I have noticed now that in the three 'Big Team' home games (Man Utd, Spurs and Chelsea), the atmosphere has been different to all the other games. When the crowd is excited it is still loud, but there are lots more quiet periods than in all the other games. The drum beats the same, the football is the same (in some cases better), and we're comfortably competing with the top teams in the league, which you would think would make the crowd extra loud. I can only conclude that there are lots of 'plastic' supporters getting tickets for the big games, so they can see their heroes off Match of the Day. I realise that this subject has been done to death, because it is really about the ticket allocation system, and there's not a lot we can do about that till next season. Therefore I am guessing it will be the same for the Man City game. The reason I am posting this, is that at full time I heard several hundred boos from Swans fans. It is the first time I have heard this down the Liberty, and I don't believe any proper Swans fan would be booing after drawing with Chelsea. Only an absolute idiot would boo after coming so close to beating Chelsea, and even though I was delighted with the way we played and the fact we got a point, it left a sour taste in the mouth. Roll on the next 'Little Team'.
If the boos were directed at the team, I imagine they were ones of disappointment not derision. They might well have been directed at one or two of the Chelsea players who had resorted to kicking us or maybe the referee for not doing his job properly in booking/sending them off. There again, perhaps they were disagreeing with the amount of added time. Could be any of a number of reasons. I don't think for one moment that anyone was booing our performance. We came within a whisker of beating a top, top team albeit they are under achieving right now. As for the atmosphere, I am as guilty as anyone when we play quality opposition. I get caught up in the game and get so focused on what is happening (daring to dream we might beat them) I just don't cheer as much as when I am more relaxed. Don't think there was anything sinister in it but, if there was, as you say, the people concerned were idiots.
Its a known fact there are a lot of plastic. I know of at least 40 Irish football fans that bought season tickets so they could come over on the ferry to watch the team they really support (Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City) play and then go back. It's convenient for them and they make money when they sell their ticket on for game sthey don't want to watch.
you'll get the odd exaamples but the majority of supporters are there to watch the Swans, about the same amount of plastics that you'll get if you ever reach the Premiership I'm sure
People around me booed the ref at the end not the team. How the hell Chelsea didn't get more yellow cards is beyond me, they couldn't have complained if they'd finished with 8 men but we had a ref who favoured the "big" team.
I thought the Jeering at the final whistle was a bit strange, but I have no doubt in my mind it was NOT directed at the team at all. IMO it was directed at the less than constant officials, Chelsea should of had at least 2 more players sent off just for tackles on Dyer, let alone the other fouls commited on other players, and the fact that we had 4 minutes added injury time! You are completely correct though Leeeeon, the atmosphere is alot worse when we are playing the so called 'top teams' but as you point out, it can only be due to the plastic fans there just to watch the 'top teams'. The attendance is considerably lower when we are playing the likes of Stoke, or Bolton for example but the atmosphere always seems to be better!
the attendance is down because the s called smaller clubs don't take up their allocation.The more vocal the away fans are the more vocal we are to drownthem out ( two song Chelsea ,very limited ).I thought it was quiet for large spells during the game but singing while trying to stop yourselves dying from hypothermia is sometimes hard.
To be fair I thought the atmosphere was good against Spurs and they're one of the 'big teams'! Hope there aren't to many plastics getting in though so the true fans can get seats. If you aren't there to watch the Swans - Jogg on I say!
I think it's because of the natural urge to cheer when good things are happening on the pitch. Against the top teams, we're getting less of the ball (excluding Arsenal of course) and maybe the fans are a bit more nervous. That said, I haven't really noticed, but I'm in with the 'crazys'!
I have noticed on occasion that the atmosphere dies a little - I think it's just nerves and apprehension... Still loving the games, all of them....
The booing was noticeable, and some of the people around me clearly would be off like a rat up a drainpipe if we were relegated. The Club only cares about bums on seats, not necessarily the true loyalty of a supporter. Can't really disagree with that.
I am not going to get in to the 'booing' or 'plastics' part of the discussion but.... I have noticed now that in the three 'Big Team' home games (Man Utd, Spurs and Chelsea), the atmosphere has been different to all the other games. When the crowd is excited it is still loud, but there are lots more quiet periods than in all the other game Is there perhaps an element of the fear factor when playing these teams, from the fans point of view? A lower expectation is likely to have a knock on effect until a point in the game where the Swans start to dominate and really take hold of the game, and if/when it doesn't happen the noise levels remain lower.
