|
|
Post by lambethgull on Sept 12, 2011 20:17:42 GMT
We all know what it's like to part of a great atmosphere. FA Cup games, derby matches, classic away matches and playoff semis under the lights at Plainmoor all spring to mind. Losing yourself amongst the crowd, even if only happens now and again, is what makes watching live football such a unique and sometimes fantastic experience.
But which clubs have the best atmosphere? Which countries produce games with the best atmosphere? What's the best atmosphere you've ever witnessed watching Torquay? What's the best atmosphere you've ever witnessed in a football ground?
|
|
|
|
Post by lambethgull on Sept 12, 2011 20:35:38 GMT
Some atmospheres from around the world:
England (Liverpool)
[youtube]
Turkey (Fenerbahce)
Egypt (Al-Ahly SC)
Argentina (Boca Juniors)
|
|
|
|
Post by stefano on Sept 12, 2011 21:20:56 GMT
We all know what it's like to part of a great atmosphere. FA Cup games, derby matches, classic away matches and playoff semis under the lights at Plainmoor all spring to mind. Losing yourself amongst the crowd, even if only happens now and again, is what makes watching live football such a unique and sometimes fantastic experience. But which clubs have the best atmosphere? Which countries produce games with the best atmosphere? What's the best atmosphere you've ever witnessed watching Torquay? What's the best atmosphere you've ever witnessed in a football ground? 9 January 1965 Torquay United v Tottenham Hotspur. Attendance 20,000 with 4,000 from Tottenham. No segregation. If you had a ticket you were in. The Tottenham fans took over the Popular Side (as it was known then) not knowing that our support was in the Cow Shed. At least it would have been if anybody who normally went could get in there. Being very little then I just got as close to the fence as I could as even though I had been in the queue since 10am I still could not get to the front. What an atmosphere though. Adlington, Smith, Allen, Benson, Bettany, Wolstanholme, Atkinson, Cox, Stubbs, Northcott and Somers. No I haven't just looked that up, any Torquay fan who was there knows that. 3-3 as everybody knows. There is a well worn myth that Tommy Northcott hit the bar in the last moments. No he didn't. He did hit the bar with a typical Tommy header but we were 3-1 down at that stage. But a spirited display saw Robin Stubbs score the two flukiest goals you will ever see in your life (if you don't believe me just ask Mr Stubbs). But I cannot see that being beaten for atmosphere in my lifetime and despite two fluke goals at the end we thoroughly deserved the draw. Other than my club the best was Juventus v Real Madrid in the Champions League at Stadio delli Alpi. Real with Beckham & Owen and a lot of better players like Zidane, Raul, and Ronaldo (not that one!), were 1-0 up from the first leg. 75 minutes Juventus equalised (Del Piero possibly) and close to the end of extrea time got a second. Brilliant .... but nowhere near the 9th January 1965!  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2011 22:55:19 GMT
What's the best atmosphere you've ever witnessed in a football ground? Liverpool v St Etienne, 1977. On the Kop. Not a Liverpool fan - far from it - but bloody hell..... |
|
|
|
Post by loyalgull on Sept 12, 2011 23:04:06 GMT
sousse v tunis league game in tunisia,the only ones not holding lit fireworks was us visiting brits on holiday in the ground,intimidating but electric atmosphere
|
|
|
|
Post by thefarmersfriend on Sept 13, 2011 10:26:11 GMT
Best ever would be St Pauli. I'd been a bit of an armchair follower for years, but even that hadn't prepared me for my first visit to the old ramshackle Millerntor in 2004 – just the fact that the pre-match music included 'California Über Alles' by the Dead Kennedys and Ministry's 'Jesus Built my Hotrod' would have been enough, but once 'Hell's Bells' came out of over the PA the place absolutely erupted – and this was when St Pauli were languishing in the northern regional league playing rubbish like Chemnitzer.
For the Gulls, I think it would be Scarborough in the play-offs 1998.
