Club's double standard . . . .

[Royal Lady]

Football grounds that hold rock concerts allow standing during those and in most cases like Ricoh Area, St Mary's, Eastlands etc there are far more attending the concert than the football.

We've had concerts at the Mad Stad where standing has been allowed too....

[Svlad Cjelli]

Just to reiterate. Everyone - absolutely everyone, including those whose job it is to enforce them - understands how ludicrous and unenforcable the current standing regulations are.

But it's not about safety any more - that battle has been won. It's about control, it's about attracting the "desirable" type of fan and it's about political process. And slowly attitudes in the game are starting to change.

[Svlad Cjelli]

On the subject of safe-standing, very real potential of this coming about in Scotland, where fewer legislative changes are required.

"We are very much open to looking at ways to improve the match day experience and one of the most common suggestions from fans is safe standing.

'The introduction of safe standing areas would require a change of SPL and SFA rules as both prohibit standing in the top flight. Clubs would need to vote to change our rules but we are open to the idea if anyone wishes to explore safe standing."

[Wax Jacket]

I'm not sure standing up is going to make watching Kilmarnock 0 St Mirren 0 in a 75% empty ground is going to make a huge difference

[Svlad Cjelli]

Except when Celtic & Rangers demonstrate the practicality and safety of rail seating it'll be even harder for Englsih authorities to resist this.

[Silver Fox]

I can see it now "As we've seen in Scotland so-called safe standing leads directly to sectarianism and cannot be allowed"

[Forbury Lion]

The club has absolutely no power whatsoever to restrict allocations - they are governed by Football League regulations.

Don't those regulations state that a minimum % of the overall capacity has to be made available for away fans.... assuming this is so, Does the entire South Stand exceed this capacity? If so, the club can presumably restrict allocation down to the regulation minimum on safety grounds due to the difficulties policing the fixture last season with the seats being ripped up etc etc.

[Svlad Cjelli]

The club has absolutely no power whatsoever to restrict allocations - they are governed by Football League regulations.

Don't those regulations state that a minimum % of the overall capacity has to be made available for away fans.... assuming this is so, Does the entire South Stand exceed this capacity? If so, the club can presumably restrict allocation down to the regulation minimum on safety grounds due to the difficulties policing the fixture last season with the seats being ripped up etc etc.

It's 2,000 or 10%, whichever is lower (despite my typo earlier in the thread ).

So that's one half of the South Stand as a minimum - if the away club wants all of it. But clubs generally ask for what they know they can sell.

They could refuse to sell the other half of the stand - but why should they? Yes policing costs go up but the ticket income and the refreshment/programme income more than compensate for that. Why would they be so vindictive as to punish one set of supporters for things that a minority might have done in the past?

[Compo's Hat]

The stewards i don't get are the ones in the middle when the South Stand is full of away fans. Could be put to better use i feel.