| This is going to get quite a lot of stick 07:26 - Apr 19 with 4093 views | R442D |
But I've been thinking, we always claim a lack of atmosphere is at our club.
But that's not exactly true.
The Sandy makes a lot of noise, but due to the way its built, the sound doesn't carry well.
So, here's the big one:
Would you have the away fans moved the sandy, and have the Willbutt's Lane Stand as another home stand?
In order to actually hear the home fans, and in turn, drown out the away lot.
Obviously for big numbers, we could share the willbutts end.
But it's just a thought.
You get a better view, and make better noise.
Prices not to be as expensive currently though.
Makes sense surely? |  | | |  |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 07:37 - Apr 19 with 2943 views | AtThePeake |
We have one of these threads every year.
It's not going to happen, the fans have too much of an attachment to the Sandy. |  |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 07:39 - Apr 19 with 2928 views | TTNYear |
It's a radical idea, surprised no one has ever mentioned it. |  |
| Anti-cliquism is the last refuge of the messageboard scoundrel - Copyright Dorset Dale productions |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 07:48 - Apr 19 with 2916 views | funkkk |
It should happen. It won't happen. |  | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 07:58 - Apr 19 with 2896 views | PDIDDY |
You can't take the Daley out of the bus shelter |  |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 08:02 - Apr 19 with 2903 views | TalkingSutty |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 07:48 - Apr 19 by funkkk |
It should happen. It won't happen. |
You cant blame fans for wanting to stay in the Sandy, the fact that its the worst view in the ground is someting they choose to put up with.
I wouldnt want to be forced to watch my football from the Sandy and before the TDS was built that was the popular stand. Leave the Sandy laners alone. |  | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 08:59 - Apr 19 with 2838 views | raadale |
It is suprising this has never been thought of before... ;) I'll quite happily move to the Willbutts end when they take the seats out of it. The lack of atmosphere is due to sitting down. Sod that. |  | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 09:38 - Apr 19 with 2800 views | AtThePeake |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 08:59 - Apr 19 by raadale |
It is suprising this has never been thought of before... ;) I'll quite happily move to the Willbutts end when they take the seats out of it. The lack of atmosphere is due to sitting down. Sod that. |
If you prefer to stand up, then fair play, but you can't say that being in a stand with seats means a lack of atmosphere, several teams have come and created a really good atmosphere in the exact same stand... | |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 09:45 - Apr 19 with 2785 views | sandylaner1 |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 07:58 - Apr 19 by PDIDDY |
You can't take the Daley out of the bus shelter |
loooooooooool  |  | | |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 09:55 - Apr 19 with 2770 views | lurker |
Just out of interest, have we ever had away fans in the Sandy Lane before?
I have some vague recollection of us giving someone that stand once when I was a nipper. |  | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:04 - Apr 19 with 2761 views | TVOS1907 |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 09:55 - Apr 19 by lurker |
Just out of interest, have we ever had away fans in the Sandy Lane before?
I have some vague recollection of us giving someone that stand once when I was a nipper. |
There used to be away fans in the Sandy at times in the 70s and 80s, although they weren't meant to be there!
Blackpool and Bolton spring to mind and older readers can probably add Luton and Aston Villa to the list. |  |
| When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf? |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:25 - Apr 19 with 2730 views | Daley_Lama |
Sandy is for home fans as it's the cheapest in the ground.
I don't think many fans would be happy with away fans paying the least, although if this was replicated at every club it would be ethically good on two scores.
1. Away fans dont feel they are being fleeced and proping up other clubs (oldham at bury recently for example)
2. Away days would come down slightly, have you seen the price of fuel?
That aint going to happen but lets play it out as though it did happen
a switch to the Willbutts would leave away fans paying 15 , TDS 18, WIllbutts 20. You would have to drop the Wilbutts to 15 or moved Sandy Laners would walk. Such a move would have people moving from the main stand and TDS to the Wilbutts, thus losing further revenue.
You'd end up with two sides of the ground used, main stand and TDS less so.
Atmospheric! |  |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:37 - Apr 19 with 2707 views | PDIDDY |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:04 - Apr 19 by TVOS1907 |
There used to be away fans in the Sandy at times in the 70s and 80s, although they weren't meant to be there!
Blackpool and Bolton spring to mind and older readers can probably add Luton and Aston Villa to the list. |
Remember goin on a tues nite v Bradford early 80s and they where in | |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:38 - Apr 19 with 2716 views | RAFC1907 |
If the club wanted to they could quite easily change home and away ends.
The fact that people may cry, whinge, protest would have no effect at all, if the club wanted to do it, the fan would either have to put up with it.
Many a fan in the Sandy would say it is 'history' etc but who lives in the 80's?
