The chant....

[CureTheSane]

Maxfield says that it helped the team get inspired (the soccer chant)

Makes me wonder if a 'one off' type thing like this can really do a lot more than a 'normal' chant.

I have never heard it at the SCG, but apparently, it sounds pretty awesome one the ground.
I remember when it started, the players were freaking about how loud the chant was on the field.

I have always been a bit embarrassed by it.
Makes Sydney supporters look like idiots who have their games confused (well it did back when it started)

So is it a valuable weapon against the opposition, or just an out of place drone?

[Mike_B]

Its something very unique I must say. The night it first went around the ground against West Coast Rd 22 of 96, it felt like it was just perfect - a cold wet miserable night, just like being in England at the soccer.

[desredandwhite]

I like it It's easier to maintain than the clapping one - AND easier on your palms!!

Also, I think it's certainly easier to co-ordinate in the stands and more easily heard on the ground. stirring stuff, when the whole house is doing it.

[thommoone]

I LOVE IT!!
ssyyyyyyyyddnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeyyy
bloody awesome, Always gives me goosebumps
i never really liked the sydney! clap clap clap, i think its a tad boring and hurts your hands too.

[Cheer Cheer]

Re: The chant....

Originally posted by CureTheSane


I have always been a bit embarrassed by it.
Makes Sydney supporters look like idiots who have their games confused (well it did back when it started)

That is how I feel about it, but if the team likes it and it builds a really good atmosphere at the SCG then good on em

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Re: The chant....

Originally posted by CureTheSane
Maxfield says that it helped the team get inspired (the soccer chant)

Makes me wonder if a 'one off' type thing like this can really do a lot more than a 'normal' chant.

I have never heard it at the SCG, but apparently, it sounds pretty awesome one the ground.
I remember when it started, the players were freaking about how loud the chant was on the field.

I have always been a bit embarrassed by it.
Makes Sydney supporters look like idiots who have their games confused (well it did back when it started)

What a load of crap mate! The average Melbourne footy singing culture is so goddam boring and monotonous that it isn't funny. "SYDNEY!!! SYDNEY!!! "SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY OI OI OI" (please no, the Olympics were unbearable!) and "RED WHITE RED AND WHITE!! !!!", how frigging dull! You try something different, which the Sydney-based chantleaders try to do (all being Northern Spirit soccer fans) and we all get their threatened looking stares from people. Only against the Demons last year were we able to get stuff like "You are my Sydney" and the "la la la...SYD NEY" one.

Probably the only supporters in footy who have any decent sort of songs and chants are the Richmond Cheer Squad and Carlton Grog Squad.

The "SYYYYYYDDDDDNNNNEYYYYY" chant is great. It was great to hear it around the ground again, as it has been a couple of years since it has really taken effect around the ground.

It is high time that your average Aussie sports fan actually went to a soccer match to learn around how the use of singing can be used both in wit, to support one's team with some sense of originality, and in taunting opposition fans when needed. Rather than yelling out an unco-ordinated diatribe several Ports supporters starting taunting the Carlton fans leaving the stands by singing, "We can see you creeping out." The Blues fans were further humiliated.

I would love to get the Bill O Reilly stand singing "Ole ole ole ole Syd-ney, Syd-ney!!" That would freak out the whole league, and is very simply and acheivable. I know the rest of the crowd WOULD join in if somebody started it up.

Monotonous boring cheers and supports are a scourge in the Australian supporting culture. I'd like to do my best to change that.

Anyone who was with the Swans supporters in Brisbane last year will know how effective loud singing can really be.

Luckily in Sydney at Swans matches we have many people open-minded about the sports they watch. That is probably the reason the "SYYYYYYYDDDDNNNNNEYYYYY!" chant caught on so quickly in the first place.

JF

[Beaussie]

absolutely love the syydddnnneyyy chant and wish it happened more often. the atmosphere when it is in full swing is truly electric. i am a bit tired of the sydney clap,clap, clap however still join in as i hope it provides some kind of support for our boys.

what is pathetic, is collingwood supporters attempting the cooollliiinnngggwwwoooddd chant. has anyone heard it at the telstra dome. just doesn't seem anywhere near as good as ours in sydney. i am of course completely biased.

[CureTheSane]

Re: The chant....

Jez, JF.

I am guessing that this was a small oversight on your part, but you seem to have left the end part of my post off....

Originally posted by CureTheSane
So is it a valuable weapon against the opposition, or just an out of place drone?

