'As A City Fan', Would You Like To See Safe Standing Introduced At The Etihad?

[penalty spot]

Looking at the safe standing rails and the picture of the Celtic apparatus being used there I think it is the correct way to inject some of the atmosphere which has been lost back into the grounds.Some people just want to sit and watch a game with the odd shout when City score , the hospitality crowd and the new middle class fans that can still afford to go and watch their team. However over the years the fans who contributed to the atmosphere by chanting and singing the most have been priced out. Also the way in which a ticket has to be purchased beforehand, no spur of the moment decisions after a few pints on a Saturday, down to pay on the turnstile and shout and roar the team on. The spacing of the seats does not encourage any atmosphere at the Etihad and I think any standing would be a good thing to get the younger fans into the grounds again if the prices were ok.

 

[Manchester33]

The Etihad 1st tier is ideally suited for safe standing. Ideal if it can be incorporated into the North stand expansion to create more atmosphere behid both goals.

To be honest, I think the club should be looking on this very closely. If the rules change and we're allowed to implement safe standing the club might not have to expand the North stand right now. They could take most of Level 1 (excluding central, corporate areas) and convert it to unreserved standing. If Level one currently holds 20,000, you'd instantly get another 10,000 added to the allocation. Means they could save the £50m they're going to spend on the North Stand for another few years?

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

To be honest, I think the club should be looking on this very closely. If the rules change and we're allowed to implement safe standing the club might not have to expand the North stand right now. They could take most of Level 1 (excluding central, corporate areas) and convert it to unreserved standing. If Level one currently holds 20,000, you'd instantly get another 10,000 added to the allocation. Means they could save the £50m they're going to spend on the North Stand for another few years?

There will never be a return to unreserved standing as crowd fluidity practiced by unknowns is the last thing anyone needs.

 

[gkmcfc]

Hillsborough......many contributory factors,INCLUDING late arriving,ticketless,pissed up dippers. They then moved on to Hysell,you know,the disaster that's been erased from their 'istree !! There,I've gone and said it.

The experiences of pub landlords in Sheffield & The Peak District are illuminating.

Heysel happened before Hillsborough pal. What happened at Hillsborough could have happened to any fan. That ground and its policing were wholly inadequate.

 

[Manchester33]

There will never be a return to unreserved standing as crowd fluidity practiced by unknowns is the last thing anyone needs.

Why is it the last thing anyone needs? From a customer's view it's brilliant - get to go and sit with your mates, can move around to different sections so you're near a bar one time or family stand if you bring your kid etc.

 

[john@staustell]

As one who lived and went to football through the 70s and 80s I've always been dead against any return to standing - once we found out how successful football became without it.

But I'm willing to listen to all the arguments these days.

I have 2 remianing concerns.

Firstly it's the general non-family attitude it creates. Not saying we want family stands everywhere but people who attended the war zones of the past with no women and hardly any non-chavvy kids will know exactly what I mean. It could start a very gradual decline in popularity/attendances.

Secondly it's the increased 'mobility' - I'm sure we will find it will be easier from these areas to run toward the opposition fans en masse.

I'm sure it will be passed and time will tell.

 

[AkanjisAfro]

On champions league nights where you have to sit, wont the bar be in the way?

 

[john@staustell]

On champions league nights where you have to sit, wont the bar be in the way?

Pretty sure this system is promoted as convertible. IE some poor twat has to carry out all the bars and bolt all the seats on again as demanded by the 'event'.

 

[CITY FOR LIFE]

Yes without a doubt.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

As one who lived and went to football through the 70s and 80s I've always been dead against any return to standing - once we found out how successful football became without it.

But I'm willing to listen to all the arguments these days.

I have 2 remianing concerns.

Firstly it's the general non-family attitude it creates. Not saying we want family stands everywhere but people who attended the war zones of the past with no women and hardly any non-chavvy kids will know exactly what I mean. It could start a very gradual decline in popularity/attendances.

Secondly it's the increased 'mobility' - I'm sure we will find it will be easier from these areas to run toward the opposition fans en masse.

I'm sure it will be passed and time will tell.

Any standing area would not be placed next to away fans.
In Germany the are purposely opposite the away fans standing area. So no war zones are created.
Having visited 4 German grounds with such areas, trust me, these areas are full of kids, women and men. All they want to do is create a buzz and noise for the team and with the away fans well away from them that is what they do.