Safe standing - Would you pay £5 a match more ?

[Wrong-Direction]

I wouldn't pay extra I stand anyway!

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[Captain Sensible]

People need to get over the notion that "safe standing" would be anything LIKE a return to terraces. Its not, and anyone who thinks it is, is being suckered in by nostalgic bunkum. You'll have an allotted space, with a seat built behind it, and a rail to lean on. Great. You can't just rock up like in 1995 and push your way to a spot and find your mates. Those days are gone.

ITS NOT LIKE THAT

Complete waste of time and money IMO. Have it if you want it, I won't object to it. But I won't be swapping my WSU seat for it. Unless you're happy with lower league or non-league football, terraces are dead. Deal with it.

I think in time, you will be proven wrong about safe standing being a waste of time. Safe standing has worked everywhere where it has been introduced. A few clubs in England will follow when legislation changes. Then from there on, other clubs will follow. The atmosphere and noise at grounds that have it will create a clamour for it at other clubs. Even just 2k standing and jumping up and down can make a huge difference to atmosphere, as away support around the country proves. To get home supporters in English football to be as vocal as the away support would change the game from its 'library at times' state.
Days of 'football fans are animals and must be made to sit and behave and drink in a dark concourse' are dying. Days of not being trusted to stand up are dying too, get used to that! People want a choice. Even if only 2k STH in the North want it, it's worth doing.

 

[BeHereNow]

What makes me laugh is West Stand Upper season ticket holders telling how the North Standers should make more noise, and then telling them that they can't have safe standing. I bet most of them went in the North Stand at The Goldstone too.

Hypocrites, the lot of you.

Yes I know it won't be a "return to the old days", but I just want to be in a stand where everyone can stand for the whole 90 minutes without fear of the club or something behind having a go at them. I also don't want the fear of falling over the chair in front of me every time we score, like I do now! Safe standing is clearly safer than what it is now.

This, and the news that there is absolutely no way of having the away fans next to the North Stand is really putting me off the club and I'm becoming more and more bored with it all.

If I had to choose between the two, I would rather have the away fans closer as I feel that would help the atmosphere more.

 

[The Wookiee]

There is, it's called the North Stand where people aren't forced to sit and can therefore stand in front of their nominated seat and sing. When the ground was opened it was clear the intention for the singing area was going to be the north stand.

That worked well then

 

[drew]

That worked well then

And what will be the difference if they fit rail seats, what exactly will change?

 

[drew]

What makes me laugh is West Stand Upper season ticket holders telling how the North Standers should make more noise, and then telling them that they can't have safe standing. I bet most of them went in the North Stand at The Goldstone too.

Hypocrites, the lot of you.

Yes I know it won't be a "return to the old days", but I just want to be in a stand where everyone can stand for the whole 90 minutes without fear of the club or something behind having a go at them. I also don't want the fear of falling over the chair in front of me every time we score, like I do now! Safe standing is clearly safer than what it is now.

This, and the news that there is absolutely no way of having the away fans next to the North Stand is really putting me off the club and I'm becoming more and more bored with it all.

If I had to choose between the two, I would rather have the away fans closer as I feel that would help the atmosphere more.

Perhaps if you focus more on what's going on on the pitch then, you know, the football part of it. We're playing some great football, we've got a great squad, we're looking good for promotion and you're bored because the away fans are too far away

As for safety, I suspect even if they had rail seats you find someway to fall over them and still complain.

 

[Nixonator]

As for safety, I suspect even if they had rail seats you find someway to fall over them and still complain.

You'd need to encapsulate the area in anti-grav to fall over a rail seat.

 

[Bob'n'weave]

All of the NS should be SS. Looks really half arsed with huge sections sitting down munching pies and getting grumpy at anyone standing in front of them. If we want to create a PL atmosphere then give the NS back to those who want to stand up for the Albion. IMHO we should go for the one and a half allocation that is an option used successfully at some clubs and it would beef up the numbers which would cover the cost in one season.
A less extreme option would be to do the above and leave a section of rows near the front for the infirm or grumpy.

 

[Easy 10]

I don't want a return to terracing. I want to be able to stand at home matches.

Sounds like exactly what I do at nearly all away games.

