Time to move the family stand

[Jesus H Gabz]

Do we need a family stand, just affordable seats for families around the ground would suffice, when City were struggling and introduced 95 quid season tickets for kids anywhere in the ground, it was a great idea, today the pricing began at 50 quid up to 70, those creating the prices are clueless

Far better than alienating a generation of young kids by sticking them in the rafters. Kids love to be close to the action, watch the players warming up, and maybe get autographs/pics etc, it’s how you inspire the next generation of supporters, how are they supposed to form an organic bond with our players? (That’s not tv or internet based) we’ve already taken the support further away from the players by removing seats. Touching on your idea, Maybe kids prices could be a percentage of the adult ticket, say 1/3 and like you say available all round the ground

 

[EL APACHE TEVEZ]

I’ve sat in the north stand upper since 2005 it’s virtually the old faces from Maine road

 

[jrb]

There are a few things wrong (in my view) about how you are seeing things. Unless the North Stand is redeveloped (unlikely for many years I think) then NS2 will be the family stand. NS1 is already designated non family stand so the question is what could be done to make that a singing end. There is no prospect whatsoever of 'relocating' it into SS3 or anywhere else. What would need to be done is to put forward something whereby supporters could register their interest to move into it whilst offering those currently in NS1 preferential treatment to move with friends and family elsewhere in the stadium. That is easier said than done but it's the only way I could see it happening.

As far as we’re aware the family stand still exists. Family stand season tickets are still being sold. The club may have relaxed the rules and criteria so older people can now buy a seat in the family stand, but it’s still the family stand.

I would move the family stand to the 2 corner blocks of the NSL1. Guessing, those 2 blocks would be enough for the family stand.

I would create a new safe standing end in the remainder of NSL1 and try and fill it with fans who want to support the team, sing, and want to create an atmosphere, which would get the kids going in the 2 family stand corner blocks. How the club go about that is the issue. The club gave block 115 in SSL1 over for a new signing section and it flopped.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

As far as we’re aware the family stand still exists. Family stand season tickets are still being sold. The club may have relaxed the rules and criteria so older people can now buy a seat in the family stand, but it’s still the family stand.

I would move the family stand to the 2 corner blocks of the North stand. Guessing, those 2 blocks would be enough for the family stand.

I would create a new safe standing end in the remainder of NSL1 and try and fill it with fans who want to support the team, sing, and want to create an atmosphere, which would get the kids going in the 2 family stand corner blocks. How the club go about that is the issue. The club gave block 115 in SSL1 over for a new signing section and it flopped.

The problem I have with your ideas is that you think that whole stands can be moved into specific areas.

What then happens to SC holders in those areas?

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

If City didn’t give away 100’s of ‘free tickets’ in the Family stand, it would be emptier.

I don’t agree with that. If city made those seats available to season ticket holders they’d by full most weeks or even if they were available cheap. The north stand never used to have the problem we do now with empty seats

 

[Norbert D]

The lower tiers have that perennial North Stand Maine Road issue, who wants to sit in the pissing freezing rain! Especially at night games and when it’s on the box. Whilst I agree ticket pricing is a big issue, especially for the young adults, what I would like to see is the NS get its third tier, then put a retractable roof on the stadium. Spend on the ground isn’t subject to FFP, however, I doubt the club would see it ever paying for itself.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I do agree.. but we need a sustainable fan base so that those 18 year olds who will come and create the atmosphere do come from the 8-10 year olds from the Family Stand. It’s not easy and I was on a bit of a wind up with that comment before. Surely the club can look at other models maybe in Europe? From my own experience it just seemed to be seamless going from the Platt Lane with my old fella to the Kippax singing section with the lads and then to away games.

I agree with what your saying mate. It’s not sustainable as it is now. Kids are going into the family stand with their parents, once they get to a certain age they are then priced out until they get a decent job. (21 -30 year olds) that’s one of the main reasons we have a big gap in our match going demographic.

the family stand concept as it is now doesn’t work. It’s never full and large amounts of tickets are given away to lots of kids who aren’t city fans. (Schools/ sports clubs). What was wrong with affordable tickets for kids throughout the ground. The family stand now is not helping to grow our fan base

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

What is the fix then as 1 of the things the Club has done to encourage younger supporters is being talked about as being a problem and should be fucked off!

