Plastic Flags

RE*AC*TOR

Saw this on RAWK - copied from the Chelsea FC website.
Says a lot about Chelsea.

http://www.chelseafc.com/xxchelsea180706/index.html#/page/NewsHomePage/list_2209129_1

Thu, 24th Apr 2008
Home fixture double-headers don't come much bigger than the one Stamford Bridge hosts over the next week and while the stadium should be at its most passionate, efforts will be made to ensure it is also at its most colourful for the visit of Liverpool next week.

Flags have become as much a part of Champions League nights at the Bridge as the pre-kick-off anthem and referees from foreign parts and 30,000 new flags will be placed in the stands for next Wednesday night.

There will also be the new giants flags you may have noticed flying high in recent weeks and supporters can play their part by adding to the colour and by filling the stadium early to build the atmosphere prior to the whistle.

This season, one free flag has been placed at every other seat but against Liverpool, there will be a flag awaiting at each seat in the regular parts of the stadium.

'With it being the last Champions League game of the season at home, but hopefully not our last Champions League game, we want to have a fantastic atmosphere,' says Wesley Barton, stadium tours supervisor who is much-involved in the flag project.

'It creates a bit of atmosphere seeing that sea of blue when the players come out and it is great for TV as well.

'Anything to try to inspire the players is worth it. We have heard the players do like it and anything to give them that extra one per cent is valuable.'

At the last few matches there has been a new addition to the flags, based on successful displays originally seen in stadia overseas.

'We now have a few giant flags waved in front of the West Stand. We trialled them for a couple of Premier League games to use them for this game [liverpool]. It is some of the tour guides that actually wave them,' explains Barton.

Free flags have been placed around the stadium en masse since October last season. They were handed out in smaller numbers on entry at a few league games before that.

'The first game we placed them at the seats was when we hosted Barcelona in the group stage. We beat them 1-0 and Drogba scored that great goal. We did every seat then as well,' recalls Barton.

'Most of the fans take them home. I think most people have about ten flags in their bedroom, but we try to encourage them to bring them back as well.

'We have seen a few brought back for Premier League games and it would be great if people could keep bringing them back and build on the atmosphere.'

zAbbo

Not sure what the issue is?

jank

Says a lot about Chelsea.

And what does it say about them?

RE*AC*TOR

jank wrote: »

And what does it say about them?

Its says Chelsea fans aren't into flags, but the powers that be are trying to create a contrived atmosphere like the big boys.

LuckyLloyd

jank wrote: »

And what does it say about them?

they are trying to mould the current stamford bridge attendees into stamford bridge fans.

Melion

Trying to create an atmosphere

gucci

Think of amount of plastic they'll use....hope they offer some recycling service after, cos they wont need them after wed nite :-)

RE*AC*TOR

plastic flags http://www.football-wallpapers.com/wallpapers3/chelsea_fans_1_1024x768.jpg

flags http://www.multiweb.cz/liverpool/fans%20lfc/the%20spion%20kop%20v%20sobotu.jpg

yom 1

jank wrote: »

And what does it say about them?

To me it says "we have so many plastic fans that to get any sort of atmosphere at a champions league semi final we will be putting cheap little flags to wave."

The point is this is possibly the biggest home game of their season and if they feel they need to put these on seats to get a bit of noise going there's something wrong.

prendy

is great for TV as well.

lol at this!
its a CL semi final second leg and they have to encourage the atmosphere for tv!!
they might buy anfield and move it south once we move!!!!

RE*AC*TOR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQANiiZPzXM

jank

Oh alright. Yea chelsea palstic fans = plastic flags. Funny:cool::rolleyes:

gucci

RE*AC*TOR wrote: »

'We now have a few giant flags waved in front of the West Stand. We trialled them for a couple of Premier League games to use them for this game [liverpool]. It is some of the tour guides that actually wave them,' explains Barton.

Tour guides? What the feck?

I used to have some great photoes of flags i took at san siro when i was behind the goals. Looked really good but i cant find them......must use better file management

event

dont get the major issue lads

so what, they dont have as passionate fans as ye, whats the big deal?

RE*AC*TOR

event wrote: »

dont get the major issue lads

so what, they dont have as passionate fans as ye, whats the big deal?

Its obviously a big enough deal to the Chelsea owner / operators / tour guides.

jank

Having the louder fans seems important for some people, which is strange as it is an Irish Internet Forum.

Melion

jank wrote: »

Having the louder fans seems important for some people, which is strange as it is an Irish Internet Forum.

