Away tickets/segregation for better views.

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bluemanchester

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Maybe it should be in ticket and travel but as it's the end of the season it won't get much viewing there. So, as an awayday fan, if I can get a ticket. My issue is as the older I get and the more vertically challenged I seem to get and dodgy knees I dont like standing at games but on away games there is no choice. With the height issue I always seem to be stood behind a giant or someone who has St Vitus dance syndrome. Why can't the club help out at grounds where fans can sit if they want by setting up a database of fans who if they want to sit can and fans who want to stand they can in grounds where this can be done.. I often see female fans near me who see little of the game because of fans standing. This is not a criticism of standing as most don't have a choice if someone on a front row stands then those behind have to. My suggestion would be a database used when tickets are allocated, so fans who are prepared to give the club personal details and request dedicated seating areas in away grounds can be accomodated in dedicated seating areas. Sometimes a whole block stands because people in the front row all stand. I am sure people who want to stand have no great desire to spoil the matchday experience for older, smaller or infirm fans. I know it would be extra work for the club but as with new regulations regarding attendance at home matches they can cope with the extra if they desire to.
 
bluemanchester said:
Maybe it should be in ticket and travel but as it's the end of the season it won't get much viewing there. So, as an awayday fan, if I can get a ticket. My issue is as the older I get and the more vertically challenged I seem to get and dodgy knees I dont like standing at games but on away games there is no choice. With the height issue I always seem to be stood behind a giant or someone who has St Vitus dance syndrome. Why can't the club help out at grounds where fans can sit if they want by setting up a database of fans who if they want to sit can and fans who want to stand they can in grounds where this can be done.. I often see female fans near me who see little of the game because of fans standing. This is not a criticism of standing as most don't have a choice if someone on a front row stands then those behind have to. My suggestion would be a database used when tickets are allocated, so fans who are prepared to give the club personal details and request dedicated seating areas in away grounds can be accomodated in dedicated seating areas. Sometimes a whole block stands because people in the front row all stand. I am sure people who want to stand have no great desire to spoil the matchday experience for older, smaller or infirm fans. I know it would be extra work for the club but as with new regulations regarding attendance at home matches they can cope with the extra if they desire to.
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We were talking about this the other day, should be a block for people who do want to sit down
 
When I bought away tickets I would ask the person on the phone for a front row ticket so I could sit down and 9 times out of 10 they would sort it for me. Plus if I ever didn’t get a seat I would ask a steward at the away venue if there were any empty seats to let me know and they were great. One time I had a complete corner section all to myself! They had a tarpaulin over it and the steward pulled it back so I had 3 or 4 seats on the front row.

So ask about it if you are on your own.
 
It’s something England do for away games. Half asleep and full of refreshments in Dublin and got shouted at by an older lady. I anpologised and stayed sat down ha ha.
 
Eccles Blue said:
When I bought away tickets I would ask the person on the phone for a front row ticket so I could sit down and 9 times out of 10 they would sort it for me. Plus if I ever didn’t get a seat I would ask a steward at the away venue if there were any empty seats to let me know and they were great. One time I had a complete corner section all to myself! They had a tarpaulin over it and the steward pulled it back so I had 3 or 4 seats on the front row.

So ask about it if you are on your own.
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I have in the past asked for certain seats at away matches when I know the seats are in an area where I can sit and have been accommodated but that relies on knowing the seat numbers when asking. I would not want to sit on the front row on a regular basis. My post was more about others than just myself as there are many others that , in my opinion, like to watch the game sitting down. It probably would be considered too difficult to operate by the club as it is out of the ordinary, so just wishful thinking by myself. Interesting that it is done by the FA for England games as the other poster, citydad, said.
 
I think I remember for Huddersfield away there was a section of seats where they said it was for people who wanted to or needed to be seated.
 
You arent going to get that kind of option as the tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis provided you meet point requirements. The system wont know when or if you will get a ticket and so they cannot allocate seats for that purpose. It would only be technologically possible if they make it specifically a seating only area and thats not going to happen as it will just cause issues when somebody has bought a ticket in that area either by accident or because it's their only option and wants to stand.

Most people at away games aren't married to their allocated seat and plenty dont even stand in their seat, jjust go and stand in a gap with a shorter person in front or where there's a gap if height is an issue. You might find the odd twat who demands they stay in their designated seat and everybody else does too but the vast majority won't mind shifting over or swapping if you ask politely.