One day it will have to go, its as simple as that, especially if Sir Keith Hill has his way and leads us to the Champions League in five years time ;)
You take a look at Cardiff, Swansea, Hull, Burnley etc, all who used to be in our league and had cracking 'football' grounds with history at that time, have now all moved on.
We may have 200 protesters moaning about the Sandy but im sure the likes of the above had thousands protesting yet now look at their respected clubs now.
To move on we have to build, build a better team, build a better fanbase, and build a better ground.
As for standing in the ground under Coleman after some shocking displays I decided to go watch some football at the likes of Ewood Park, Preston, Man City, Barnsley, Burnley and all of their stadiums are all seater yet have hundreds stood up throughout the game and not once are they told to sit down unlike at Spotland.
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:38 - Apr 19 with 2716 views | RAFC1907 |
If the club wanted to they could quite easily change home and away ends.
The fact that people may cry, whinge, protest would have no effect at all, if the club wanted to do it, the fan would either have to put up with it.
Many a fan in the Sandy would say it is 'history' etc but who lives in the 80's?
One day it will have to go, its as simple as that, especially if Sir Keith Hill has his way and leads us to the Champions League in five years time ;)
You take a look at Cardiff, Swansea, Hull, Burnley etc, all who used to be in our league and had cracking 'football' grounds with history at that time, have now all moved on.
We may have 200 protesters moaning about the Sandy but im sure the likes of the above had thousands protesting yet now look at their respected clubs now.
To move on we have to build, build a better team, build a better fanbase, and build a better ground.
As for standing in the ground under Coleman after some shocking displays I decided to go watch some football at the likes of Ewood Park, Preston, Man City, Barnsley, Burnley and all of their stadiums are all seater yet have hundreds stood up throughout the game and not once are they told to sit down unlike at Spotland.
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:40 - Apr 19 with 2714 views | maybee |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:04 - Apr 19 by TVOS1907 |
There used to be away fans in the Sandy at times in the 70s and 80s, although they weren't meant to be there!
Blackpool and Bolton spring to mind and older readers can probably add Luton and Aston Villa to the list. |
The club has officially given the Sandy to away fans on occasions. Leeds were housed there when they beat us 3-0 in the League Cup.
It was on a regular basis that away fans "took" the Sandy back in the 70's...less so in the 80's. However, in those days, supporters were allowed to change ends at half time.
Away fans who "took" the Sandy (when they shouldn't have been there) include
Huddersfield
Blackburn
Aston Villa
Walsall
Portsmouth
Wigan
Barnsley
Hull
Wrexham
Bradford
Grimsby
Plus the ones TVOS recalls. Luton was particularly bad.
A shared Sandy was also quite common...when neither set of supporters were strong enough to oust the other. Halifax was always a good example of this.
Back in the 70's, my Grandad used to take me to various other local games when Dale were playing too far for us to go. I used to be fascinated at Gigg Lane, as every team that brought supporters with them used to chase the bury fans round and round the ground throughout the match. I kid you not... Aston Villa must have covered miles chasing the rather nippy but undernourished buckets at one game. Suppose they hadn't discovered batteries and black shell suits back then!!! |  | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 11:06 - Apr 19 with 2684 views | D_Alien |
Nowt wrong with the atmosphere v. Port Vale
Just need decent fixtures, not a change of ends |  |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 11:12 - Apr 19 with 2671 views | ChaffRAFC |
This debate has been done to death but here's my view:
I would love for an away day style atmosphere at home and that can only happen if the TDS fans and the Sandy Lane fans were housed together in the same stand. The noise it would generate would be excellent. So in theory what you'd do there is shut the Sandy Lane completely, move the TDS fans and the Sandy Lane fans into the Willbutts and stick the away fans in the TDS. However, as a Sandy Lane fan, I'd only move to another part of the ground if I was allowed to stand. I do not like sitting down at football, simple as that.
If you simply move the Sandy Laners into the Willbutts you'd still have a very empty Willbutts and it would achieve nothing other than charging home fans more and away fans less. Also, the plan would have to change when bigger away followings come.
That said, my little plan above is never ever going to work because of the fact you'd have Sandy Lane fans having to pay a lot more than they do now, and because the TDS fans wont move because of the access to Studds Bar at half time. The Sandy Lane fans who couldn't then go to the Ratcliffe Arms at half time would probably be annoyed too. |  |
| If I hadn't seen such riches, I could live with being poor |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 11:17 - Apr 19 with 2659 views | ColDale |
until we have a single price of entry at Spotland, it won't happen. If its a choice between making it cheaper for away fans or giving them a superior view, it'll be the latter every time.