The club used to have affordable season tickets for kids throughout the whole ground. Think it was 95 quid. That’s a great idea not what we have now.

and you say encourage young fans. I’m not sure I agree with that. It helps parents take little kids. Once those kids turn into young adults it’s no help at all

 

[East Level 2]

I might be missing the point, but City fans who want to "create an atmosphere" have also said they want to be close to the away fans for the banter. So South Stand middle and the south end of the East Stand are the obvious choices.
There's no reason those in the North Stand, or anywhere else in the ground can't join in though.
And anybody who suggests moving the away fans can just get to fucketty-fuck-fuck as the police refuse to have away fans away from that corner as that's where the away coaches park. - And that is a position the police have held since we moved from Maine Road.

 

[jrb]

The problem I have with your ideas is that you think that whole stands can be moved into specific areas.

What then happens to SC holders in those areas?

It’s not the whole of NSL1. The family stand doesn’t take up the whole of NSL1. That is evident from the empty seats and free seats given away in NSL1 for almost every home game, bar the big games.

Once again there is no easy option. If the club want to move or plan to move the family stand to another part of the ground(according to PB), season ticket holders in that part of the ground will have to be moved to make way for the family stand.

It’s a mess with no easy answer or outcome. But it’s all the clubs own making.

If the club don’t try and resolve the family stand issue, empty seats will remain in NSL1.

I’ve got nothing against the family stand. Especially not against the Kids, as they will be supporting City after we’re all dead. But as others have stated, the family stand issue, more so the constant empty seats in the family stand needs sorting out once and for all by the club.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

I agree with what your saying mate. It’s not sustainable as it is now. Kids are going into the family stand with their parents, once they get to a certain age they are then priced out until they get a decent job. (21 -30 year olds) that’s one of the main reasons we have a big gap in our match going demographic.

the family stand concept as it is now doesn’t work. It’s never full and large amounts of tickets are given away to lots of kids who aren’t city fans. (Schools/ sports clubs). What was wrong with affordable tickets for kids throughout the ground. The family stand now is not helping to grow our fan base

That is the correct answer.

I was in NS2 with my two children as it was affordable to take them. I'm now in SS3 and there are kids in there even though there are usually 1500 away fans alongside. There is no need to ensure kids are miles away from the away fans just because Coventry fans left the North Stand at Maine Road and attacked the family section in the Main Stand.

 

[jrb]

I might be missing the point, but City fans who want to "create an atmosphere" have also said they want to be close to the away fans for the banter. So South Stand middle and the south end of the East Stand are the obvious choices.
There's no reason those in the North Stand, or anywhere else in the ground can't join in though.
And anybody who suggests moving the away fans can just get to fucketty-fuck-fuck as the police refuse to have away fans away from that corner as that's where the away coaches park. - And that is a position the police have held since we moved from Maine Road.

Correct.

The away fans in SSL1, 2, and 3 aren’t going anywhere.

Cue somebody saying to move them.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I might be missing the point, but City fans who want to "create an atmosphere" have also said they want to be close to the away fans for the banter. So South Stand middle and the south end of the East Stand are the obvious choices.
There's no reason those in the North Stand, or anywhere else in the ground can't join in though.

why can’t we have both a home end and what we have in the south stand now? Not all fans want banter with the away fans. Chelsea, arsenal, West Ham, Leeds and plenty of others have two singing areas

one of the only clubs without a home end. The family stand, as it is now has lots of empty seats and is too big. I’d much rather have a full home end. A full section in a prime location right behind the goals, a better atmosphere and smaller/ better suited area for families - that would be perfect.

 

[Bluefen]

It’s not the whole of NSL1. The family stand doesn’t take up the whole of NSL1. That is evident from the empty seats and free seats given away in NSL1 for almost every home game, bar the big games.

Once again there is no easy option. If the club want to move or plan to move the family stand to another part of the ground(according to PB), season ticket holders in that part of the ground will have to be moved to make way for the family stand.

It’s a mess with no easy answer or outcome. But it’s all the clubs own making.

If the club don’t try and resolve the family stand issue, empty seats will remain in NSL1.

I’ve got nothing against the family stand. Especially not against the Kids, as they will be supporting City after we’re all dead. But as others have stated, the family stand issue, more so the constant empty seats in the family stand needs sorting out once and for all by the club.

