Reading on Sky that the Scottish PL are considering safe standing areas,I know that stadia in Germany and other countries allow this and remembering the atmostphere at the Gate in the old days and that feeling of excitement when we had our surge forward in the East End,it could lead to an increase in attendance and lower prices and futher enjoyment for those that wish to return to standing at home games. We all remember the tragic events at Hillsborough and those crowd images and suffering will never leave us,but surely with correct exit arrangements,new barrier designs and strict control on the crowd levels a safe standing area could be established in the stadium again,there would be plenty of areas for seating for the majority all around the other areas of the ground. How do you feel about limited standing being allowed at our ground...? http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11781/7387071/Safe-standing-steps-forward
I think it would bring back to football something which has been missing since the 70s Real crowd atmos...
Bring back standing behind both goals, much better atmosphere and still plenty of seats for those that wish to sit. The old east end and open end never stopped rocking.
I think the upper tier in one of the stands behind the goal in the new stadium would be worth pushing for as its now going to be delayed, As for ashton gate bringing terracing back to the eastend would be popular
I guess one of the big issues with Hillsborough was that Police and stewards pushed/allowed fans to enter the stadium and you ended up with more fans in the stand than there were tickets so if the Police and stewards had acted differently then maybe things might have been different. Living in an elf and safety time that we live in, I can't see it coming back or if it does then it would only be for a part of the stadium in a 'controled' zone. I guess the arguement to make is that in some parts of the ground and I have seen it and been apart of it when I have gone away you can end up standing the whole game even if there are seats so seats dont stop people standing but the seats act as a barrier between fans. I guess someone will probably come up with standing cubicles
Elfin Safetywise, the unholy trinity of Hillsborough, Bradford and Heisal, all with a short space of time, were caused by antiquated stadia, unprofessional stewarding and inept police work. This has resulted in a total rethink by the authorities and a positive response by the clubs, many who now have brand new stadia (BCC please TAKE NOTE!). Makes you wonder what the response would be by BCC should the unthinkable ever happen at AG. However, it does not necessarily mean that grounds are any safer for being all seated, and the atmosphere is definitely affected, so I would hope that we bring standing room (and lower prices) back. It could be the thing that gives football back to the common man (and the prawn sandwiches can still sit in the stands as per normal). Personally I also hope we reintroduce smoking in pubs before that business is obsolete (but thats a different issue)
I used to enjoy standing at games (there was no alternative unless you had pots of money and we didn't), plus all seater stadiums that aren't full no matter how close to capacity they might be always look crap on telly with rows and rows of empty coloured seats. I've been in big crowds at the gate. 39,000 (I think) against Liverpool in the 6th round of the FA Cup in '73, and that wasn't too bad. 65,000 at Stamford Bridge against Man U in 1970 was intimadating for a kid, and some of the footage you see of the old Kop end at Liverpool during a crowd surge is really scary stuff and you'd be dead (trampled to death) if you'd lost your footing.
In the days when those numbers were allowed in stadiums crowd stewards jammed people in like sardines in a can. You could literally take your feet off the ground. I went to Molineux to watch Wolves play Honved. The terraces were cinder with wooden plank risers. When Wolves scored, the crowd surged forward and you had to skip down several levels because there were no crowd barriers. Sitting down has not got the same atmosphere and crowd numbers nowadays don't really justify the political correctness. Hillsborough was caused by barriers preventing people avoiding the pressure by overflowing on to the pitch in order to relieve the unusual surge incident at the rear of the terraces.
we stand every game (no choice i know) and all is ok. away games i stand too even if its seated. thats more dangerous standing in a seated area. i think having terraces is better than seating.
it dosent feel right when your sat down, feels like your not part of the game and singing sitting down aint the same either standing up is the way for i, little sit down at half time then back up again...
i'll stand if everyone is standing or I'll sit if everyone is sitting..... dont bother me. What I cant stand is the Twats who want to both in the same area. dedicate specific standing areas, its the only way to go and definitely increases the atmosphere.
The biggest issue is. Who will take the responsility to sign it off as safe? I know some ancient behind the times stadiums are still half standing, but its easier for the authorities to turn a blind eye and not force them into changing, but to actually come out and say yep it's safe we were wrong. Even though we all know it was a catalogue of errors that caused the Hillsborough disaster.
