How did you watch your football games on television when stadiums were empty through the first 18 months of the Covid-19 pandemic? With the piped-in, FIFA-on-a-Playstation-style crowd noise or without? For those football fans who opted for the second option, it was initially at least quite interesting being able to hear the previously inaudible chatter that goes on between players on the pitch. Instructions, encouragement, the odd argument and a fair amount of swearing poured into football-viewing homes across the country.
With football games happening behind closed doors, we were given a glimpse into what happens down on the pitch that no fans had been privy to before. Coaches already know the importance of good communication and that is why it is something that We Make Footballers impart upon their players.
For children watching at home, empty stadiums meant they could see first-hand how their idols communicate with each other. And just how much communication actually goes on. It is non-stop.
The novelty of being able to hear players and managers quickly wore off, however. There are only so many times you can stand a commentator apologising for the bad language you may have heard. And the games themselves became less exciting without the emotion and passion brought by packed stadiums. Last-minute goals and shock results were nowhere near as infectious when they were being celebrated by 11 players high-fiving rather than 30,000 fans losing their minds with sheer, unbridled joy.
What Value Do Fans Add to Football?
If there was ever any doubts about just how important supporters are to making football the best sport in the world, then those 18 months played in front of empty stadiums extinguished them.
Nothing illustrated that better than what we saw during Euro 2020. With mass gatherings allowed once again, The tournament was the first time since the pandemic took hold that games in Europe had taken place in front of a crowd. When England beat Germany at a Wembley operating at two-thirds capacity, it felt more like 120,000 fans were there rather than 60,000.
The scenes which greeted Harry Kane opening the scoring will live long in the memory for those lucky enough to have been there living and everyone else watching on television in pubs and homes across the country.
Not only do fans add to the value of football, but they are fan engagement is good for player performance too. Players too thrive when feeding off the energy and electricity provided by a crowd. Empty football stadiums have a huge impact psychologically, denying players that connection with their supporters that normally improves performance levels significantly. Take the noise of a home crowd urging their tired and weary team on. The roar of match-going fans is proven to distract from fatigue when harnessed by individual players. This is true for virtually any sport in the world, in fact. 
By focusing on the noise, the encouragement and the support of the crowd, a professional athlete has the means to ignore the pain and exhaustion they are feeling. This enables them to go above and beyond what would normally be possible. A live audience allows athletes to avoid “hitting the wall” for that little bit longer and often, that can be the difference between victory and defeat.
The Home Advantage
Empty stadiums suddenly gave an unexpected opportunity to find out in a real-life scenario. A study by The Times found that home sides playing in front of a crowded score on average 37 per cent more goals than away sides. With empty stadiums, home advantage was severely lessened.
Central to all of this is the connection between football fans and players which exists no matter what level the game is played out. It could be Watford fans rocking up to Vicarage Road to cheer their side on to a famous win over Manchester United or parents watching their kids play an Under 7s game down the park on a Sunday morning.
Whether they support play for bigger or smaller teams, The reason so many people love football is that feeling of belonging. From the XI on the pitch to the supporters on the sidelines, everyone wants and is working towards a common goal, whether their part in the process is cheering and encouraging from the stands or sticking the ball in the back of the net from a last-minute free-kick 25 yards out from goal.
Coaching for the Crowd
When getting involved in children’s football, a coach takes on a vital role in fostering the feeling of belonging and the euphoria that comes from both playing in and watching a football game.
We Make Footballers start young players on their journeys towards playing in grassroots teams. From there, some might go onto professional academies. A lucky few could make it as professionals and who knows, one or two might even be the next Kane scoring in a European Championship to send a packed Wembley berserk.
No matter what level a child ends up playing at, that thrill of stepping onto the pitch and performing in front of their parents, friends and other supporters is always there. It is high that keeps children turning up every week, wanting to improve their skills and abilities so that they can impress those watching even more.
For parents, they experience all the emotions that come with being supporters. Only these emotions are heightened by the bonds of family, creating an even stronger connection and greater pride than a lifelong Manchester City fan experiences when Phil Foden of Stockport succeeds in the sky-blue shirt.
How Much Do Football Fans Matter?
Discussions about football without fans always tend to centre around the Premier League and the Football League. But the importance of the crowd and that connection that supporters have with players permeates through every level of the football industry.
To coin a popular phrase, football is nothing without fans. Coaches help to create that bond by helping players onto the pitch and giving their supporters the opportunity to cheer with pride and feel a part of it on the sidelines.
To find out more about coaching and playing a part in helping the next generation fall in love with football, please contact We Make Footballers today.
