Anyone For A Sing Song?

There's been a lot of talk of late about stadium atmosphere after Ferguson's latest lambasting of the Old Trafford prawn sandwich brigade faithful, and it's interesting to take a look in our own back yard at The Valley.

Charlton have never been flash enough for prawn sandwiches (a rip-off Wimpy joint at best), have never really been fashionable, but are well known for being friendly, welcoming, and passionate about what we stand for. Along with Richard Murray's investment, the fans are how the club is still in existence today.

We're often criticised for being one of the quieter clubs, and although there are times when we create a lot of noise, we do sometimes emulate the North-London based Woolwich rejects of Arsenal in the library stakes.

The clichés are always there about the effect of the 'twelfth man', but I do believe it has an effect. However, in customary hypocritical form, I'll put my hands up as being one of the quiet ones a lot of the time. I'll happily sing Valley Floyd Road, Red Army, CAFC, SAP etc, but I'd never be the one starting a song and won't always join in.

You see, sometimes I just want to concentrate on the game. I don't always feel I want to sing, but there are other times when I feel the team needs a bit of a spur and I'll pipe up. If I'm quiet it doesn't necessarily mean I'm not backing the lads.

Who's responsible for the noise though? If the team puts in an abject display and doesn't appear to be trying, why should we even bother? You can't really win with this one – if you don't sing, it will all too often be noted by the manager that we're not getting behind the team and it becomes 'our problem'. But are we responsible for the ones creating the spark, or does this lie with the players and the manager?

Personally, I think it rests on the attitudes of the team. A flash of brilliance, a neat turn, a clever pass, chasing down their man, a crunching tackle, just bloody trying – that will get me going, get me out of my seat, and squawking like a demented reject from X Factor. Alternatively, if no-one on the pitch is giving a toss, I'm not sure they deserve it. It shouldn't take a song from people getting paid a tiny fraction of a player's salary to spark them into it in the first place - these are professionals who should want to win.

Cutting off our noses we may be in such instances – but as much as a football fan has the right to revel and join in the success, don't we also have the right to show our dissatisfaction? The Wycombe cup game last year was a case in point – after such a disgraceful display, if it wasn't for the berating of the crowd it's arguable we may have missed out on getting Pardew in before Christmas.

I'm no fan of the 'boo boys' by any means – I can't stand it when people start booing after the fist misplaced pass, but on that bleak match last December I'll put it in the 'time and place' bracket.

What can the club do to help though? For a start, there has to be the acceptance that not everyone wants to sing through the game. After their relocation to Eastlands, Manchester City attempted to generate atmosphere by introducing a 'singing section'. Despite fears such a move may keep the noise isolated to a single area, by all reports it seems that this has led to noise spreading throughout other areas as people are more confident to join in.

Whilst I'm not keen on having designated singing sections, one thing I would be keen on is the re-introduction of standing areas in the ground. This would have a number of benefits to the club and supporters:
- capacity would increase
- prices should reduce as a result
- standing generally encourages more vocal support
- people who want to stay seated can, and without the problem of persistent standers

One thing I definitely don't want to see is the relocation of away supporters. I'm very proud that Charlton carry on the tradition of giving away fans their own end behind the goal, and I find it sickening that clubs such as Newcastle and more recently Aston Villa are putting away supporters in less 'intimidating' areas.

It's the cowards way out isn't it? Hide the away fans, keep them out of sight, away from the penalty areas and places where they could have a stronger effect on the match and have an influence on officials. In fact, I positively welcome vocal away support – the banter can be excellent and I think in many ways it spurs us on to give the same backing to our own team.

The reaction at the Blackpool game next week will be an interesting one after tomorrow's result – if West Brom knock us out (as I expect), the league means more to us than ever.

Let's hope the player's feel the same way – I could do with a good old sing song...