SHOULD WE MOVE THE AWAY END?

[THE HUMAN BISCUIT]

Hearing Federici being taunted by the home fans behind the goal at the Ipswich game for being pink, made me think again about where fans should be seated in grounds, particularly away fans. Obviously, Feds is used to being Oxforded by the home fans sitting behind him. He can take it, and all that. But are we missing a trick at the Mad Stad by not seating home fans behind the goalies at BOTH ends?

When we played Derby in the cup, it was very noticeable that we Reading fans had been shoved away in a corner, while the two ends behind the two goals were occupied by home fans. Just like the Ipswich fans yesterday, the Derby home fans were getting at Feds for this and that - and they were doing it at BOTH ends! To me it looked like a small but real advantage to have home fans behind the visiting goalie, putting them off all game.

I say that because IMHO, the Leeds fans who turned up in such impressive and noisy numbers for the game at that Mad Stad that we lost, were creating so much noise behind Feds in the second half that it must surely have affected him. That long shot from Murphy he let in, which seemed to come out of nowhere, was let in by a Feds who appeared distracted. I'm not saying it was only the Leeds fans making all that noise that caused the goal - but it can't have helped. Imagine having that lot baying down you neck.

So shouldn't we do what Derby have done, and move the away fans to a corner at the Mad Stad, leaving the actual goal-ends exclusively for home supporters? Then we can get at the visiting goalies in both halves! Simples.

[Man Friday]

I honestly think you may have something there. I'd suggest a corner.

[bobby1413]

Obviously, Feds is used to being Oxforded by the home fans sitting behind him

What does "Oxforded" mean?

[harry]

Interesting idea.
The question would then be where would you move it to. East Stand or West Stand? The former is pretty well full of STHs. The latter has the posh seats and the hostility boxes. Wherever it moved some fans including STHs would have to be moved. I would be highly annoyed if I had to move as a result.

[Ascotroyal83]

The upper West?

[harry]

The upper West?

aren't they the expensive seats?

[Ascotroyal83]

The upper West?

aren't they the expensive seats?

Yeah they are.

[harry]

The upper West?

aren't they the expensive seats?

Yeah they are.

Prawn sandwiches for the away fans

[Z175]

I used to think this was bit petty towards the away fans. However as more and more clubs are doing it it does seem to improve the atmosphere.

I think we are not alone in having lost a bit of a connection or link with the team. Despite having a lot of local academy players, I think the increased expectations from the premier league days, the increased desperation to be in the media limelight that is the PL, the massive wages and the increasing number of foreign imports has all dampened the tribal atmosphere across the league.

I think the South "bank?" stand that replaces the away end should have cheaper tickets in an effort to attract people. Perhaps additional 16-21 discounts or even just no child discounts in this area, in order to make it an intimidating bank of noise. The logical place for the away end would then be the southeast corner below the score board. This is actually a large area and could have course be expanded on either side for a big away support.

[harry]

I used to think this was bit petty towards the away fans. However as more and more clubs are doing it it does seem to improve the atmosphere.

I think we are not alone in having lost a bit of a connection or link with the team. Despite having a lot of local academy players, I think the increased expectations from the premier league days, the increased desperation to be in the media limelight that is the PL, the massive wages and the increasing number of foreign imports has all dampened the tribal atmosphere across the league.

I think the South "bank?" stand that replaces the away end should have cheaper tickets in an effort to attract people. Perhaps additional 16-21 discounts or even just no child discounts in this area, in order to make it an intimidating bank of noise. The logical place for the away end would then be the southeast corner below the score board. This is actually a large area and could have course be expanded on either side for a big away support.

Impacting Y25 & Y26. Do one!

[Nameless]

The area under the scoreboard has a few hundred seats at most and no means of segregation !
Any away area needs 4000 seats so you would need to give half the east stand as your only real option. You could. Maybe use 25% of the East and half the south for big allocations but access would be a big problem.
Realistically you could only move the away area as part of a stadium expansion.

I also don't think the fans intimidate Feds in any way at all....

[bobby1413]

I also don't think the fans intimidate Feds in any way at all....

I was going to say that

These are professional keepers. They aren't going to be better performers just because the Y25 lot are behind them not to the side. Or because the away fans have moved.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Move the away fans to the North stand so the East Stand fans don't have to walk asound the ground at the end of the game.

[Nameless]

Move the away fans to the North stand so the East Stand fans don't have to walk asound the ground at the end of the game.

anyone spot the obvious problem there......

[AthleticoSpizz]

Lol yes!

Put them in the Lower East instead (especially Wolves)

[marcusopp]

Very good idea.
Traditionally visiting supporters would be behind one of the goals, but why?
I old grounds like Elm Park it made sense logistically, but there's no need for us to shoot ourselves in the dick now! Shove 'em in the corner out the way!

[handbags_harris]

Any away area needs 4000 seats so you would need to give half the east stand as your only real option. You could. Maybe use 25% of the East and half the south for big allocations but access would be a big problem.
Realistically you could only move the away area as part of a stadium expansion.

Does it? League regs state 10% of the total capacity up to 3000, subject to segregation, which is why in the Premier League we only ever give half the South Stand. In the Championship we only offer a potential 4200 to the likes of Leeds because the demand isn't there from home supporters to fill it. For cup games it's slightly different, 15% subject to segregation, but because we can only segregate the South Stand into halves we have no choice but to offer the whole stand.

This would be easy to implement and personally I'd be all for it. Give them Y24, 25 and 26, there's your 2500ish seats, shove a segregation barrier up the stand and down on the concourse, build a new food outlet, take the segregation out of the South Stand returning it to how it was originally, and I can then get home about 10 minutes quicker. One question to be asked if this was mooted though - what would happen with the arrangements for away fans? Match finishes, turn right out of Gate 8, head into home fans. Turn left out of Gate 8, head into home fans. Would we all be treated like adults and allowed to intermingle post match?

[arthurfondrelli]

Move away fans to Y24/25/26 and make the North Stand safe standing

[Nameless]

You would need to handle cup games, so your away end would need to be configurable for 15%. Not sure how that would work in terms of adequate entry points, toilets etc for each part of the East Stand or exactly where the line would come on the stand.
You would also have no back up for the turnstiles as all gate 8 would be away fans and there is no where to add extra turnstiles.
It's obviously easy to do, until you actually start looking at the practicalities.
If it's all about you getting home earlier it would probably be quicker and easier for you to move closer to the ground.....

[harry]

Move away fans to Y24/25/26 and make the North Stand safe standing

Keep Y24, Y25 & Y26 for those there already. Give the rest of the stadium to the away fans instead. Then we can treat it like an away game and we'll start winning again.