Often Partisan

The Block Eleven Controversy, Part II

A couple of days ago I published an article about some of the controversy surrounding block eleven of the Tilton road end and singing at the ground in general. It generated a lot of comments from lots of diverse people, and I thought it would be a good idea to follow-up on what was said.

Firstly, it was good to see people who sit/stand in that area commented on the post to give their perspective on things.

Confused commented:

For corrections to get the facts straight…The few games in the run up to the Blackpool game spoke volumes of how the Tilton are at the moment. Completely silent. As usual, in the few games leading up to Blackpool, Block 11 were singing on our own for 20 minutes with nobody joining in. Cue the song that everybody hates. It’s nothing to do with being stuck up our own arses, more trying to get the other blues fans off their arses.

I saw this as an interesting perspective – the singing of “We’ll sing on our own” is seen by the people on Block 11 as more of a challenge to people in other blocks to sing rather than “we’re better than you”. He goes on to say

Anyway, the “sing on own” song starts and the other blocks start to boo. So, we decide the Blackpool game we won’t sing for 15 minutes to prove a point. When I hear that we deliberately don’t sing when others do, barring the first 15 mins of Blackpool thats utter tosh. Them first 15 mins v Blackpool, Block 13 tried to start one song. That was 3 people in block 13… Block 9 I think tried the same, that was 4 people.

This seems to be at cross purposes with Mark, who commented:

The problem I had on Saturday with block 11 was others did try and start songs in the first 15 but block 11 started booing and hissing.

and Luke Allen who commented:

However on NYE, when other blocks tried to start off singing (I sit in Block 7 and the lads behind me were trying to start off singing), Block 11 shushed and booed them.

so clearly there is a difference of opinion there, and I guess unless you’re actually sat in that area you probably won’t know for sure what the situation is. I suspect it’s a mixture of the two – after all, you only have your own personal perspective to go by.

The one thing that there is a consensus of opinion on is that singing is needed at the ground, which I think Wingman Blue nailed with this comment:

For those that just want to stand and stare, your silence may be the team’s failure. Success requires us all to get behind the lads. Block 11 aren’t the problem, just a symptom. The real problem is the negativity, criticism and lack of support from too many so-called ‘fans’.

If there are lots of pockets of singing groups, then it’s going to be hard for people to sing “We’ll sing on our own” as a challenge or otherwise, which is echoed by Brummie1875 who commented:

reading this thread gets me excited, it’s clear you all want decent atmosphere there, let us again unite and get the place rocking, not just for ‘big games’ but every game, admittedly bigger attendances would help, but still, for the league we’re in these are big attendances!

I think it goes back to a more prosaic problem; a lot of people don’t know any songs barring “Keep Right On”, “Shit on the Villa” and “the Carson Song”. If you’re not sure of the words you’re not going to stand up and try to start a song are you – it takes balls enough to try and start a song anyway, without looking like a prize tit cos you only know two lines.

I’ve thought about this, and the only solution I can come up with is to give people somewhere where they can find the lyrics to a terrace chant, to at least give fans the chance to learn new stuff. I understand that this smacks of handing out “hymn-sheets” and is a little artificial, but it’s the only way I can see how I can help.

With this in mind, this is what I plan to do. I’m going to start a new series of articles called “Sing when we’re winning”. These will all be accessible in the normal way, but there will also be a new category on the sidebar called “Songs” which will link all the posts, and there will also be a list of all the posts in this series under the Series tab at the top of the page. In these articles, I will publish lyrics to chants, along with youtube videos of fans singing them. What I need from you, the reader, is to suggest chants to put up on the site, and to send in videos or links to videos of you singing them (preferably at the ground). The more chants I can put up on here, the more videos people can watch, the more chance people have of learning songs. Of course, there will be discussions on exact wordings of chants – but that’s part of the fun. I want new chants, old chants – basically anything that we can sing down St Andrews to help create more noise and more atmosphere.

Are you in?

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51 Responses to “The Block Eleven Controversy, Part II”

  • jassyblue80 says:

    Great idea, I know most of the old songs, however as I don’t do as many away games these days I don’t always get to hear some of the newer ones so don’t know all the words.

    As you and many have pointed out, we don’t have an issue with the block 11 boys, I enjoy sitting next to them (block 13) and enjoy the atmosphere they create, its just that song I don’t like… I’d much prefer “block so and so, give us a song” to try and encouage others…

    Keep right on, keep on singing

  • Gareth says:

    It’s a great idea man. Always thought that there should be something in the program about songs, again, a little artificial, but if it’s displayed in a way other than “Sing this song this game” and more of a “Classic chants from over the years” then it might encourage a few people.

