Safe Standing Petition.

[hawkeye]

Sadly the Health and Safety Nazis run this country now, so I sympathise with your view but like many have said it isnt going to happen. I will sign the petition though.

[itbrvilla]

Never going to happen. Seats carry more benefits to more people than terraces do.

What benefits are you referring to, not being able to see the match when the person in front decides that he will stand all the match despite paying for a seat?

Off the top of my head:

For the regulatory authorities - safety

For the clubs - safety and the ability to charge more money to punters

For fans - safety and the increased accessibility; I don't have the figures but I'd bet my life earnings that the number of women, children, and disabled people attending football matches is significantly higher now to the 80s.

And ignoring all the logical arguments, Hillsbrough is enough to stop anyone in authority with any common sense whatsoever to suggest bringing terracing back.  I'm not aware that Germany has had a Hillsbrough equivalent and the emotion attached to it means we'll never see large-scale terracing again.

As proven by the numerous campaigns over the past few years, there just isn't enough support for this to make it worth while for those that make the decisions.  You're basically asking clubs to spend money changing the grounds again, for no financial reward (indeed you'd probably expect lower prices to stand) and with the increased safety risk.  Given attendances are so high anyway what exactly is football's incentive to make this happen?

Clubs such as Wolves have put their name to the campaign already and I'm sure many clubs outside the to6-8 or so will also back them. 

[dave.woodhall]

Never going to happen. Seats carry more benefits to more people than terraces do.

What benefits are you referring to, not being able to see the match when the person in front decides that he will stand all the match despite paying for a seat?

Off the top of my head:

For the regulatory authorities - safety

For the clubs - safety and the ability to charge more money to punters

For fans - safety and the increased accessibility; I don't have the figures but I'd bet my life earnings that the number of women, children, and disabled people attending football matches is significantly higher now to the 80s.

And ignoring all the logical arguments, Hillsbrough is enough to stop anyone in authority with any common sense whatsoever to suggest bringing terracing back.  I'm not aware that Germany has had a Hillsbrough equivalent and the emotion attached to it means we'll never see large-scale terracing again.

As proven by the numerous campaigns over the past few years, there just isn't enough support for this to make it worth while for those that make the decisions.  You're basically asking clubs to spend money changing the grounds again, for no financial reward (indeed you'd probably expect lower prices to stand) and with the increased safety risk.  Given attendances are so high anyway what exactly is football's incentive to make this happen?

Why shouldn't I be able to stand if I want to? I don't tell you you can't sit down.

[noodles_]

I support this. People should have the choice.

[john e]

It wasnt terraces that was the problem, it was fences trapping people in with no escape

[hawkeye]

It wasnt terraces that was the problem, it was fences trapping people in with no escape

There were problems with the old terracing, but now they have the ability to make it safer than seating areas, try getting out of a seating area in a hurry!

[Ad@m]

Why shouldn't I be able to stand if I want to? I don't tell you you can't sit down.

And I don't tell you you can't stand up so stop being so stupidly defensive.

I'm merely pointing out the reasons why terracing won't be coming back.

[dave.woodhall]

Why shouldn't I be able to stand if I want to? I don't tell you you can't sit down.

And I don't tell you you can't stand up so stop being so stupidly defensive.

I'm merely pointing out the reasons why terracing won't be coming back.

You were doing exactly that - so what if more women and children attend now? They don't have to stand so it wouldn't affect them. And yet again, Hillsborough was not caused by terraces.

[JJ-AV]

Man Citeh have a safe standing area of sorts.

Really? Where and how?

[Jimbo]

I stood on some very rickety 'safe' terracing in Mainz, Germany, in May. It was rather less safe-feeling than the old Holte End. Yet it was completely packed with well-oiled fans and there were no incidents to report. The Germans have a habit of being able to think things through, take the smoking ban in pubs as an example. They've worked out that they can have some pubs where smoking goes on and non-smokers will avoid them. They've also worked out that terraces do not kill people, but idiotic crowd control does.

[TheSandman]

I support the idea and will sign any petition but I think no matter how many people sign or how much we campaign it won't happen.

[Ad@m]

Why shouldn't I be able to stand if I want to? I don't tell you you can't sit down.

And I don't tell you you can't stand up so stop being so stupidly defensive.

I'm merely pointing out the reasons why terracing won't be coming back.

You were doing exactly that - so what if more women and children attend now? They don't have to stand so it wouldn't affect them. And yet again, Hillsborough was not caused by terraces.

No I wasn't.  Go and read what I wrote again.

And why do you think more women and children attend games now?  The general consensus found in reports on the matter is because the overall environment at football games is more family friendly than it was.  A big part of that is the absence of terracing where small people (ie many women and children) can feel intimidated by the crowd.  In a seated area every one has their own personal space which women and parents appreciate.

And it's wholly irrelevant what actually caused Hillsborough.  Lord Taylor's report permanently linked terracing with the disaster in the public's mind and politicians are not going to run the risk of public opinion by changing the law on the matter.  There just isn't a persuasive enough justification for it.

I couldn't care less whether terracing comes back or not.  If terracing came back I'd still probably have a season ticket in the seated area anyway but then I might occasionally go on the terrace for a change.  However, the point is, it's not going to happen.

[dave.woodhall]

I've read what you've written and it still makes no more sense.

There are many reasons why more women and children attend games now and not one single one of them would have to stand up if they didn't want to, so why a few people standing at the other side of the ground would prevent them from attending is beyond me. Why do you think less of football's traditional working-class support attend, or are they unimportant?

Then you bring Hillsborough into the argument and when that one's rubbished you say the truth is irrelevant because the public apparently think differently. I'll have to try that one some time - never mind what's right, if I think it isn't it's wrong.     

[pooligan]

I to support the idea and think that there should be a safe standing area in grounds. Alas,i think it will never happen as its all about money and seats bring in more revenue than standing.Most fans i know,prefer to stand but when have the people who run football ever cared about what the fan wants or thinks.

[KRS]

Signed.

Cant see any downsides for safe standing to be honest other than the initial cost to the club.