Safe Standing

[peter w]

Surprised no-one has mentioned this.

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2016/07/25/aston-villa-will-explore-safe-standing-issue/?

[Pete3206]

Worth a go in my view

[peter w]

Not sure why no-one has thought about it before...

[wittonwarrior]

A step back. 

Mind you at games particularly away from home, standing is the norm.

The whole issue is the entrance fee and to be honest Villa Park is affordable, therefore I think we should be one of the last clubs to think down these lines.

We have moved forward  30 odd years, nostalgia is good a good thought but for me I wouldn't want to see it brought to Villa Park.  Besides it would ruin the balance of our ground, where even the Witton End has some character.

[peter w]

And the door is opened...we should be right at the forefront of this idea, and are, and hopefully this comes to fruition.

[Ads]

There's nothing nostalgic about rail seats for safe standing.

[Nelly]

A designated place to stand legally and safely, better atmospheres, hopefully lower prices: Wins all around for me. I hope someone picks up from where Faulkner left off.

[Mortimer's Bear]

Besides it would ruin the balance of our ground, where even the Witton End has some character.

Sadly, the Doug Ellis and the Trinity Road have none.

[amfy]

The lower prices part is a bit of a red herring because safe standing has designated spaces for each person. It can add about a third to capacity, but we'd still have the same number of fans so they'd need to charge the same to bring the same money in.

Also, unless a stand is fully rebuilt, it can't take any extra people because the exits and concourses would still only be adequate for the original capacity. Rebuilding a stand costs money they would need to recoup.

The other thing that won't be coming back is just randomly wandering to the bit of the terrace where your mates usually stand. You will have a ticket for a particular spot. That is how safe standing will avoid any possibility of crushes.

Just want standing back because you want to stand because it makes you feel more involved, and you think it improves the atmosphere. Or, want standing back because you want a sit whilst the people who want to stand are in another bit of the ground.

Don't want it back for nostalgia, because old style 'get loads more people in and find your mates when you get there' type standing ended really badly.

I'm pleased to see Dr X might pick this idea back up. Tom Fox was absolutely not on this at all.

[spk]

Stood at a game for the first time in ages vs Telford,would love to see it back at VP.Big factor for me is that you always kept warmer in the winter.

[bruisedshins]

As the article alludes to Villa have been talking about this for a good 4 years now so i'm not going to hold my breath. It would be a great idea, it'd save people getting injuries from falling over seats when celebrating for a start. From what i've seen of the standing section at Celtic it looks like it's been popular and helped build on what the ultra group up there has been doing for the last few years by allowing more people to get involved in the section.

[Tugby Villain]

It is, I would argue, very neccessary - at the moment, there's a real clash between those who want to stand and those who don't.  Remember all the fuss about people standing at Wembley?  Think also of the weekly disputes on the Holte between older supporters who want to sit and the younger fans who want to stand.  I know that if there was a safe standing area in the corner of the lower Holte,  I'd be in there, as I could stand and support my team while other fans sit.  In essence, it would reduce the conflicts between standing and sitting fans and add to the atmosphere.  Take Germany, for example.

[oldtimernow]

No argument for me, standing in seated areas is unsafe and unsociable.

Safe standing is much safer and much more sociable.

[Tugby Villain]

No argument for me, standing in seated areas is unsafe and unsociable.

Safe standing is much safer and much more sociable.

Dead on.  But don't expect me to be sociable!

[spinksy the bfg]

Momentum is building,  alsorts of problems at West ham,  as those who have stood for years at Upton Park are now in areas where theres football tourists, premiership types,  and genuine supporters who want to sit. Segregation of standing supporters and sitting supporters is the only answer,  in safe and modern rail seat model. Others wise punch ups,  kids cryin,  old people having to stand wil continue.