Championship football - yay or nay?

[Hoover Attack]

Whatever you think of Birmingham - the town and the football club - you have to agree they are too big for L1, they absolutely should be a Championship side. All day long. The same was true of Derby County last season, another nailed on Championship team.

As fun as it is to go to one of these big, shiny (ish) grounds once in a while, would you honestly want to do it every week? I'm not so sure. For the players, yes of course but the experience for the fans is IMO pretty sh*t. Discuss.

[Long slender neck]

What about the experience do you find sh*t?

From the games I've been to, the bigger the ground, the more corporate it has often felt.

[Turk]

Birmingham in League One is like a cruiserweight fighting at welterweight

[Wally Banter]

I can understand why many supporters would scoff at the question. After all, what's the point of supporting a team if you don't want to see them succeed at the highest possible levels and bring home some meaningful silverware?

Appreciating that I sound utterly small-time, but I don't get as much pleasure from (or identification with) the larger, more sterilised atmospheres at the bigger grounds - and it's hard to imagine enjoying the experience of being an Orient fan in the same way. Huge, huge "if" here - but "if" we did somehow graduate into a consistent Championship side with a bigger home ground, I'd find it a real challenge to adapt to the new experience.

[OyinbO]

It's a fair question, but last night was my first visit to St Andrews and I was surprised at how compact and homely the ground felt. Both in terms of location, style, and facilities. It did not feel as big and sterile as eg Pride Park, and you could feel the shadow of the old, moody days when it was much edgier place to visit.

Honestly, if Barnsley, Blackpool and Wigan don't look that out of place in League One then neither does Birmingham. After all, they've spent about as much time in the top flight recently.

[Mistadobalina]

You get crap smaller grounds as well. Really liked Birmingham's , location and naff pyrotechnics notwithstanding.

[Mistadobalina]

I can understand why many supporters would scoff at the question. After all, what's the point of supporting a team if you don't want to see them succeed at the highest possible levels and bring home some meaningful silverware?

Appreciating that I sound utterly small-time, but I don't get as much pleasure from (or identification with) the larger, more sterilised atmospheres at the bigger grounds - and it's hard to imagine enjoying the experience of being an Orient fan in the same way. Huge, huge "if" here - but "if" we did somehow graduate into a consistent Championship side with a bigger home ground, I'd find it a real challenge to adapt to the new experience.

I think what might be a struggle were we to make it to the championship is that we would be the crappiest game for every single single home team we visited. In big stadiums, you feel a lack of atmosphere much more and that'd be the case for almost every trip we did.

Brum fans were very quiet last night apart from when they sung their club anthem, which gave you a hint of what a more lively game would sound like.

[Orientnil]

It's easy to forget that for a good few years we were a second tier outfit. Our rickety old stadium could squeeze in over 30,000 of us when necessary and the team was populated with just over the hill stars from the top flight. Chairman Harry Zussman said that regular crowds of min 15,000 were required for us to survive. I know it is highly unlikely that we can regain that stature but with Leyton's changing demography and the prospect of a new stadium it is not impossible. Being an Os fan means dreaming and hoping against all odds that success will come our way. However, if the dice rolled in our favour, that success would change the character of the club enormously and some would say we'd lose the club we love. Can't win can we? Best keep dreaming.

[one o in huntingdon]

Birmingham in League One is like a cruiserweight fighting at welterweight

still so far off the heavyweights of Aston Villa and probably WBA too

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Absolutely Yay.

Rather than necessarily the away games, the home games would be better. Bigger teams coming to our compact ground with full away allocations and a really good brand of football.

[BIGRON]

I thought St Andrews was one of the best gounds I've visited in a long time , apart from the game it was an enjoyable visit

[Rich Tea Wellin]

I thought St Andrews was one of the best gounds I've visited in a long time , apart from the game it was an enjoyable visit

did you get a seat?

[Proposition Joe]

Thoroughly enjoyed trips to Forest and Leeds when they were slumming it in League One. What's not to like?

Granted, this was over a decade ago now (almost 20? Jeeeeesus ) and the whole match day experience across the board has got more sh*t so I'm lacking a recent comparison which may change my outlook.