    It’s pretty humourous what some people think the words to Keep Right On are. You hear some right remixes of the lyrics around the ground on matchday!

  • rob says:

    Yes defo. I don’t mind block 11 singing at all. But not the “we love to sing we love to fight” song, that’s pathetic! But I agree all ‘noses need to pull together, we all want the same thing after all

  • Reeboh says:

    Erm, block 39?

    Or do they not count.

  • Big Bill says:

    To the tune of Dad’s Army:-
    Who do you think you are kiddin’ Mick McCarthy
    If you think the Blues are done
    We are the Boys who will stop your little game
    Coz we are the Team that will win the Cup in May
    So, who do you think you are kiddin’ Mick McCarthy
    If you think the Blues are done.

    (originally sung about Mr. Wenger on the Redditch Coach prior to Wembley 2011)

    I thank you and Goodnight!!!

  • Blue Boy says:

    We sing for the team, we sing for the team……we`re block 13, we sing for the TEAM!!!

    We dont sing to make ourselves look better then anybody else. We dont sing songs criticising other Birmingham fans. We sing for BCFC.

  • prewarblue says:

    Hve noticed a def lack of atmosphere at St Andrews recently,,,,,,even during the darkest hours of the Wheldon era the choir was singing and making more noise to back the team than now,,,,,although I would agree some of the chants are not so funny, making a noise to support your team is part of being a fan,,,,to sit in silence shows a definte lack of support no matter where you sit [ or stand ].

    I have been a Blues fan for over 60 years now and apart from when reserve fixtures were played at the ground this season has been the most lacking in atmosphere,,,at times it has been like being in a cemetary,,,,,it does not matter who starts singing or which block as long as you sing to support your team,, by singing YOUR part of the team !!

    I think the root cause of the problems is though, silly as it seems there are or appear to be no piano sing-a-longs like there used to be in pubs where you could learn the words of songs of old,, such as K.R.O,,,,,,most of todays youth only listen to stuff I call crap,,,,who wants to sing about drugs and knifeing,, I certainly dont,,,they may be old but the old pub sing a longs are the best and at times the wittiest without the foul language

  • BigDave says:

    lack of atmosphere at St Andrew’s? did you go to the European games, West Ham? Try Villa Park if you want a lack of atmosphere

    • almajir says:

      It’s not just about the big games though – fans should create atmosphere at all games, that’s the point

    • prewarblue says:

      Big Dave the answer to your question is ,,,,,,,yes and quite a few more over the years before you were born

      • prewarblue says:

        Should make myself clear,,,,not only the latest round of European games I have been to,,,,,also been to games involving Barcelona and Inter Milan playing at Sy Andrews in competitive games not just friendly s,,,,,,,have been at the ground for reserve fixtures and in the days of a “LOW gate of 40,000 !!

  • Telboy61 says:

    Spot on article again, I alweays try to join in, especially KRO, from block 27, can’t always hear the words to other songs, took 3 weeks to fully understand “Carson” song…and can we all try to count out the ref’s steps? I know a lot of other teams fans think that is brilliant!

  • rob says:

    Wasn’t it most of block 11 who booed keith fahey?

  • Paul says:

    I fully agree, I hadnt been down for a while because I,ve been skint, however I took my daughter and I to the Blackpool game and what I heard was bizzare. It was very quite for the first 15 mins when we should all be encouraging the team and then there was the odd pocket of fans who tried to start a song or two, but block 11 didn,t join in, (childish) then block 11 counted down from 54321 and off they went singing a dozen songs on there own that I,d never heard! Then when other blocks started to sing, block 11 booed. Have i missed something, are they closet vile fans or do we support the same team. I,m nearly 50 yrs old and in the days of standing everyone to a man kop and tilton would sing their hearts out with flags aloft like it was anfield.These schoolboy antics between blocks have got to stop and we ALL sing for the the boys in Blue, just like our fathers did!!

