It pains me to say it, but Tom (the ex-drummer) really is spoiling the atmosphere on the terrace.
He may have stopped drumming but his continual vocal noises, it falls short IMHO of being called chanting, has so annoyed many that now almost noone else starts a chant.
It's a terrible dilemma for the club and I wouldn't want to be the one negotiating the minefield around it to persuade him to change his ways. However, until that happens I really don't see the terrace atmosphere improving.
That said we do need to win a few games and play a more forward passes than sideways ones.
Ohh this is a good one. Had that debate with many Americans 😉. Interesting that the post has chosen to mix its grammar.
Either the club is a collective of individuals - hence ‘are’ or an object in its own right - hence ‘its’.
The collective, reflecting the historic root of a bunch of lads meeting (at the Railway Tavern say) to form a club, is mostly used over here. In the US a team (not club) is an object to be bought and sold and moved from city to city.
For me it’s a collective. I chant “who are you who are you?” at MK not “what are you what are you?” …. although thinking about it🤔.
Tom is a problem. He has taken to standing near the Family / Frank Adams and berating the home fans trying to enjoy the game in their own chosen way. Not good.
He needs constructive help. Personally as the club I would attempt to embrace his ‘enthusiasm’ and channel it to the greater good. Perhaps he could be a second mascot and exercise his excess energy in a hot sweaty man made fabric suit? Dressed as a Swan or as a giant chair, even a huge drum! might give him the recognition he craves?
The thing is, if you actually take the time to have a proper conversation with Tom, he comes over as a thoroughly decent guy. The tone of lots of his Facebook posts would also bear this out. I'm not a terrace dweller, so I don't really see the things that happen there. However, in my experience at away games, the problems start when people try to wind him up, knowing that he may react.
From memory, he probably started drumming for us about a decade ago. I may be wrong, but I don't remember any problems with him for at least the first five years or so. Might it not be the case that when our crowds started to significantly increase, roughly coinciding with our last promotion from League Two, a number of new faces started to appear on the terrace, and, spotting that he might be someone who could be easily wound up, proceeded to do just that?
Just a theory which might be completely off the mark, seeing as I don't go on the terrace, but I do wonder how, when, and why all this started to kick off.
Surely one bloke, stationed on the extremity of the terrace could easily be drowned out by even the most half hearted attempt at chanting?
To put the whole terrace's apparent apathy down to one guy seems a bit crazy.
It also feels a little bit uncomfortable, maybe even ironic, that some of the guys who used to make it a little unpleasant at aways, on train trips etc, with their behaviour, are suddenly moaning about someone else's behaviour years on?
@NewburyWanderer for the first few years Tom went to games with an older guy, I believe, his dad. He used to moderate the drumming gauging the mood / need / chant.
If I remember correctly, Tom was accompanied by his father in the first few years of attending. I think those that know Tom properly will understand why this was the case. Those berating him should think carefully about their actions and make sure they try to understand the extent of the situation.
Bring back some kind of MC / DJ / Announcer, someone who can vary it a bit, play songs with some relevance, don't blast the music so loud before the games and shut it up altogether if people start singing.
The criticism of the drummer is fair as I have sat near him on away games and for my mature ear it was a challenge. So I moved.
But this should not be a hate campaign against all drummers or even the guy's enthusiasm. In a morgue like atmosphere he is the only making a noise (an imperfect one sure). And to have half a dozen stewards around him when he is there is absolutely mad. If I was an away fan I would be somewhat intrigued as to why we were trying to suppress the only noise coming from the terrace.
I do often look over and wonder why stewards are constantly circling him and having a word.
As far as I can tell, he's not chanting anything abusive/inflammatory, so are they seriously just monitoring him as he's the only one even pretending to make noise?
I did see one fan go over and tell him to shut up, which is pretty scandalous in a football terrace when you think of it.
It's all got a bit tetchy on there, when it's quiet one bloke shouting the same thing over and over regardless of what is happening is just irritating and no better than the drumming. He also seems to have ongoing battles with many, fairly childish, not entirely his fault I'm sure but hardly encouraging for people to join in.
