Worcester Warriors
North Stand Experience
By Phill The Warrior
September 15 2013
This season I cannot make it to more than about half of the seasons fixtures. This is in part due to work commitments and in part due to Friday night games when I have other family commitments
The Irish game was the first of the games I did not think I could attend, so I was delighted at 1400 on game day when I realized I could take my 4 year old and enjoy the start of the season.
We turned up at Sixways just before 1430 and I had decided to begin my experience in the North Stand. There were dirty black clouds and a forecast of rain so our only real requirements were to not sit at the front of the stand.
Being the first home game of the season I expected a bit of organised chaos and I was not disappointed. There were two big queues outside the ticket office. The smaller of the two seemed to end at a white tardis, it turned out this was the cabin for ticket collection. The other, our queue, was for buying tickets and ticket issues. Each of the 10 people in front of us was there because their season ticket did not work. To be fair to the people working in the ticket office, they dealt with each person really quickly and resolved the issues so that the season ticket holders could get in.
Less than 10 minutes in the queue and I had tickets: £32 adult - £15 child – North Stand. This seemed very expensive to me, not so much for the adult ticket but £15 for my 4 year old to watch the game is extreme.
Tickets in hand we had no problem getting in the ground.
Every time I attend rugby, which is very often, I am further shown why rugby fans are different to the rest of the sporting world. Stood at the bar waiting for my tepid beer in a plastic cup and a random Warriors fan gave us a match day program because he had already read it. Lovely act of kindness and much appreciated.
No queue for beer! Because the servers have finally got the hang of serving the mass public? No, it was because of the empty tent – Not complaining!
This was only the second time I had ever sat in the North stand, the last time being that game against Osprey’s when I’m sure there was more snow in the North Stand than on the pitch and that is saying something when the pitch was so covered you could not see the pitch lines.
We were sat smack in the middle of the stand right in between the posts. Great view for the game if not for a massive issue. Those pillars! The view is obstructed so much during play that the guy next to be was in serious risk of whiplash due to the amount of bobbing side to side he felt he had to do in order to see the ball at all times. I wish I could say they are something you get used to, but you don’t!
The fans in the stand have a ball. Stamping feet, great noise and plenty of chanting and that is all before the game has even started.
I’m one of those guys who go for the rugby and the beer and if the music system failed or the cheer leaders didn’t turn up then I would be non the wiser but I must say that I enjoyed the Fireworks. A brilliant way to build the crowd, get the boys pumped for the coming battle and a spectacular way to announce the coming of the new season – if only we hadn’t then had the debacle of trying to get the pyrotechnics off the pitch so that we could actually play some rugby.
The delay to kick off was so long that the players had to result to warming up again and all intended adrenalin and spirit had long since left the team. Advantage lost!
As I said earlier, I’m not one for music and fanfare so it took me a while to notice that there was no PA system in the stand. The club had announced this would be the case for this game due to the impending upgrade but there was no sign of the promised temporary speakers, which made for a fun new game – guess the scorers and substitutions.
I have been over by the West ever since the big screen arrived so I have never been able to see it. I like it. I liked it when it was switched it off for a Mieres kick, but as it took them 30 seconds to switch it back on again I now think they may have switched it off accidentally rather than to help his kicking.
Halftime arrived and the watering hole for the North Stand is the tent. You could tell the ground was only half full as yet again there was no queue. Though it didn’t improve the beer!
The end of the game came and in true Warriors fashion I found myself feeling deflated, as did the others around me.
My lad loves going to see the players after the game so we made our way to the pitch to cheer them on and tell them they did a great job even though we lost. Being 4 my lad doesn’t always differentiate between Warriors and the opposition so it was no surprise that when the players started walking around the pitch thanking the fans he did not notice the only players that were there were London Irish players. After a few minutes it was evident the Warriors were a no show, so we walked away – my lad having a blank signature space on the clapper thing provided by the club for signing, by the players that didn’t actually turn up.
The North Stand was great. Full of families, young fans, old fans, vocal fans a really good mix of the support base. If it wasn’t for those pillars then I would say there is a great view.
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15/09/2013 19:16
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:10:10:12:40:41 by Powick Eastander.
Having said that, I think we make our own atmosphere in the North and it was certainly loud in there during the 2nd half! I'm proud to be a tent-dweller and you're welcome back to join us any time!!
The atmosphere was brilliant. The tent acoustics are amazing. Maybe we should have microphones in there to pump the noise around the ground instead of a choir or music video!
Those pillars are a real shame
Glad you enjoyed it, now on to Friday!
#tenthead #gazeboend
My only gripe was returning at half time trying to carry two luke warm chocolates (not hot) and being asked for my ticket to gain access back in, the chocolate drink ended up all over me then the steward said, oh don't worry about it!!!!
The people around us were great and sporting in defeat.
We hope you feel as welcomed when you all come to the Madstad later in the season.
Thanks for a great day.
CPB