I know it's not in the remit, but that Boxing Day game against MK Dons in 2006 was something else. As a club we generally have a reputation for being not just friendly, but perhaps a bit too easy-going for our own good. I never thought I'd see Plainmoor that angry.
|
|
JamesB
TFF member
Posts: 1,526
|
Post by JamesB on Sept 13, 2011 11:59:10 GMT
What's the best atmosphere you've ever witnessed in a football ground? Liverpool v St Etienne, 1977. On the Kop. Not a Liverpool fan - far from it - but bloody hell..... Bloody hell indeed. I regret not having lived through the years of terracing at the top end of football in some ways (aside from the stadium Arsenal are visiting tonight, the mighty Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, which would surely be worth a nomination as well). I also regret not having lived through the years when clubs like St Etienne could feasibly become European giants for a few years - it seems rather odd in a day and age where you either have to fill 50,000+ stadia every week or be bank-rolled by billionaires to have a chance of winning the Champions League. I guess we have to leave things like that to Football Manager now I can't really pick out one game/stadium I've been at where I thought the atmosphere was particularly special, mainly because most of the big stadia I've visited have been half-empty for the matches I've seen there - old and new Wembley, Old Trafford, White Hart Lane, the Millennium Stadium (which would probably win if I had to give an answer). Certainly the most intimidating atmosphere I can remember was at Newport but I'm not sure it quite fits the thread In terms of second hand experiences, I'd agree with all the nominations so far. St Pauli certainly seems to be a cracking little club |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2011 12:34:04 GMT
Bloody hell indeed. I regret not having lived through the years of terracing at the top end of football in some ways The big thing for me about those days is that hardly any games were “all ticket”. You just turned up on the day and paid virtually the same price if it was Division 1 or Division 4. March 1977- just coming to the end of my final year as a student in Sheffield. Rooting through the programme box, I’d been to Liverpool v Oldham (FA Cup R5) on 26 Feb. This would have been with a Latics-supporting housemate – it was a massive game for them – and I doubt the idea of seeing our boys at Bradford City ever crossed my mind. March started with Leeds v Middlesbrough on the first Saturday followed by a rare excursion to Rotherham (v Lincoln) on the Tuesday – the Millers near the top of Division 3 (att: 10,000). Saturday 12 March – Everton v Villa (League Cup final) at Wembley; Liverpool v St Etienne on the Wednesday – we bumped into somebody familiar in the queue which meant we just got into the ground before they closed the gates - and Everton v Derby (FA Cup quarter final) on the Saturday. Paul Madeley’s testimonial the following Saturday – baffled by that one and can’t think why I was there (nor why it was on a Saturday) before seeing Torquay United – at last! – on Friday 1 April at Stockport County. Pretty typical for me at that time and the only game which required a ticket in advance was the game at Wembley. |
|
JamesB
TFF member
Posts: 1,526
|
Post by JamesB on Sept 13, 2011 15:15:52 GMT
I was chatting with Jon a few weeks ago about the same thing, funnily enough, and his experiences of European football at the City Ground without needing a ridiculously-prices ticket or to be a prawn sandwich eater
|
|
|
|
Post by lambethgull on Sept 13, 2011 18:16:08 GMT
Some cracking responses so far. I've never seen a match abroad (unless Wales counts ), but at least I have time to address this. Loyalgull's Tunisian game sounds intriguing and the North African football scene has interested me for a while. Germany always sounds like a good place to watch football, and Italy and Spain aren't very far away either. Unfortunately I will never be able to experience a packed English terrace on the scale of the Kop, although I did get to stand on a milk crate at the front of the Holte End when visiting family in the West Midlands as a nipper. Much more unfortunate is that I will never be able to experience huge crowds at Plainmoor. To be part of a five figure crowd at Plainmoor must have been something, but to be part of a 20,000+ crowd whilst witnessing a sensational comeback against Spurs...well it could never get any better than that. Being part of almost a 50,000 crowd at Wembley was special, but I don't remember as much about it as I wish. The final game at Brisbane Road under Kevin Hodges was great until it went sour - we were packed in like sardines that day. And for some reason a game against Wycombe at Adams Park stands out. We got a late equaliser I think, and it it may have been Easter or something because we brought loads more fans than usual for that game and were pretty noisy. |
|