Yeah, the bit that presents the post as a questions asking for opinions rather than the rash 'load of crap' statemenet that you turned it in to.

You wanna know what people generally thought of Sydney supporters when the Swans started to win games in the mid 90's

That the crowd knew very little about the game.
They were cheering and booing at the wrong times, and really have little clue about the game.

Not something I bring up too often, as I consider those thoughts to be exaggerated and annoying as a Swans supporter, but regardless, that was the general feeling.
When the soccer style chant was brought in, it added to that perception.
People were saying that the Sydney crowd were confusing their games.
So perhaps you can understand how a Melbourne based supporter, in the heart of everything AFL, might cringe when it occured.

But that was then, and like I said, I have never heard it live, and apparently it sounds awesome to the players, so I open the thread up to DISCUSSION once more, is the 'soccer' style chant an advantage against the opposition? A way for the Sydney crowd to have a much greater effect on the players than the regular chants? Or is it just a different type of chant that has no greater effect?

[thommoone]

I have got to say, CTS, you NEED to experience it live. It certainly is a buzz!

[desredandwhite]

A bit harsh, Jules - Martin WAS just posing a question based on his perceptions. He FELT embarassed. WHY? is the question, and HOW can we change that?

Quick solution, CTS, it's GOT to be experienced to be believed

[peterh_oz]

Re: Re: The chant....

Originally posted by CureTheSane
Jez, JF.

I am guessing that this was a small oversight on your part, but you seem to have left the end part of my post off....



Yeah, the bit that presents the post as a questions asking for opinions rather than the rash 'load of crap' statemenet that you turned it in to.

You wanna know what people generally thought of Sydney supporters when the Swans started to win games in the mid 90's

That the crowd knew very little about the game.
They were cheering and booing at the wrong times, and really have little clue about the game.

Not something I bring up too often, as I consider those thoughts to be exaggerated and annoying as a Swans supporter, but regardless, that was the general feeling.
When the soccer style chant was brought in, it added to that perception.
People were saying that the Sydney crowd were confusing their games.
So perhaps you can understand how a Melbourne based supporter, in the heart of everything AFL, might cringe when it occured.

But that was then, and like I said, I have never heard it live, and apparently it sounds awesome to the players, so I open the thread up to DISCUSSION once more, is the 'soccer' style chant an advantage against the opposition? A way for the Sydney crowd to have a much greater effect on the players than the regular chants? Or is it just a different type of chant that has no greater effect?

Couldn't be bothered tryingto edit it.

Something for people to note re: confusing games ... Compare us Sydney non-footy-crowd who have no idea, with a traditional footy state like West Australia. Hmmm a certain chant comes to mind ... EEEAAAGGGGLLLLLLLLLLEEEESSSS EEEAAAGGGGLLLLLLLLLLEEEESSSS EEEAAAGGGGLLLLLLLLLLEEEESSSS

Yes the West Coast crowd does the SAME chant. And YES they got it from us. They heard us do it THAT NIGHT in 96, loved it, and copied it! A bit like the jacket-waving ... And it caught on! I LIKE it ... Though it takes my breath a bit (not much time to take a deep breath during it!).

However, I find from where I sit its hard to try to teach a new chant AND get it to reach the upper deck of the Brewongle. Therefore I keep to the simple ones ... Usually clap-clap-clap, with a few Oi Oi Oi & the odd slow-soccer one (if we get a run-on). Would LOVE to hear the WHOLE crowd singing One Team in Sydney again vs Nth Melb (but I guessthose days are gone More's the pity.

If the players like it (and I haven't heard yes OR no) then lets do it for them! Maybe they could ... via Julian (cheer-squad) give us some feedback of what lifts them. We SHOULD be part of the team ... NOT onlookers, but off-field team-mates! Remember the old days, when supporters would keep the ball or return it quickly, to help/hinder manning-up before a free-kick or behind-kick-in? Etc etc ... Need to educate the crowd. ALL crowds! Not to go overboard & spoil the spectacle, but a little sly subtlety never goes astray ... And if they want a soccer-chant & some atmosphere, lets DO IT. Lets turn the SCG AND Stad.de.phone into the Cauldrons they once were!

[j s]

Seems lke none of you guys noticed but last week there was a "haaaawwwwwwtthooorrrnnn" chant that got going at one stage.

But ours sounds much better and, as has been said, often the whole ground gets going because with a slow chant like that it is easy to keep in synch.

It's an awesome sound when you hear it live Martin.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by desredandwhite
A bit harsh, Jules - Martin WAS just posing a question based on his perceptions. He FELT embarassed. WHY? is the question, and HOW can we change that?