I have three season tickets in NSL1 been there since 2007 with my two lads who are are now young adults and the firmly next generation (they are both fanatical as I have been throughout my life and I’m failt sure the cheaper season tickets and being closer to the action has helped get them hooked). Interestingly both now prefer to try and go to away games because of the better atmosphere which they really enjoy

The empty seats does infuriate me… one simple solution, would be to remove any family Stand discount from a ticket that isn’t used (or put up for resale) for more than x number of games a season.

 

[jrb]

I have three season tickets in NSL1 been there since 2007 with my two lads who are are now young adults and the firmly next generation (they are both fanatical as I have been throughout my life and I’m failt sure the cheaper season tickets and being closer to the action has helped get them hooked). Interestingly both now prefer to try and go to away games because of the better atmosphere which they really enjoy

The empty seats does infuriate me… one simple solution, would be to remove any family Stand discount from a ticket that isn’t used (or put up for resale) for more than x number of games a season.

I’d move the family stands to blocks 132 and 140, NSL1, so the kids could stay in the NS.
Then I’d make blocks 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, NSL1, safe standing, with the emphasis on trying to fill those safe standing seats with City fans in the teens, twenties, and early thirties, who would hopefully create a noisy end, aided by the kids in blocks 132 and 140. The kids would love the chants, songs, and support coming from young, but older City fans next to them.
It’s a place they will want to go into when they get older.

 

[Corky]

It was.
And it was full for most of the games.
We always sold the 44,000 Capacity out.
Even when we went to 48,000 it was pretty much sold out every home game.
Then we went to 54,000 and there’s been empty seats ever since.
The Family stand was created, older fans were move out of the Family stand to accommodate the kids and their parents.

44k when was that? We average that some seasons but the capacity was just under 48k.

The family stand was NS2 and it was expanded to NS1 when they made it the only stand you could get £95 tickets for under 16s, and put up the prices £50 or more in the other areas. If you wanted to carry on paying kids cheap prices you had to move.

I used to go from SS1 to NS1 in the 2nd half on a regular basis to be behind the goal City were playing towards, you could spot the empty seats from the other end and know where was available.

The changes were made in 2010, and have largely been reversed, most kids then adults now, and they are not made to move out. It is not massively dissimilar to how it started with Platt Lane and North Stand K,L,M refugees who were never the most vocal.

 

[Deleted member 10327]

When we moved. I was in NS level 1 with my son on row c. Family stand was level 2. He reached 16 and was a decent player so focused on that. It coincided with a fair drop off under Pearce. I moved to a great seat still NS/1. Only to be evicted to create the bigger family stand after a few years.
Atmosphere was ok on level 1 up to the change.

 

[Bluefen]

I’d move the family stands to blocks 132 and 140, NSL1, so the kids could stay in the NS.
Then I’d make blocks 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, NSL1, safe standing, with the emphasis on trying to fill those safe standing seats with City fans in the teens, twenties, and early thirties, who would hopefully create a noisy end, aided by the kids in blocks 132 and 140. The kids would love the chants, songs, and support coming from young, but older City fans next to them.
It’s a place they will want to go into when they get older.

I agree - my first ever games at Maine Road was in the Main Stand and as a young 6 year old I was transfixed with watching the chaos in the kippax - I couldn’t wait to get to go in that stand and be amongst it… I think this was one of the first things that hooked me on watching live football and city

 

[Ric]

The notion that the Family Stand is responsible for the lack of atmosphere at home games is frankly laughable.

 

[jrb]

44k when was that? We average that some seasons but the capacity was just under 48k.

The family stand was NS2 and it was expanded to NS1 when they made it the only stand you could get £95 tickets for under 16s, and put up the prices £50 or more in the other areas. If you wanted to carry on paying kids cheap prices you had to move.

I used to go from SS1 to NS1 in the 2nd half on a regular basis to be behind the goal City were playing towards, you could spot the empty seats from the other end and know where was available.

The changes were made in 2010, and have largely been reversed, most kids then adults now, and they are not made to move out. It is not massively dissimilar to how it started with Platt Lane and North Stand K,L,M refugees who were never the most vocal.

I stand corrected.

Apologies if I’m wrong?

Wasn’t the original capacity of the new stadium 44,000?

Then it went up to 48,000?

Then it went up to 54,000?

Rounding up the numbers.

If not, fair enough.

I’ll have a check back on the attendances.

There may have been changes, but it’s still the family stand.