there should defintely be an effort to get the crowd going 10-15 minutes before the game starts. I think the announcer could do a lot more to build up the fans or have those guys with the drums back again at least to get things going. Otherwise the game starts off very tamely and the atmosphere can continue like that for the whole game. Ulster have voices when they travel, and they seem to chant well before the teams come out so I expect a better atmosphere to the Zebre game

In fairness I think at the Zebre game the atmosphere was dead flat because the game was dead flat.

[quote="pinky" post=19907

Compare that to Toulouse where they allocated us a block and it made for a great atmosphere. Ditto Biarritz.

Pinky

Don't be so sure Toulouse won’t try something this year. Remember we are the ONLY visiting team supporters that the Toulouse players have ever acknowledged after a game. They may not want the Clan in residence again in a hurry.

pinky wrote: Trying to kill off their atmosphere via ticket allocation is a sign of weakness. Just drown 'em out.

i know you go to all the matches but have you hear any noise coming from the supporters in the last 18months excuding leinster and biarritz game? nope, zero.

its been dead, flat. zebre game some guy around me started singing the fields, i joined in and few other about 30metres joined in. had to stop as it made us look like we were singing in the libuary.
early kickoffs might be helping people from further away come to matches but 5pm kickof is not giving fans the experience of a good match day. i dont know, id hate to say maybe people arent drinkng before the game but that might be it.
im actually happy the ulster game is on later in the evening, might give people more time to find there voices.

rant over love ye all :lol:

ummm, wrote:

_nobody_ wrote: The clan always sells out so why not sell it out with Connacht supporters?

Because Connacht aren't allowed to do that.

Good point!!! :oops:

_nobody_ wrote: The clan always sells out so why not sell it out with Connacht supporters?

Because Connacht aren't allowed to do that.

columoc wrote: We should remind ourselves that we are not soccer supporters.

Whatever we think of the opposition's management, most of their fans are good rugby supporters and we should not be hostile. Better we support our team but remain hospitable and welcoming as we do with most fans, no matter where they sit.

Fully agree with you that it is rugby. I do think that we should try to make the Sportsground as intimidating a place as possible. It is not the usual type of stadium, and a lot of these players would not have seen a dogtrack around a pitch before. Pack the Clan with Connacht so it is what the opposition hear when they run out on the pitch.

Pinky - Totally agree that it can help build atmosphere and I think it is one of the great things about rugby. I would have put them on the main stand side though, that bit further from where the team run out.

The clan always sells out so why not sell it out with Connacht supporters?

columoc wrote: We should remind ourselves that we are not soccer supporters.

Whatever we think of the opposition's management, most of their fans are good rugby supporters and we should not be hostile. Better we support our team but remain hospitable and welcoming as we do with most fans, no matter where they sit.

One thing that really annoys me at away games is when home teams try to contrive various schemes to minimise the impact of away fans. Quins seemed to be at it last season where Connacht fans were split up across the stand rather than being in a block (this may have been coincidence with people buying online, etc. but even the branch allocation seemed non-contiguous).
Compare that to Toulouse where they allocated us a block and it made for a great atmosphere. Ditto Biarritz.
Trying to kill off their atmosphere via ticket allocation is a sign of weakness. Just drown 'em out.

We should remind ourselves that we are not soccer supporters.

Whatever we think of the opposition's management, most of their fans are good rugby supporters and we should not be hostile. Better we support our team but remain hospitable and welcoming as we do with most fans, no matter where they sit.

I think that the best thing is for all home fans to get in early and hold their spots. One lad at a time to visit the bar for re-fills the rest to keep their elbows pointed.

swift4prez wrote: yes! away fans get some tickets for all area's of the ground. most teams bringing a big crowd usually stay in the main stand when its 6000 or so, that then all fans can stay together.

personally it sickens me that there will be saracens fans will be in the clan.
<strong>i hope,</strong> the branch will mark there tickets into either end of the clan and that they wont get middle of the pitch views. if this happens it will be a major ''own goal''.

Would it not be worse if they were at the ends and any shots of tries/tryline/penalties shows large groups of sarries fans?

Don't matter. Just boo them off the park for 80 minutes. Send Wray a message.

Its not up to Connacht from what I heard. An allocation for each stand has to be made away to away fans in the Heineken Cup

yes! away fans get some tickets for all area's of the ground. most teams bringing a big crowd usually stay in the main stand when its 6000 or so, that then all fans can stay together.

personally it sickens me that there will be saracens fans will be in the clan.
i hope, the branch will mark there tickets into either end of the clan and that they wont get middle of the pitch views. if this happens it will be a major ''own goal''.

I know it is a bit early to be talking about this with so many games between now and then. I had a look over on the saracens forum about their travel plans. It appears the Saracencs ticket allocation is for the clan terrace. Does this seem odd to anybody else? I would have thought it would have been better to fill the Clan with season ticket holders and as many Connacht fans as possible.

Is there something that the opposition have to get an allocation in each section?