stuartaytonspeaksfrench Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Hello there ma darling! It’s La Scimmia Rossa/Red Monkey/Colin – the King Farouk of Partick Thistle forum trollers. It’s been a good a good few years but it’s good to have you back. Times have changed in the last 15 years. Cooking programmes are all the rage, ISIS is on the rise and I’ve developed copious amounts of pubic hair. One thing remains a constant though, you’re trolling. Okay then. Have it your way. Let’s go back to all sitting in the Jackie Husband stand. No atmosphere, even lower crowds than you pertain about the North Stand and a soulless match day experience. I remember the last few games of when I sat in the Jackie Husband stand, the season. There were around 6 or 7 people attempting to get any sort of resemblance of a song going but to no avail. Thankfully, a courageous decision as made to save the atmosphere in Firhill. The move to the North Stand, as stated, wasn’t designed to increase attendances as such. Rather, it was decided the move was a last ditch attempt to increase the atmosphere at a stadium which was on its arse. The first game where around 150-200 attended the North Stand completely blows your theory about it being a failed exercise out of the water. Even with the low attendance in the stand, it felt like it was full with the raucous and continuous singing that glorious August summers day. There was a glorious moment when a Falkirk fan phoned ‘Call Kaye’ (of former Loose Woman fame) on Radio Scotland the following Monday morning to complain about the ‘intimidating’ atmosphere that she, her son, and her fellow Bairns fans had experienced that weekend. There were even NEW songs created that day! By golly! Now whether or not one would agree with the haranguing of away supporters at Firhill, I think it’s safe to say that there had been significant change in the noise volumes from myself and the throngs of the Maryhill Margaritas faithful behind the goal. This continued throughout the rest of the season. The 5-1 Dunfermline game showed a massive increase of fans in the North Stand but more crucially the atmosphere kept getting better and better. Raith Rovers (3-2), Livi (6-1, where some Welsh fans even joined us!) and even the Morton game where we got beat 2-1 around boxing day were incredible times to be in the North Stand. I could keep going on. So I will sister! Who will ever forget the night James Craigan put Morton to the sword? The hundreds of fans streaming from the Jackie Husband stand to the North Stand was a site to behold. It was one of THE great nights to be a Thistle fan. Could you honestly dispute that it would have been the same if the North Stand hadn’t been opened to the home support? As previous people have mentioned, you offer no solution to your bizarre queries. You go on and on about the costs of having the stand open without giving us any concrete figures to back up your ‘concerns’. How about, just for a moment, counting the costs of the amount of fans that would stop going back to Firhill if the North Stand was to be closed? I would be one and I’m sure there would be many others. We have a dwindling, beleaguered support as it is. Stop creating a pseudo civil ware between Thistle fans and get on board with suggestions of improving the atmosphere even further? Hey, this might even lead to more fans attending Firhill! What’s ‘pitiful’ is someone who couldn’t even be bothered attending the game having a go at other Jags fans who did. Your posts are like the Stereophonics, outdated and pointless. CHEESE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClydebankJag Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 What is the cost of opening the whole JHS and allowing people to sit anywhere? Would it be cheaper to close off a few sections thereby forcing the fans to sit closer together which could improve the atmosphere as well as saving costs? Or are we only having a go at the North Stand in this thread rather than actually exploring cost saving initiatives? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kji7 Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Back in the late 80's early 90's I was a Shed regular, I loved the atmopshere of the old place. When the JH was built it just wasn't the same for me, I lastest less than a season before drifting away altogether. Between 1995 and 2012 I would doubt I reached double figures for games at Firhill. On a whim one Saturday during our promotion season I went to the 2-2 draw away to Morton and found out about the 'New Shed'. A few weeks later and culminating in that glorius victory against Morton I found that I once again started to care. So after a gap of nearly 20 years I am now a season ticket holder along with my brother who can also be counted as a lapsed fan brought back by having bit of atmosphere again. If we were to lose that then both of us would be lost once again, that's not a toys out the pram flounce threat, just a simple acknowledgement that our interest will dwindle. the JH has never been particularly atmospheric in 20 years, I doubt anything is going to change that now. The north stand has been a huge success in my view and your bizarre and bitter resentment of those of us who massively appreciate being in there is quite divisive and becoming rather tiresome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediocre Pundit Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Hi Tom. My "concern" is everyone talking about what a great idea it is without knowing what it costs. That seems a tad bizarre. As Ian says. I've had my say. I suspect as the season progresses, we'll find ourselves back here again... Only if you start another thread on it... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) I'm actually very thankful that Colin took time out from his high flying twitter career to start this thread on such an ancient medium. It's re-unforced just how important the North Stand is to ALL thistle fans, whether they chose to watch matches from there or not. To hear that someone who had drifted away from the club for nearly 2 decades was persuaded to come back and is now a season ticket holder, all due to the postive impact of the North stand, is extremely heartening. I'm now thoroughly looking forward to the killie game on Saturday and getting right behind the team from the excellent North stand. Edited August 11, 2015 by ian_mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Scimmia Rossa Posted August 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) CJ, that's certainly a better "suggestion" than mine. Of course it makes sense imo to look at that option. As has been pointed out the JH stand could house most attendances for most games and is already (in the main) stewarded and staffed for catering accordingly. Ian, you