Safe Standing

As you say, in the dark ages. In case you hadn't noticed, times move on.

Sorry to ruin another assumption on your part, but I attend matches both home and away. Stamford Bridge is a stadium I have attended, where the home fans are often allowed to stand while the away fans are forced to sit down by over zealous stewards. Now that's an oxymoron for you.

 

There we are then.

 

This is absolute bollocks, sorry.

 

Agree with this to an extent. I wonder how long it would take for the Neanderthals to reclaim their lost ground? Are those in favour of this dinosaur saying the atmosphere is better for standing? I don’t quite get that argument. Games today are controlled for a reason in my view and remember just how bad the old days were

 

No one is proposing bringing back crammed terraces with one barrier every half a dozen rows. No one is proposing not having seats for those who prefer to sit.

Currently we have a situation where thousands stand in an area for a whole match where it’s unsuitable/unsafe. Surely bespoke standing sections in some of the ground is a safer option than that.

The atmosphere is better with standing. I don’t see how anyone can begin to argue against that.

 

What makes it better? If your team score you can all go crazy and surge forward uncontrollably en-masse?

 

It’s not uncontrolled for a start, hence it being safe standing rather than the old school style we still have in a few grounds such as Brentford. This argument keeps getting put forward but it’s like rejecting modern aircraft because you saw lots of planes crashing in the 30s.

It’s more just during the game rather than immediately after a goal. If you’re in a seated area there will be people behind who want to sit, especially at home games, so there will be people who ideally would stand and make noise but won’t out of consideration for others.

Look at the Germans. Look at Celtic. Why can’t English football fans be trusted to stand next to a rail and watch a football match but can be trusted to stand behind a row of seats? It’s illogical.

 

Are they going to pilot it at any grounds?

 

West Brom tried and failed. They have it in a corner at Celtic and it works well. There’s no lack of examples across Europe to see the benefits and flaws. The Liverpool fan group went to Celtic to check it out and endorsed it.

 

So what were the flaws?

 

There are none as far as I know.

 

Why did the West Brom project fail?

 

They weren’t given the chance to give it a go by the Sports Minister. No idea why apart from her fear.

 

For me it would have to be tested at a few chosen premiership clubs for a season.

 

It has been trialled across Europe including Scotland. What is so different about the English to think it wouldn’t work?

 

I don't think it would, thats why I'd like to see trials here.

 

Sorry I don’t get the logic given Germany, Celtic etc. What do you think would happen?

 

Logic is our fans are some of the worst given the opportunity hence why I like to see trials.

 

I think we’ll have to agree to disagree. Going to go and shout at a brick wall instead

 

I don't think the wall will get much sense out of you though.