I went to my first ever competitive away game recently and was quite surprised at the sheer difference between home and away. My brother and my dad had kept saying ‘it’s an away game – it’s different’ before we actually went but I just laughed it off. I had no idea how right they were.
The fans that travelled to Southampton seemed somehow more animated; more up for it. I was shocked by the constant singing and standing for the whole match. But I mean, if we can do that away, why can’t we get that atmosphere at Upton Park? The fans obviously love the club enough to follow them up and down the country and cheer them on, so why is the atmosphere so different at home?
Away, fans seem like a tribe who are fighting against the odds to get their voices heard. They want to be extra passionate and truly get behind the team to motivate the 11 players who are wearing claret and blue that day. It’s a new place to visit and it’s you against the rest of the stadium, and for the majority of matches you will out-sing the home crowd.
I think it’s that we get too complacent going to Upton Park. We know what to expect, we know where to get our pint beforehand. We can even pick out the best burger van on Green Street! Mine’s the cream and green one, for the record – and make it a cheese dog with onions. I just think we need to inject a bit more passion from our away games into those at the Boleyn Ground, but I’m not sure how it would ever work.
How can we get that sense of adventuring with the gang at Upton Park, if it’s possible at all? And do you prefer home or away games? Let me know by tweeting me at @alwaysintune.
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