Are padded seats a waste of time and money? I wonder if we had a poll now about the potential of adding this luxury, how many would say it's a worthwhile expense. The point is to provide for how everyone would like to experience a football match. I'd like to stand and currently, for me, home games are flat and full of half-interested, smart-phone obsessed, fair weather hipsters. I personally think a safe-standing section would improve that and it would be nice to be around those that are actually interested in supporting the team rather than those that frequent the amex expecting to be entertained else they have better things to do. And don't say move to the NS as you and I both know what goes on in there. Last time I went in there I had some tosspot repeatedly tap me on the shoulder with his ****ing programme every time I dared rise slightly early on an attack/counterattack.

If you honestly think the Amex is full of "half-interested, smart-phone obsessed, fair weather hipsters", then please explain how you think introducing safe standing in the North Stand would change that demographic ? As for the North Stand, I have been there and stood throughout the game. I wasn't tapped on the shoulder by anyone, so when you say "you and I both know what goes on" - sorry chum, you'll have to leave me out of that analogy because it wasn't my experience at all.

I'm pro-choice, so if the legislation changes and seating rails can be installed in the North Stand, and there's enough fans calling for it then fine, go for gold. It doesn't alter my belief that (1) it will make little to no difference to the atmosphere at the Amex, as most fans in the North are already standing up anyway, and (2) the money spent ripping out seats and installing rail seats could be better channeled elsewhere by the club.

And your point about standing wherever you want at away games is irrelevant. We're talking about what should happen at the Amex, if anything.

 

[Nixonator]

If you honestly think the Amex is full of "half-interested, smart-phone obsessed, fair weather hipsters", then please explain how you think introducing safe standing in the North Stand would change that demographic ? As for the North Stand, I have been there and stood throughout the game. I wasn't tapped on the shoulder by anyone, so when you say "you and I both know what goes on" - sorry chum, you'll have to leave me out of that analogy because it wasn't my experience at all.

I'm pro-choice, so if the legislation changes and seating rails can be installed in the North Stand, and there's enough fans calling for it then fine, go for gold. It doesn't alter my belief that (1) it will make little to no difference to the atmosphere at the Amex, as most fans in the North are already standing up anyway, and (2) the money spent ripping out seats and installing rail seats could be better channeled elsewhere by the club.

And your point about standing wherever you want at away games is irrelevant. We're talking about what should happen at the Amex, if anything.

You first suggested that those who want safe-standing are labouring under the delusion that it will be a return to terracing - in my experience they know exactly what rail seating is and some don't even remember terracing because they are aged 18-30.

You then stated that, amex or not, the days of turning up and squeezing past people to find your mates are gone, I do this every other week almost.

Let's stop with the anecdotal tales of what happens in the NS then, I know what has happened when i've been in there, you've had a different experience fair enough.

You are very entitled to your opinions (though I still have no idea why you voted on this poll). You state that it won't improve atmosphere - I disagree, I think it will. You state the money could be better spent - I would suggest that if we do get promoted the increase in revenues is so substantial that clubs are struggling to find things to spend it on, hence profits. I would not for a minute suggest that money should be taken from the squad into concepts such as safe-standing while we are still trying to get out the championship. Though, if people actually interested in standing were prepared to subsidise it with increased ticket prices (the point of this poll) then it would be great to get it sooner.

Legislation will change, clubs accross the country will be installing rail-seating this is all but guaranteed. Whether it will be successful is up in the air, I strongly believe it will.

 

[Bob'n'weave]

Yes I would pay an extra fiver.
Check out the Celtic set up -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_standing#/media/File:Celtic_FC_rail_seating_section.jpg
Like to see this in blue.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

No.

really
regards
DR

 

[BeHereNow]

Perhaps if you focus more on what's going on on the pitch then, you know, the football part of it. We're playing some great football, we've got a great squad, we're looking good for promotion and you're bored because the away fans are too far away

As for safety, I suspect even if they had rail seats you find someway to fall over them and still complain.

Did I say I was bored with what's on the pitch? It's great to watch, but I don't go just to watch. I also go for the atmosphere and the banter, the whole experience. When a part of that experience isn't available, then it might not be as fun as it could be.

All I'm saying is, is that I and many others would far even more enjoyable if the away fans were near the North Stand. If the club were really serious about getting the atmosphere ramped up, then that's what they should do, but they won't.

I enjoy going more when there is banter with opposition fans, is that a crime?

As for falling over rail seats, have you actually seen them? I'm 5 foot 5, so no chance of me going over the top.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Reminds me of Millwall, there always a couple of hundred young toe rags who get as close to the opposition as possible so they can hurl abuse for the whole match and never see a ball being kicked!