Standing at the match

[FSF]

You might’ve seen last week that the Football Supporters’ Federation launched a petition as part of our campaign for the introduction of safe standing areas in the top two divisions in England and Wales. If you have not yet signed the petition, and are in favour of a return to standing, please give us 30 seconds of your time visiting the link below. Also tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell your work colleagues that you don’t really like but who you put up with anyway. Please help us spread the word.

http://www.fsf.org.uk/safestanding

We know you might think that signing a petition is a bit of a futile gesture, but there is currently a bill going through Parliament which faces its second reading in a little under 3 months time. For the first time the Sports Minister has agreed to look at the evidence on safe standing. We have a short timeframe to gather support and prove that there is a groundswell of opinion behind fans’ choice to stand at football in England and Wales. This is the first time the FSF has petitioned on this issue, and within a week nearly 10,000 fans have already added their voices to our campaign. Please add yours today.

If you’re sceptical, read on below.

http://www.fsf.org.uk/safestanding

* If standing is unsafe, why is it allowed in Leagues One and Two? If it is safe in Leagues One and Two, why is it not safe in the top two divisions? We find the idea that safety is dependent upon the quality of football played on the pitch as absolutely absurd

* The FSF’s Safe Standing Campaign is not just about those who prefer to stand. By giving supporters the choice, everyone benefits. Those who wish to stand can do so, while those who prefer to sit no longer have to worry about having their view blocked. Every week thousands of fans stand in front of their seats for large parts of the game - attempts by the authorities to end this practice have failed. Fans are standing in ever greater numbers, and we think they should be able to do so in safely designed and managed areas where possible.

* The FSF does not propose that the stringent safety standards laid down in the Government’s Green Guide be abolished or weakened in any way, nor are we suggesting that clubs should be forced to provide safe standing areas. Issues around cost and feasibility should be a matter for individual clubs and their fans, not for the government.

* Many opponents to standing mistakenly cite Hillsborough as a reason not to allow its introduction. The disaster was not caused by standing, however; the Taylor Report primarily blamed the failure of police control. It did not ban standing, nor claim it was inherently unsafe.

If you agree with us that fans should have the choice to sit or stand at football, please add your name to the thousands already in favour of safe standing. Now’s the best chance we’ll have to make a difference.

http://www.fsf.org.uk/safestanding

 

[Azrael]

I'm mixed on this as I think that stadiums should be all seater these days for safety reasons, particular for child fans. Standing when you have paid for a seat is selfish to the people sitting behind you. Yes, I know we all stand up when there's a goal or some such, but I think iot's a bit different if people are standing the whole time.

 

[mattyspurs]

I think designated areas are fine. If you don't want to stand for fear of safety to kids etc, don't go there. But maybe a small section of the ground could be yes.

 

[antiloqus]

personally, I prefer to sit. It's a 2 hour each way trip to the Lane for me, and if I had to stand the whole match, on top of that, I would be pretty tired by the end of the day.

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Terraces were a scapegoat from the off. None of the troubles that prompted the removal of them were actually caused by them. In my opinion, the removal of terraces had likely been in the pipes for some years, the powers that be just needed an excuse to attach it to - the introduction of all-seater stadia was just another form of crowd control, allowing the police to identify specific trouble makers/undesirables by just looking at the seat number.

As you say, it was never cited as unsafe or actually ban it, it was simply the opportunity that they had been waiting for. If they had wanted hats or moustaches banned at that time then they would simply have put that in as something to be eradicated with suggestions that they, in some tiny way, may have played a non-specific part in the trouble and tragedies that we witnessed in the late 80s.

I would love to see terraces back at grounds, somewhere like Brisbane Road could really benefit from the increased revenue and that excellent atmosphere that came with them.

 

[beats1]

I want safe standing, but if not, let fans stand up in seating area, and label it as standing seats or even have bus stop seats at grounds that would much better

 

[Rocksuperstar]

I want safe standing, but if not, let fans stand up in seating area, and label it as standing seats or even have bus stop seats at grounds that would much better

That's not a bad idea - terraces but instead of metal leaning posts, bus stop seats. I like it. It also means that the FA could seriously consider it without having to look like they're doing a U-turn, and we all know how much the elderly folk at the FA can't stand humble pie, what with the dentures they all wear.

 

[beats1]

That's not a bad idea - terraces but instead of metal leaning posts, bus stop seats. I like it. It also means that the FA could seriously consider it without having to look like they're doing a U-turn, and we all know how much the elderly folk at the FA can't stand humble pie, what with the dentures they all wear.

I might start making some plans and sell the idea to the FA

 

[LSUY]

I would love to see a return of terraces, as the Bundesliga has shown that it can work in a modern stadium. However, it will never return. I know Hillsborough was a big tragedy but I hate how it's always used as the excuse to avoid any form of debate over whether terracing should return. From what I've read it was the failure of local police to adequately manage the crowds that caused the disaster not the terraces.

 

[worcestersauce]

As I recall part of the argument for all seater stadiums was that people will control themselves better if they are sitting down, it's more natural to sing when your're standing than when you are sitting down ergo, it was a method of crowd control and would help to reduce the atmosphere in the stadium, ironically this is one reason why fans want to stand again because it is more natural to sing and the atmosphere would improve.
What we would have to be aware of however is that even if standing is allowed gone are the days of terraces packed so tightly that you couldn't eat your peanuts, It'd basically be standing in the space of a seat, also if they have a designated standing area I'm sure authorities will be much tougher on anyone standing in the non designated area.
As it happens I feel slightly removed from this discussion as my ST is in block 33

 

[Wiener]

I heard a piece on radio 4 this morning about re-introducing standing to grounds. The arguments against seem very weak. I, for one, find sitting not conducive to singing and would much rather stand. Better atmosphere, possibly cheaper tickets and bigger crowds are all very persuasive arguments. Does it really encourage hooliganism and make grounds less safe? What to people think?

It seems our new stadium will allow for standing should it be made legal again:

"The new stadium is designed such that, should current legislation be amended to allow for safe standing, we would be able to accommodate this." Tottenham Hotspur executive director Donna Cullen

 

[Gbspurs]

I'm not sure why you couldn't have a section for standing. Would be good if the bottom level of our "kop" could be standing.