Quick solution, CTS, it's GOT to be experienced to be believed

No personal offence to CTS, but it was more the mentality that I was taking umbrage to.

It seems that amongst many football fans in Melbourne that if it isn't done in Melbourne, it isn't right, and isn't "football culture".(The big flag issue is something I dig my heels in about for the same reasons. We do things differently up here. Our uniqueness should be encouraged, not smothered out under a sea of bureaucratic red tape and insular thinking!)


That is the thing that I as a chant leader, often fighting against a brick wall of stick-in-the mud attitudes, have to combat against. Personally I find attitude's such as those expressed by CWO bloody frustrating. Hence my somewhat 'lively' response.

Sure the idea of a barracker is very different in Melbourne to what it is here in Sydney. There Cheer Squads are institutions that do the chanting. More or less the rest of the crowd does NOT join in with the chanting. Barracking in Melbourne tends to be more about yelling encouragement to individual players, and more often than not abusing the umpires than getting involved in any organised form of singing or chanting, apart from the club song at the end of the game.

In Sydney, Brisbane, and even in Adelaide these days, there is a far different approach. There are chant leaders all over the ground in both Brisbane and Sydney, (and smaller less effective Cheer Squads ) hence the supporters in all parts of the ground are more than likely to start chanting after a goal. Yes, for many a lack of understanding or general blaseness about the rules of the game could mean that there is less emphasis of abuse of the umpires as there would be in a Melbourne footy environment.

I know as a fact that lots of soccer-following people in Sydney who may be alienated by the bash and barge of rugby league do like the sport of AFL/footy. Therefore they are open to barracking styles not accepted as "footy culture" in Melbourne. Hence the SCG atmosphere is not what is traditionally done in Melbourne. It is different. It is unique. It is 'us', as quixotic as that may be at times. It is Sydney! I'm proud of that ideosyncracy!

It does take a while for us to get on song. The Sydney crowd tends to lose concentration very quickly when the game is dull or the Swans are getting beaten. But during moments like last Friday night's last quarter demolition of Melbourne when everyone was pumped the Sydney crowd DID play a huge part in the Swans chamelion-like surge. The atmosphere was electric. And the "Syyyydney" chant resonated out from its customary position up the top of the Bill O'Reilly Stand, where it seems most of the noise in the SCG eminates from. Everybody joined in, as they did back on that cold wet night in 1996 against the Eagles.

People say the SCG atmosphere is uncomparable come finals time.I think this is part of the reason why. I can only compare the crowds of 35000-40000 at the SCG favourably with those of 70000-80000 in Melbourne. Sadly finals will now be played at Stade de Silence out at Homebush. From behind the goals 53000 going mad there sounded like 10000 at the SCG,even when everyone was going mental in the last quarter against the Dons.

The only thing I can tell you CTS is to come up here and experience it live. It is truly infectious!

a beeming Julian "SYYYYYYYYYDDDDDDNNNNNNNEEEEEYYYY" Farrell

[Bron]

I love the chant and agree with what's been said - the atmosphere that builds at the SCG is one of the reasons that got me hooked into the AFL and the Swans.

My thoughts on the above discussion, though, are that if people are "snobs" about whether the chant is an appropriate one for AFL and if those who are new converts to the game get "beaten up" for not knowing the right way to do things, we'll lose supporters. I don't know where the Syyyyyydeeenneeeeeeey chant came from (and it doesn't really matter to me), but I do believe that the way it takes over the SCG is fantastically awesome. And (has been said) it's a damn sight easier on the hands! (I've gone home with blood blisters from games!)

I've always been frustrated that the Cheer Squad doesn't lead with some other chants because yes Sydney clap clap clap is boring as bat @@@@. But some of us don't know what is a good song/chant/call. That's what I reckon we have the CS and other chant leaders for. Maybe it takes some preparation from the CS, Peter H and others to get a couple of common ones. I'll happily participate (as I do anyway off to Peter's left in the Brewongle). The mob around me are finally finding their voices this year after a few years of just observing me!

But all you guys with ideas need to give those of us who don't know the help so we can support you!

And finally, I reckon this has been the best year since I've been rocking along to the SCG for crowd participation. I thought the first game was great, but friday night was just on another planet!

[Glenn]

No complaints here about the Syyyyyydddddddnneeeeyyyyyy Chant, I heard first hand in that game vs Wet Toast in 96 and it gave me goosebumps then and now especially in the night games it still gives me goosebumps