Standing up

[madreadingfan]

Most clubs in the leagues have sections in the ground where they can stand all game with no hassle. i just dont see what the problem is, we havent exactly had a disaster moment when someones been seriously injured from standing.
If it is a big game for Reading where the crowd is a bit more up for it the stewards are normally more relaxed about standing, also noticed in the second half of matches this season the stewards dont come up or only come up once at the beggining of the second half.

[Dirk Gently]

I have always backed the introduction of a safe standing area. I think the club should seriously look in allowing Y25/26 to become a standing only block.

They can look into all they like, you have to convince the FA first.

Nothing to do with the FA. It's the law, so the people to convince are the politicos....

[weybridgewanderer]

Most clubs in the leagues have sections in the ground where they can stand all game with no hassle. i just dont see what the problem is, we havent exactly had a disaster moment when someones been seriously injured from standing.
If it is a big game for Reading where the crowd is a bit more up for it the stewards are normally more relaxed about standing, also noticed in the second half of matches this season the stewards dont come up or only come up once at the beggining of the second half.

coz its against the law

the reason the stewards are "more lenient" on big games is that it is a "risk verses reward", would removing offenders or forcing them to sit be more distruptive that leaving them stand at that particular moment.

it is then between the club and the local authority. the local authority can reduce the capacity, or even not issue a safety certificate if the club has people who persisent in standing

away support that persistently stand can have their away allocation reduced,

you may find the stewards behaviour change if representatives from the lcoal authority are in attendance or if the safety certificate is due for renewal

[Magnus]

The FA should be ran by former players etc. Not businessmen or politicians.

Do you really think that's a good idea?

I agree the FA and more so FIFA seem out of touch with football clubs and fans, and I also realise I'm stereotyping here, but I'm not convinced letting thugs with 2 GCSEs between them take over will improve things.

[BReal]

I have always backed the introduction of a safe standing area. I think the club should seriously look in allowing Y25/26 to become a standing only block.

They can look into all they like, you have to convince the FA first.

The organisation is ran by a bunch of money-thirsty politicians. Would never happen.

is it 'Post like a Sun Reader' day

[Sun Tzu]

The FA should be ran by former players etc. Not businessmen or politicians.

Do you really think that's a good idea?

I agree the FA and more so FIFA seem out of touch with football clubs and fans, and I also realise I'm stereotyping here, but I'm not convinced letting thugs with 2 GCSEs between them take over will improve things.

Has having Platini running UEFA seen a big improvement in things, from a fans point of view ?

[LoyalRoyalFan]

The FA should be ran by former players etc. Not businessmen or politicians.

Do you really think that's a good idea?

I agree the FA and more so FIFA seem out of touch with football clubs and fans, and I also realise I'm stereotyping here, but I'm not convinced letting thugs with 2 GCSEs between them take over will improve things.

Has having Platini running UEFA seen a big improvement in things, from a fans point of view ?

The English game certainly won't in years to come.

[Stuffed Crust Pizza]

They are if you go about it the right way, and I think this one is. The campaign for Safe Standing being relaunched this year.

Can I just point people to the homepage of this campaign. StandUpSitDown is fully backed by the Football Supporter's Federation and are looking to relaunch the campaign following a recent advertising campaign.

Please visit http://www.susd.vitalfootball.co.uk and join in the forum discussion. There is also a Facebook group with over 5,000 member already (only launched last month). Please join to show your support.

[Magnus]

How many have signed up to that campaign, how long has it been running for, and what has it acheived?

Don't get me wrong, I like joining facebook groups and signing online petitions as much as the next man, but I'm just not sure it acheives anything.

[Boyle the Royal]

I did see what I can best describe as a "cock" standing up in the front row of Y25. A couple of stewards were obviously asking him to sit down and he was refusing and pointing to all the away fans standing up. I could understand his point more if other people around him were standing up - but they weren't. He just looked daft and forced himself to stand for ages just to make a bloody point.

