Matchday experience in Terryland

**thescoringgoals** · 18/09/2006, 6:45 PM

correct me if im wrong but isnt 1 of the main aims of the current board to improve the matchday experience for the paying public???then id like to raise a few points which hopefully might be taken notice of,
1:the girlfriend used the toilets in the ground on saturday night and said they were "disgusting".
2:you cant hear the P.A at all,bernie just isnt up to it,i mean i didnt hear a thing he said,especially what he said before the second half started.
3:i remember terryland use to have a "buzz" in it for most games,the only games this season it had a buzz were the shams earlier in season and recent finn harps game,those 2 did involve alot of away fans though.
4:chanting and drums dont do much if they are erractic and the same thing over and over and over,what happened to all the old chants????
5:at halftime its completely dead,why not have kids games etc like gaa grounds do or lively music.
basically its not the same going to terryland anymore,a few ppl ive brought there this season say its kinda depressing.ill probably get alot of replies saying im talking crap but id like to hear others opinions.

**corbyeire** · 18/09/2006, 7:04 PM

my honest opinion is that the p*sshead brigade that used to be in it before the media box was moved into the centre of stand, never got together again

those boys sung and had the craic regardless of the standard or the expectations - admitadley over doing it at times on the drinking front

now in the current climate that holds no water with the new ground regulations, uefa licence and all that - but it beats the crap out of the few adolecents, well meaning and all, that have been rammed into the corner in section A

i totally agree that the buzz is not what it used to be but then hold my hands up - id self medicate most days before heading into terryland

the age demographic of the boys chanting was spread more over 20 years rather than 5

just my two cents

**Patrick Dunne** · 18/09/2006, 7:10 PM

1. Toilets in the block beside the club shop are not great. They could do with being painted and tiled. The toilets in the clubhouse, which are accessible to the public, are amongst the best I've seen in the EL, bright, modern and clean.

2. The regular PA person is far better than the person who has filled in over the past few weeks, who unfortunately can't be heard very well.

3+4 There wasn't a great buzz at the ground on Saturday night. The usual hardcore did their bit. Hard to motivate yourself when there are no away fans.
Unfortunately, the attitude of the club towards the vocal supporters has also put people off.

5 I hate loud music at half-time. Most of the United regulars use this time to discuss the game, bus to Limerick, where we are going afterwards etc, which is difficult when you can't hear yourself. Games/activities on the pitch, however, is a great idea.

Edit : Corbyeire is also right. The days of lads aged 20-35 coming up with new and inventive ways of slagging off chubby midfielders from Monaghan is now restricted to away games. Section A isn't as good as the half-way meeting point, where most of the older lads prefer to go.

**corbyeire** · 18/09/2006, 7:16 PM

well patrick - that is a really good point there in number 5

you can hardly hear yourself think - and thats exactly what you want to do at half time is chat about the game and you cant bloody do it!!

**Patrick Dunne** · 18/09/2006, 7:18 PM

I hate shouting

DO YOU WANT TO BUY A LOTTO TICKET ?

at people

**thescoringgoals** · 18/09/2006, 7:31 PM

just "lively" music,i agree the music is way too loud sometimes(i sound like an old man saying that

).
also,summer football means the floodlights only need to be turned on for a few games at start and end of the season now,they added greatly to the atmosphere i felt.flares in games,epsecially floodlit games were a great sight too.
i know the main reason ppl come is too see football played and support the lads but the whole experience apart from football is poor in my opinion.

**Patrick Dunne** · 18/09/2006, 7:44 PM

There has been a crackdown on "atmosphere" over the last few years. Flares and singing "Who ate all the pies" at some Leinster League reject are now unacceptable as we try to bring in a rugby atmosphere at matches.

Ironically, I read in the Sunday Times that Gavin Henson (Welsh rugby player, goes out with Charlotte Church) got fierce abuse at the Sportsgrounds. I bet that the Connacht RFU didnt announce "Roysh, stop that !" over the PA.

**Conor H** · 18/09/2006, 8:05 PM

GUST have been trying numerous ways to create a lively and enjoyable atmosphere at games over the last year.In fact myself,Ronan Coleman,Barry Hynes and Neil McNeilis had a meeting a few months back to try and come up with a few ideas.
Unfortunately many of the stuff can't be done.Everyone knows what a sight a flare would be after beating Rovers or maroon smoke greeting the players as they arrive but theses things cannot be done.However i do promise that if UTD were to win the league all of these things would happen despite what anyone says.I understand the clubs and stweards position,nense no flares all year but there are times when you just have to enjoy the moment to the full and hoepfully come November we;ll have our day.

We don't just think that flares are the only objects that can create an atmosphere though.I have made a provisonal order for numerous flags and flagpoles to get the old tifo flags up and running again to add some colour to the closing games in Terryland.Obviously this can only happen with money.GUST and Ronan in particular has been very supportive and im sure will once again give some contribution towards the financing the flags etc but we need a contribution from everyone really.....including the club who will be contacted.
Instead of moaning about the "good oul days" why not help create a better atmosphere.Give me a ring on 087 2184132-without money we won't have the flags and colour.
As for the chanting.....it's no surprise that this topic is started after the Kilkenny match.Very bad although there was noise but it was more a noise than an atmopshere tbh.Let's not forget Rovers,Harps,Monaghan,Athlone and all the away games where it's been fantastic.We make an effort every week which is more than can be said for alot of clubs supporters.

