Safe Standing

[1871 Royal]

Watching SSN this morning and some breaking news .....

Scottish Premier League clubs have been given the green light to have safe-standing areas within their stadiums.

The SPL announced a relaxation of its rules on standing following a general meeting of all 12 clubs on Monday.

"Since I joined the SPL in 2009, there has been widespread support among fans to re-introduce safe-standing areas," said chief executive Neil Doncaster.

"I'm delighted we have been able to respond positively to supporters' views on improving the match-day experience."

Approval will be required from local council safety committees and the police.

Terraces were banned following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 and the issue of allowing some standing areas has been revisited since all-seater stadiums became compulsory in England in 1994.

Scotland is not bound by the law which banned standing areas in top-flight football in England, which came into force after the Taylor Report into the Hillsborough disaster.

SPL rules currently state that clubs must only use seated areas with a minimum of 6,000 seats per stadium.

The English Premier League has indicated opposition to moves to reintroduce standing areas at top-flight football matches, while the Football Supporters' Federation is keen for their return.

Meanwhile, the SPL has also tightened the rules governing unacceptable conduct, to include: "using words, conduct or displaying any writing or other thing which indicates support for, or affiliation to, or celebration of, or opposition to an organisation proscribed in terms of the Terrorism Act 2000."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16248937.stm

If it works in Scotland, the FA could reconsider .....

[Cobi]

Fantastic news. Celtic Park with even just one stand all standing will be an amazing sight again.

Hopefully with some time this will be another template, as with Germany, and we too will see a return to standing at matches.

[ZacNaloen]

As long as the scottish fans at the big clubs don't ruin it, by giving the FA an easy excuse, this can only be a good thing for football supportors.

[soggy biscuit]

Now even more people can go and watch Scottish football.......oh

[Stuka]

[Toon Toon Blue army]

As long as the scottish fans at the big clubs don't ruin it, by giving the FA an easy excuse, this can only be a good thing for football supportors.

This is what I thought.

[Red]

Because hooligans only exist north of the border

[SouthDownsRoyal]

i dont wanna stand up when i can sit down thx

[Svlad Cjelli]

i dont wanna stand up when i can sit down thx

Safe-standing should be perfect for you, then. It means you can sit down and those who want to stand up will be elsewhere, and not blocking your view.

[Bandini]

i dont wanna stand up when i can sit down thx

Safe-standing should be perfect for you, then. It means you can sit down and those who want to stand up will be elsewhere, and not blocking your view.

One day at a time, Svlad.

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=110640&p=3150182#p3150182

[Svlad Cjelli]

i dont wanna stand up when i can sit down thx

Safe-standing should be perfect for you, then. It means you can sit down and those who want to stand up will be elsewhere, and not blocking your view.

One day at a time, Svlad.

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=110640&p=3150182#p3150182

I have to plead guilty and I'd like to ask for 794 other instances to be taken into account.

[Svlad Cjelli]

They had a mini "debate" about it on 5 live this morning with the "against" camp being represented by a lady who's son was one of the 96 and made a big point about her point not being backed up by emotion. She then went on to say that safe standing was not justified, even with the advancements in technology of seating and ticketing as nobody had ever been held responsible for the failings on that day at Hillsborough.... Whats that got to do with the price of bread?!

She is a regular participant in these things - she scours the media for anything she can turn up to related to standing. And she never, ever has a coherent argument.

[roadrunner]

Big step forward but I still can't see it happening here for at least 10 years. It would improve my matchday experience ten fold if the lower half of the east stand was made safe standing!

[Seal]

Still a very significant step. Plenty of people who have said it would never happen, so this can only be a positive thing. The longer it is a success, the weaker the argument against it gets.

Things move fast so I would say if this works for 2+ years, we could see real momentum for it in England - particularly if Scottish clubs have an increase in attendance (i.e. revenue)...that will make the English clubs take notice (particularly those with under 80% utilisation), and suddenly the lobbying has a lot more weight behind it.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Big step forward but I still can't see it happening here for at least 10 years. It would improve my matchday experience ten fold if the lower half of the east stand was made safe standing!

But it happening successfully in Scotland will inevitably demonstrate how ludicrous the regulations are in England - and bring forward the day when it's an option here.

[Red]

Still a very significant step. Plenty of people who have said it would never happen, so this can only be a positive thing. The longer it is a success, the weaker the argument against it gets.

Things move fast so I would say if this works for 2+ years, we could see real momentum for it in England - particularly if Scottish clubs have an increase in attendance (i.e. revenue)...that will make the English clubs take notice (particularly those with under 80% utilisation), and suddenly the lobbying has a lot more weight behind it.

As one of those who said it would never happen I completely agree.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Still a very significant step. Plenty of people who have said it would never happen, so this can only be a positive thing. The longer it is a success, the weaker the argument against it gets.

Things move fast so I would say if this works for 2+ years, we could see real momentum for it in England - particularly if Scottish clubs have an increase in attendance (i.e. revenue)...that will make the English clubs take notice (particularly those with under 80% utilisation), and suddenly the lobbying has a lot more weight behind it.

As one of those who said it would never happen I completely agree.

I've always thought that once you get facts in front of people then common sense will prevail, so I've always believed it will happen.

[TheMaraudingDog]

The term 'safe standing' makes me cringe to be fair and the whole campaign is being ran by people who would have been ran off the terraces when they were about.

The clubs that have a decent number of people who want to stand let the fans stand anyway so either bring back a proper terraces or leave things be.

Safe standing? No thanks.

[boycey]

True that TMD

its only clubs like reading that bang on about it.

Every other club just gets on with it.
Stand when you want sit when you dont should be the motto.
I finds me self standing when giving cut throat signs across the netting to Pompey/west ham/millwall/cardiff etc.
I finds me self sitting down on a wet tues eve against Barnsley.

[Cobi]

True that TMD

its only clubs like reading that bang on about it.

Every other club just gets on with it.

You should read a few other football forums then, as it's one of the most talked about topics.