This weekend bore witness to what could become one of the fiercest rivalries in Australian sport. What made Western Sydney’s win over Melbourne Victory all the more remarkable was the sight of hundreds of away fans in the stands.
Fulsome praise must go out to the more than 21,500 fans who transformed AAMI Park into a cacophony of unrelenting noise.
Watching on television, the atmosphere was nothing short of incredible and there’s no doubt it helped inspire the players in what ultimately ended in a pulsating 2-1 win to the visitors.
The Victory fans were deafening but even more noteworthy was the fact the away stand was packed with red-and-black-clad travelling supporters.
The Western Sydney fans turned out in such large numbers they must have gone close to bringing the largest travelling contingent ever to a non-derby regular season game – although Victory supporters have in the past also turned up en masse against Sydney FC.
Such was the impressive nature of Western Sydney’s away support it got me wondering, why don’t more away fans turn up at A-League games?
Of the fans who do make regular trips away from home, many have spent time living and supporting clubs overseas.
I myself have had the good fortune of following two clubs who command massive away support, Borussia Dortmund and Shimizu S-Pulse.
I travelled regularly to watch Die Borussen on away turf, although it didn’t occur to me until a particularly nasty clash in Leverkusen that the majority of travelling supporters were of the hardcore variety.
The dynamic was totally different watching S-Pulse, what with whole families tending to pack up and hit the road for a chance to get out of the boondocks, but they still travelled in impressive numbers.
I vividly recall heading up to Kawasaki on a steamy Wednesday night and looking around in amazement at the sight of more than 5,000 away supporters filling one end of Todoroki Stadium, despite the fact they had to work the next day.
Travelling to watch S-Pulse was a bit different to watching Dortmund on the road, because in most cases I caught a club-sanctioned tour bus to get to away games.
Occasionally the method varied; one freezing Sunday afternoon a group of us drove up to Omiya Park and another time the fan club I somehow found myself a part of chartered our own minibus and driver so we could get as badly hammered as Shimizu did by Kashima Antlers that day.
In Germany, though, I always caught the train because it was quick, easy and usually the cheapest method to travel to away games.
Of course, catching a train from Wellington to Perth is never going to happen.
The sheer geographical spread of A-League teams is what makes travelling to away games such a novelty compared to other leagues around the world.
But with flights as cheap as they are and at least a handful of A-League clubs within reasonable proximity of each other, should our away contingents be gradually increasing in size?
Certainly there are times when the New South Wales clubs in particular should be attracting more away supporters to their games.
But do A-League clubs do enough – if anything – to help travelling supporters get to games? Especially for matches where the only option is to fly?
Watching Saturday night’s FA Cup clash between old rivals Luton and Millwall, it was no surprise to hear that 1,500 Millwall fans had made the 60-kilometre trip up the M1 to the postage stamp-sized Kenilworth Road.
Sixty kilometres might be very different to six hundred but the principle is still the same.
Watching football as an away supporter is a totally different experience, but it’s not one I’m sure every A-League fan has so far enjoyed.
So what specifically should A-League clubs be doing more of to help entice travelling fans to games?
Daniel N
Guest
WHEN other clubs get 8,000 fans to travel 2+ hours to watch a match and be LOUDER than the home fans, then you can make that statement. Wanderers fans put it over any other sports fans in Australia.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
jb The figures speak for themselves. MASSIVE increase in Docklands attendance last season; small increase this season. Small increase in AAMI Park attendance last season; MASSIVE increase this season. MVFC's two most recent AAMI Park matches attracted MVFC's BIGGEST ever crowds in the history of playing at AAMI Park. After just 11 home matches this season, MVFC has attracted more people to their home games than all 13 matches last season. The MVFC accountants would be smiling.