  • dan says:

    i say fair play to block 11 for trying to get something going, the lack of atmosphere has gone on for too long and we need to get behind the team now more than ever. a couple of seasons ago, premiership clubs in pre-match interviews said they were daunted by coming to st andrews because of the noise the fans generated and, in my opinion, even then it wasn’t exactly raucous as i have seen it at st andrews

    despite the fair play comment, i would add that, like many people have said, it’s not that they’re singing, it’s what they’re singing, nobody cares who you are, we’re all one when we’re in the ground getting behind the team. by singing about being in block 11, surely they’re alienating themselves?

    i went to peterborough on monday and heard the block 11 song being sung in the terrace there! fans shouldn’t need an identity other than that of the team they follow, knock the block 11 guff on the head lads

  • tmsblues says:

    Firstly I’d like to congratulate you on your excellent site which I’ve been enjoying now for some time. This latest topic interests me as an older and longterm distant fan that has like many of you lived through the good and the bad times over the last 50 years..
    In my younger days on the Tilton we did have a wider range of songs and entertaining comments and/or just simple clapping chants of ‘CITY’ or ‘BIRMINGHAM’ coming from the terraces but more recently I have to say I find it a bit sad that the loudest other than KRO that comes across is Sh** on the Villa! Not the kind of chant that will help us get Dad’s bringing wives and younger families to games to build grass roots support ! I just find it embarrassing that my club’s supporters need to sing the name of and swear at the non present enemy from the village when they should be focussed on singing in encouragement, praise and support for their team and its players. I do therefore wish you every success in trying to broaden the range and variety of chants and songs that support the team in the hope it might quash the need to use the SOTV chant quite so often or even at all !, I have no doubt that with the words published we can get some good stuff going to cheer us into the Play offs !.

  • Nasser says:

    Returning to the article, didn’t keeprighton site have a songs section?

    It would be good to have it back again, for the more obscure stuff

    Egg, bacon, sausage and beans,
    Everybody knows what it means…

    KRO.

    • Bluesmandan says:

      The atmosphere has been crap for many years with exception to big games. When it was standing we used to go and stand with the singers and now with it beeing seated you cant chose to do this. When the ground is singing it is immense and makes the hairs on your neck stand up. Most games now you can hear players shouting and away fans. The beans song is a classic 1 of many. Blues fans have a brilliant sense of humour and i would love nothing more than singing to return so we gome home with a sore throat. We used to prefer going away as the singing and banter was far better. Lets get St Andrews rocking again. KRO SOTV

  • Poet Laureate says:

    How about this for a song?

    If you hate block 11 sing a song
    If you hate block 11 sing a song
    If you hate block 11, hate block 11, hate block 11, sing a song

  • Trevor Honnor says:

    A little old and irrelevant now but to the tune of the Muppet Show

    ADEBOLA… DER DERRR, DER DER DER

    Always made me smile.

  • Kaje says:

    Great idea, let’s hope it drowns out Block 11!

  • Dan says:

    Great idea to post the words. Then maybe everyone will learn the right words to KRO at last…!

  • Stevie Blue says:

    It’s so encouraging to hear so many Blues fans wanting to make a better atmosphere. In my view it’s also good to hear so many fans care about WHAT is sung. When SOTV was introduced in the early 80’s in was fun and a p take. Now it is sung EVERY match. Why, when we have so many other anthems I don’t know. Villa are rivals yes – but not enemies…when all said and done football is a game not war. Great idea to post words to songs, but lets re-hash some of the old favourites loudly and proudly e.g. C-I-T-Y, Sweet Molly Malone, Blue Army echo etc. Let’s jet St. Andrews jumping!!!

    • almajir says:

      You post the words in the comments, I’ll stick them in a post. There’s a fair few I won’t know

    • tmsblues says:

      Exactly my sentiments too.!. SOTV has preoccupied supporters and overwhelmed all the other entertaining stuff that was sung by all right around the ground in the past. Lets ‘Park the Villa’ stuff and sing for the Blues and get the old place rockin again. Then perhaps we’ll all join in and the atmosphere might just be as intimidating and Partisan as so many opposing managers (thinking of their pasts) appear to believe it still is. KRO

  • poppa999 says:

    I just wanted to say, you are always get people who just go to watch and not sing. You can say there are fans and there are supporters, but when the team is attacking the atmosphere comes from all over the ground. I hate this baiting of the people who don’t or won’t sing.
    When I used to sing (last season) the guys in front asked if I would stop singing. They have moved this season!