There's very little of "ooh the history" or citing the galatasary style atmosphere these days. In these days of austerity, its a feather in the cap to be able to offer cheaper admission, albeit for an inferior view. |  | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 12:03 - Apr 19 with 2596 views | TomRAFC |
Price, view and atmosphere don't come into it very much. It's down to the simple fact that those who go in the sandy prefer to stand. While the noise output might not be very well amplified it allows fans to move around and speak to one another and have a decent bit of banter as a group without all having to arrive at the exact same time to secure seats together.
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 12:54 - Apr 19 with 2542 views | justanillusion |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 10:04 - Apr 19 by TVOS1907 |
There used to be away fans in the Sandy at times in the 70s and 80s, although they weren't meant to be there!
Blackpool and Bolton spring to mind and older readers can probably add Luton and Aston Villa to the list. |
I recall Burnley fans infiltrating the Sandy lane late eighties in a derby clash and keeping stum until the match had started...then all hell broke loose! |  | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 12:59 - Apr 19 with 2528 views | BrighouseDale |
If the TDS was £15 and the Sandy was £18, I'd still pay £3 extra to stand up. |  |
| I am the resurrection and I am the light. |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 13:11 - Apr 19 with 2504 views | TalkingSutty |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 11:12 - Apr 19 by ChaffRAFC |
This debate has been done to death but here's my view:
I would love for an away day style atmosphere at home and that can only happen if the TDS fans and the Sandy Lane fans were housed together in the same stand. The noise it would generate would be excellent. So in theory what you'd do there is shut the Sandy Lane completely, move the TDS fans and the Sandy Lane fans into the Willbutts and stick the away fans in the TDS. However, as a Sandy Lane fan, I'd only move to another part of the ground if I was allowed to stand. I do not like sitting down at football, simple as that.
If you simply move the Sandy Laners into the Willbutts you'd still have a very empty Willbutts and it would achieve nothing other than charging home fans more and away fans less. Also, the plan would have to change when bigger away followings come.
That said, my little plan above is never ever going to work because of the fact you'd have Sandy Lane fans having to pay a lot more than they do now, and because the TDS fans wont move because of the access to Studds Bar at half time. The Sandy Lane fans who couldn't then go to the Ratcliffe Arms at half time would probably be annoyed too. |
The only reason i go in the TDS stand is because of the excellent view, entrance to Studds bar is nothing to do with it, if i wanted a pint at half time i could now return to the Sandy at a cheaper price.
If the Sandy Lane terracing was higher i would go back because i prefer standing also, but it must be one of the worst views in the football league. | | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 13:17 - Apr 19 with 2497 views | R17ALE |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 13:11 - Apr 19 by TalkingSutty |
The only reason i go in the TDS stand is because of the excellent view, entrance to Studds bar is nothing to do with it, if i wanted a pint at half time i could now return to the Sandy at a cheaper price.
If the Sandy Lane terracing was higher i would go back because i prefer standing also, but it must be one of the worst views in the football league. |
Therein, probably lies the answer TS. If the Sandy was re-terraced with a much steeper rake, and perhaps a higher roof, I think a lot of fans would migrate towards that end. Plus, the Dale Bar is a fantastic place to go into at half time to warm up and sneak a pint. And you can watch the game whilst buying a pie.
But, with finances so tight, it's not really a priority, and I don't think you can get grant aid for building terracing. |  |
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| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 13:18 - Apr 19 with 2494 views | TalkingSutty |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 12:54 - Apr 19 by justanillusion |
I recall Burnley fans infiltrating the Sandy lane late eighties in a derby clash and keeping stum until the match had started...then all hell broke loose! |
Does anybody remember Portsmouths last league visit to Spotland when they filled the Sandy Lane (late 70s i think) ?
I remember a old chap in a flat cap standing behind the goal waving a massive Pompey flag. I think i bought the newspaper style programme from the Roundhouse newsagents in Littleborough prior to the game.
At that time i think we had the poorest team i ever witnessed at Spotland,it was very,very grim. Memory tells me that Pompey filled the Sandy on that day, but in reality they probably brought about a thousand. | | | |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 13:22 - Apr 19 with 2481 views | R17ALE |
| This is going to get quite a lot of stick on 12:54 - Apr 19 by justanillusion |
I recall Burnley fans infiltrating the Sandy lane late eighties in a derby clash and keeping stum until the match had started...then all hell broke loose! |
I think that was our 1987 2-2 draw with Bolton. I remember jumping on the pitch to escape the carnage and the ref took the players off!
For the next few home games the Police started asking everyone their home address at the turnstiles, and if you couldn't give a Rochdale address without thinking, you weren't allowed in!
Kids today really have no idea what it was like!
Bolton brought loads that day and scored a last minute equaliser through, I think, the wonderfully named John Thomas! | |
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