In Chelsea end...

Tourists, day trippers, feckless shameless gloryhunters and people taking photos like they are at a tourist attraction. That is what it's like every week at the big clubs. 

I went in the Chelsea end by mistake when we played there in 1977 and there was no sign of Asian tourists or Eastern Europeans then, me and my mate had to speak our best "cockernee" to not get our heads bashed in.

Is it better now? I like the fact that going to games isn't the potential running the gauntlet experience it used to be and you don't have to fight or keep your nut down but back then we could compete on fairly equal terms with the likes of Chelsea. (On the field that is, they gave us much more of a problem off it!). 

Clubs like Chelsea are now out of sight for clubs like us for a number of reason including
disgraceful elitist policies by the FA over the years whose remit is to look after the game as a whole not to put the big clubs first but mainly because it's become ultra fashionable to be a gloryhunting parasite. There was almost as many Chelsea fans as Rovers in Reading services heading west after the game, that wouldn't have happened in 1977.

It was a bizarre experience. Walking up the steps to my seat some chelsea fans started running with excitement, and then i realised that despite there chelsea shirts etc they had never been to a match before. The strangest thing was hearing rovers singing and looking around and seeing all the chelsea fans watching the rovers fans as they had never hear singing before. Each time they scored they all stood up, clapped and then sat back down, like a theatre encore.

Think we should stop being a good team when we are in the top half of the Championship, don't want to go to the Prem if that's what it is like. I wouldn't enjoy it anymore

Very confusing that game last night for me, like watching my first love and wife hair pulling 'n' handbags. I stopped watching Chelsea when Roman took over as the club and stadium lost its soul. In the 80s and 90s the shed end was something unique and the singing immense. This is my one worry about the UWE - displacing singers and losing voice.

I hope DC uses this game to drive us all through the season.

Maybe no need to worry about the singing...those Chelsea tickets never went on general sale so that was 4K season ticket holders there singing their hearts out. Liberally dotted around the new home that lot would soon get their neighbours singing !

Both agree and disagree with this. When I walked into the bridge last night and got a pint in the concourse (without queuing despite the end being sold out) and joined the sing songs inside the stand it was far better than anything in the bar the mem. The away end was superb too for the whole match. Success and a better stadium doesn't guarantee a lesser atmosphere, it's just up to us gasheads to ensure we keep singing! Face it, however far we end up going as a club we will never reach the level Chelsea are at in terms of global marketing (well not in my lifetime).

A new stadium and even premiership football, should we ever get there, will not turn us into a plastic club just like that. I'd personally love a go at playing teams like last night week in week out. Showing the footballing world what gasheads are made of!

I was in Chelsea end, just by corner flag. They didn't sing much, and when they did, it was moaning about Spurs! The concourse bars were so rammed at half time, we missed the penalty! Did'nt see any trouble, but we did get looked at for (quietly) celebrating the first Rovers goal.

Facilities. Build a Stadium where people can park, buy a beer, buy food, bring the young 'uns, enjoy an afternoon out, they'll come.

Not really where both Bristol clubs are going to find the extra 10,000+ fans from, if they are all locals it's not clear whether they will become true supports like the present 10,000 or so Gasheads who turn up at the Mem?