Popped on here tonight to have a nosey and noticed this thread. Bit obsessed by atmosphere in football and the lack of appreciation of its significance
Interesting to read your thoughts on the Villa Park atmosphere. As someone who has lived in the West Midlands for some time now, I have experienced various Second City Derbies both at St Andrew’s and your place. I have also attended non Derby games. I have been really impressed by the atmosphere and had a genuinely wonderful time down there with my mates, some of whom support Villa, on Derby Day. I was at the back of The Holte on Derby day back in November. It was spine tingling at times and everything you want to experience about football, it made you feel alive. It wasn’t even my team playing- you just couldn’t help but get caught up in the euphoria of the situation.
To cut to the chase, I have also witnessed a much more sedate, sombre Villa Park with the Holte Lower decidedly sat throughout the game. It feels like a completely different venue on these occasions
The key to it all, is being stood up. What is the issue, is it the stewards or general apathy towards creating an atmosphere on a more low key occasion? Inclined to believe that it’s the former. You cannot tell me there is atmosphere when the Holte End stand is sat down.
It is a wonderful, spine tingling cathedral of English football that should never been knocked down or significantly altered. It has history, character and atmosphere. My favourite ground after Elland Road which is aesthetically terrible but means an incredible amount to me, and an atmospheric cauldron at times- as I hope it will be in the Gelderd End tomorrow night.
Chants-wise, Holte Enders in the Sky is brilliant, My Old Man is amusing and a classic. Can’t say I’m buying into this ‘allez, allez, allez’ but who am I to tell you I don’t like it?
Sorry for blabbering on, I may have had a few pints and am getting all daft. Leeds fan in peace, but I thought I could give my two pennies’ worth on a subject I know about as a non partisan neutral