Silence for the kicker

[BruceMKirk]

Unless decisive action is taken by the club to preserve the tradition of remaining silent for the kicker, it is a tradition that will die out at Welford Road within two or three seasons. Although concern about increasing abuse of the tradition has been brought to the attention of the club they have failed to act decisively. The principle is not given adequate publicity and opportunities are missed at games attended by significant numbers of first time spectators, such as LDV matches, for example. Go to Exeter and silence is called for at every kick over the PA system. Leicester seem to think they can't actively call for silence. Go to Franklyn's Gardens and they uphold the tradition far more rigorously than we do at Welford Road. At Thomond Park you can hear a pin drop. We have to decide whether this is an important tradition sufficient to warrant effort to retain or it will simply pass away. I happen to believe it is important to the values of the game and the club but it needs decisive, positive action to induct in this principle to all visitors to the ground at every match. Back it or lose it.

[Tigerbeat]

It is regularly announced over the tannoy at home games that the kicker should be repected with silence. There are very few occasions where silence is broken.

[BruceMKirk]

In my experience, Tigerbeat, as a season ticket holder who attends virtually all home games and many away, there is generally only mention on the pa system after there has been noise during a kick and its usually offered apologetically. The club really has to be more proactive than that. I suggest you go to Sandy Park and see how they deal with it there. if this is a tradition that the club wishes to continue, they really have to be more active in inducting people into that tradition. It needs to be stated up front. It needs visuals on the screens. It needs more publicity. I attended the Club's Fans Forum last season when much attention was given to need to publicise the values of the club. Where are they? If they are important they need to be prominent.

[JohnI]

Saints for the last two seasons have put onto the large TV screen the words "shhh someone is kicking" each time and although it's generally not required it does serve as a reminder to anyone who sees the screen that the respect for all the kickers should be observed and normally it is.

It was even evident during the Racing Metro game where French fans sometimes don't observe the silence that they also observed it throughout the game and that the screen helped to remind everyone.

Hope you can get it sorted.

[Kent Tiger]

Firstly let me state I am not an ex player and relatively new to this rugby lark - (long time casual watcher, 6 years into being a hard core Tigers fan). When I first started going to Tigers games I was impressed that 24,000 could fall silent without any prompting and I am still proud of it. I do wonder where this tradition came from though. What do the players prefer, silence or noise? I remember reading an interview with Toby Flood a few years ago when he said he preferred the noise in a French stadium to the silence in Welford Road and I have heard other players and ex players say the same, most recently one of the BT sports commentators (in the last couple of weeks, sorry can't remember which one). If you can hear a pin drop surely a pin dropping would be enough to put a player off? (Puts on tin hat and waits for deluge of angry replies)

[northerntiger]

It's part of the game. When one team is taking a kick, the opposition stand still and silent. That has been extended to the fans, at least at most English and Irish grounds.
As to whether it helps or hinders the kickers I am not sure

[trendylfj]

A couple of years ago, I went on the Glaws fans forum (shedheads) and dared to suggest that they should be quiet for opponents kickers and quite rightly was told to mind my own business and that their kickers preferred noise. One of whom was Freddie Burns. I don't know if he does or he doesn't but what I do know that it is the Leicester way to be quiet and that we should do more to uphold that tradition. Perhaps an announcement just before the match kicks off to inform everyone present that that is what we do at Welford road would help.

[BruceMKirk]

I agree. I think it needs at least that. I also think a reminder on the screen is good. The potential problem to that is that the screen at the Aylestone Road end is directly behind the posts, so, when the kick is at that end, an announcement on the screen could be a distraction.

My point is that we cannot assume that everybody attending the ground will be aware what is expected. Either this tradition is important, in which case its worth doing something decisive to preserve it, or its not important, in which case, let's forget about it altogether. If we do nothing, the answer will make itself.

[KUSADASI TIGER]

It is announced pre-match on both the Tannoy and the big screens at least before the previous 2 games for certain as i watched and heard them.On the terrace there has been a problem of late generally by people who are not wearing club colours just copious amounts of alcohol in their hands and especially from the temporary stand area.If they are giving cheap/free tickets to youngsters to try and get them involved at the Tigers then they should also be educated about the silence for kickers too.

[Reggie]

Announcements are made over the tannoy before every home game to request silence/respect for for kickers of both teams.

Over on the terrace I've only noticed a couple of issues recently on Friday night and late kick off games (alcohol fueled?), but not to a point where it's a become a real issue.

Reminders on the screens before each kick is a good idea though.

[Norfolk & Goode]

I've asked several kickers (the people that really matter!) what they think of the noise, every single one of them takes zero notice and are not bothered in any way. Personally I don't mind the noise but choose to be silent, and in France it's so incredibly loud its a positive part of the game, Clermont being the best.

[InGuinnessVeritas]

Announcements are made over the tannoy before every home game to request silence/respect for for kickers of both teams.

It tends to be the ones who stay in the bars until the very last seconds before kick-off who find it amusing to make a noise during an attempt at goal. Therefore, they most likely won't hear the pre-match announcement.

A message on the screens is a good idea but, if someone is going to make noise, there's precious little you can do about it. You can never accommodate for stupid.

[Iain]

It's a huge problem with large numbers of school groups. Especially those that are badly supervised. Way too much fake coughing and shouting out.

Try and tell any of them and you get "oh come on. It's their first time / they're only kids / they're just having fun".

I remember my first time at Welford Road. There was a kick. Everyone went quiet, so I did. I didn't need telling.

[Tiggywoowoo]

As a frequent (as I can be) travelling ( from distance ) supporter I still think Tigers supporters are amongst the best ( if not the best ) at observing what is, let us face it, a tradition that is not at all recognised abroad and to a lesser degree than Welford Road, elsewhere in the UK. It is only a tradition after all and the point has been well made that the kickers do not actually give a flying ...... kick anyway.

Pin drop silence is the best and a great respect...... continuous noise is not however an issue - the only thing I DO disagree with is the SUDDEN outburst of something stupid as the kicker runs up to the ball. That is bad.

[BruceMKirk]

I want to thank the club for taking up the suggestion made on this forum last week that requests for silence be posted on the screen while kicks were being taken during the Sale match yesterday.

I was a bit sceptical that it would have any impact at first. There was no discernible reduction in noise during Freddie Burns' first kick yesterday, or indeed for the first three kicks. Even the announcement over the public address that silence during the kicks "would be appreciated" seemed to acknowledge that nothing had changed but as the game progressed, those people in the crowd who value this tradition seemed to be empowered and called for quiet before subsequent kicks. As the game progressed, so observance of the silence seemed to increase and by the end of the game I was pleased with the outcome.

It shouldn't have to come down to the crowd to 'police' the silence and the positive outcome on this one occasion shouldn't lead to complacency that the matter is resolved. It will need to be continuously reinforced. I think, from that point of view, the club can be bolder, especially with regard to announcements made over the public address. If this is something we value as part of the tradition of the game of Rugby Union such that we have enshrined it in the values of the club, then we should be proud of that and not just appeal to people on the basis that it would be "appreciated". The announcer can educate the crowd, especially the newcomers, about the values of the game and of the club. If people want to be there then part of that is to accept and adopt the values. A simple statement to the effect that "we, at Leicester Tigers, show respect for the kicker by being silent while kicks are taken and we ask you to uphold to that tradition" (or words to that effect).

It was a good start yesterday but it will need to be worked at. I can foresee a time when we can rival the crowds at Thomond Park, Limerick, where a pin can be heard to drop when kicks are taken.