Creating a fortress

[The_Todd]

No, I don't mean pulling all the cushions off your sofa and building a fort in your living room, I mean turning ER into a fortress. Let's face it, 2 wins in a season doesn't indicate it's a venue to be feared for opposition fans and players.

What can be done to overcome this, to make opposition players think twice before taking the game by the scruff of the neck and owning us all over the park? Well, better players yes but that's out of my hands - that's up to Rod and Pat. What about the choice of music in the build up to kick off and when the teams come out? For me I think there's too much "nice" music. Hibs Heroes, Glory Glory and all that are perfectly good Hibs songs but it doesn't get the blood pumping or the adrenaline going.

Anyone got any views on this or am I just being too fussy over minor details which won't actually make any difference?

Personally, when the players come out I'd like our players to link arms and stare down the opposition while "The Game" by Motorhead is playing hopefully veins popping out of their heads. It's full of energy, confrontational and defiant both in terms of music and lyrics. Any WWE watchers will know this song well:

IT'S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME!

[Macaroon]

I think we would be laughed to death if we did that tbh. Can you imagine Lewis trying that?

What needs to happen, which hopefully will come back with the higher crowds, is playing Sunshine on Leith before every game again. Get the fans really up for it and remind the players the team they are playing for and get them really up for it.

[Hermit Crab]

Personally I think we lost our intimidating home when we redeveloped the East terracing.

[matty_f]

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Personally I think we lost our intimidating home when we redeveloped the East terracing.

It had nothing to do with the stand and everything to do with the quality on the pitch.

The best way to make Easter Road a fortress is to put together a team good enough to win games (or at the very least not lose them) at home. If we have players battering into tackles, winning 50/50's, chasing the lost causes and all the rest of the cliches, then Easter Road would have a great atmosphere the majority of the time, and that would be enough to rattle opponents.

The fortress starts on the pitch and is supplimented by the fans, not the other way round, IMHO.

[Hibercelona]

ER was a fortress under Yogi to begin with as I recall.

At some point, something major must have happened behind the scenes to cause us to flop so badly.

We need to get that level of consistancy back some how. But with an almost completely new squad next season, it's hard to predict how everything is going to pan out.

I believe the fans can play a huge part in putting pressure on the opposing team. The atmosphere is totally dire at times, although understandably so.

[Sas_The_Hibby]

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I think we would be laughed to death if we did that tbh. Can you imagine Lewis trying that?

What needs to happen, which hopefully will come back with the higher crowds, is playing Sunshine on Leith before every game again. Get the fans really up for it and remind the players the team they are playing for and get them really up for it.

NO, definitely not! If it gets played every game, it becomes meaningless, in my opinion, and loses all impact. Keep it for special occasions - the law of diminishing returns and all that.

[Albion Hibs]

I would settle for a decent atmosphere and take it from there. I think at times as a support we give our team a far harder time than any opposition will. I dont think it is any surprise that we are a better team away from home.

I would agree with the above that the east stand being replaced has not helped. Our most vocal supporters are up the back of the stadium as opposed to being on top of the opposition. I also dont see the sense in having away fans next to the west stand, again putting them over towards the east stand would create a lot more banter, shouting and singing between fans. Two minor things, but none the less would improve the atmosphere.
.
If we can get the players playing in a decent atmosphere with a home crowd shouting for them then I think by defaut we create a fortress.

[hiblander]

In a different sport and continent Yes.....!

but at Easter Road it will go down like the WWF WorldWildlifeFund did for the yanks !!!

[Matty_Jack04]

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It had nothing to do with the stand and everything to do with the quality on the pitch.

The best way to make Easter Road a fortress is to put together a team good enough to win games (or at the very least not lose them) at home. If we have players battering into tackles, winning 50/50's, chasing the lost causes and all the rest of the cliches, then Easter Road would have a great atmosphere the majority of the time, and that would be enough to rattle opponents.

The fortress starts on the pitch and is supplimented by the fans, not the other way round, IMHO.

Spot on

[matty_f]

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I would settle for a decent atmosphere and take it from there. I think at times as a support we give our team a far harder time than any opposition will. I dont think it is any surprise that we are a better team away from home.

I would agree with the above that the east stand being replaced has not helped. Our most vocal supporters are up the back of the stadium as opposed to being on top of the opposition. I also dont see the sense in having away fans next to the west stand, again putting them over towards the east stand would create a lot more banter, shouting and singing between fans. Two minor things, but none the less would improve the atmosphere.
.
If we can get the players playing in a decent atmosphere with a home crowd shouting for them then I think by defaut we create a fortress.

The bit in bold is spot on, and I'd add to it that we give our team a harder time than we give the opposition.

Not that I especially condone this sort of thing specifically, but who remembers singing songs about Robbo's wife, or booked for being ugly, a "you hearts ******" song, the Richard Gough song, the *player's name* w..k w..k w..k song...

I love the fact that the singing section are predominantly pro-Hibs with their singing, but I'd dearly love to see some proper grief given to the opposition through games.

That's probably all very wrong and politically and socially incorrect, but **** it, it's what I think!