  • Craig says:

    I am getting really fed up of the Carson song. Yes he is not at the club and yes he may have let people down but I for one andstay other around me think the singing of the song is pointless when we were winning on nye that what was sung I would
    Like to hear more songs of old and less about Carson after all if people don’t care about him like the song states why sing his name so common less Carson crap and more kro sotv and songs to support the boys

  • Stuart says:

    Been to quite a few grounds and I always remember Wolves last year when they sang to each stand ‘……(kop/tilton/main stand/railway) give us a song’ and then the ground joined in when they started. Would be great to see this happen as it would get all 4 stands singing and not just over reliance on Block 11 to get people going. I have to admit I’ve been in Block 11 a few times and its like being at an away game with non-stop singing – amazing!!
    But come on lads lets get behind our team as we all know that when we want to make a noise we can bring the roof off – just listen to us at Wembley!!
    KRO SOTV

  • Bluesmandan says:

    The atmosphere has been crap for many years with exception to big games. When it was standing we used to go and stand with the singers and now with it beeing seated you cant chose to do this. When the ground is singing it is immense and makes the hairs on your neck stand up. Most games now you can hear players shouting and away fans. The beans song is a classic 1 of many. Blues fans have a brilliant sense of humour and i would love nothing more than singing to return so we gome home with a sore throat. We used to prefer going away as the singing and banter was far better. Lets get St Andrews rocking again. SOTV KRO

  • BeeGeeBlueBoy says:

    “You sing if you want to; this chap’s not for singing”
    Not quite true. I won’t sing to create a false atmosphere but I sing as a reaction to when I’m excited.
    It’s up to the eleven on the grass to get me to fever pitch to shout, cheer and sing. The rest if it which block signs first, loudest etc is just plain juvenike

  • Eric says:

    I hate to hear Blues fans singing about the Villa – it merely gives Villa a profile. While I realize that a lot of fans like to stand those of us over 65 like to sit and see the whole game. This is mainly a problem at away games – if I ask people to sit down in front of me I get verbally abused. Re. singing I say “lets all sing together, we support the Blues…”

  • Bluehobba says:

    Any chance of doing something about that noise the players walk out to!!!!

  • sam says:

    Top idea to get the lyrics or at least peoples perception of words. For years we were crap and the atmosphere was one of the few things we could big up to other fans.
    Regarding block 11 i feel now the time to drop that debate or there’s a danger a mountain is made out of molehill and attention goes from creating better atmosphere to tit tat arguing. Songs aren’t and shouldn’t be mandatory you gotta be in the mood and know/like the song so a greater knowledge of songs should serve only to increase the atmosphere.
    “Peer, Peer we love Dean Peer, everybody cheerin, get Dean Peer in, Peer, Peer …….

  • Rag 1968 block 10 says:

    Block 11 do create a atmosphere in the tilton.but let me tell you they are pissing everyone off big time.I have ben following blues 30yrs and the pride that is bcfc is built on togetherness and we are all in it together.these guys make you feel like away supporters and that can’t be right.piss taking sarcasm towards our own its no wonder the ground is half empty ain’t there enough going on without this shit..what I suggest its ditch the pathetic song which makes you all sound like dicks anyhow and sing songs to your hearts content that all can join in if they wish.and if they don’t why pisa your own off.it ain’t on guys.thats not blues..not sure of the average age up there but reminds me of the holt end (the left side..the right side) what a load of bollocks…..rag

    • Harry says:

      The thing is we tried that for years and no one joined in, yes, judas football wasn’t entertaining but everyone should have got behind the team, we showed that most of the time we sing on our own, but I’d much rather sing with the whole of st Andrews, get the ground and the players going!

      KRO!!

  • DinoTiltoni says:

    Yep, 1. Post the songs. They are sometimes difficult to follow from the kop and 2. Let’s try and drop the SOTV unless we’re actually playing them.

  • Kevin says:

    Not everyone that sits in block 11 are idiots, there are several fans that stand up all game and the simple fact is that not all of them should be in block 11 and if the stewards did there jobs right and asked them to sit down, there would be more fans than seats

    I have sat in block 11 for 18 seasons and Im that sick of the small group of fans that stand all the time, that I am actually considering moving seats next season.

  • paulo says:

    I agree totally with almajir ..this is a catch 22 debate, and like it or not; St Andrews is every blues fans home and everyone has a right to enjoy themselves. The plain fact is that we (and i do think the term ‘we’ should be used here) have fans that range from little 4 year olds to the elderly who could be over 65! ..and i think swearing should be toned down out of respect for these, but if we had access to a choice of songs, then i do think more people will join in ‘together’.

    Pro blues songs please!

