I really don't think we are so different and that, by and large, we do manage it. There are plenty on here who speak of an harmonious day, with standing included with sitting. I think there is a minority who make an arse of themselves by being rude, obnoxious Standers who care ****-all about others and feel safe in their, usually, well boozed crowd; just as there are a minority who complain about anything simply because they can - if enough of these complain then the Standers leave - that's the rules. Other than that I think the majority get along just fine with a bit of common-sense and civil behaviour. Bottom line is the system shouldn't leave it up to the individual, simply make standing areas formal and have a zero tolerance (except for knee-jerk reaction stands - we all do it or wish we could) in non-standing areas. I just think it's wrong to pillory one man's perfectly legitimate preference for another's that is not so legitimate if challenged.
Similar complaints from the Blunts fans on their forums. Similar across all clubs tbh. Ends like the Kop, you expect it, sit along the edges and its a different story. Would be easy to sort out too, sit at the bottom of a section, stand at the back, or just have designated standing in one whole section(s). Problem solved. Arseholes will always be arseholes, regardless of sitting or standing tbh.
We had a bit of a problem with the bloke behind us, when my mate stood up, instead of just saying excuse me mate you are spoiling my view, he pushed him and started to go on one. The daft old git did have a point but really was out of order in the way he went about it. So for a minute or so it flared up, but we all shook hands and put it behind us and got on with watching, mostly sat down but jumping up now and again. Compromise and consideration won in the end.
So the rules for a safe standing area are you stand and sing, fine. Can we have the rules for the remaining seated areas just in case we end up in there. Can we jump up and applaud goals? Can we give a substituted player a standing ovation? Can we stand for minutes silences? Can we stand for penalties?
Reading some posts on the Blunts S24SU site, it would appear that there was all out scraping in their end for the last 15 mins of the game with all kinds of knuckle dragging ****wits battering seven bells out of each other. Only time I recall seeing this was at Stoke about 8 years when about half a dozen of theirs decided the football was ****e and they would provide some entertainment of their own.
I reckon the final will be worse, especially outside the ground with other London squads running interference.
I don't think we manage it. Watch away games and see other clubs fans all stood up at grounds where ours are sat down. Maybe because we have a lot of fans who complain and are on the stewards side whilst other clubs fans have a reputation of not cooperating. Word gets around. Tottenham was an example. They made an issue of standing as part of an ongoing thing when we were there but every other week all the away fans stand there with no hassle.
Can't remember the time exactly but all he had to do was say something that's all not be a complete t**t about it!
I saw it, I was 2 rows up in the block to the left He was going mental, leaning right into the row in front almost falling in swinging left right and centre Such a daft thing to do, was probably around 25 mins and then he's kicked out and probably banned Did you get kicked out? Just saw the guy get escourted
And regards to standing I love standing at games actively despise sitting down but you have to be considerrate of fans who can't/unable for sustained amount of times Personally I was stood all game as the whole rows in front were stood but I did feel for a few older folk and kids Hopefully the fa/clubs do something where fans who wish to be more 'active' can do so in a designated area but as standing is not technically allowed I can't see it happening
What's clear is that all seater stadiums are another example of failed social engineering. We now have the worst of all worlds and a big potential for injury. Seats were brought in to alter the demographic of football crowds by encouraging more women and children and stop groups of males congregating, nothing to do with it being simply safer to sit or stand. The seats are "safer" argument is a red herring. Apart from some members of society(male and female) who can't behave anywhere, that need has gone. The "solution" is now the problem. Short term, have passive and active areas to reduce conflict, long term, standing areas.
I was in Club Wembley (oh yes) and I have to say the City fans were very quiet - I heardly heard a peep all day and all-in-all it was pretty poor, which I personally account to us being the favourites for once. Being the underdog always leads to a better atmosphere which we'll hopefully see in the final. HOWEVER, all different types go to football - they always have they always will - and nobody should ever be criticised for not-singing in the same way that nobody should for verbally supporting their team. I am the vocal type who is a fan of the Ultras movement but I would never criticise anyone else for taking a different approach to supporting their team. Some of the most loyal fans sit in silence. Yeah they did. The box I was in was at their end and you could see it pretty clearly. Mental.
I was in block 502, great view in line with the edge of the box and the atmosphere there was pretty decent, the block got involved in the singing, people stood for attacks and 'exciting' phases and sat for most of the rest without any complaints. Didn't do anything at the 19.04 mark in our block, but as the Blades had just scored it really didn't occur to anyone i reckon. There was one hilarious/cringeworthy moment near the end when the 3 old fellas behind me tried to get a 'city till we die' chant going, but we're getting some of the words wrong, 20s later they sat down complaining about being sat with a bunch of gargoyles....bless
It was inevitable really, when you have a neutral ground and no way to distinguish who's sat where. Could have perhaps had seats allocated for season ticket holders and then separated by stands? Just got to try and get along I suppose. Was a bit annoyed though when I thought quinns goal was given offside after I turned around to see everyone around me and my mates clapping politely instead of going mental like us.
All the club has to do is designate some of the blocks as standing. Let everybody know where they are and give us a choice of which areas we'd like tickets in. I understand this is what Crystal Palace did for the play-off final. For anybody that complains they'd like to sit in a standing area the club tell then tough. Its not rocket science.
Just been talking to Chris about this, he's asked Ash if the two centre blocks on the top tier can be allocated as singing sections.