are more than welcome. Glad you saw the value in the discussion. The attitude of some of the respondents is certainly enlightening. It certainly highlights the challenges we'll have when cost savings inevitably have to made. Edited August 11, 2015 by La Scimmia Rossa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fawlty Towers Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I don't sit in the North Stand but I do think that the people who do go in that stand make a very valuable contribution to a matchday (both in terms of the atmosphere and the money they put in through season tickets, matchday tickets and 50/50 tickets/programmes). I like the visual side of it with all the flags and it is usually the North Standers who start the chants for the rest to join in with. Keep up the good work guys! In terms of the wider discussion about atmosphere and finances the only way we can have an informed discussion is if the club have a meeting with the fans and all the info is put on the table so we can then come up with ideas to take us forward. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 It certainly highlights the challenges we'll have when cost savings inevitably have to made. noted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jag Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 (edited) Three things have confused me after reading this thread. 1. The OP. When did the problem arise regarding the current arrangement with the North Stand? 2. Why does the poster bother to visit the forum, when he clearly has no tolerance for other Jags fans, respect for their opinions, or interest in answering the questions they pose? 3. Why does Tom still shop in Farmfoods, if he thinks it's a shitehole? Edited August 11, 2015 by Jag 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 You seem very sure that something is on the horizon with regards to the Norh Stand "cost savings" Colin. Anything we should know about? It would seem to me that the only thing that's "inevitable" after today is decline in respect and regard with which your fellow supporters hold you in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Does anyone else find this thread totally bizarre? Everyone knows that we the fans' Achilles heal is finance, there's always the spectre of bankruptcy hanging over us. If you want something done at the club, just tell the fans we're skint and any decision is good business sense. Always made for the good of the club. You don't even need to write anything down, or provide facts. The dark days of save the jags forever remain in the memory. Often used as an emotional bargaining chip. Just plant a seed in our heads and let it grow. Now there are many income streams and many outgoings. None have ever been quoted in any sort of £ figure. The club are very guarded even in their published accounts. But here we are, just a matter of hours after a low crowd in the North Stand (and main stand incidentally) being repeatedly told by a single poster that we should be having a public meeting to discuss, the seating arrangement in the stadium, specifically removing the singing section and returning to the soulless days of yore. All in the name of finance, all for the greater good. Not a no holds barred meeting to discuss the finances across the board to discuss everything. But this very one specific issue. it has never been discussed in three years, that the most successful change to the atmosphere in the ground was a loss maker. Ian and I have had many meetings regarding the NS, and not once, has it ever been suggested that the singing section has any sort of negative effect on our finances. Why, is the NS being discussed as a loss maker? It's not even being discussed. We are being told to believe it is. And if you don't think it is, have a meeting to discuss it? why are we being invited to attend a meeting about a problem that doesn't exist, by a person who doesn't use the NS, doesn't attend Celtic games and has never been inconvenienced by the NS? we have been told the NS attendance was pitiful. But that the overall attendance drop was due to mitigating circumstances like the poisonous atmosphere created by Celtic fans. It seems there's an excuse for JHS fans not attending. But NS fans? A pitiful turn out. We have been given an inaccurate figure of 200 people attending, some would suggest deliberately, to emphasise a point. A figure of £30k has been suggested as what it "costs" to open the NS for 18 games. But no guess at how much those fans per game generate in income. we've been told to believe that the JHS fans deliberately chose to sit in the MS over the NS. Failing to acknowledge that the JHS fans were automatically sent a ticket for the MS if they didn't contact the club in a specific time frame. But for what reason? Why gauge fans opinion on this one specific issue? And why loaded to infer it's a financial cripple on the club? Why plant this seed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rid Skwerr Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Je Suis Le Stand du Nord. Nous sommes tous Le Stand du Nord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 I'll give you credit for one thing, LSR, your plans to raise money to refurbish the main stand through fan contribution. If you can get that off the ground, making the MS "safer" will surely decrease policing and stewarding costs for away fans, saving the club money. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 I'm actually very thankful that Colin took time out from his high flying twitter career to start this thread on such an ancient medium. It's re-unforced just how important the North Stand is to ALL thistle fans, whether they chose to watch matches from there or not. To hear that someone who had drifted away from the club for nearly 2 decades was persuaded to come back and is now a season ticket holder, all due to the postive impact of the North stand, is extremely heartening. I'm now thoroughly looking forward to the killie game on Saturday and getting right behind the team from the excellent North stand. Yes, but what are the costs of opening the north stand? Nobody seems to know..