We are being noticed and spoken about.

[CPFC2010ANDON]

"The goals changed the course of the game and instead of us going top, like everybody wanted, that was it. So it's never heaven and it's never hell, and you just have to get on with it."

Holloway pointed to the example of Crystal Palace who, after losing their first three games, have won six out of their last seven to jump to fourth in the table.

Taken from the BBC article RE: Ian Holloway and his Blackpool critics.

I am still struggling to believe that we are fourth. It's beena while since we were doing so well. Certainly makes a change from the bottom half.

EDIT:

The link for verification purposes.

[eagles #1]

Getting noticed for our fantastic support aswell..This article from a North Welsh Press.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-new...5578-32006499/

Why English game can learn from fan friendly German football

By Andy MItten
Oct 10 2012

IT wasn’t only Borussia Dortmund’s outstanding team which rocked the self-satisfied world of the English Premier League last week.

Their 3,000 travelling fans put on a display which outclassed and outsung over 40,000 Manchester City fans.

It would have been the same had they visited any English club, yet they’re not just loud away from home.

The Sudtribune at Dortmund’s 80,000 capacity home is the largest terrace in Europe, with room for 24,000 during league matches. It’s known as “the yellow wall”.

German football does much right. The Bundesliga boasts – by a distance – the highest average crowds in world football of 46,358.
The Premier League is 35,533 so far this season, Spain’s La Liga 29,909 and Italy’s Serie A 22,917.

German stadiums, the best of which were built for the 2006 World Cup finals, are superior to those of any other country. Yet while they are modern and incorporate new age football accoutrements like a sponsors’ name and numerous executive facilities, they also feature standing terraces.

On a visit to SV Hamburg, one club official told me: “The club sell the spectacle of atmosphere to sponsors and the people in the business seats, but that atmosphere comes from the standing terraces.”

These are not like the pre-Hillsborough unsafe terraces, but usually smaller sections. It costs no more than £12 to stand on them and watch teams like Bayern Munich play Borussia Dortmund, about a third of most Premier League tickets and less than the price of watching a game in the Blue Square Premier.

German law encourages fan-owned clubs, where supporters vote on major issues. Even if they were seduced by a sleazy oligarch or Americans taking out huge mortgages to buy the club, the law dictates that such buyers would only ever get 49% of the club and would therefore never be in a position of absolute power.

While British authorities and clubs view football fans with suspicion and resist change and dialogue, German clubs integrate with their supporters. They employ full time fan co-ordinators to gauge opinions, long-standing fans who are known and respected by other fans. They act as a buffer between ultra groups, the club and the police, but if there’s a problem then it can usually be self-policed.

Contrast that with people in senior positions at British football clubs. Some are genuine fans, many others claim that they are, but didn’t watch football until they started working in it.

Unlike in Germany, British fans have been browbeaten, their culture marginalised. Many have become so disenfranchised with the high ticket prices, the sanitised match day experiences, the declining atmosphere and stadiums sprinkled with tourists asking the way to the ground when they’re 200 metres from the stadium, that they prefer to watch games on television.

Fans who once stood together in stadiums now stand together watching games in pubs. Vocal fans are spread around stadiums, leaving no focal point for atmosphere.

British football fans used to be admired for the atmosphere created. Some still are, yet I’m fortunate to watch games around Europe every month and, almost without exception, I witness atmospheres far, far superior than in England. It’s not right that fan groups in Montpellier or Basel are more impressive than Manchester. It’s so deflating because football fans here do want to make a difference. They envy and admire the likes of the Dortmund fans, they want to be a part of something similar but they’re sick of being told, no, no, no.

There are glimmers of hope. The high ticket prices need addressing – and an economic slowdown and falling demand is helping play a part there.

Manchester United are trying to put aside an area where the vocal fans can have their own section next season. Away followings remain loud and proud too – at every level. I saw Crystal Palace play at Charlton recently. Palace have formed an ultra group and the travelling fans were colourful, organised and created a din, one that did not equate to trouble.

The government and football authorities should not be afraid to have a serious discussion about implementing the type of safe standing terraces seen in Germany – fans shouldn’t be afraid of joining with other fans. We should never sentimentalize or whitewash the problems that excessive tribalism created in the past, but football badly needs a revival of that passion and atmosphere.

[glaziers fan]

Apart from the flares, yeah

[CP Satellite]

Originally Posted by glaziers fan

Apart from the flares unhazardous smoke bombs, yeah

[Oisin]

That piece by Mitten originally appeared in the press here in the UAE. He writes for the National which is a Man City obsessed paper. Mitten is a Mancunian with impeccable ManU credentials having had family play for the club yet has to write gushing City pieces for his Abu Dhabi paymasters. He is a good writer on fans issues.

[jamie12]

Originally Posted by CP Satellite

[stevek]

Colourful? I thought they all wore black

[East-End Eagle]

Good article, spot on about German football too.

[Kai]

The thing is that elsewhere in Europe fans are organised in supporters clubs that actually work WITH the club on matters concerning the fans. These groups also sell merchandise and other stuff that makes more people wear team colours thus forming "yellow walls". Too much British supporters equipment cater for those who want to wear fashion instead of proper team colours.

Also, ticket prices in Britain are so inflated at every level it's bordering on the ridicuolous.

[James]

English football could certainly benefit from properly organised (and controlled) standing areas within Stadiums. There is no reason why such areas could not be strictly members' only and perfectly safe. I would love to see the HFs have their own dedicated standing area in the lower Holmesdale.

[WorthingEagle]

Originally Posted by Kai

Also, ticket prices in Britain are so inflated at every level it's bordering on the ridicuolous.

Yep, from £65 for Arsenal v Chelsea to £8 for Worthing vs Walton & Hersham, it's all gone way over the top.

Saw that Worthing had a sub-100 crowd the other day, when they used to get 500 10-15 years ago. Who's gonna pay £8 to watch players that you could well come up against the next day in a Sunday League game?