[Gez1875]

sack the d.j, he plays some and sounds like a 3rd rate local radio d.j, he cuts songs when it gets to the uplifting part...... and up until recently he made the teams come out to a gash techno tune, that u wouldn't hear in the worst eastern european nightclubs..... BUT this has nothing to do with why teams come and make easter road their own. it hasn't always been this way, but, since the second half of yogi's stint we have been poor on the pitch, this has had knock on effect with the support, every season we have got a little worse and the enthusiasm has been completely drained from the crowd, with the exception of the singing section, who 'god bless them' keep singing and have sang through some awful performances on the pitch. we need to try and look at the club and the players playing for the club as 2 different entities! this is our club, it was our fathers club and our grandfathers club, and it will be our childrens childrens club, when the players go the club stays the same, when the players get beat its eleven individuals that got beat, the club keeps cheering coz thats what we do, we cheer the club.... not the players, and if we do that, the players wont know the difference, they'll get the lift! you dont get players like u used too, these guys couldnt give 2 about the club, they r just balling booting egos. 'WE' are hibernian f.c!

[DH1875]

Take all the seats out the FF Lower and make it a standing area. Put the 12th man, section 43, singing section or what ever their called now a days in there. Have banners and flags and stuff hanging from the FF upper down over the nutters below until kick-off. Once the teams have come out the banners drop creating bedlam. Fill in the corner between the FF and the East and make a smoking section so anyone who wants to smoke can get a ST for there. The amount of folk out the back of Hampden at half time having a fag was unreal. The smoking ban should't be under estimated when looking at attendance drops.
SOL shouldn't be used at every game.

[Hibercelona]

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The bit in bold is spot on, and I'd add to it that we give our team a harder time than we give the opposition.

Not that I especially condone this sort of thing specifically, but who remembers singing songs about Robbo's wife, or booked for being ugly, a "you hearts ******" song, the Richard Gough song, the *player's name* w..k w..k w..k song...

I love the fact that the singing section are predominantly pro-Hibs with their singing, but I'd dearly love to see some proper grief given to the opposition through games.

That's probably all very wrong and politically and socially incorrect, but **** it, it's what I think!

We should be putting pressure on the opposition by all means necessary.

If we're capable of putting our own players off, then surely we're capable of putting off the opposition?

[YehButNoBut]

We should copy St Pauli who play in Hamburg, the match day is an event and teams come out to AC/DC's Hells Bells with everyone waving flags with skull & cross bones as their symbol.

Cracking atmosphere described here http://traveller.easyjet.com/feature...mburg-st-pauli

[Alfred E Newman]

They could not have had any better backing than they got on Saturday and they could not respond. It was the opposite in fact.

[RIP]

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Take all the seats out the FF Lower and make it a standing area. Put the 12th man, section 43, singing section or what ever their called now a days in there. Have banners and flags and stuff hanging from the FF upper down over the nutters below until kick-off. Once the teams have come out the banners drop creating bedlam. Fill in the corner between the FF and the East and make a smoking section so anyone who wants to smoke can get a ST for there. The amount of folk out the back of Hampden at half time having a fag was unreal. The smoking ban should't be under estimated when looking at attendance drops.
SOL shouldn't be used at every game.

Cowshed? It's the family section now.

Why not go there yersel and start yer ain radges section?

On and the folk that sing most of the game like being in Section 43. We have plans to spread into 42 next season. We are East Standers. Not Famous Fivers. Singing is still pretty tho. 8 out of 10 for displays. 3 out of 10 for noise. Must do better next year

[Macaroon]

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Take all the seats out the FF Lower and make it a standing area. Put the 12th man, section 43, singing section or what ever their called now a days in there. Have banners and flags and stuff hanging from the FF upper down over the nutters below until kick-off. Once the teams have come out the banners drop creating bedlam. Fill in the corner between the FF and the East and make a smoking section so anyone who wants to smoke can get a ST for there. The amount of folk out the back of Hampden at half time having a fag was unreal. The smoking ban should't be under estimated when looking at attendance drops.
SOL shouldn't be used at every game.

That would all require money that would be far better used if spent on the playing squad. Which, let's be honest, has a far bigger bearing on home performances that any other factor.

[PISTOL1875]

One idea is when the opponents goalie is defending the FF end , the crowd should right away get on his back. Hertz used to do it with Maka and he used to chuck it pretending to be injured..

[JohnStephens91]

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Cowshed? It's the family section now.

Why not go there yersel and start yer ain radges section?

On and the folk that sing most of the game like being in Section 43. We have plans to spread into 42 next season. We are East Standers. Not Famous Fivers. Singing is still pretty tho. 8 out of 10 for displays. 3 out of 10 for noise. Must do better next year

To be fair though all it takes is for the singing to spread out into another stand. If the noise is coming from say Section 43 and Section 42 and also from a section is the Famous Five it would make a huge difference to the atmosphere. I used to remember times when people in the FF would sing songs, now it is just a rare occurence, or it never happens at all. Such a shame. I think the work Sect43 do is amazing, but ideally you would have more people on board to spread it around a bit more.