Back to the library with you

zAbbo

RE*AC*TOR wrote: »

Its says Chelsea fans aren't into flags, but the powers that be are trying to create a contrived atmosphere like the big boys.

No, I think it's just an attempt to increase the match day atmosphere.

I'm a Leinster season ticker holder, and free flags, bodhrans, clackers, try signs, mini balls and other stuff get given out at most games.

selpher

Yeah we need a Gerry and the Pacemakers song. That'll scare em.

Eirebear

I dont quite get it?

Many clubs have flag displays and card displays before big games now.

Normally theyre organised by fans groups, with the help of the club themselves, why is this such a big deal?

iregk

Of course if liverpool or united did this it would be a fantastic club connecting with the crowd initiative but seeing as its Chelsea then its open season with the bashing.

The thing is I've listened to most people on these boards bash the flags at stamford bridge and most of it is laughable ignorance. Oh a club that has to hand them out (trying to create athmosphere) is a laughing stock etc... What people don't realise or it doesn't suit their argument is where this all came from and the reasons its only in the CL and not the Prem.

So lets start with the latter. The reason they do it in the CL is because they are allowed to. UEFA control things there and they have no problem with any sort of flag being waved so they are allowed to do it. In the prem where its FA controlled they are a lot tighter regulations and fans get the flags with poles taken off them on their way into the ground.

How did it start, well its not the board and its plastic fans its club shed. There is a fans forum that opperates usually within the season ticket holders of the shed and harding ends that have been trying to get the fa and club to allow this type of thing for years. Eventually the club allowed it for 1 champions league match against barca and it went down a roaring sucess and they've done it ever since. Club shed were given access to the ground early in that day and placed the flags around the ground, it was nothing to do with the club itself. The club saw what it did and said they would pay for it the next time. Well since then most have been returing with their flags and as such very little money is spent on flags in the bridge. This season club shed became members of the club itself and now post up all their details on the official cfc website, such as the one posted in this thread.

Thats the real story of it but hey lets all ignore that and continue with the chelsea bashing because sure were not real fans anyway. At least we haven't graduated to eating prawn sandwiches mind you.

BaZmO*

The OP is a Liverpool supporter yeah?
Says a lot about the OP.

RE*AC*TOR

BaZmO* wrote: »

The OP is a Liverpool supporter yeah?
Says a lot about the OP.

like what?

BaZmO*

Like you're a Liverpool fan trying to get a rise out of Chelsea fans.

RE*AC*TOR

BaZmO* wrote: »

Like you're a Liverpool fan trying to get a rise out of Chelsea fans.

That doesn't say anything about me. Just what you think my intentions were.
What does it say about ME?

Unearthly

meh who cares. Anything to help the atmosphere is a possitive.

iregk

what I find hillarious is this. Are the RWKA or what ever they are called that sad that they need to go to other teams websites to find anything that they can slag them about? Whats the point?

I'm a member of club shed, post up there every day and not once I have ever come across a post thats on the lines of have a look at this lads got it from liverpool.com or whatever! Not meaning to coin a Jose phrase or anything but are they like sad vouyers that can't help but look into other peoples houses?

Peyton Manning

Ridiculous thread OP. Just going out of your way to find something to make fun of Chelsea with. Quite petty, and embarassing tbh. Hint of bitterness from Tuesdays result I reckon.

FAIL

RE*AC*TOR

Archimedes wrote: »

...

Quelle surprise

citytillidie

iregk wrote: »

Of course if liverpool or united did this it would be a fantastic club connecting with the crowd initiative but seeing as its Chelsea then its open season with the bashing.

The thing is I've listened to most people on these boards bash the flags at stamford bridge and most of it is laughable ignorance. Oh a club that has to hand them out (trying to create athmosphere) is a laughing stock etc... What people don't realise or it doesn't suit their argument is where this all came from and the reasons its only in the CL and not the Prem.

So lets start with the latter. The reason they do it in the CL is because they are allowed to. UEFA control things there and they have no problem with any sort of flag being waved so they are allowed to do it. In the prem where its FA controlled they are a lot tighter regulations and fans get the flags with poles taken off them on their way into the ground.

How did it start, well its not the board and its plastic fans its club shed. There is a fans forum that opperates usually within the season ticket holders of the shed and harding ends that have been trying to get the fa and club to allow this type of thing for years. Eventually the club allowed it for 1 champions league match against barca and it went down a roaring sucess and they've done it ever since. Club shed were given access to the ground early in that day and placed the flags around the ground, it was nothing to do with the club itself. The club saw what it did and said they would pay for it the next time. Well since then most have been returing with their flags and as such very little money is spent on flags in the bridge. This season club shed became members of the club itself and now post up all their details on the official cfc website, such as the one posted in this thread.