jbinnie
Guest
fuss - What has where they play got to do with the bums that are attracted onto seats on any given day?. I am citing FACTUAL figures generated this season. If you are suggesting that a move would see Victory pulling in an average of 30,000 then I suggest you should have a word with their accountant asap,he may br asleep and costing the club potential millions. No????? jb
Nigel Wakeley
Roar Guru
I have a friend who works for a Japanese company in Sydney which has been awarded a $20 million contract from the government just to investigate the possiblity of high-speed rail between Brisbane and Melbourne. Not sure about the results but I do know that it would take at least 10 years to build.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
jb You do realise that MVFC played 4 consecutive matches at Docklands, which has a bigger capacity? If MVFC decided to play the Docklands Derby matches at the end of the season, our crowds would "start low & move up". Moving the figures to paint a nice picture is an old accounting trick - called "end of financial year window dressing" - that's often used by fund managers, to help fatten their end of year bonuses. But canny investors know how to look beneath the figures. This is how canny investors would view the average figures for MVFC since 2010/11 (the move to AAMI Park) Docklands: 2010/11: 18,526 2011/12: 27,889 2012/13: 28,511 AAMI Park: 2010/11: 13,599 2011/12: 15,525 2012/13: 20,331 (2 matches to play) A lovely set of numbers, for the canny investor. * 50% increase in ave attendance at Docklands in 2011/12 * 30% increase in ave attendance at AAMI Park in 2012/13 (with 2 games to play)
jbinnie
Guest
Fuss - I love to see crowds improving all across the board but taking Victory's numbers,you certainly did start off with a bang ( a derby) but since then your figures have been remarkably stable and with the all up average sitting on 22,648 for ALL games If we remove the largest (the derby) and the lowest (the Tasman venture) the average for 10 games becomes 22,330 a difference of only 300. It is still the benchmark that everyone should be aiming for. Wouldn't that be something. ps Ever calculated what your crowds might have been had you a marquee like ADP who has lifted every club's average by at least one good home gate this year. Brisbane example Average 13,294. Game v Sydney 22,970 !!!!!!!! +72% ????????jb
Kasey
Guest
Nothing borderline about it...his basic premise is that if you like Sockah, you're not a true blue dinky di Aussie and you should 'rack off back to where you came from and take your round ball with you. I wonder how this bozo still has a job after penning this. His Editor who allowed it to be published should also be out of work IMHO.
NY
Guest
QSAF I suppose that makes Homebush in the last 10 years the heartland of football, because all the big games are played at ANZ Stadium now. Of course they played all games at SFS when it was the biggest stadium available in Sydney. Doesn't have anything to do with anything. If they built the biggest stadium in Manly, that's where the big games would be played. You clearly have no idea about the demographics or geographical nuances of Sydney today. You must have lived here such a long time ago in the 50's or 60's or whenever. I laughed when you posted before about how "WSW suporters are taking aim at Sydney FC" (to one of your own supporters) You are so paranoid. You're evn trying to convince yourself that WSW won't be able to convert more supporters. You can't be serious about that prediction? Even the most ardent SFC supporter knows it will happen. You are still bitter over Gold Coast United. I can't believe this is still going on. Here's some advice. Get over GCU, get over Frank Lowy and get over WSW for everyone's sake.
Qantas supports Australian Football
Guest
NY----I think all your fans who were coming have all arrived; they had been whining for past 8 years now they are here---what hasn't or who hasn't arrived is an owner who lives out west (or wherever you can get one).. How about directing all of your energies to entice someone to take on the franchise now and stop being the free riding FFA barnacle club your are---you'll never have a better opportunity than right now to secure one.. Make us all happy about your entry into the A-League.. btw SFC is the heartland of Sydney football playing out of SFS (steeped in football history and tradition) not WSW playing out of Parramatta stadium...
nmj1654
Roar Rookie
I love seeing the passion in A-League football and think it has come along wonderfully from it's founding when it seemed quite plasticine, but there has to be a line in the sand drawn with these moronic supporters that feel it's their god given right to destroy the stadium and inflict health and safety hazards on the true supporters and watchers of the game, and who just put it down to their 'passion.' People who are really passionate about their team and game go to matches to enjoy the spectacle with other supporters. Banners, yes. Clever chants, yes. Racial and ethnic abuse, no. Flares, no. Ripping seats out of the stands, no. My apologies to the 99.9% of football fans that uphold the code of behaviour and go to enjoy the match but to those that choose to ruin the experience for others, you're only setting back the wonderful growth of the code in Australia with your childish and moronic behaviour.
