Quote Originally Posted by CT_Palace View Post
That's a good question Smitty and not one I admit to knowing exactly why. But yes, you're right, perhaps not so much coveted, but certainly the ends behind the goal is usually where you will find the most passionate of fans. At Crystal Palace's ground, Selhurst Park, it's called the Holmesdale (From the Holmesdale Road running along that side of the ground) and can be seen in my avatar.
Historically football teams in the UK have always had a "home" end reserved solely for the home team supporters and in the old days an "away" end for the visiting supporters. Of course this separation didn't always work and that usually led to trouble. Today, the away fans are not necessarily seated behind the goal opposite the home end but are segregated somewhere else within the ground. The ends of the grounds were also traditionally standing only (called terraces), not seated. it's only been since the Hillsborough Disaster that Premier league and Championship teams grounds were required to be all seaters. Being standing only, they could hold many more supporters than the seated equivalent, this improved the atmosphere and singing and tickets for these sections were cheaper and therefore more popular.
In today's all-seater stadiums the tradition of a home end still persists but without doubt the advent of all seater stadiums and the subsequent increase of ticket pricing has destroyed the atmosphere of the old days at some clubs (Arsenal being a classic example - their ground, The Emirates Stadium is known as the library ). At Palace however, the noise and the atmosphere persists often led by a group fans known as the Holmesdale Fanatics.
Do you know what happened with the safe standing they were trying to get looked at in Parliament? Is it still on trial at a Championship/League One club.

I'm part of the 1882 Movement who are trying to bring back the atmosphere to the Lane, we're good when we can get tickets it is often too hard to get together on the big matches, it is why I love Europa league nights.