I wish the group trying to boost the atmosphere all the best, if it's good people will join in as they have in the past but fake noise and American style kids not watching the game but screaming at you to join in through a loud hailer isn't really for me. Maybe people just prefer phone scrolling and moaning now but you'd hope not.
Yes, crazy when you think about it, I'm tempted to say 'only at Wycombe'.
You'd think if he was that fed up with it, he'd want to start his own chant to try and drown Tom out, which is actually in a way what Tom wants, ie more fans to get behind the team.
He's a brave fella is Tom. I doubt most of us would basically fancy turning up pretty much solo, and chanting all game, even though we know it's going to attract all sorts of naysayers.
It's a shame we can't find a nice middle ground, he rejoins the singing gang, starts the occasional chant, but is happy to sometimes merely join the others who start chants in a thronging mass of wholesome motivational chanting.
Is it possible to use the large screen for anything other than advertising before the match and at half time? Some pre-match build up perhaps involving previous meets with our visitors would help build the mood and engage folk into the history of the club. Maybe engage talent from local teams/schools in a keepie-uppie competition running throughout the season, put the highlights and general silliness on the screen at half time, come to the next match for the next thrilling installment. Finals to be held on the hallowed turf, etc
The above is really a substitute for my real heart's desire which would be for those who go out for a fag at half time to have to a race around the stadium for entry back in - Running Man type consequences for those who wheeze their way too slowly. I recognise that health and safety is just one of many obstacles in the path of this idea, but I feel that it would help sell online subscriptions to overseas punters.
Comments
It pains me to say it, but Tom (the ex-drummer) really is spoiling the atmosphere on the terrace.
He may have stopped drumming but his continual vocal noises, it falls short IMHO of being called chanting, has so annoyed many that now almost noone else starts a chant.
It's a terrible dilemma for the club and I wouldn't want to be the one negotiating the minefield around it to persuade him to change his ways. However, until that happens I really don't see the terrace atmosphere improving.
That said we do need to win a few games and play a more forward passes than sideways ones.
@micra will be proud of you!
Ohh this is a good one. Had that debate with many Americans 😉. Interesting that the post has chosen to mix its grammar.
Either the club is a collective of individuals - hence ‘are’ or an object in its own right - hence ‘its’.
The collective, reflecting the historic root of a bunch of lads meeting (at the Railway Tavern say) to form a club, is mostly used over here. In the US a team (not club) is an object to be bought and sold and moved from city to city.
For me it’s a collective. I chant “who are you who are you?” at MK not “what are you what are you?” …. although thinking about it🤔.
Over to @micra
Tom is a problem. He has taken to standing near the Family / Frank Adams and berating the home fans trying to enjoy the game in their own chosen way. Not good.
He needs constructive help. Personally as the club I would attempt to embrace his ‘enthusiasm’ and channel it to the greater good. Perhaps he could be a second mascot and exercise his excess energy in a hot sweaty man made fabric suit? Dressed as a Swan or as a giant chair, even a huge drum! might give him the recognition he craves?
The thing is, if you actually take the time to have a proper conversation with Tom, he comes over as a thoroughly decent guy. The tone of lots of his Facebook posts would also bear this out. I'm not a terrace dweller, so I don't really see the things that happen there. However, in my experience at away games, the problems start when people try to wind him up, knowing that he may react.
From memory, he probably started drumming for us about a decade ago. I may be wrong, but I don't remember any problems with him for at least the first five years or so. Might it not be the case that when our crowds started to significantly increase, roughly coinciding with our last promotion from League Two, a number of new faces started to appear on the terrace, and, spotting that he might be someone who could be easily wound up, proceeded to do just that?
Just a theory which might be completely off the mark, seeing as I don't go on the terrace, but I do wonder how, when, and why all this started to kick off.
@MorrisItal2 good call on the Stingray drumming intro...if they could get the actor to re-voice 'Nothing much will happen in the first half hour...' 😁
Or the second!
We could go full on primary school music lessons and hand out wooden blocks, triangles and mini cymbals
Surely one bloke, stationed on the extremity of the terrace could easily be drowned out by even the most half hearted attempt at chanting?
To put the whole terrace's apparent apathy down to one guy seems a bit crazy.
