BillCarlisle
Well-Known Member
Re: Ejections in 109
I haven't posted on here before, although I've been an active and interested BM reader for a long time (and a City fan for a lot longer than that !). I sit in the East Stand, therefore the issue with 109 doesn't directly affect me, although I do feel strongly about the situation re: standing & sitting. One of the things that I enjoy about away games is that invariably I am permitted to stand throughout the entire match.
It seems to me that City are damned if they do and damned if they don't. Earlier posters have quite rightly pointed out that standing at football matches is against the law. The Club is therefore correct in enforcing this (although it appears that some of the methods are less than acceptable). Unfortunately the reverse is the case if they turn a blind eye to certain sections and permit standing.
This particular law is however outdated. Football has moved on since the days of Hillsborough & Heysel and the Bundesliga has proved that safe standing areas are perfectly acceptable (and indeed desirable) to many supporters. The fact that the great majority of away fans of PL Clubs seem to prefer to stand would appear to underline the obvious fact that standing is preferable to sitting for many fans nowadays. The other fact that so many are allowed to do so simply emphasises that this particular law has become an ass. I would cite our national stadium as a prime example of this, as we Blues have been allowed to stand unchallenged throughout all 3 games at Wembley this year. Not once did any of the stewards near me try to make any of us sit down.
The only answer therefore in my opinion is for a groundswell of lobbying by Supporters Clubs and the Clubs themselves for the introduction of safe standing areas. We are 'the customers' and I was always taught that the customer is invariably right. Those who wish to stand could opt for that section and the rest can carry on sitting down. It's hardly rocket science and we don't need to go back to the days of cramming as many people as possible on to the terraces. The capacity numbers could be kept pretty much as they are now without adding to the risk of crowd trouble or injury.
Until something like this is done, and presented to the Government via the proper channels, then nothing is likely to change.
I haven't posted on here before, although I've been an active and interested BM reader for a long time (and a City fan for a lot longer than that !). I sit in the East Stand, therefore the issue with 109 doesn't directly affect me, although I do feel strongly about the situation re: standing & sitting. One of the things that I enjoy about away games is that invariably I am permitted to stand throughout the entire match.
It seems to me that City are damned if they do and damned if they don't. Earlier posters have quite rightly pointed out that standing at football matches is against the law. The Club is therefore correct in enforcing this (although it appears that some of the methods are less than acceptable). Unfortunately the reverse is the case if they turn a blind eye to certain sections and permit standing.
This particular law is however outdated. Football has moved on since the days of Hillsborough & Heysel and the Bundesliga has proved that safe standing areas are perfectly acceptable (and indeed desirable) to many supporters. The fact that the great majority of away fans of PL Clubs seem to prefer to stand would appear to underline the obvious fact that standing is preferable to sitting for many fans nowadays. The other fact that so many are allowed to do so simply emphasises that this particular law has become an ass. I would cite our national stadium as a prime example of this, as we Blues have been allowed to stand unchallenged throughout all 3 games at Wembley this year. Not once did any of the stewards near me try to make any of us sit down.
The only answer therefore in my opinion is for a groundswell of lobbying by Supporters Clubs and the Clubs themselves for the introduction of safe standing areas. We are 'the customers' and I was always taught that the customer is invariably right. Those who wish to stand could opt for that section and the rest can carry on sitting down. It's hardly rocket science and we don't need to go back to the days of cramming as many people as possible on to the terraces. The capacity numbers could be kept pretty much as they are now without adding to the risk of crowd trouble or injury.
Until something like this is done, and presented to the Government via the proper channels, then nothing is likely to change.