QPR Fans NOT Among The Loudest!

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Football League Official Site

Coca-Cola Championship newcomers Colchester United have triumphed in the 'Real Football Roar' award - The Football League's initiative that measured crowd noise levels at each of its 72 clubs during the first month of the new season.

The U's supporters held off stiff competition from Norwich City and Carlisle United, to register the loudest crowd 'roar' of all 72 clubs in The League, with a recording of 128.3 decibels taken as the players took to the pitch for the recent Coca-Cola Championship fixture with Derby County at Layer Road...

United manager, Geraint Williams, said: "The players always appreciate it when the fans open their lungs to back the team and it's great that they've proved they are the noisiest around. We know how fervent the fans are and the noise they made against Derby County certainly helped us on our way to our first win of the season."

Throughout August journalists from PA Sport have been measuring noise levels at League games using sound meters provided by Cirrus Research - a leading developer and producer of noise measurement instrumentation.

In explaining how the U's managed to beat bigger clubs, with bigger crowds in bigger stadia James Tingay, Marketing Manager at Cirrus Research, said: "The results overall suggest that a large attendance in a large ground is not necessarily required to create the loudest crowd noise, and smaller crowds are also capable of generating high levels of noise in compact grounds where fans are close to the pitch. Colchester fans have demonstrated this with the fantastic atmosphere they produced."

In fact, the Layer Road crowd were not alone in showing that smaller crowds can make just as big a noise as The League's best-supported clubs, with five of the top ten readings occurring at matches attended by crowds of less than 6,000.These included matches at Crewe Alexandra, Bristol Rovers, Rochdale and Stockport County.

In congratulating Colchester United, Football League Head of Communications, John Nagle, said: "Winning this award is a terrific achievement by Colchester United's supporters and anyone that has heard the Barside in full voice will know just how loud they can be.

"We often hear of managers talking about how intimidating it can be to play in front of a full house at a tight, compact ground and these results show why."

Colchester United will be presented with the 'Real Football Roar' award at a forthcoming home match.

Real Football Roar Top 10

1 Colchester United (Coca-Cola Championship)
2 Norwich City (Coca-Cola Championship)
3 Carlisle United (Coca-Cola League 1)
4 Crewe Alexandra (Coca-Cola League 1)
5 Bristol Rovers (Coca-Cola League 2)
6 Southend United (Coca-Cola Championship)
7 Rochdale (Coca-Cola League 2)
8 Southampton (Coca-Cola Championship)
9 Stockport County (Coca-Cola League 2)
10 Plymouth Argyle (Coca-Cola Championship)

Top 5 Coca-Cola Championship results

1 Colchester United
2 Norwich City
3 Southend United
4 Southampton
5 Plymouth Argyle

Top 5 Coca-Cola League 1 results

1 Carlisle United
2 Crewe Alexandra
3 Bristol City
4 Brighton and Hove Albion
5 Swansea City

Top 5 Coca-Cola League 2 results

1 Bristol Rovers
2 Rochdale
3 Stockport County
4 Hartlepool United
5 Milton Keynes Dons
Football League


How the "Search" was Described
Football League Official Site - Search is on

Fans Show Off Their Roar Talent

The search is on for the loudest and most passionate supporters in The Football League, with the launch of the 'Real Football Roar' award.

With The Football League being the sole focus of attention for the first fortnight of the new season, the award has been developed to encourage fans to play an active, and vocal, role in welcoming back the return of Real Football.

'The Real Football Roar' award will see The Football League measure the decibel levels at every Coca-Cola Football League match played during the opening two weekends of the season - with the club whose supporters generate the most noise, as the teams emerge from the tunnel, winning the honour of being named the loudest fans in The Coca-Cola Football League.

In launching the 'Real Football Roar' award Football League Chairman Lord Mawhinney said: "The start of the new season is an exciting time for all supporters and the atmosphere they generate is vital to the spectacle of League football.

The 'Real Football Roar' award is something that all fans will want to win for their club and I encourage everyone to make themselves heard as the big kick-off approaches."

The findings of The Football League Supporters' Survey 2006 - which featured the views of more than 43,000 fans - show that, on matchdays, 'It is good match atmosphere that the supporter is looking for above anything else'.

Coca-Cola Football League Ambassador, Chris Kamara, has also welcomed the new award: "I think this is a great idea" he said "and I would encourage all supporters to get along to their local club's 'Real Football Roar' match and sing their hearts out for the lads."

The measurements at each ground will be taken from the centre-circle as the teams emerge by a representative of PA Sport. They will be using sound meters provided by Cirrus Research - a leading developer and producer of noise measurement instrumentation.

Marketing Manager at Cirrus Research, James Tingay said: "We are delighted to work with The Football League on this initiative. Cirrus Research is one of the leading manufacturers of noise measurement instruments and we look forward to finding out which fans are the loudest."

Football League