NUFCMVFC
Guest
I think Adelaide Oval is undergoing refurbishment So I guess we've see nt he problems associated with having our finals well into the beginning of the AFL/NRL seasons etc + Concerts Should have kept a March/February Grand Final, and have the FFA Cup as a lower key comp until May, it means a fuller season for A LEague teams + it is in winter s o in alignment with State leagues IMO FFA got away with it in 2007.2008 with the CCM vs Jets final, will be itneresting to see how this pans out. May turn out O.K in the end but not sure we want to be going through this scanario year after year
NY
Guest
Oh please Titus. I'm not interested in the pissing contest. WSW has just started out. And you got ADP earlier this season (and now Lucas Neill) to try and counter us. I believe had you not got ADP, we could well be in front of you in terms of crowds. He has saved your backsides big time. But the fact is our crowds are pretty impressive for a start up club. I support WSW based on the passion and style of support we have. It's what brings me to the matches. I am just stating what is a fact. The football crowds in Australia throughout history have been supported by multi-cultural Australia, and ethnic populations tend to reside in the more affordable suburbs in Sydney (as I mentioned above). The locals/Anglos have not taken to it as much as others. Johnny Warren wrote a whole book on it. Remember. Whether that will change is another point. But it won't be for a long time in my opinion, that is for sure. So don't take it too personally.. And Titus, our fans are still coming. It is nowhere near what it can be (or should be). Western Sydney is growing massively, and so will the Wanderers. But I am sure at the first hint of a crowd decline at WSW, all the knives will be out from the usual suspects ;) But that's ok. It's a long term project with plenty of highs and lows to be had. The main thing is to love your team to the end. That's what will save football in this country.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Watched it from start to finish. Loved it! I now want to go to Melbourne and watch at AAMI Park.
Titus
Guest
NY.........where did I say people of ethnic background are evil or football should be an elitist sport? You are the one saying only people from the west, or those of ethnic heritage like football, I'm just saying that you are full of it. Participants can be converted to fans given the choice in my opinion. I also never said that WSW should be like SFC, I think it is good to have the difference, I admire the WSW fans but I am perfectly comfortable with the way SFC fans support their team. You guys may be fanatical but SFC still gets more fans, so where is this huge mass of fanatical fans in the west, why aren't they all turning up to see there winning side?
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
jb No doubt you were pleasantly surprised by the crowd at MVFC v WSW. I recall some discussion about how crowds are strong early in the season, but fade later? Not for MVFC. Our AAMI Park crowds have trended upwards & MVFC v WSW was the 2nd biggest ever crowd for an MVFC match at AAMI Park. Only the match against ADP has attracted a bigger crowd. Looking for 2 more 20k+ crowds for the final matches against a Heskey's NUJ & a rejuvenated PER.
apaway
Roar Guru
That said, Rusty, I was lucky enough to go to the opening season Melbourne derby at Etihad and I thought it rocked. And the 42,000 crowd wouldn't fit into AAMI...
apaway
Roar Guru
I can't post a link, Mid, but "The Away Game" is available on DVD, as is "Johnny Warren's Socceroos Mission". Both are excellent.
apaway
Roar Guru
QSAF, I don't disagree with you, but it is a complete inbalance in media reporting that makes me angry. I attended a Swans match a couple of years ago and a violent, alcohol-fueled brawl erupted outside the ground which needed the intervention of 4 Paddy wagons worth of police, resulted in the temporary closure of Moore Park Road and was quite a scene. To the best of my knowledge, nothing in the media about it. I attended a rugby league match in Sydney's west and saw the away fans supporter bus get pelted with eggs, fruit and garbage when it was leaving the ground. Not a hint of media coverage. And I'm not saying these things NEED to be covered by the media, but if they happened at A-League games, we all know they would be.
jbinnie
Guest
AGO74 -If you want to be accurate you should measure the two averages for WSW and Sydney FC over 11 home games (all WSW have played.) Last year's Syd FC home average after 11 games was 11,205. WSW'S home average after 11 games this year is 11,578.!!!!! For the interested, Sydney's home average for 11 matches this season has risen to 18,562. ADP factor at work?.jb
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Yes, the part about the seats was the reason I watched the video .. .someone posted on Twitter last week! Interestingly, we never hear of seats being broken at AAMI Park. Whilst I think it's silly for people to stand on seats, it's good that AAMI Park understands this happens at rock concerts, football .. & have designed seats that are suitable for a multi-purpose venue.