[Chuck Rhoades]

People are going on about the DJ and the new stand - to make ER a fortress it is up to every supporter inside the ground to give 110% in terms of backing and abuse to the opposition.

[CRAZYHIBBY]

If the glory hunting fans that came to the final turned up at ER every second saturday then it would become a fortress.......nae fans = nae money to buy quality players........and nae quality players = nae fans......see

[sahib]

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I think we would be laughed to death if we did that tbh. Can you imagine Lewis trying that?

What needs to happen, which hopefully will come back with the higher crowds, is playing Sunshine on Leith before every game again. Get the fans really up for it and remind the players the team they are playing for and get them really up for it.

I know it means a lot to some ( many) fans, but Hibs existed in my life before that ruddy tune came along and personally I am sick of it.

[Teo10]

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sack the d.j, he plays some and sounds like a 3rd rate local radio d.j, he cuts songs when it gets to the uplifting part...... and up until recently he made the teams come out to a gash techno tune, that u wouldn't hear in the worst eastern european nightclubs..... BUT this has nothing to do with why teams come and make easter road their own. it hasn't always been this way, but, since the second half of yogi's stint we have been poor on the pitch, this has had knock on effect with the support, every season we have got a little worse and the enthusiasm has been completely drained from the crowd, with the exception of the singing section, who 'god bless them' keep singing and have sang through some awful performances on the pitch. we need to try and look at the club and the players playing for the club as 2 different entities! this is our club, it was our fathers club and our grandfathers club, and it will be our childrens childrens club, when the players go the club stays the same, when the players get beat its eleven individuals that got beat, the club keeps cheering coz thats what we do, we cheer the club.... not the players, and if we do that, the players wont know the difference, they'll get the lift! you dont get players like u used too, these guys couldnt give 2 about the club, they r just balling booting egos. 'WE' are hibernian f.c!

What song? Louder by DJ Fresh?!

[HibsMax]

I know this isn't really the point being made here but how about changing our strip to an old retro top. Something plain and simple. Something to help the boys connect with the history of the club?

[neilmartinrocks]

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I know it means a lot to some ( many) fans, but Hibs existed in my life before that ruddy tune came along and personally I am sick of it.

must have heard that tune about 20 times last saturday........but not when i wanted to!!
SOL is a victory song imo and should only be used as such.

[HibsMax]

I also like the idea of fans bringing sofa cushions to stuff in the goal we're currently defending. That should mean we will get some more draws. ;)

[blackpoolhibs]

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Take all the seats out the FF Lower and make it a standing area. Put the 12th man, section 43, singing section or what ever their called now a days in there. Have banners and flags and stuff hanging from the FF upper down over the nutters below until kick-off. Once the teams have come out the banners drop creating bedlam. Fill in the corner between the FF and the East and make a smoking section so anyone who wants to smoke can get a ST for there. The amount of folk out the back of Hampden at half time having a fag was unreal. The smoking ban should't be under estimated when looking at attendance drops.
SOL shouldn't be used at every game.

No need for any of that expense, just move it to the botton of the ff, as much as i love what they guys are doing, they need to do it in an area thats not going to annoy anyone.

The FF bottom could be marketed at the singing section, a place where they are a little more shall we say noisy. You would know from the outset what kind of things would probably happen in there, and if thats not your thing, there's 2 other stands you can go to.

I know some of those in charge are not up for this, but i firmly believe that move is the only way this will survive in the future and grow.

[LaMotta]

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Personally I think we lost our intimidating home when we redeveloped the East terracing.

A crowd of 10-11000 before redevelopment still meant three fairly full stands. We now have three stands with empty seats littered all over them and without doubt in my mind this has an effect on the atmosphere. Aye we've also been mince since redevelopment, but the ground has lost some charm imo.

[The_Todd]

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People are going on about the DJ and the new stand - to make ER a fortress it is up to every supporter inside the ground to give 110% in terms of backing and abuse to the opposition.

I agree. I was just wondering if the club to do anything to help - I think Sect43 do a cracking job. I'd just like to see the club make ER as unwelcoming for the opposition as possible to compliment the efforts of S43.

[The_Todd]

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I think we would be laughed to death if we did that tbh. Can you imagine Lewis trying that?

What needs to happen, which hopefully will come back with the higher crowds, is playing Sunshine on Leith before every game again. Get the fans really up for it and remind the players the team they are playing for and get them really up for it.

TBH I'd rather keep SOL for victories and big occasions, not warm up and prematch. It's an emotional song, but doesn't get the hostile part towards the opposition I was thinking of.

Back to the lyrics of "The Game" I just think it's a good warning message to the opposition, that's all. It's nice and confrontational:

"It's all about the game and how you play it,
All about control and if you can take it,
All about your debt and if you can pay it,
It's all about pain and who's gonna make it.

I am the game, you don't wanna play me.
I am control, no way you can change me.
I am heavy debt, no way you can pay me.
I am the pain, and I know you can't take me"

Ideal for getting pumped up against Hearts, even without the word debt being repeated.