A new, wealthier fan began attending games in the safer, more comfortable stadiums. For the first time, women were plentiful in the stands. But these changes came at a cost. The new clientele eroded the old, boisterous working-class ambience. As Alan explained this transformation, he invoked a time when "ten thousand would come to the stadium. Six thousand of them would be up for a fight. The rest came to watch a fight. Yeah, they'd say they were disgusted. But you'd ask them in the pub afterwards, 'Did you watch the fight or the football?' " He leans back and imitates a prig's voice, " 'Oh, the fight, of course,' " He laughs at his own observation. "Now, people just want to go to the game so that they can say" - he reverts to the prig persona - " 'Look, I'm cool. I go to Chelsea.' When I get up to sing, they say 'Sit down.' "