Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
East Stand is definite not for me then, can't possibly go to a football match without swearing at some point.
Sounds like moving might be a good idea then. I don't want to sit in a stand which has the atmosphere of a nursing home and don't want to be having to worry about what my other half is doing as it will spoil the fun totally. Will be interested to see what the reply from the club is though - thanks for posting that Kev.
I can understand the family stand being zero tolerance, but if people decide to take their kids to other parts of the ground then they must be aware that they are going to hear swearing occasionally. Can't really see what the club is trying to achieve by making the East zero tolerance apart from destroying the atmosphere there.
When I first started going the Goldstone regularly with my dad we used to go on the East. I would have been about 7 or 8 years old.
I guess the East was the "unofficial" family stand in those days. My dad would stand on the higher part of the terrace and smoke his Hamlets, whilst I would scrap about on the bottom part of the terrace with other kids - playing football with old Coca Cola cans and occassionly stopping to glance at the action if the North Stand "Oooohhhed!" or the ball came out for a throw in near our fence.
Now we kids probably heard / witnessed plenty of swearing, cursing and general "robust" behaviour. But I don't think it did any of us any harm, to be honest. The "zero tolerance" policy in the East Stand at the Amex seems pointless and indicative of shite football policies these days. Oh well.
Up the Albion.
Ive got mine in West upper. But as a parent I do belive there is a place for the east stand policy. You pay your money and take your choice. Just hope they stick to it, if an elderly couple or a family want to watch the game without druken behoviour and swearing going on around them, then good luck to them. Me, I shall have a beer and give abuse, thats what its all about for me!!!
The way the club have described the East Stand does make it sound totally offputting. "Zero tolerance" at a football match for shouting / swearing is ridiculous. Whilst most people don't want to be near someone who is CONSTANTLY f-ing and blinding and generally being obnoxious, a degree of tolerance is required - its a football match after all, not the theatre. Kids are just as likely to hear industrial language from the players anyway (or they certainly will if the stand they are in is specifically instructed to sit down and shut up).
A reasonable balance needs to be struck. Designating the 2nd biggest stand in the stadium as being the "zero tolerance" stand is being a bit draconian, and as we can already see from some of the posts, very offputting.
Well they will end up there because the club will have to use the south end of the East stand for the extra away fans allocation for cup matches, which makes that area unavailable to season ticket holders.Non season ticket holders buying on a match per match basis will all end up in the East Stand because the North Stand will all be STH's wanting to enjoy the game with minimal interference.
Isn't there also a 'zero tolerance' policy of wearing colours in the 1901ers?
Those snipers on the roof are going to be really busy.