kompany :lol:
That is why we could do with a massive one tier stand to put all the singers in. Also have them in the lower stands right round the pitch. Much more intimidating.
 
I was at the Fulham game and the crowd was dead. The team were awful though, as soon as they got a goal and started trying the crowd responded.
Ya I was in the stretford end for Fulham it was dead but that comes with the amount of chances Fulham created in that 1st half . I’m going Sunday and it’ll be electric I’m hoping but a lot of it has to do what’s happening on the pitch.
 
Ya I was in the stretford end for Fulham it was dead but that comes with the amount of chances Fulham created in that 1st half . I’m going Sunday and it’ll be electric I’m hoping but a lot of it has to do what’s happening on the pitch.

Yep, it's the same all over really. A lot of the time in away matches you can hear the home crowd are up for it but as soon as something on the pitch happens they like the volume ramps up massively. It's often a tackle or an extra bit of effort from a player. V Fulham we did none of that, it was an embarrassingly bad performance.
 
When the team gives the fans something to shout about. I know fans should always follow the team through thick and thin but it’s extremely difficult to fake an atmosphere when there’s essentially nothing to get excited about. The team is playing such dull uninspiring football, that will need to change if they expect a better atmosphere.
I describe our football as insipid, tedious, ugly, moribund.

An idea to raise the atmosphere would be to play back pivotal moments between clubs on the big screens whilst the teams warm up. So, for example..Vs Liverpool, we could show Robbie Fowler sniffing the white line, and also the spice boys video, of the team in poncy white suites. V city we could show the haaland leg break in slow motion..
 
At least you don't have a drum and "Ultras" like the arse do at the emirates - embarrassing stuff for a supposed top club :lol:

Would be wary of a new 90k stadium in the works though as the scope for half and half scarf day tripping tourists (that spend the most money) will increase massively....
 
This thread is very out of date - quite a lot has changed since it was originally started: safe standing, TRA etc

Still more does need to be done and TBF to the club they have made some efforts - this summer the exec area in the Stretford End will finally be removed with another new safe standing area coming instead.
A strong move to get the Stretford End back at least.

At the same time, there is obviously a long term plan for a complete new stadium and hopefully a chance to reorganise and looks at things like acoustics which are terrible at OT.
 
At least you don't have a drum and "Ultras" like the arse do at the emirates - embarrassing stuff for a supposed top club :lol:

Would be wary of a new 90k stadium in the works though as the scope for half and half scarf day tripping tourists (that spend the most money) will increase massively....
Anybody who has watched arseTV knows the cringe levels you have to prepare for. Middle aged men dribbling whilst speaking, and weirdos going "yeah!!" In the background.

Also, if we are going to place singers at the top, we need to pipe their singing around the stadium via a speaker system..totally drown out the oppo racket. feck em. :lol:
 
Having a hellish atmosphere would be a great asset to have but have no idea how you go about doing it?

Have a performance based ticketing system? Instal loudspeakers playing pre recorded chants all over? Dug a ditch around the pitch and fill it with crocodiles?
 
Serie A do it properly, the atmosphere is pumping at all their games
They still have ultras though, British football got rid of them a long time ago didn't they, not that it was entirely a bad thing to do.
 
At least you don't have a drum and "Ultras" like the arse do at the emirates - embarrassing stuff for a supposed top club :lol:

Would be wary of a new 90k stadium in the works though as the scope for half and half scarf day tripping tourists (that spend the most money) will increase massively....

The worst bit for me is the guy employed to wave the giant flag behind the goal. Can't stand that kind of corporate sanitised nonsense.

I hope we never go down that route.
 
Atmosphere will be dross when there is dross on the pitch, and feeling of things needing to change. When Klopp first went to Anfield they were down, even Klopp said so
 
I describe our football as insipid, tedious, ugly, moribund.

An idea to raise the atmosphere would be to play back pivotal moments between clubs on the big screens whilst the teams warm up. So, for example..Vs Liverpool, we could show Robbie Fowler sniffing the white line, and also the spice boys video, of the team in poncy white suites. V city we could show the haaland leg break in slow motion..
Which big screens are these? Have you every been to Old Trafford?
 
Atmosphere will be dross when there is dross on the pitch, and feeling of things needing to change. When Klopp first went to Anfield they were down, even Klopp said so

Post Treble season at OT, we started to see a long decline in the atmosphere. Its not really a new thing. United fans can still turn it on when required but ticket increases started to have an impact on the types of football that attended.

The atmosphere at Anfield is also overrated. Aside from the big European nights and games likes Sunday, it's just like everywhere else.

More recently, there's also been a massive culture change across most of England. I'd argue that its pretty crap everywhere most weeks. The way fans engage with football has changed and atmosphere has suffered as a result.
 
The problem is that there is not enough people who genuinely want to improve the atmosphere.

I’ve been involved in the original ‘singing section’ many years ago and been with that and the move to TRA and I know from numbers, there is just not enough people who want to move in to these areas.

I’ve just applied successfully to move in to the club’s ’atmosphere section’ for reasons outside of this thread but there was only about 5k people who applied. There is not a lot considering that with the new section and TRA, there is only going to be 5k in the SE who will care or try to make a noise.

The rest are just happy to go and watch the game, which is fine but it is what it is. If it bothers you, I would highly recommend that you join TRA as a member and whenever you get tickets apply to be in there. The atmosphere is mint
 
They still have ultras though, British football got rid of them a long time ago didn't they, not that it was entirely a bad thing to do.

There have never been ultras in British football.

Infact we are closer to it now than we ever had been previously with organised groups at Palace, Arsenal and the TRA at Utd.