It also feels a little bit uncomfortable, maybe even ironic, that some of the guys who used to make it a little unpleasant at aways, on train trips etc, with their behaviour, are suddenly moaning about someone else's behaviour years on?
@NewburyWanderer for the first few years Tom went to games with an older guy, I believe, his dad. He used to moderate the drumming gauging the mood / need / chant.
If I remember correctly, Tom was accompanied by his father in the first few years of attending. I think those that know Tom properly will understand why this was the case. Those berating him should think carefully about their actions and make sure they try to understand the extent of the situation.
Spot on @Malone
Gerry Anderson lived in Gerrards Cross. Worked with him when he released the classics on video in the late 1980s.
@frequentstander Totally agree with you there.
Worked all of his magic out of a converted garage in Slough didn't he?
Genius.
Standby for Shithousing!
"Something might happen in the last half hour"
https://youtu.be/OTs17jrEdLg
If this doesn’t get the crowd going…
Yes - this is it.
Great suggestion @MorrisItal2 imho.
Bring back some kind of MC / DJ / Announcer, someone who can vary it a bit, play songs with some relevance, don't blast the music so loud before the games and shut it up altogether if people start singing.
Doesn't he play darts!
This seems decent https://twitter.com/the1887wwfc/status/1676702242211082242?t=kv7hGJvwdnS9xImfbfFXKg&s=19
The criticism of the drummer is fair as I have sat near him on away games and for my mature ear it was a challenge. So I moved.
But this should not be a hate campaign against all drummers or even the guy's enthusiasm. In a morgue like atmosphere he is the only making a noise (an imperfect one sure). And to have half a dozen stewards around him when he is there is absolutely mad. If I was an away fan I would be somewhat intrigued as to why we were trying to suppress the only noise coming from the terrace.
I do often look over and wonder why stewards are constantly circling him and having a word.
As far as I can tell, he's not chanting anything abusive/inflammatory, so are they seriously just monitoring him as he's the only one even pretending to make noise?
I did see one fan go over and tell him to shut up, which is pretty scandalous in a football terrace when you think of it.
It's all got a bit tetchy on there, when it's quiet one bloke shouting the same thing over and over regardless of what is happening is just irritating and no better than the drumming. He also seems to have ongoing battles with many, fairly childish, not entirely his fault I'm sure but hardly encouraging for people to join in.
I wish the group trying to boost the atmosphere all the best, if it's good people will join in as they have in the past but fake noise and American style kids not watching the game but screaming at you to join in through a loud hailer isn't really for me. Maybe people just prefer phone scrolling and moaning now but you'd hope not.
Maybe they just need 2 or 3 appointed people to have a handheld control that plugs into one of 100 assorted chants played via a loud speaker.
They can control the variety so it's not just 90mins of the same song.
Yes, crazy when you think about it, I'm tempted to say 'only at Wycombe'.
You'd think if he was that fed up with it, he'd want to start his own chant to try and drown Tom out, which is actually in a way what Tom wants, ie more fans to get behind the team.
He's a brave fella is Tom. I doubt most of us would basically fancy turning up pretty much solo, and chanting all game, even though we know it's going to attract all sorts of naysayers.
It's a shame we can't find a nice middle ground, he rejoins the singing gang, starts the occasional chant, but is happy to sometimes merely join the others who start chants in a thronging mass of wholesome motivational chanting.
I don't understand why half a dozen people don't simply get together and drown him out.
Is it possible to use the large screen for anything other than advertising before the match and at half time? Some pre-match build up perhaps involving previous meets with our visitors would help build the mood and engage folk into the history of the club. Maybe engage talent from local teams/schools in a keepie-uppie competition running throughout the season, put the highlights and general silliness on the screen at half time, come to the next match for the next thrilling installment. Finals to be held on the hallowed turf, etc
The above is really a substitute for my real heart's desire which would be for those who go out for a fag at half time to have to a race around the stadium for entry back in - Running Man type consequences for those who wheeze their way too slowly. I recognise that health and safety is just one of many obstacles in the path of this idea, but I feel that it would help sell online subscriptions to overseas punters.