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Post by stokecityscott on Dec 5, 2007 21:59:20 GMT
Spectators could be allowed to stand at European football matches again in the future after Uefa said it was prepared to take a fresh look at the issue. Uefa rules ban standing areas at any grounds hosting European football. But Uefa president Michel Platini has met with fans who cited the case of German side Werder Bremen, who allow standing at domestic games. "We've said the rules still apply, but we're open to dialogue and would look at new designs," said a Uefa spokesman. "There are stadia in Germany that have standing which the authorities say are perfectly safe. "These are nothing like the old terraces, and it can be argued that they are much safer than having fans standing in seated areas as often happens." 606: DEBATE Should standing at European football be allowed? The meeting - held in Nyon, Switzerland - involved fans' representatives from England, Scotland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Denmark, and the Supporters Direct organisations from the UK and Germany. And while it seems that there are no immediate plans to re-introduce standing, it is something Uefa is prepared to consider. "In the future we are always ready, together with Fifa, to look at the options but at the moment we feel sitting is a much better way to watch football," added Uefa communications director William Gaillard. Standing has banned in English football since the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. However, standing is extremely popular in domestic football in Germany with many new stadiums incorporating specific sections for fans who prefer to stand. The VELTINS-Arena where Schalke 04 play has staggered barriers on every fourth step of its standing section. These can be easily removed and replaced with seating for international and European club games that currently operate under all-seater rules. And Werder Bremen have a similar situation, with seats that can lock up to allow standing for certain games. Platini also promised to pass on to football rulemakers calls to use video evidence to punish players who dive after representations from Scottish fans. Currently, Fifa only allow video evidence to be used in instances where the referee has not seen an incident, rather than to correct his judgement.
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Post by daverichards on Dec 6, 2007 8:01:34 GMT
Right rip the seats out of Blocks 20-24 then ;D
leave blocks 19 and 25 of the boothen as seated for the oldies who like to sit . stick in some crash barriers .... bring on the noise
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Post by batfastard on Dec 6, 2007 9:25:01 GMT
no rip the seats out of block 19 to 25 and leave the bottom half sitting and now you can bring on the noise.
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Post by rorymscfc on Dec 6, 2007 10:52:33 GMT
I'm sure there'd be no shortage of volunteers to rip seats out of the Britannia - especially from the north of the city! RoryM
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Post by A-teen_six_T3 on Dec 6, 2007 14:53:56 GMT
Would love that, half sitting, half standing..Be quality
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Post by mark71 on Dec 6, 2007 15:01:44 GMT
Bring it on, bout time someone spoke some sense, even if it is from a fench twat
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Post by bettyswallocks on Dec 6, 2007 15:08:19 GMT
The standing area for the brit would be best situated in the boothen, take the seats out of blocks 19 to 24, half way up and no more, otheriwse it wouldnt be safe if someone were to fall. Halfway is enough and it would be a brilliant matchday experience for all.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2007 15:44:26 GMT
Sadly, like a cap on the number of foriegn players, this appears to be just one more flag for Platini to wave around his head while he chants "I am the man that's nice to fans".
As the BBC report on this made clear (sorry, can't be 'arrised with finding the link ... it'll be on BBC sport somewhere) the issue is not really with a FIFA Ban (even if Platini could get that overturned) but with the take on the issue by local councils (and our national government). The-Dear-Leader stated in one of his question-times (just before he shuffled off to the mid-east and the after-dinner speaking market) that standing would "never return to football in the UK" - Oppostion politicans are unlikely to differ from that view (oppostion with a chance of election, anyhow).
Much like smoking, drinking and swearing, the "government" no longer wants that "culture" to persist in the UK, and so - whether Platini gets to look like a hero or not - it is extremely difficult to envisage "our lads" in the modern era getting to stand on a terrace (in front of your seat seems to be as good as it will ever get, and look at all the grief that generates).
For the record, the most likely way that it would be implemented at the Brit (should there ever be a revolution) would be for the bottom half of the "boothen" to be lowered a bit, and then terraced. This would lead to the same setup as the current away end (which could have the seats ripped out of the bottom bit). It is not "safe" to have people standing behind, or to the side, of seated fans (but in front would be considered "safe" ... were standing itself considered "safe").
It's about crowd (and culture) control ... not safety ... but you try arguing the point with a safety officer. "It's not safe. My opinion" End of conversation.
(Sad, but true).
ah
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Dec 6, 2007 16:19:05 GMT
Difficult (and expensive?) to lower the bottom of the Boothen (2 or 3 feet?) to allow the seated fans at the back to see over the standing fans.
What could be done easily if/when the corners are filled in would be to make those designed to accommodate standing fans (fully standing or partly seated areas). Indeed, we should be lobbying the club to consider this if/when the corners are developed. Even if the law hasn't been changed at the time the corners are built, it does no harm to plan for the possibility at a future date.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2007 16:27:40 GMT
I agree that separate corner stands would make it past a safety-officer, John. Lowering the "boothen" would be expensive, but so is developing the corners ... Either would do, though I think a split boothen would generate a better atmosphere than separate standing-corners (and I wanted a corner as a smoking block, in any case!!!)
;0)
But the club's response to your "planning ahead" would be "Standing is not allowed* up the football. No point in us applying to council to start making plans". I know .. I have tried ... and not just with standing ...
ah
Edit: Aloud!!?! Come on ffs ...
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Post by A-teen_six_T3 on Dec 6, 2007 16:34:03 GMT
Cardiff have sitting on the lower and standing, above and its considered safe there. Andhar, you said, the Boothen end needs lowering, isn't it sinking 1cm every 10 years or something, so give it 100 years and it should be ok, no need for expensive development
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Post by GlynDerby on Dec 6, 2007 16:52:46 GMT
im a season ticket holder on row 38, havent sat down since weve been at the brit, thats the reason we sit there. Bring back standing sections, nothing wrong with them
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Post by daverichards on Dec 6, 2007 19:56:35 GMT
I'm on row 37, and stand too
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Post by stayingupfor Sexualchocolate on Dec 6, 2007 20:39:37 GMT
I would love to see terraces bought back, but, the problem is with all seat stadiums the clubs structure there prices accordingly. Do you really think they will allow terracing knowing full well that they will have to lower the prices for said terraces or increase the prices for the seats
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Post by Time4aPINT on Dec 6, 2007 22:36:01 GMT
I'd be happy to pay the same for a standing season ticket as I do at the moment for my seat for the season. There is a mass of people who miss standing on the terrace, I'm sure they would jump at the chance to stand again and wouldn't complain if standing tickets were the same price as seats. It's all about choice then.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2007 22:46:01 GMT
I suppose the c unty away stewards would have to find something else to get us kicked out of the grounds for then.
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Post by batfastard on Dec 7, 2007 11:55:15 GMT
we should fill all the corners in like at most grounds thesedays why wasnt the corners done when the stupid council built it?
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