Safe Standing questionnaire on the Washbag

[jayohaitchenn]

I'd be very interested in the results of this.

http://thewashbag.com/2012/07/30/safe-standing/

I, for one, hate sitting down at football. It kills the atmosphere, and in shitty ends like the Town End it can be very hard to see the corners especially.

[Ardiles]

Officially, the Town End might be a seating area.  In practice, I think we all know it isn't.

[Honkytonk]

It makes financial and common sense to make the Town End safe standing when they redo it. Everyone stands anyway because, as jayohaitchenn said, you can't see shit if you don't. By the same token, perhaps some of the lower areas of the Arkells could also be safe standing, particularly the ones nearest the Town End. It'd help improve the atmosphere if you've got an almost solid block of 'standees'.

[reeves4england]

Did I hear the TE is going to be two tiered? I might have made that up, but if it is the case, then it'd be great to atleast see the bottom tier as safe standing. Need changes in regulations to happen quite quickly I suppose - if we have to build a seated stand, I presume it could be adapted to safe standing should regulations change after it's built?

[Sippo]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Safe standing has been in European grounds for years with no issues whatsoever. This country is too health and safety conscious. Too OTT.

[ReadingRed]

This country is too health and safety conscious. Too OTT.

I would have thought that standing in a seated area is far more dangerous than a well-designed safe standing area -  so even the Health & Safety police ought to be in favour of safe standing.

I'd be against installing it in side stands though - I love standing behind the goal but your view can get very restricted if you're standing down the sides.

Anyone know how ticketing works abroad - are you allocated a space in the safe standing area or is it a free for all?

[Sippo]

You're allocated a seat but in front of the seat there is a bar so you can stand.

[TheMajorSTFC]

Did I hear the TE is going to be two tiered?

I believe that is the case R4E, although nothing confirmed as yet...will be interesting to see the plans when they come out for consultation

[leftside]

Surely, if new Rugby League stadiums can include terracing, then purpose-built terracing is safe.

[Coca Fola]

It will never happen so why bother with a questionnaire.

[Abrahammer]

It will never happen so why bother with a questionnaire.

Exactly my thoughts. Surely efforts should be focused on getting the regulations changed, talk of what we "could" do is somewhat meaningless at the moment.

[leftside]

Exactly my thoughts. Surely efforts should be focused on getting the regulations changed, talk of what we "could" do is somewhat meaningless at the moment.

It will never happen if fans don't do anything about it.

The results of a questionairre can be cited as evidence to support a campaign. It is no good pleading for change if you can't back up your plea with evidence that suggests there is desire for change.

[JanTheMan]

Was sent this today


Sorry it's been so long!

Hi there,

It's been a fair few years now since you signed up in support of our Stand Up, Sit Down campaign, so we thought it was high time that we brought you up to date. We'd also like to ask you to do us a favour!

As you may be aware, in September 2009 we decided to pool resources with the Football Supporters Federation and to pursue our aim of ensuring all grounds offered fans a choice to sit or stand by working together on the FSF's Safe Standing Campaign.

Since then Peter has, in particular, spearheaded the campaign's efforts to maintain terracing at those grounds where it still exists, visiting the 23 Football League grounds which still offer a choice to stand. These visits, including observations on how well standing works, along with a comprehensive history of the safe standing debate and the arguments for and against all-seating, are included in his new book (pictured right) 'Stand Up, Sit Down - A Choice to Watch Football'.

For a detailed round-up of what the campaign has achieved in the last year, see the Safe Standing section of the FSF's annual report here.

Since that report went to press, two further Championship clubs, Derby County and Peterborough United (today) have also gone public in declaring their interest in safe standing... and that brings us onto that favour:

Please share a video!
In order to highlight the idiocy of the current all-seater regulations in a humorous way, Jon at the Safe Standing Roadshow recently teamedup with Peterborough United to make a silent movie:

'Safe Standing - Peter Burrow's Dilemma'

Please take a look and share it with everyone you possibly can via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and any other social media. And as you are asked to do at the end of the movie, please also sign - if you've not done so already - the FSF safe standing petition and encourage every recipient of your mails, Tweets and messages to do the same.

It's been a long road, but we are gradually getting there. We are hopeful of further positive developments over the coming months and Jon will keep you informed via occasional mails like this. If you would prefer not to receive such mails, please unsubscribe below. Regular visits to the FSF and Safe Standing Roadshow websites will also keep you up to date.

Sorry for the long break without any contact. Let's hope we have more good news to bring you very soon!

Cheers,

Peter Caton and Amanda Jacks
Stand Up, Sit Down

[Peter Venkman]

Peterborough today backed safe standing at London Road.

http://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/peterborough_united_back_safe_standing_751002/index.shtml

Peterborough United will, for the 2012/13 season, have standing accommodation at London Road for their home games, but should they remain in the Championship next season that will change.

Under current rules a club is permitted three seasons once they have been promoted to the Championship and this coming season will be Peterborough's third in total having previously had a season in this league in 2009/10.

That's led to their chief executive Bob Symns backing the Football Supporters' Federation's Safe Standing Campaign and has said that should the football authorities allow it he would be happy for their London Road ground to be used to trial safe standing areas.

During the close season, Symns travelled to Hannover in Germany to visit Bundesliga club Hannover 96. "The object of the visit was to see firsthand the 'rail seat' system which is used extensively throughout Germany where supporters have the choice of whether to sit or stand," he said.

"The trip confirmed all my initial understanding of the rail seat potential, our existing terraces are safe and well managed, but as of the summer (2013) they will be deemed unsafe. That's unless, heaven forbid, we went down, in which case they would bizarrely be deemed still safe to use.

"Having seen a new option in Hannover, I am convinced that a safe standing area fitted with rail seats would be even safer still and I cannot see any logical reason why we should not be allowed to build a new London Road End incorporating such an area.

"I therefore fully support the FSF's Safe Standing Campaign and hope that together we can persuade the powers that be to look seriously at the rail seat option. If they wanted to use London Road as a pilot site, we'd be more than happy to oblige."

Peterborough, therefore join Aston Villa and Derby representatives in voicing support for the potential re-introduction of safe standing areas.

During the visit to Hannover, Peterborough paid for their mascot to go over and he was involved in the filming of a promotional video promoting safe standing which you can be seen below.

[Ƭ̵̬̊: The Artist Formerly Known as CWIG]

Good job in paving the way, I honestly think we should follow suit. The seats are there in the event we are legally forced to do away with standing if we're in the championship, pending a law change of course.