safe standing, what a stupid name, the only safety problems from back in the day was poor stadium conditions, those huge fences they'd put behind the goals just asking for a crush to happen, and bad seatings, as well as bad security which allowed anyone in, put all of that together and accidents were bound to happen. Fans are always standing at away matches, and no accidents have happened, heck, if anyone's been to the San Siro, they have very steep rows, and away fans always stand there, and nothing's happened, the only accident that did happen was when 2 people got into a first fight and one guy fell up to 10 rows down.
Why is it a stupid name ? I don't know if you stood on any of the old Terraces in the UK, but some of them were dangerous and it wasn't just due to the fences at the front. Even the North Bank, which never had big fences could have surges and crushes, especially if you were standing in front of one of the crush barriers. You're right to point out that the old stadiums were poorly maintained, but that's not the whole picture - and neither is it with seating. It's been proven that standing in seated areas is actually more dangerous that designated standing areas and it's not true that accidents don't happen. Just last year someone fell from a seated stand to the lower tier. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12797244 Designated safe standing areas are used across Germany to great effect and the SPL is taking requests from clubs who wish to introduce it at their grounds. It's a good solution for all. Clubs increase their capacity, ticket prices are reduced and fans who want to stand and sing together can.
Me too There's absolutely no reason not to introduce safe standing areas into Premier league grounds (and prevent the need for clubs to have to built new all seaters) Can you imagine the Emirates if the lower tier on the North Bank and Clock End were terraced ? The atmosphere would be amazing. (of course you'd actually have to turn up to experience it Hotty )
I can't honestly say I've enjoyed many games at Arsenal since standing was abolished, I hate sitting. I could convince myself to come out of retirement if standing was re-introduced.
That's true, so it would be better to introduce the types of devices shown in the safe standing website. Where you can choose to stand or sit. Did you look at the website mate ?
Dunno about you fella, but I used to stand on the old North Bank from 1984 first game I saw against Leicester 2-0. Right up until the sad day that they pulled it down and built the new North Bank. Some of my best memories growing up were standing topside or middle. The Pea-nuts! guy, Come on you Rip Roaring reds, the surges, let's go ****ing mental . . . all of it was incredible. Something died in football when the terraces went. I've got no desire to go back to the old days though, Some of the grounds I went to were ****ing dangerous - and the mentality of the police was - herd em like cattle in the pens. Hillsborough was an accident waiting to happen really, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. But safe standing areas are the way forward in my opinion. Who knows HotHead, I might even jump on you one day when we score (as long as you turn up )
I remember standing at Tottenham (away corner) and that was weird, the floor seemed to bounce .. was it a wooden floor ?? Piece of sh!t stadium.
I don't think i've ever sat down at the emirates. The seats are bloody painful, i'd honestly rather stand.
People say the seats are "larger" and to increase capacity they would put smaller seats in. I dunno how, I'm not hat wide but the seats are too small for me, dunno what kind of waifs they expect to come through the turnstiles and sit comfortably on smaller seats !!
It's catering for the upper classes, who all tend to be a little slimmer than us commoners. I think standing should be brough back, if it's good enough for the DFB (german FA), then it's good enough for us.
