Fan experience past and present - better or worse?

[aberbeeg]

So this has been a thing I’ve been thinking about for quite a few years. (Probably prior to Euros 16).

Based purely on fan experience alone do you prefer following Wales now or in the bad old days? This may sound a daft question I know but I’ve spoken to so many “old school” fans that are not overly keen on the modern day experience compared to the “good old days” of 150/200 of us at most Wales away games.

both experiences are chalk and cheese of course but from my own personal experiences both have good points and bad points.Don’t forget this isn’t about the football experience itself it’s about the actual fan experience.

[foxmulder]

Yeah bit of both.

There used to be a bit (silly) pride about supporting Wales back then. It felt like a secret club.

I remember getting the currency exchange for Macedonia away and I was genuinely shocked that the guy behind the counter guessed it was because Wales were playing away.

But back then there was ambition of having sold out stadiums, so to complain about those dreams coming true is a but weird. But we can't help it.

I used get a load of shit in work from one guy in particular. But then during Euro 2016 he walked into work wearing that Sports Direct version of the Welsh shirt. To rip into him that day was incredibly satisfying.

Although during a game during the Russia campaign I was getting irritated by someone sat behind me. He spent the entire game shouting nonsense and talking about cars. During the 'Give me hope, Joe Allen' song, he shouted, "YOU'RE THE POPE JOE ALLEN!". That motherfucker had no idea.......

It's not a new supporters fault if they only get into the national team during recent times. Hopefully they'll stick around.

I probably haven't answered your question ha.

[dai]

My memories of following Wales started during the Gould era, which were not great, albeit I had good fun as a kid/teen going to games. Then we had the few years of Hughes' era which were fantastic, albeit short lived. Toshack, pretty miserable era - 2k in Parc y Sgarlets etc.

I would say the past 7/8 years or so have been the best ever in my experience. I don't go away much, so cannot comment on that, although I know a few older fans who travel that keep saying there's a lot of idiots / lager louts on trips these days.

Like with anything involving people, the more there are, the probability of carrying k*obs increases.

[aberbeeg]

I think the question is probably more evident for regular away followers I guess. Yes I’ve definitely noticed much more of a “stag trip feel” especially at the nearer away games. I’ve even met guys that have never ever been to a football match prior to a recent Wales away trip.

[welshrover]

I think one of the plus points about the "bad old days" was everybody more or less knew each other, if not by name but certainly by face and it made interaction more straightforward.

[aberbeeg]

Mar 17, 2023 14:09:43 GMT welshrover said:

I think one of the plus points about the "bad old days" was everybody more or less knew each other, if not by name but certainly by face and it made interaction more straightforward.

Yes great point. Fully agree 

[rushy]

I recall special nights such as the win over Spain at the Racecourse, and beating Italy and Germany through the years, we have always had some decent quality players but the fanbase then didn't have any extra incentive such as the red wall and bucket hats which appear to be so fashionable in this era, but if it works and gets the country pulling together then great.
The test of the fanbase though is in the coming months now the 'Together Stronger' and Bale hugely successful period has finally come to an end, we shall need them to follow through the times ahead which is a little unpredictable at this stage.

[jbt95]

I don’t miss sitting in the Millennium Stadium looking across to an empty stand the other side.

I don’t like the fact we have people who go away and spend the whole game at the bar, just go on holiday instead.

[cynonvalley]

Mar 17, 2023 12:41:39 GMT aberbeeg said:

So this has been a thing I’ve been thinking about for quite a few years. (Probably prior to Euros 16).

Based purely on fan experience alone do you prefer following Wales now or in the bad old days? This may sound a daft question I know but I’ve spoken to so many “old school” fans that are not overly keen on the modern day experience compared to the “good old days” of 150/200 of us at most Wales away games.

both experiences are chalk and cheese of course but from my own personal experiences both have good points and bad points.Don’t forget this isn’t about the football experience itself it’s about the actual fan experience.

Sounds like gatekeeping from the 150/200 people who went away

[aberbeeg]

Certainly no Wonky sheep turn up at Cardiff airport for any trip away in those days. Again pros and cons I guess

[dai]

Forgot to add, my main gripe over the last few years have been the wealthy fair weather folk who went to the Euro's and WC while previously never attending a home or away game.

I'm not made of money, but I managed to see two games during Euro 16 (England and Russia). However I knew of a small group of guys who've literally never gone to watch Wales play, and they managed to bag tickets to the QF and SF as well as spending a small fortune travelling last minute back and forth. My main regret is missing the Belgium match, but I couldn't afford to go out again, plus my mrs was pregnant and going again wouldn't have gone down well!

[marsvolta]

Mar 17, 2023 13:17:28 GMT aberbeeg said:

I think the question is probably more evident for regular away followers I guess. Yes I’ve definitely noticed much more of a “stag trip feel” especially at the nearer away games. I’ve even met guys that have never ever been to a football match prior to a recent Wales away trip.

To be fair there’s always been the ‘stag trip feel’. Yes it was a smaller group and there were some very loyal back then, but it’s always been a mahoosive piss up.

[marsvolta]

Personally, give me the big crowds and large numbers around the streets of wherever the game is. I love walking round a city abroad somewhere seeing loads of red shirts everywhere, fantastic.

