The Red and Black Bloc in residence at Parramatta Stadium
It is known by most sports fans now that a miracle of sorts has taken place out Western Sydney way as a club only born 26 weeks ago has come through to dominate and eventually come through to be the minor premiers in their first season as an A League club. Of course that is a fantastic achievment in any sporting context but I feel what has happened off the field with the supporter group is even more impressive.
Last year I wrote a couple of pieces on on the new club saying:
Western Sydney Wanderers take a bow...not just the football but also the fans.
You have, in a short time set the benchmark for passionate support in Australian
sport. League, Union and AFL don't come near in terms of noise and
participation. Melbourne Victory had been the supporters setting the pace but
they have been surpassed. The real success story here is not how the side is
outperforming onfield but how the West has embraced this fledgling club. You
won't read it anywhere but methinks that there are many Olympic, United and
Marconi fans actually giving them support. Why not, after all the A and State
Leagues barely overlap. It is healthy for Sydney football yet more importantly
goes against the stereo type of Sydney sport support being soul-less.....the
city is now Red and Black.
A bit earlier I'd said:
This takes me onto my second point on the A League and the way forward. Any
second Sydney side should be in the Western Suburbs. Unfortunately, the FFA
ignored reality and not only failed to foster relations with existing Western
Sydney clubs but planned to base any expansion side out of Homebush! What could
they be thinking? The NRL proves every year that this stadium / venue is not a
week to week proposition for a club side. Why would a new football team want to
play in a massive 3/4 empty stadium? This view can be backed up by a story from
the old NSL days. Marconi and Sydney United both had sides in the NSL. So what
you may say. Well the west not only provided these two National Soccer clubs but
they are almost in the same suburb! You can see one stadium from the other!
Absurd but even more incredibly no one seemed to acknowledge this...was it
because few Sydney, NSW or Australia based people ever went out there to disover
this fact? To me expansion of the A League will require talks with these old
school participants of the game. Italians and Croatians and others in Bossley
Park could put together a strong club using one of their existing stadiums.
Nearly a decade has passed since the schism left the old NSL people
disconnected from the national game. Here is an opportunity that could bring
these elements back to the mainstream and in the process strengthen our National
competition, the A League. Frank Lowy probably realises that some welcoming back
into the fold is necessary. An A League side based in Bossley Park or Blacktown
would deliver a very strong football area back into the fold....time to revisit
a few hasty decisions for FFA?
Seven Thousand Fans at Gosford
Well in the event it took the collapse of North Queensland and Gold Coast United to make it happen...that and the Foxtel contract demanding a 'ten team' A League competition before WSW were given their chance. In the short time available the club literally built itself front he ground up. Numerous supporter meetings were held throughout Western Sydney to gauge opinion. Modern media were used to bring a wide range of voices to the conversation. Twitter, Facebook and blogging all played their part. One of the most important developments from the beginning was the idea of 'active support' at games. To those unfamiliar with this term it means 'fans singing throughout the game'.....something common in Europe, Asia and South America but unusual in Australia.
Why would this be in unusual in Australian sport? Personally I believe that there is a significant anomaly between the outside perception of Australians and the reality within the country itself. In my experience travelling, Australians come across to others as open, relaxed, fun loving and loud. However, within their own surrounds Australians are reserved...even at sporting events and don't really sing. Occasionally I have heard St George, Rabbitoh and Cronulla fans sing a song but it is usually when the match is over and won. Weak renditions of Aussie Aussie Aussie prove my point. Down in our sporting capital Melbourne the Victory supporters have a fair go at making noise but Western Sydney Wanderers and the RBB have reached a new level. A thousand fans travelled to Melbourne and then seven or eight thousand to Gosford and Newcastle. An unprecedented effort in Australia. They are not particularly tuneful like Liverpool or Swansea fans but definately make a noise almost non-stop. Their top chant being 'Who do we sing for? We sing for Wanderers!" Fantastic if you will excuse the pun.
A quick glimpse of the RBB
If you prefer a bit more of a tune with your noise.....here is Swansea Hymns And Arias
or the scousers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFsl9LwRLYY
No comments:
Post a Comment