Thats the real story of it but hey lets all ignore that and continue with the chelsea bashing because sure were not real fans anyway. At least we haven't graduated to eating prawn sandwiches mind you.

That must be just 19 grounds then because before the start of each Liverpool game there is lots of flags been waved at the front of the KOP along with the crowd surfing banner floating over the KOP

Gavin "shels"

Club organised displays.:rolleyes:

iregk

Crowd surfing banners are allowed and are coming in the near future. Personally I've not seen any flags on poles in any premier league ground this season, thats not to say they don't exist but I've not seen them. On the way into the shed many times I've seen flags and horns etc.. being taken off people.

The reason given by the FA has always been that its against crowd safety regulations.

citytillidie

Gavin shels wrote: »

Club organised displays.:rolleyes:

Yea not like most of the teams in the Eircom League

citytillidie

iregk wrote: »

Crowd surfing banners are allowed and are coming in the near future. Personally I've not seen any flags on poles in any premier league ground this season, thats not to say they don't exist but I've not seen them. On the way into the shed many times I've seen flags and horns etc.. being taken off people.

The reason given by the FA has always been that its against crowd safety regulations.

Well going from experice on the KOP there has been large flags waved at the front for league games.

I think the OP was trying to get at teams like Liverpool and Man Utd the fans make and pay for the flags that appear in and around the grounds on match days. Where as Chealsea as a club have done it.

RE*AC*TOR

citytillidie wrote: »

I think the OP was trying to get at teams like Liverpool and Man Utd the fans make and pay for the flags that appear in and around the grounds on match days. Where as Chealsea as a club have done it.

There are a couple reasons why I thought this was noteworthy. The main reason was actually not aimed at the fans, but at the club. Why do they feel this is necessary? Trying to emulate the big boys instead of forging their own identity. If I was a Chelsea fan, I would be embarassed by this fake, contrived display. Basically telling the fans that they are crap, here's a token to make you better, more like some of those "good" fans we see on tv.
As far as I can see it is for the tv cameras, and reeks of a deep seeded insecurity.

LuckyLloyd

BaZmO* wrote: »

Like you're a Liverpool fan trying to get a rise out of Chelsea fans.

What Chelsea fans?

Zebra3

citytillidie wrote: »

Yea not like most of the teams in the Eircom League

Displays in our league are organised and paid for by the fans, not by some club's PR guru desperate to please tv executives.

And btw, Chelsea have some of the most passionate supporters around (by English standards anyway). I just suppose many of them aren't permitted inside football grounds any more or would rather the atmosphere in the pub than be surrounded by the clueless Johnny-come-latelys morons with their faces painted who believe Soccer AM is footballing heaven.

citytillidie

Zebra3 wrote: »

Displays in our league are organised and paid for by the fans, not by some club's PR guru desperate to please tv executives.

And btw, Chelsea have some of the most passionate supporters around (by English standards anyway). I just suppose many of them aren't permitted inside football grounds any more or would rather the atmosphere in the pub than be surrounded by the clueless Johnny-come-latelys morons with their faces painted who believe Soccer AM is footballing heaven.

I was agreeing with GavinShels about Chelsea the club paying and organising the display where as over here its the fans who do it and i know as i am a Derry City fan

dobsdave

Zebra3 wrote: »

Displays in our league are organised and paid for by the fans, not by some club's PR guru desperate to please tv executives.

And btw, Chelsea have some of the most passionate supporters around (by English standards anyway). I just suppose many of them aren't permitted inside football grounds any more or would rather the atmosphere in the pub than be surrounded by the clueless Johnny-come-latelys morons with their faces painted who believe Soccer AM is footballing heaven.

Some of the most passionate supporters around aren't allowed in?I think there is a name for those type of 'supporters'

Or passionate supporters who go to the pub instead of the match out of choice!!!!!:D

I often wondered why there were hundreds of empty seats at Chelsea matches.

Zebra3

citytillidie wrote: »

I was agreeing with GavinShels about Chelsea the club paying and organising the display where as over here its the fans who do it and i know as i am a Derry City fan

Sorry man, I thought you were being sarcastic!!!

dobsdave wrote: »

Some of the most passionate supporters around aren't allowed in?I think there is a name for those type of 'supporters'

Or passionate supporters who go to the pub instead of the match out of choice!!!!!:D

I often wondered why there were hundreds of empty seats at Chelsea matches.