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Scimmia Rossa Posted August 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) And they say paranoia is reserved for Celtic fans? PT Re the MS, there's no chance of doing any fan funded type development if some of the fans won't even entertain a discussion on a hypothetical. You would need everyone to move to,the "new" MS. It would need to be an all,or nothing thing, or else you split the fan base further in terms of location. As I said, I don't think the club own the MS? Edited August 12, 2015 by La Scimmia Rossa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenziejag Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 I have just read the original post again. He isn't suggesting that the NS be closed but used for a different purpose - a mixed family section. So in fact there would be no cost saving for the club ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 And they say paranoia is reserved for Celtic fans? PT Re the MS, there's no chance of doing any fan funded type development if some of the fans won't even entertain a discussion on a hypothetical. You would need everyone to move to,the "new" MS. It would need to be an all,or nothing thing, or else you split the fan base further in terms of location. As I said, I don't think the club own the MS? Why is it a bad thing that the fans are "split" in terms of location? What discussion is there to be had? Why is there a need for a discussion? If you want to have a discussion, don't just sit rhyming of question after question. That's not a duscussion. For you to want to enter into a discussion, you need to be respectful of people's views. You also need to share your own views, state what you perceive to be the problem, put forward a resolution. And see what folk think. You didn't even come close. As you say your self, it's all hypothetical. All your facts and figures, all hypothetical and all negatively weighted and not even close to fact. the perceived "problem"? That's hypothetical. Now, if you had started the thread with... The Singing section has been a huge success, and everyone who goes should be congratulated, but how do we make it even better? Here's my opinion.... That's how you start a discussion. Being antagonistic and derogatory in your opening post? It's not the way to go about it. As LJ himself says, you've not provided a solution, all you've done is suggested moving everyone again. That doesn't resolve your mythical costs. It's interesting that you suggest moving the kids section, another section you don't use. Now, i really have no interest in entering into any discussion with you based on a hypothetical, especially when after being repeatedly ask to tell us what you perceive to be the problem, and how you think it should be resolved, you repeatedly fail to do so. There is no problem with "cost" of the north stand. No more than there is a problem with the "cost" of the JHS. The resolution is not to shit on the fans, pissing off 80% of them. By moving the singing section. The resolution is you build on that success, that positivity that has existed in the last three years. You work together and build, you don't knock it down. Creating divisions, is not the way to go. If you want the club to be a success LSR, and I'm sure you do. If you want us to grow our fan base across both stands, and I'm sure you do. You're looking in the wrong place for the problem. But I suspect you already knew that, after all it's been 3 days of trolling a hypothetical. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auld Jag Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 My son is a wheelchair user.Before we could use the NS we had to use the enclosure.The NS is much better because of the view,we are in with our own fans and when we score at that end we are in amongst the celebrations. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Good point, Auld Jag. I've stood down the bottom of the North Stand on many occasions and its pleasing to see the wheelchair users getting a good view and feeling a real integral part of the whole Matchday experience. If anything, at least LSR has allowed fans to demonstrate that the North Stand initiative has been a valuable one. But he could have done it without trying to stir the issue around 'costs'. It's OneThistle after all, not us and them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 RabTheJag is another wheelchair user who posts on here and he's stated several times how much better his match day experience has been since he moved to the North Stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auld Jag Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 ian mac RTJ is my son.I am the camera man who sometimes gets our goals for him to post on here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_mac Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Excellent - glad you are both enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisal Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Acoustics. Eh that's it really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJim Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Hate to butt in to what looks like it's become a witch hunt, BUT...being devil's advocate... Why do people think that what has been successfully accomodated in the North stand couldn't be replicated in the Jackie Husband? People talk about alienating and driving away supporters if the North stand was re-allocated (perhaps even only for one off matches), but do we not run a risk of alienating even more supporters by re-locating the JH stand which has, presumably, more ST holders? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potty trained Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Hate to butt in to what looks like it's become a witch hunt, BUT...being devil's advocate... Why do people think that what has been successfully accommodated in the North stand couldn't be replicated in the Jackie Husband? People talk about alienating and driving away supporters if the North stand was re-allocated (perhaps even only for one off matches), but do we not run a risk of alienating even more supporters by re-locating the JH stand which has, presumably, more ST holders? Because it was previously in the JHS and was a failure. Even to replicate the success, would see a loss of noise. the height of the JHS roof means that sound escapes directly over the MS roof and is lost. On Sunday 500 NS singers easily outsung the celtic support for the first and last 20 minutes of the game. The low er roof and having a stand either side means the sound levels created are far better than what we could achieve from the JHS. The JHS is not suitable for disabled fans so it would alienate them too, as discussed above. The JHS have been very vocal in their support of the NS users. they supported us remaining in the NS when the club tried to move us out permanently 2 years ago, and they supported us this season by accepting themselves having to move to the MS. There has been no outcry or campaign from a majority of JHS users to revert to last seasons set up, i havent seen a minority complaint either, for that matter. any errors by the club have been apologised for and the JHS users have accepted the apology and look forward to issues being resolved for the next game. Hope this answers your query. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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