In the news today is this article about 'standing' at football matches http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20679867 Only Villa from the top flight have signed up if you like, the PL having made their stance known a year ago. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/12830836 How do feel about getting bumped and pushed down steps again, or are we happy with seats...Chelsea fans are as they like to throw them when the need arises!
Standing is for the young and not so bad now as it used to be. Before we had no shoes that would keep your feet warm, not comfortable. I can get all the suffering I need watching Spurs, so sitting and suffering suits me better now.
I know it's about chanting and making noise but at times I do find myself actually engrossed in the match...and that feels great whilst sitting down. With seats people stand up for their little sing song anyway, well that's what I do. Without seats I got no chance of sitting down. Both options should be accesible considering what we pay for a ticket. I'd suggest they give us free cups of tea and a pie aswell for that amount.
I left it to the other half but she's been dithering about it Spurcat. She doesn't know her arse from her elbow at times! Xmas, boxing day...I'll be tired to travel ra ra...ohh please do shut up woman! I'm still trying to convince her before it's too late!
Whenever the subject of standing or terraces is brought up, despite plenty of evidence from the continent that there are no dangers as long as it is the terrace has the correct safety and security measures in place, it's immediately shouted down by shrieks of "HILLSBOROUGH!!!" and claims that the Taylor Reports banned terracing. This ignores two key points: i.) Terracing nor standing didn't cause the Hillsborough disaster, cramming too many Liverpool fans into the Leppings Lane end did ii.) The Taylor Report didn't say terracing should be banned, nor did it say terracing was unsafe - the Tory government of the time the report said standing should be banned so they could show they were Doing Something
I think that it's a good idea, as long as we follow the German example and have standing areas, but not dedicate the whole stadium to it. Dortmund seem to have it nailed, in my opinion. Their North and South stands, behind each goal, are for standing, while the East and West are all seated. Their kop (the South stand) has a capacity of nearly 25,000. If these rail seats are used, then most of the safety aspects would be dealt with and overcrowding wouldn't be an issue.
Large scale accidents were rare on the terraces and standing added to the atmosphere as more people were at the ground. The safety authorities are aware of the risks and can be more vigilant and take more care in their planning of the terraces should they return.
Germany's great, £10 a ticket(which also acts as your travel card) and when you get to the terraces you can drink and smoke. It's a football fan's utopia. Won't happen here though. Football's becoming more and more for the rich and the prwan sandwich brigade have no interest in reasonably priced tickets and good atmosphere's.
Just buy the tickets ffs!, nearer the time there'll be two choices, either she goes, or she doesn't...and you have to take your bezzie mate instead! ...everyones a winner!
True. Problem is she's the only Spurs fan I know. The rest are glory hunters of the 80s and 90s following the Mousers and United. But I'm onto it <wink>
If it means a lot cheaper tickets I'm all for it, people stand now anyway especially in away ends and it's a lot unsafer than safe standing would be so cut the middle man out and bring it in What are the cons against it? Is it just purely the fashion in which people would exit the ground?
"It's a lot UNSAFER than safe standing would be." I'll have to look at that and try and understand wtf that means Dregs.
I wasn't around when it was all standing but personally, I'd love to see it. I'm sick of the **** stewards pretending they're part of some covert operation with their walkie-talkie's and ear peaces trying to make people sit when they so clearly want to stand. When standing there's far better atmosphere, people are singing/ jumping up and down/ waving their arms about and just generally having a good time, when seated there's none of that and it's pretty boring. I can appreciate people will revert back to Hillsborough but HBIC covered the points well. I'll definitely back safe standing
apologies to the last bastion of grammatical order, I'm sure you got my point though. Oh and p.s. if you're going to be a stickler for grammar, it's Drogs.
I remember when WHL was virtually all standing. Sometimes crowds would exceed 65,000 . It can, of course, be potentially very dangerous. The main problems used to come from the sway. All it takes is a few people at the back to start pushing, one person falls, hits another...well you can understand the possible consequences. More than a few times I was genuinely scared that it was going to end in a disaster.
I'm undecided. On the one hand, there's the atmosphere, the tribal gathering, the excitement. On the other hand, I too like to watch the game and study it. What I dislike about seating: sitting inbetween two fat-lads, I stand up to cheer, they don't, and when I sit back down, I have elbows in the way. I also dislike the chill from being sat on my arse for two hours; it gives me a bad back and neck that can take days to shift. People arriving late for the kick-off pisses me off no end too - no, you're not sorry at all, put the pint down and get here on time. With standing, there's always the chance to move; a chance to move away from that 7 foot giant in front. Didn't the small people (hehe) get carried to the front anyway? None of this pushing and shoving will happen with the new style of terrace; the barriers will stop it. It wont be an issue. The ultimate solution is for me to win the lottery and buy a private box.
In safe standing you'd all still be buying a ticket for a specific space in the stand, just like you get with seating so it's easy to make it so that you only have to be able to see over the shoulder of the person infront of you. In free standing you could just move.
I agree that standing is for the young....and fit. But there was something about being on the terraces in all weathers.I've stood,when we used to get 50-60,000 fans in the ground,in snow,pouring rain but remained relative dry,believe it or not. Oh yes the crowd will push forward and sideways,you just go with it.People rarely got hurt,although some young fans had to be carried to the front over our heads. I think the Hillsboro thing was a one off,maybe something started by nutcases (I'm not sure about that!) But then,in the 40's,50's and 60's,the crowds were pretty well behaved until the days of the yobbos and their bother boots,worn to kick opposing fans!Chelsea had a regular rabble! Today,with guns,stabbings,shootings and God knows what else and the law gone down the tube,it's a different time! I would think each ground should have a chance for a vote by fans for standing or not.......