As for sitting down this is just something you'll have to deal with I'm afraid, away games are for standing. The full shift to safe standing should aide you here, you'll at least have a barrier infront of you to lean on in most grounds.

Again, you could always make your way to the front if you can't get a ticket at the front and ask someone there if they mind if you sit there. As long as you aren't making demands or telling others what to do, most people will be more than willing to help you out by shimmying over or swapping.
 
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Gingers Dad said:
Standing up is part of being an away fan. Stand up, sing and back the team. If I wasn't able to stand at an away game I wouldn't go and leave it to those who could.
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Seeing as most people who can’t stand for a full 90 would be older, that means they’ll probably have been following the club for the longest time. You’re telling me that they shouldn’t be able to follow the team they’ve followed for their entire life because of disabilities?
 
Gingers Dad said:
Standing up is part of being an away fan. Stand up, sing and back the team. If I wasn't able to stand at an away game I wouldn't go and leave it to those who could.
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So just because we can’t stand for 90 minutes being jostled about by over exuberant fans we are to be denied the pleasure of watching our team play???? Even if we’ve been following them all over the place including Europe!!
Rather a selfish attitude don’t you think? JMHO
 
I have attended many away games with City, having supported our club since 1967. Unfortunately for the past 15+ years as an ambulant disabled supporter I have to regularly stand throughout away games. I cannot speak for other disabled fans, as we all have differing disabilities. As I’m a short arse, who always gets a giant stood in front him at a match or sat in front of me in a theatre or at a concert, I recognise that this is part and parcel of following a football team, not just City, and I accept that this is part of an away game. It’s exhausting yes, it can be painful, yes, (but I take my meds in advance) but by god it’s so enjoyable, I feel like I’m on the Kippax terrace again at Maine Road and 15 again. To be honest it’s very therapeutic for me!! But for others I recognise it can be quite frustrating and difficult.
 
Gingers Dad said:
There are tickets available for disabled people. What will happen when safe standing is properly introduced?
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The disabled spaces (of which there may just be a handful in a typical away allocation) are designed to accommodate a wheelchair and a helper. I don't think the issue here is concerning fans that are genuinely disabled - more those that simply find it very difficult to stand for extended periods of time.
 
ninjamonkey said:
You arent going to get that kind of option as the tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis provided you meet point requirements. The system wont know when or if you will get a ticket and so they cannot allocate seats for that purpose. It would only be technologically possible if they make it specifically a seating only area and thats not going to happen as it will just cause issues when somebody has bought a ticket in that area either by accident or because it's their only option and wants to stand.

Most people at away games aren't married to their allocated seat and plenty dont even stand in their seat, jjust go and stand in a gap with a shorter person in front or where there's a gap if height is an issue. You might find the odd twat who demands they stay in their designated seat and everybody else does too but the vast majority won't mind shifting over or swapping if you ask politely.

As for sitting down this is just something you'll have to deal with I'm afraid, away games are for standing. The full shift to safe standing should aide you here, you'll at least have a barrier infront of you to lean on in most grounds.

Again, you could always make your way to the front if you can't get a ticket at the front and ask someone there if they mind if you sit there. As long as you aren't making demands or telling others what to do, most people will be more than willing to help you out by shimmying over or swapping.
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30 years ago people had diaries and address books, 20 years ago people had a filo fax. 15 years ago smart phones came along and now physical tickets are rare, so it definitely is possible, if the club are willing, to have a database of fans who want to sit. As an example as how it can be done take Goodison for example, I know Everton are moving, but it is a ground many people know. On the upper stand, if City have say 100 supporters who want to sit, they could be accomodated on the front few rows and told specifically it is for sitting, that way whole blocks are not ringfenced for sitting just the required number of seats for the people who want to sit. On the point of sitting where you want at away games. At Fulham on Sunday I took my grandson and his friend. His friend had a ticket away from us and they suggested he could just push in with us, I said no as it would be bad manners to push in where other people have paid for their seat. In front of me there was an argument going on over this pushing in issue and was only resolved when one of the young lads moved. As for the comment that away days are for standing, they are not, people stand for many reasons but it is not compulsory. Safe standing with the handrails certainly do help especially if people stay in their allocated seat. I have been going to away games since the early 60s and paid my dues, I have no intention of stopping yet, just looking at ways it could be more comfortable as I get older and I have previously said it may just be wishful thinking, but the technology is there to do something to accomodate everybody if the club are willing to go the extra mile to help. Do not confuse this post as a rant against standing, it is not.
 
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