reading_ladpaultheroyalJerry St Clairbobby1413 I will stand if the person behind me is standing, or the person in front. I would prefer to stand, but will not do it if it means the person behind can't see.
Ditto.
I am happy with that...providing it follows all the way back - no problem.
Hopefully you won't have a ticket behind me for villa then
Sidindaclub Dont know what some peoples problem is about standing up. About 30 seconds after reading scored i was stil lovin it and standin up clappin, and some man behind me says sit down. i can understand pointless standin up but come on lets enjoy the goals ?? we were creatin an amazin atmosphere in last 10mins with alot of singin n every1 standin up encouroging us to get the winner.
Baines I think most blokes (and some women) who go to football would prefer to stand - in my experience, this is especially true of those who grew up with standing.
The fact that many of those (us) sit down for much of the game because of whingers behind, and stewards in front, of us hardly proves anything to the contrary.
To think that the issue of standing should be "left alone" when a great many people prefer standing to watch football than sitting is rather small-minded.
Royal Lady Would this "standing" area still have seats, but is a designated part of the ground where you are allowed to stand if you wish? I used to dread us scoring sometimes when I was on the South Bank as you got shoved forward by excitable young men. Having seats in the way stops you falling forward and stops people pushing you, so I, personally, wouldn't get rid of the actual seating, in favour of safety. I fail to see how anyone can complain about this type of "safe standing".
Royal Lady Would this "standing" area still have seats, but is a designated part of the ground where you are allowed to stand if you wish? I used to dread us scoring sometimes when I was on the South Bank as you got shoved forward by excitable young men. Having seats in the way stops you falling forward and stops people pushing you, so I, personally, wouldn't get rid of the actual seating, in favour of safety. I fail to see how anyone can complain about this type of "safe standing".
EASTENDER MARKYRoyal Lady Would this "standing" area still have seats, but is a designated part of the ground where you are allowed to stand if you wish? I used to dread us scoring sometimes when I was on the South Bank as you got shoved forward by excitable young men. Having seats in the way stops you falling forward and stops people pushing you, so I, personally, wouldn't get rid of the actual seating, in favour of safety. I fail to see how anyone can complain about this type of "safe standing".
How any official can say that it is unsafe to stand in areas where there are seats is beyond me?!! As you say having the seats there would stop crowd surges which is/was the most dangerous thing about standing areas.
paultheroyalSidindaclub Dont know what some peoples problem is about standing up. About 30 seconds after reading scored i was stil lovin it and standin up clappin, and some man behind me says sit down. i can understand pointless standin up but come on lets enjoy the goals ?? we were creatin an amazin atmosphere in last 10mins with alot of singin n every1 standin up encouroging us to get the winner.
To pick up on a few points.
Think everyone was still standing 30 secs after goal went in so no deal there.
Amazing atmosphere - god i must of been at a different game.
Alot of singing? Again i must of been at a different game.
Game on Saturday proved to me that this whole standing thing should be just left alone now.
SkinpaultheroyalSidindaclub Dont know what some peoples problem is about standing up. About 30 seconds after reading scored i was stil lovin it and standin up clappin, and some man behind me says sit down. i can understand pointless standin up but come on lets enjoy the goals ?? we were creatin an amazin atmosphere in last 10mins with alot of singin n every1 standin up encouroging us to get the winner.
To pick up on a few points.
Think everyone was still standing 30 secs after goal went in so no deal there.
Amazing atmosphere - god i must of been at a different game.
Alot of singing? Again i must of been at a different game.
Game on Saturday proved to me that this whole standing thing should be just left alone now.
ffs you stay seated and moan with the rest of them.
Maybe if you stood and more people like you tried you might just see an improvment in the atmosphere and singing that you so sadly missed out on.
Its really not rocket science.
paultheroyal But that is just the point - no one can be bothered to stand for a longer period and no evidence it improves the atmosphere and actually it would probably have the more negative effect because everyone is more weary from standing for long period.
5.1 Commercial property consultants Drivers Jonas (DJ) whose current and former clients include, amongst many others, Liverpool,
Middlesbrough, Exeter City, Reading, Southampton, Sunderland and Swansea City Football Clubs, commissioned the Football Fans’ Census (FFC) in 2005 to survey opinion amongst football fans on a range of stadia issues. The FFC also undertook a separate survey working with the group Stand Up Sit Down (SUSD) at the end of 2006.
5.2 The full f ndings of the latter survey, which is based on responses from 2,046 football supporters between 11 December 2006 and 6 January 2007, can be found at appendix A of this report. Amongst the highlights was a 92% ‘yes’ response to the question, ‘Should fans be given the freedom to choose whether they stand (in ‘safe-standing’ areas) or sit inside football grounds?’ Only 7% answered ‘no’ with 1% answering ‘don’t know’.
5.3 These results show beyond doubt that a majority of fans, including those who prefer to sit, back the introduction of safe standing. Anybody who attends games in the top two divisions in this country cannot fail to notice the number of fans who stand. Clearly, with the benefit of hindsight, Lord Justice Taylor was wrong about all fans coming to prefer seating to standing.
5.4 The FLA produced a paper in August 2002, entitled ‘Standing in Seated Areas at Football Grounds’. This states five examples of why spectators may stand persistently, as follows:
• They stand because inadequate sightlines obstruct their view or the seats are uncomfortable
• They cannot see because other spectators are standing
• They see supporters of the other team standing
• They positively prefer to stand
• They are demonstrating their opposition to the policies of the club or the Government
5.5 The FSF agrees that all these are valid examples of why supporters stand, but some are far more important than others.
5.6 Further reasons are to demonstrate mass solidarity, standing in response to chants such as ‘Stand up if you love City’, ‘Stand up if you’re top of the league’ etc, or simply because the view from a standing position is better than that when seated. Fans of Football League clubs where standing still exists often prefer to stand up because it is far cheaper than the seats.
5.7 By far the greatest of these reasons is however supporters’ positive preference to stand. The FLA however does not expand on this, and one probably has to be a committed football supporter to understand the reasons. Football is a fast and passionate sport, and many supporters find that watching from a sitting position reduces their enjoyment of the game. They wish to sing and chant as part of a communal act to show support for their team. Whether at football, or at a choral or rock concert, or even in church, temple, synagogue or mosque, sitting is not conducive to loud or passionate singing. The atmosphere this creates is a very important part of the football experience for many supporters. It is appreciated even by those who do not wish to join in.
5.8 Fans know that by their vocal support they can raise their team’s performance and many players and managers attribute a good performance to the level of vocal support. Since stadia became all seated the atmosphere at many grounds has considerably reduced. This is partly a result of people being forced to sit, and partly because those of like mind who used to congregate in areas of terraces to sing, are now spread around the ground. It is interesting that Manchester City, for example, have announced the establishment of a ‘singing area’ at the City of Manchester Stadium from next season. It is not clear how much the Club expects its supporters to sing whilst remaining seated. The FSF is aware of similar initiatives at Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
5.9 To many people, football is not about watching a performance. The game is a major part of their lives, and matches a passionate experience that they feel a part of. By standing, supporters feel more involved and closer to the players. When seated they feel more like observers than participants.
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