[OyinbO]

Norwich was good too. Even Southampton and Leicester, in their newer grounds - thankfully both centrally located.

[Proposition Joe]

And Sheffield United. But again, at least 10 years ago now.

[Lifelongfan]

Are Brum even big? Flopped in PL though they did win the league cup. Crowds are up as Brady money is being spent. They are no big fry

[Hoover Attack]

What about the experience do you find sh*t?

From the games I've been to, the bigger the ground, the more corporate it has often felt.

The booming PA system and attempts to hype the crowd up and quieten the Orient fans. The f*cking fireworks. The queues for drinks. The coppers and stewards in your face all game. The local herberts more interested in watching the away end than the game. Bottlejob referees. The traffic getting to and from the ground.

[Hoover Attack]

Absolutely Yay.

Rather than necessarily the away games, the home games would be better. Bigger teams coming to our compact ground with full away allocations and a really good brand of football.

Valid.

[Mistadobalina]

What about the experience do you find sh*t?

From the games I've been to, the bigger the ground, the more corporate it has often felt.

The booming PA system and attempts to hype the crowd up and quieten the Orient fans. The f*cking fireworks. The queues for drinks. The coppers and stewards in your face all game. The local herberts more interested in watching the away end than the game. Bottlejob referees. The traffic getting to and from the ground.

I would love there to be a club that trialled not blasting music out at full tilt before and after games to see what an improvement it'd make to the atmosphere. I've never met anyone who thinks the experience is improved by having the same rotation of craps songs.

[Scuba Diver]

Norwich was good too. Even Southampton and Leicester, in their newer grounds - thankfully both centrally located.

Think this answers it really so i.e. "it depends"

I enjoyed Norwich for sure, but when we went to Wolves top of L1 in 2013 it seemed really s*** and sanitised. Surly, scowling, stewards who seemed quite bitter individuals.
( I didn't go Brum last night so can't comment)

Needs to be appreciated that in the Champ/EPL that as a supporter, you're not even acknowledged really. You're just a ticket numer, a cash-cow, something to be milked.

I would compare that to the welcome I got at Fleetwood (don't laugh) last season. Everyone from the fans, police, stewards, tea-bar were extremely welcoming and helpful. It was like they were pleased you were there... Almost similar to attending the tennis at Wimbledon (say).
You'd rarely get that up the leagues

Notwithstanding all of that- of course I'd love Orient to go up.

[Proposition Joe]

Everything these days seems to be focus grouped so I'd be fascinated to find out who exactly prefers what Mista describes above and when this sort of feedback was given. Every big final, at least one reporter will - correctly - point out that Sandstorm or Freed from Desire at a volume that would justify ear defenders, only serves to destroy the pre-match atmosphere, rather than enhance it.

[gshaw]

Absolutely yes, the only caveat would be if VA-farce got extended to the Championship then it's a hard pass

[Little Charlie]

What about the experience do you find sh*t?

From the games I've been to, the bigger the ground, the more corporate it has often felt.

The booming PA system and attempts to hype the crowd up and quieten the Orient fans. The f*cking fireworks. The queues for drinks. The coppers and stewards in your face all game. The local herberts more interested in watching the away end than the game. Bottlejob referees. The traffic getting to and from the ground.

I would love there to be a club that trialled not blasting music out at full tilt before and after games to see what an improvement it'd make to the atmosphere. I've never met anyone who thinks the experience is improved by having the same rotation of craps songs.

I’m sorry but the music before the game and a half-time is shocking. Same old music but doesn’t get anyone listed or upbeat.
I’ve been to many grounds, whether you have had light shows, and some catchy tunes before again to build suspense. Always makes the beginning of the game that little more exciting.
But if you would prefer we could stay in the lower leagues, listening to the same old crap music, on a crackly PA system. To read that some of our supporters don’t want to get promoted to the championship is laughable. We have way too many supporters that love the idea of supporting a little club. “Little Leyton Orient”

[Mistadobalina]

Am I missing a woosh?