Sports performance expert proves wearing club colours can improve how your teams performs...
WALSALL FC is calling for fans to create a ‘Wall of Colour’ at our opening home League match of the season on August 16th by wearing home shirts, scarves and, for the loyal, body paint!The rallying call comes after research from leading Performance Coach, Jamie Edwards, has found fans showing their support through the club colours has a greater impact than traditional vocal support alone.
The report found the psychological effect of fans wearing club colours can significantly impact on the way players respond on the pitch. Previous studies have found 93% of communication is nonverbal, including on the football field. Our minds react differently to visual stimuli and the human brain deciphers image elements simultaneously, while language is decoded in a linear, sequential manner taking more time to process.
Jamie Edwards explains: “While managers always ask fans to be vocal, in sports performance you focus on the non-obvious. For a supporter the obvious is making noise, however players react to visual changes before sound. The non-obvious for the fan is to make a visual impact.”
“The ‘Wall of Colour’ is a call to action for Saddlers’ fans to become the 12th man by creating a powerful visual cue to the players which shows total support. This is the chance for every Walsall fan to help shape the club’s season.”
The report also found they key time for fans to create a ‘Wall of Colour’ is during the first home game of the season. In the 2013/14 Sky Bet Football League season, of the ten clubs promoted, seven won their first home game whilst three came away with a draw. In contrast all the nine relegated clubs lost their first home game. The research also found that a home team is 37.29% more likely to score goals than the away team.
The report from Jamie Edwards commissioned by The Football League also found that:
• Home advantage is a statistical fact with 45-48% of matches across European football resulting in a home win
• Home advantage is reliant on a passionate fan-base and the noise made by a home crowd, which can directly influence results through motivating players
• Red is statistically the most successful colour, followed by blue
Jamie Edwards added: “There is no doubt that when you combine the elements of playing at home with visual fan support, fans can have an effect on team performance. Creating a ‘Wall of Colour’ can help The Saddlers win that crucial first home game.”
“I would like to encourage as many of our supporters to wear their colours to our first home League game of the season against Bradford City on August 16th,” said Saddlers’ boss, Dean Smith. “To see a sea of red here at Banks’s Stadium is so inspiring for the players and helps to create a winning and inspirational atmosphere within the stadium.”
Shaun Harvey, the Chief Executive of The Football League, said: “The beginning of the new season is always a special time, with supporters full of hope and expectation that this season is going to be their year. It’s great to see so many fans set to create a ‘Wall of Colour’ at and I hope that supporters across The League rise to the challenge. Every side will want to make a strong start to the new season and the three points on offer could go on to make all the difference when the trophies are being handed out next Spring.”
Make sure that you get involved with the Wall of Colour. Fans can also follow The Football League Twitter feed @football_league and join the conversion using #WallOfColour.