How do we improve the atmosphere at the MKM?

[EastStandLad]

I love the MKM but let's be honest the atmosphere is inconsistent. Some games it's rocking, other games you can hear individual conversations from across the stand. For a club pushing for promotion we should be doing better.
The East Stand is where most of the noise comes from but it's not enough on its own. You need the whole ground singing for it to really make a difference. I've been to Sunderland and Middlesbrough this season and both of them were louder than us despite having similar crowds.
Ideas. A supporters group that organises chants and gets flags sorted for big games. Safe standing so people can actually stand up without getting told to sit down every five minutes. Maybe moving the away fans to a different section so the North Stand can actually contribute to the atmosphere instead of being half empty.
I know some people will say just sing louder yourself and yeah fair point. But it needs to be a collective effort. What do you lot think would make a difference?

 

[DockWorker67]

You should have been at Boothferry Park in the 70s lad. The noise was unbelievable and there were no organised fan groups or flags, people just sang because they wanted to. The problem with modern football is everyone sits there on their phone waiting to be entertained instead of actually creating the atmosphere themselves. That said I do think safe standing would help. The best atmospheres I ever experienced were on the terraces and that's because when you're standing you naturally make more noise. The all seater requirement killed atmosphere at every ground in the country.

 

[KCStadiumKid]

Safe standing would transform the place. The East Stand is where the noise comes from but half the time you're getting told to sit down by stewards which completely kills the momentum. Let people stand if they want to stand. Every other country in Europe manages it. The atmosphere at Dortmund or Celtic is incredible and that's because people are on their feet. You can't generate that kind of energy from a plastic seat.

 

[MKMFaithful]

I think it's partly a cultural thing that's changed with modern football. When I first started going in the 90s everyone sang because that's just what you did. Now people sit there filming on their phones and posting to Instagram instead of actually getting behind the team. I sound like a grumpy old man but it's true. We need the younger fans to put their phones down and sing. The atmosphere at the Stoke game when we came back from 2 0 down shows what's possible when everyone's up for it. We just need that energy every week not just for the big games.