Does it attract some idiots, yes of course, but there were idiots before so if the crowds are bigger then unfortunately we’ll have to put up with a few more idiots.
You bump into idiots on a normal Saturday night so it’s a bit optimistic to expect only decent people turning up to see Wales.

[welshrover]

Mar 17, 2023 18:41:46 GMT aberbeeg said:

Certainly no Wonky sheep turn up at Cardiff airport for any trip away in those days. Again pros and cons I guess

Occasionally though, there was a Tony Clemo Charter!

I recall seeing them arrive at one airport (Zurich I think) it was like something from Hi Di Hi!!

[jimexotic]

If you want success you have to accept that more than 150/200 will want to be part of it. What has happened in the last ten years or so with Welsh football is beyond my wildest dreams, I'd lost all hope of us ever doing anything.

[cadno]

2013-2016 home and away peaked for me;
pre 2013 aways good, home’s at millennium rubbish after Sparky era
2017 onwards = some home games pretty good,, aways not as good

But everyone’s experience will be different

[marsvolta]

Also, unless it was to a remote country, there was usually more than 150/200

[bale-droed]

I know this will be unpopular but.... We qualified for a World Cup on the Sunday. The next game on the Weds should of been on electric party atmosphere but instead the stadium was 60% full (Tinty and the bucket hats did great though) and womanby had no one there it was empty. Total shock to me. It’s not THAT good now. It peaked qualifying for 16 and going into 18. Hopefully it comes back round again. The Game v Netherlands away was horrible. No one on here I’m sure But wtf was up with our fans that game? Typical Stockholm syndrome suffering England duplicate entitled morons everywhere, throwing shit at the Dutch fans. Never used to be like that in the 10s in the away end

[bale-droed]

Mar 17, 2023 23:12:38 GMT cadno said:

2013-2016 home and away peaked for me;
pre 2013 aways good, home’s at millennium rubbish after Sparky era
2017 onwards = some home games pretty good,, aways not as good

But everyone’s experience will be different

Scotland 13
Cyprus 14 (odd one I know)
Belgium 15

What a time to be alive

[aberbeeg]

Some very good accounts of some fan’s experiences so far both past and present. Definitely not all better for our success which is interesting but expected

[barneycat1]

Lots of younger fans are turning up for away games. That can only be a good thing.
As long as they behave themselves.

[marsvolta]

Mar 18, 2023 8:45:59 GMT barneycat1 said:

Lots of younger fans are turning up for away games. That can only be a good thing.
As long as they behave themselves.

And as long as us old ones don’t pretend that we behaved ourselves when we were their age, haha.

[cadno]

I go watch the Swans a few times a season, and going to their games is more of an authentic football atmosphere than Wales home games now (in the Ninian stand at least). People are at the Swans games to watch football, but large sections at Wales games are there for the ‘event’ and to perform as fans, they want to feel part of success, it’s the trendy thing atm, and it was always going to happen! And in fairness we’ve had some great atmospheres like the Yma o Hyd night, so it’s not all bad.

[barryscorcher]

Mar 18, 2023 0:09:18 GMT bale-droed said:

I know this will be unpopular but.... We qualified for a World Cup on the Sunday. The next game on the Weds should of been on electric party atmosphere but instead the stadium was 60% full (Tinty and the bucket hats did great though) and womanby had no one there it was empty. Total shock to me. It’s not THAT good now. It peaked qualifying for 16 and going into 18. Hopefully it comes back round again. The Game v Netherlands away was horrible. No one on here I’m sure But wtf was up with our fans that game? Typical Stockholm syndrome suffering England duplicate entitled morons everywhere, throwing shit at the Dutch fans. Never used to be like that in the 10s in the away end

Do you mean Belgium away? I don’t know if I’m having selective memory here but I remember Netherlands away being brilliant and pretty much every Dutch fan we spoke to was gushing with praise for the Welsh support. Belgium was a bit more problematic but again I might be misremembering

[barryscorcher]

Also, in the defence of that Wednesday night game after the Ukraine playoff - a lot of fans would’ve travelled from the north/west and spent a bit of cash getting down there for it, and not able to justify the Wednesday after with work etc., especially with Belgium home on the Saturday after it.

Sort of get your point though, I think many want to be there for the big games (I’m sure we all had people asking us for spare tickets to the playoff)

[CrackityJones]

The atmosphere in Rotterdam was raucous and the Dutch fans were indeed congratulating us after. I didn’t see anything being thrown either. Same as most away games, a great craic all trip.

The home atmosphere in the ground and pre/post match usually is as well. Both recent Belgium games plus Hungary, Austria, Ukraine were special occasions, amongst the best ever. Be careful not to take it for granted.

Comparable atmosphere pre 2016: Belgium 15 and at a stretch Bosnia, Cyprus same campaign and end of the Scotland game. Can’t think of many others until Italy at Mill Stad

[cadno]

On the contrary, singing ‘You’re a shit Joe Allen’ towards Modric, and ‘Shit Aaron Ramsey’ towards KDB was predictable obnoxious British football fan behaviour and pretty embarrassing 😄 kdb didn’t take long to shut us up lol

[CrackityJones]

What do they sing at the Swans games you occasionally go to?

[cadno]

CrackityJones if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands

[CrackityJones]

Never heard the Jack Army sing that but fair play to them for keeping it authentic