You don't have to be a hooligan to be banned from grounds in England. Simply be being deported by a foreign state while at a football match (or being in and around one) can you get you a banning order. Believe or not, not every England fan deported whilst abroad has been involved in trouble.

The poor atmosphere/banning orders (fair and unfair)/scandalous ticket prices/no unreserved sections have all lead to hardcore fans assembling in pubs to watch games instaed of going. Believe me, it happens (in England).

Ronan|Raven

Plastic flags sum up everything I despise about modern football., Having to hand out flags to the fans as they cant make their own. To get them make an atmosphear? If they cant figure that out by themselves then god help the world. Consumers the whole ****ing lot.

shane86

This thread has it all.

The "Chelsea fans are boring" brigade
Man U fan sniping at pool fans and forgetting last nights borefest in Barca.
The lone EL fan taking a bitter swipe at the EPL.

Every Soccer forum cliche rolled into one thread.

Ronan|Raven

I'm not making a swipe at the EPL, im merely saying it has turned into a consumer orientated wankfest. When you have to help fans create an atmosphear and this goes for any league so pull yer knickers back on something has gone horribly wrong somewhere.

Jazzy

just like Phil Neville cant buy style, chelski cant buy atmosphere

iregk

Hilarious stuff. I've all ready explained exactly how it started and it happens now and still people ignore it saying its the club in a desperate attempt to "buy" athmosphere.

Also as a shed end regular I'd challenge anyone on this board to sit in the shed and tell me after 10mins never mind 90 that stamford bridge has no athmosphere. Also a lot of the CHH (the hardcore fans) were given lifetime bans by ken bates back in the mid 90's. The result of this is a lot of real blue bloods not being allowed into the ground. Some have been allowed back in the past season or two but most are still barred. There is talk of a campaign to allow them back but people are pretty much on the fence as to whether this is a good or bad thing. These guys used to own and run everything that happened in the shed end and in the bridge.

OPENROAD

Talking of Chelsea and CHH, anyone ever read the book Steaming In.

growler

Ronan|Raven wrote: »

Plastic flags sum up everything I despise about modern football., Having to hand out flags to the fans as they cant make their own. To get them make an atmosphear? If they cant figure that out by themselves then god help the world. Consumers the whole ****ing lot.

so getting free flags from a club you've just paid £45+ to see is worse that buying a hat / scarf / flag from some bloke outside the groud ?




anyway the flags are pretty poor, always seems to come off the pole for me, maybe i haven't got the knack or am waving to much , anyway I now have a large collection of poleless flags gathering at home ready for a great big sewing job should i ever learn to sew.

And

Spurs fans got free flags at wembley also this year, bad spurs, plastic fans, fake atmosphere.. blah blah

Tour Guides , WOW , imagine a club that has people come to take guided tours of the ground that actually has employees to guide them about, boggles the mind, when i went to old trafford (missus made me) they had guides there too, really pissed me off coz I fancied wandering around on my own for a few hours and repainting the goal lines for em, oh and they have guides at the cameldome, the san siro, nou camp, anfield ... weird eh ?


And, I do kinda agree that its more a manufactured atmosphere , and while i personally don't agree with it and think it pretty naff, I don't see any harm in the club trying to get some interaction out the large number of attendees (not true cfc fans in my book) at the bridge that don't know our songs and haven't got the courage of the likes of Hicks and Son to mime along to our famous CFC anthems.

btw CHH are all well past it these days, most couldn't run for a bus never mind take on the ICF :-)

Ronan|Raven

I just look forward to the day when it all comes caving in for all the clubs. When you have a situation where locals fans have a hard time affording match prices, having hassle to get the tickets due the amount being bought up by overseas things have gone wrong and this is not a patchetic Eircom Leaguers rant as most of you will think.

I myself used to love supporting liverpool I knew no different I still keep a good eye on them but it hit home the last game I ever went to when at a stag party the same day as the Liverpool - Chelsea game in which Liverpool won 2-0. **** all scouse accents around me. twats there who couldnt sing YNWA even with printed words they would struggle. Band wagon jumping tossers the lot. And I thought to myself my being at this game means some local lad wont be. **** that.
My experience that day reminded me how much I hated the way the game has gone. I would sooner be in a crumbling stadium somewhere surrounded by fans who would go through hell and know what it meant to be there. These tossers, twats, monkeys in jester hats. They follow a trend. The same people whom would have applauded leeds until their demise.

Football does not need these peple IMO, ok there is the money aspect but why sell your soul to the devil? They will merely move on when the next big things happen and while their money will be missed by the big four clubs so what,

Give football back to the fans. And whatever dark road that leads one down then it is a road worth following.