Safe Standing Progress

[Ian Bairds Fist]

Some of you may be interested in this phone-in from Talksport a couple of evenings ago.

http://talksport.com/football/dayki...y-it-should-return-premier-league-13123073730

A very informative debate with Peter Daykin from FSF that allays many concerns about standing. This was followed up by a poll on their website.. 94% were in favour of safe standing.

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

Some of you may be interested in this phone-in from Talksport a couple of evenings ago.

http://talksport.com/football/dayki...y-it-should-return-premier-league-13123073730

A very informative debate with Peter Daykin from FSF that allays many concerns about standing. This was followed up by a poll on their website.. 94% were in favour of safe standing.

As the Football League's consultation period ends this Friday, I mailed Paul Barber and fans liaison officer Jen Ward at the club to check on the club's current thinking on this. Sent the email at 10.30pm last night and was impressed to get a reply a few minutes ago.

It says nothing unexpected, but some of you may be interested to read the points he makes, particularly regarding atmosphere following a recent visit to Stoke:

"Thank you for your e-mail.

The club’s board is due to discuss The Football League’s private consultation paper at our January meeting (next Monday). Our reply will be forwarded to The Football League after that time.

In all honesty, I would be surprised if, after our discussion, our view will differ from the club's current position on this:

- current legislation doesn’t allow us to offer standing of any kind while our club plays in one of the top two divisions of English football

- our stadium hasn’t been designed for standing areas to be incorporated; the cost of change would be very significant (and, in the current climate, very difficult to justify)

- unfortunately, capacity is very unlikely to increase with any form of standing as The Amex's exits and concourses have been designed for the seated capacity we have; again, the cost of change would be significant and very hard to justify

- we remain open-minded to discussions on future legislative changes, however, our ambition is to play in the Premier League who, as you will be aware, do not have any appetite whatsoever for safe standing at their matches

- there are many all seater stadiums in the country which continue to have a great atmosphere (by way of a small example, I was at Stoke City a few weeks back and was stunned at the noise levels there. If my memory serves me correctly, the atmosphere seemed even better than my two visits to their old Victoria Ground which was in the days of standing).

Finally, we want to encourage a totally inclusive, football-friendly culture at our stadium where no supporters are excluded from a particular area. The Amex has quickly established a very positive reputation, throughout the football and commercial worlds for just this kind of approach. This is valuable to us and we would obviously like it to continue.

I hope this note helps to provide the club's perspective.

Kind regards, Paul


Sent from my iPhone"

 

[Notters]

I don't have any concerns to allay!

 

[supaseagull]

We are never going to see safe standing at the Amex as it stands.

I think it's a nostaligia thing of the 70's, 80's & 90's amongst some of us. However, despite wanting a safe standing section myself, it is not going to improve the atmosphere at a game because fans would still be allocated a seat for each match and people almost certainly won't move from those seats, just as they wouldn't move now. The only time this would change would be if you had unallocated standing and I believe(possibly wrongly!) that the current safety certificate and planning permission we have would not allow this.

I can remember some great matches in the north stand from the 90's...Ipswich, Hartlepool, Liverpool to name a few and I'm sure in the 70's & early 80's when I was FAR too young to stand there, it was rocking. However, I also remember that quite a significant majority of games in the early to mid 90's during the club's decline where the atmosphere was hollow and you could hear a pin drop.

Interestingly, the game that I believe Barber was at was the Stoke Vs Liverpool match and given the goal fest, it's hardly surprising the atmosphere was as good as it was.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Interestingly, the game that I believe Barber was at was the Stoke Vs Liverpool match and given the goal fest, it's hardly surprising the atmosphere was as good as it was.

Quite. Always a bit annoying when people don't compare like with like when it comes to atmosphere in grounds. The Amex is perfectly capable of going collectively quite mental and certainly "rocking" given an exciting game and a few goals...

 

[Notters]

Quite. Always a bit annoying when people don't compare like with like when it comes to atmosphere in grounds. The Amex is perfectly capable of going collectively quite mental and certainly "rocking" given an exciting game and a few goals...

Indeed, he's talking nonsense! Even the Withdean had a good atmosphere on occasion, like the Swindon playoff match, that doesn't mean we should rip the roof off the Amex.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Maybe the atmosphere would be better if he tried a bit harder to stop excellent players from leaving?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

All the time the Premier League does not allow it, ambitious clubs like ours in the Championship will not introduce it.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

- we remain open-minded to discussions on future legislative changes, however, our ambition is to play in the Premier League who, as you will be aware, do not have any appetite whatsoever for safe standing at their matches

This is a key point. Even if it gets legalized there is no chance of us implementing it until it is accepted by the PL.

 

[Notters]

This is a key point. Even if it gets legalized there is no chance of us implementing it until it is accepted by the PL.

I thought Villa had been given permission to trial it?