Rovers at home will be a night to remember.

**gufct** · 19/09/2006, 8:32 AM

Its not Galway United who ban flares or smoke bombs its the FAI and there is a minimum �500 fine for it so that is why the stewards and security staff will crack down on this lads. The PA is a disaster and the only reason the music was blaring is that for a long while this season we had only one speaker for the whole ground its now upto two and we have had a quote for an entire new system but the cost is over �14,000 which is prohibitive considering the clubs financial state.

**Tribesman** · 19/09/2006, 8:50 AM

A new PA is vital, current one is a disaster and always was. Hopefully
the new stand will be also lead to a new pa system.

The music is vital on match days and influences the mood of people.

Can the tifo flags be brought out on Friday and appropriate music played,
not just any old free CD with the Sunday Independent.

**corbyeire** · 19/09/2006, 8:51 AM

they could still turn down the speakers a bit - for the music anyway and then by all means turn it up for annoucements or something to that effect

i come down from dublin for home games - rush to the ground and i barely get to say hello to me mates until after the match - even though ive been sitting beside them for an hour and a half!

**gufct** · 19/09/2006, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by Tribesman

A new PA is vital, current one is a disaster and always was. Hopefully
the new stand will be also lead to a new pa system.

The music is vital on match days and influences the mood of people.

Can the tifo flags be brought out on Friday and appropriate music played,
not just any old free CD with the Sunday Independent.

The Stunnings brewing up a storm is the music that is played when the teams come out at the start/halftime and full time at every home game when eoin is doing the pa the current set up is prehistoric so its impossible to cue music after goals etc.. The Tifo Poles are broken and getting people to bring them out befor and during matches was always a problem.

Why dont some of the people here try and help out as for the drummers why not copy the germans who were brilliant in Stuttgart and also the Derry fans who are organised in their chanting rather than some lads full of drink breaking into inane chanting.

**GUISAUltra** · 19/09/2006, 10:52 AM

thats one way of looking at it gufct but had it not been for those drunken lads with there inane chanting terryland would have been like a morgue on saturday. whats wrong with having a few pints before the game and going up chanting for your team. its more than a lot of people do up there anyway. it shows ya what the non singing fans think of the club when the fans are singing "Stand up if ya Love Galway", everyone just sits and doesnt even think about moving

**Conor H** · 19/09/2006, 10:57 AM

See most people here are still talking.I have said that i can get TIFO poles and more colourful flags within weeks if people put some money towards it.Otherwise nothing will happen in the near future with reagards flags.

I think we should try and keep the chanting like we do at away games where we can keep "maroon army" going for 20 minutes without stoping or any other song for that matter.I agree with gufct on Saturday it was quite inane-no real fluency.I did say it one stage that it was the worst in Terryland all season but it's been very good alot of the times to and nothing is ever said.

Apart from Section A Terryland is the worst ground for vocal support.Even Sligo's new stand give the odd "da Rovers" to urge their team on.Never does the rest of the stand get behind the team with a "UTD".Then again why would they in fear of getting booted out!

**Conor H** · 19/09/2006, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by GUISAUltra

thats one way of looking at it gufct but had it not been for those drunken lads with there inane chanting terryland would have been like a morgue on saturday. whats wrong with having a few pints before the game and going up chanting for your team. its more than a lot of people do up there anyway. it shows ya what the non singing fans think of the club when the fans are singing "Stand up if ya Love Galway", everyone just sits and doesnt even think about moving

Absoloutely although on Satyrday they probably didn't hear!

**GUISAUltra** · 19/09/2006, 11:01 AM

the main problem the last night was the fact that there was one row of people starting singing one song and then the next row was singing a different song. if fans hear someone singing one chant, they should try to join in with it instead of singing one of there own

**GUISAUltra** · 19/09/2006, 11:03 AM

if people here are complaining, how about people letting us know what songs they would like to hear. just post them below.
Because its obvious certain fans dont like certain songs

**Conor H** · 19/09/2006, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by GUISAUltra

the main problem the last night was the fact that there was one row of people starting singing one song and then the next row was singing a different song. if fans hear someone singing one chant, they should try to join in with it instead of singing one of there own

Ya as i said keep it like away games and let the song finish.I hate when a good song that everyone knows(tribal Army) is stopped for a gammy song like "NO 1 IS Alan Gough and No 2...

**GUISAUltra** · 19/09/2006, 11:13 AM

yeah i know that is a ridiculously bad song. but thats why i posted that a few imnutes ago. people should let everyone else know, what songs they like and what songs they dont

**Conor H** · 19/09/2006, 11:21 AM

Oh then it will be
"UTD"
"We love you Eric we do!"
"The referee is imcompetent"
"Are you watching Rovers chums"
"Dirty Dublin tenant"

Im nout going to name names but the board should realise without us making noise every week and trying to add some life nobody would have any interest.The amount of people who say after the game "at leats yee added some life to it" is phenomemal.Instead of bitching about the odd bad word they should praise us for the support we always show.