    KRO

  • Bluenosejohn says:

    Amused to see the ‘I will publish lyrics to chants’ in your article a few days after responding to someone on an earlier post last week that you ‘had to delete quite a few comments this morning. Please be civil and be aware that kids read this site’. You may need the blue pencil for some lyrics!! KRO

  • Danny B says:

    I think the only controversy is the signing of ‘we’ll sing on our own’, in my opinion block 11 should be acknowledged for @ least attempting to create new songs such as the 16years villa one, the key to this has to be singing songs at an appropriate time, for example we was 2 up v Blackpool when news came through that Chelski was 3/1 down and yet we suddenly felt the urge to slate the vile, surely it’s better saved for when they’re loosing, playing us or if mc451 gets them seriously involved in a relegation scrap, the noise during our last 2 home games did slowly improve but it wasn’t until into the 2nd half v west ham and not until we was 2 up v Blackpool, I’m left wondering if it’s a combination of circumstances such as: the current situation were in as regards to owners, the fact were in the championship, the lack of attacking football we saw under mc451 and maybe the fact that block11 all know one another better than those in other blocks around the ground?. Anyway those are just my thoughts, roll on the dirty dingles tomorrow – KRO all

  • Dave MacMillan says:

    to be honest i sit in block 13 and have no problem with block 11 as they get the place going. I do like the tune to “we sing on our own” so how about we ALL try to change it slightly how abiout

    Cant hear the villa sing
    Cant hear the baggies sing
    Cant hear the dogheads sing
    we sing on our own
    we sing on our ooowwwwwnnnn
    Carling cup champions
    we sing on our own……

    • Harry says:

      (BTW im from block 11 and would rather sing with everyone than just us lot)

      i was thinking exactly the same song, sort of like,

      can’t hear the south bank sing,
      cant hear the smethwick sing,
      cant hear the hotle end sing,
      we’ll sing on our own,
      we’ll sing on our own,
      we’ll sing on our own,
      we’re the carling cup champions,
      we’ll sing on our own!

  • NEALE1971 says:

    come on lads lets pull together, how about these , whilst big ziggy is still with us lets have a bit of this ,” get zigic out, get zigic out get zigic out for the lads, get zigic out for the lads” obviously to the tune of get your tits out. also “Fahey’s a jollly good fellow, fahey’s a jolly good fellow , fahey’s a jolly good fellow and so say all of us”
    to the tune of rivers of babylon there’s this one = “were the city from Birmingham, we wear the crown, we hate the scum from the other side of town” admittedly it’s anti villa but hey so what.

  • NEALE1971 says:

    “We’ve got john beausojour , we’ve got john beausojour, we’ve got john beausojour, we’ve got john beausojur” = to the tune of dolce imobile , you mean you don’t know it? ok just like that cesc fabregas chant.
    “ooh aah stevie carr, said ooh aah stevie carr ”
    “we are brummies , we are brummies, we are brummies ,yes we are .we are brummies ,we are brummies ,we are brummies yes we are. to the tune of sailing ,has had a bit of a run out recently , but one that can get the whole crowd going.

  • LJ18 says:

    Great idea to create a song/lyrics page. I’m a season ticket holder in the Kop and its hard to make out the words to the new songs so i usually google them.

    There’s a song that was sung for ages against Blackpool but i couldn’t pick up the words – it has a line in it that goes like “we are the boys in blue & white”. anyone know the rest of the words?!!

    Great blog as well BTW.

  • Tony D says:

    I tried to get a chant going in the last couple of games we played against Chelsea (at Stamford Bridge and at Stans), but didn’t have the persistence to have it take hold. It’s a version of their CFC chant to the tune of ‘Lord of the Dance’. One rude word in it though, so I won’t post it in the comments out of deference to kids and the sensitive. I don’t think the watershed applies to the Internet! Suffice it to say that the reaction of the Cghelsea fans varied from the threatening to the highly amused.

  • Tony D says:

    Anyone remember the series of improvised chants in our heavy defeat of West Brom a few years ago which started off “I’d rather have a Horse than a Kanu”, and then moved into the surreal. I had tears of laughter streaming down my face!

  • keith says:

    i sit in the middle of block 11 and even there people are silent throughout the game its only the back of said block that generates any noise, even where i sit you get told to sit down and watch the game whenever you try and get involved in any atmosphere!

  • ben sotv says:

    my birds dad loves knees up mother brown said it used to be amazing in fact aint heard an all bounce if you hate villa for awhile.


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