Offside Monkey wrote:
It does look good and the away support at the Stobart was easily the best I've seen there, but, would you expect the party atmosphere to waver if you were in a less successful period?
If fans groups like this increase the gates at the new stadium, then I'm all for it. If other clubs do the same, then it will be good for the sport all over.
I appreciate your comments about the atmosphere at the stobart. That is the reason it was started, to improve the colour at atmosphere.
Without doubt the same support would go on if we were less succesful. In 2006 our crowds were on the up because our supporters are so loyal. We were at the bottom of the table and yet we started taking more fans to away games.
ALL of the fans at the meetings I have attended were there in 2006 and most are lifelong Wigan fans. We ARE NOT a group of chavs hopping on a bandwagon, We ARE a group of lifelong die hard Wigan fans just wanting to improve the atmopshere.
My first involvement with the Brigantes was collectiong money at a Leeds play-off game, I saw a kid who must have only been 10 or 11 getting stuck in and helping. Myself and Dave26 are both at Uni and we help out. I have mates who are in their mid to late 20's who are involves. Many of the people involved watched our Golden era in the 80's and 90's and then there is Rogues who watched Boston and Ashton play.
This scene is for people of all ages and genders and anyone can help in anyway they can. We have a huge range of ages involved.
Going slightly onto what Saddened said.... abroad Ultras movements often spil over into violence, but that is football and all of the people involved are 20-35 and ALL males. It is totally different to our scene at Wigan. It is the same at Green Brigade in Glasgow, look on their videos and you will see most are 17-35 year olds. If we had a group like that then I am not sure I would be so forward in getting involved, that kind of group would intimidate people and make people feel alienated, and on the booze at a big game it would boil over, that is not what we want.
We have 20ish flags up on the south stand, we have 11 big wavers which get taken to the games, we have merchandise such as scarfs and pin badges which get sold ro raise money for the flags, there was a fund raising night for the flags just after last season.... is any of this intimidation?
If we can intimidate the opposition players with our chants then so be it but they are not abusive. Most grounds can be intimidating places to go, just ask the players what it is like being stood behind the sticks at Wheldon Road infront of the Cas fans when you are behind, or being on the old popular side at your old ground while they were in full voice.
The Brigantes aim is to certainly improve the atmopshere and colour at the Wigan games, we want to add that fanatical support that it sometimes lacks, but every single part of it still has the RL family atmosphere.
The club love what we do, the RFL love what we do, the BBC and Sky have commented on our great support. Fans of other rugby clubs and even in other sports have said fantastic things about us.
St Helens is a great club and I am sure something similar could go down very well, support it, give it a chance, it does work. Anyone refusing to accept that probably needs to forget their hatred of Wigan and look how good this could be for YOUR fans.
Good look 'Ski' I hope you get it moving and get people involved!
