FORZA EASTEND
What's all this about?
FORZA EASTEND literally means strength to the Eastend.
Since August 2006 we have seen a concerted supporters' campaign by City fans, including a petition signed by over three thousand city fans, to fully re-open the Eastend to pay on the day Bristol City support. Ultimately this goal of whole heartedly re-opening our traditional home end has still yet to be achieved. The club's welcomed decision to allocate one thousand season tickets at significantly reduced prices is an acknowledgement that the efforts of two hundred Eastenders has made a real difference to the matchday atmosphere at Ashton Gate.
It should be noted that there is very real risk that those who have done the most to ensure the Eastend's success on a vocal level may be excluded from the stand. Fans who have attended meetings with the Chairman do not have season tickets for the stand; fans who collected petition signatures to attempt to re- open the stand do not have season tickets; fans responsible for flags seen within the Cow Shed do not have season tickets; fans who have helped raise money for the huge St George do not have Eastend season tickets; fans amongst the Older very vocal group [Eastenders will know who they are!] who really lead the constant chanting with the East End do not have season tickets; The Drummer v Palace/Hull does not have a season ticket ……Previously the Eastend has never solely required a season ticket to enter this stand. For decades the Eastend was used by those on lower incomes. Even today's season tickets at £250, if there are many left, are out of the range of some regular Eastenders.
Doing what ever it takes
Until every available seat within the Eastend is full, the stand should be an easily accessible alternative with ticketing arrangements on par with the Atyeo. In the words of Bristol City manager Gary Johnson the club should be "doing whatever it takes" to get fans into the Eastend to make BCFC a more affordable and inclusive football club for the BCFC community. If doing what it takes means physical barriers, more netting, turning the sterile zone into a sea of supporters flags, shrunken heads on sticks, Priests swinging incense; then do it along with adequate Stewarding and Policing when necessary e.g. QPR and Cardiff. Do it tomorrow because the East End has only scratched the surface so far at its potential for being a spectacular showpiece that shows just how vibrant, colourful and noisy Bristol City supporters are.
FORZA EASTEND seeks to build further on the efforts of fans within the East End in response to Gary Johnson's pleas for more vocal support. FORZA EASTEND wants to continue to actively promote the Eastend and the club as a whole by working with the club, arranging fan-organised events during individual matches over the remaining seasons at Ashton Gate and by simply putting the fun back into football in ways seen at too few clubs around the Country.
As a very loose fan group, FORZA EASTEND wants to drive support forward by encouraging those who congregate in the Eastend to create a spectacular backdrop in our corner of Ashton Gate through the use of flags and banners of all shapes and sizes, including George the giant St George.
Avoiding the "dead atmosphere syndrome"
FORZA EASTEND wants to see fans coming into the Eastend not just to take advantage of bargain priced season tickets, but to truly take part in safeguarding the history and traditions of the Eastend and hopefully carrying this passion for BCFC into the new stadium if it becomes a reality. We do not wish to create something artificial and fake but instead create an accepted part of Bristol City's support which we can all be proud off. This can be carried over into the proposed new stadium, thus effectively avoiding the "dead atmosphere syndrome" that we have experienced in many new grounds on our travels. We want to further build on the constant vocal support already displayed within the Eastend through building on the fanatical support of Bristol City that is found in the long and fine tradition of the Eastend. FORZA EASTEND seeks to promote and safeguard our unique West Country identity. Rather than shamefully turn away from our regional icons and heritage, we want to celebrate what defines us as being from the West Country. Think local, act yokel
The new British ultras scene
Across Britain, groups of supporters from Aberdeen in the Frozen North to the phoenix-like club Aldershot are setting up Ultra groups. Their activities, such as use of giant flag displays, are created for the fans by the fans. Whilst FORZA EASTEND is not interested in blindly following others, the UK ultras movement is a positive move and is perhaps long overdue as an antidote to the recent bland corporate-jester-hat influence in English football. However, the Eastend has always had a degree of fanatic/ultra mentality, the only difference this time is that we are adding Fanzines, flyers, flags, colour, Mabel the drum, Surfing George the St George and even megaphones (if BCFC ever allowed them to our match day within the Eastend).
Willem II
FORZA EASTEND wants to continue our friendship with Fans of Dutch Eredivisie side; Willem II. We aim to build links between the clubs through introducing more Dutch fans to South Bristol Pubs, real cider, and the East End. Moreover, we will be sharing ideas on how to improve the match-day experience for all fans visiting Ashton Gate.
Football politics - the only politics
FORZA EASTEND recognises that ultra groups in other countries have problems which reflect their own societies. FORZA EASTEND has no interest in politics other than the politics of football and supporting organisations such as Stand Up Sit Down. We are also against the rampant commercialisation of football and the excesses of the dominant foreign-owned premier league clubs. We want football return to its core values and reduce the malign and ever present influence of money in football. We welcome the appointment of Michel Platini as president of UEFA and the early day motion within the House of Commons, calling for the introduction of safe standing within UK football grounds.
Working with the club
We call upon the club and the two supporters organisations to work closely with supporters in the Eastend in bringing about the reality of FORZA EASTEND. We ask that the club listen to requests from FORZA EASTEND with an open mind. Permission will be sought from the club to raise funds for our flags and for their safe display and storage within the ground. Working with the club is essential for FORZA EASTEND's success. This means that we will not advocate any contravention of ground regulations or support the use of flares by Bristol City supporters; be they held aloft, thrown or worn!!
Let's do it
FORZA EASTEND wants fans within the Eastend now and those who want to be in there to have the opportunity to show how good our support really is. In a short space of time the Eastend has helped to transform negative perceptions of Bristol City FC. No longer are we viewed as a ramshackle stadium with disinterested fans, instead fans from other clubs are grudgingly impressed with our home support. This has been done despite severe restrictions placed upon the stand and has required a huge effort from a group of very committed fans who believe that BCFC must be an example to others. The reduced prices really are welcome but let's have an Eastend for ALL. Only through allowing every Eastender into the stand; can we create the spectacular show of support that our manager so clearly wants.
More information can be found on the FORZA EASTEND forum at independent City supporter's message board http://www.ziderheads.co.uk/ch/ and on the 3 Lions and a Robin fanzine at http://www.bcfc3lions.co.uk/mainpage.html