If this was the guy that was standing in the stairs, he was actually telling the stewards which Geordie it was that had thrown a coin at Brian Howard when taking a corner, although initially the stewards didn't listen to him and told him to sit down, so he made a point of standing there until they did something.

The simple answer to the argument on safe standing is that if a whole block of people, for example the whole of Y25, stand up together, the stewards won't bother trying to get people to sit down because it would be impossible. When it's only the back 4 rows standing then obviously it's a fairly easy job to get them to sit down and the stewards can threaten to chuck people out knowing they could actually carry out the threat. IMO there's no need for any campaigns, if everybody stands up, the stewards won't stop you. And the idea that fans of clubs with fans who persistently stand will have their allocations reduced will never happen. I bet that those Newcastle fans have stood up through every away game they've been to this season yet they were still allocated the entire South stand.

[Royal Lady]

He wasn't standing in the stairs. The guy I'm on about was standing up in the front row of Y25.

[Stuffed Crust Pizza]

How many have signed up to that campaign, how long has it been running for, and what has it acheived?

Don't get me wrong, I like joining facebook groups and signing online petitions as much as the next man, but I'm just not sure it acheives anything.

I'm not sure what you mean by asking how many have signed up for the campaign. There is no official sign-up as of yet. The forum over at http://www.susd.vitalfootball.co.uk/forum is well populated and receives constant traffic and postings. The Facebook group has over 5,000 members who support the campaign.

The FSF's involvement has been reduced recently as they are pressing over high-profile and more urgent campaigns such as the policing and stewarding of football fans. However with the relaunch due soon and FSF due to get involved once again the future looks to be more positive.

Politicians have already been lobbied and the Lib-Dems have already backed the campaign so progress is being made.

Rather than knock it, why not join in!

[Big Foot]

How many have signed up to that campaign, how long has it been running for, and what has it acheived?

Don't get me wrong, I like joining facebook groups and signing online petitions as much as the next man, but I'm just not sure it acheives anything.

I'm not sure what you mean by asking how many have signed up for the campaign. There is no official sign-up as of yet. The forum over at http://www.susd.vitalfootball.co.uk/forum is well populated and receives constant traffic and postings. The Facebook group has over 5,000 members who support the campaign.

The FSF's involvement has been reduced recently as they are pressing over high-profile and more urgent campaigns such as the policing and stewarding of football fans. However with the relaunch due soon and FSF due to get involved once again the future looks to be more positive.

Politicians have already been lobbied and the Lib-Dems have already backed the campaign so progress is being made.

Rather than knock it, why not join in!

I was involved in this a few years back and not much more has been acheived in the 3 years between then and now, otherwise it'd be mentioned alongside the Lib Dems backing the cause.

Good idea but it's very much an uphill battle against stereotypes from pen pushers

[Magnus]

Join in by joining a facegroup group and posting on an internet forum you mean? I realise it's easy to knock but I just don't see the point.

If I felt that strongly stop watching football at a PL and Championship level and instead go and watch local non-league sides where standing is still permitted. I'd also suggesting writing letters to my MP, the press, the FA, anyone who'll listen, would be more effective than clicking "Join this group" on a social networking site.

[Stuffed Crust Pizza]

Join in by joining a facegroup group and posting on an internet forum you mean? I realise it's easy to knock but I just don't see the point.

If I felt that strongly stop watching football at a PL and Championship level and instead go and watch local non-league sides where standing is still permitted. I'd also suggesting writing letters to my MP, the press, the FA, anyone who'll listen, would be more effective than clicking "Join this group" on a social networking site.

If I may just educate you for a moment Magnus, all that you suggest above is already underway and has gathered pace since the turn of the year. Members of the forum have been encouraged to write to their MP to get their opinion on the campaign, with mixed responses. Some of the best journalists have been identified and emailed with a brief outline of the campaign and a request to write a piece to give some much needed national coverage. So far the responses have been very incouraging and the journos have shown much interest. At the moment the campaign is focusing on recruitment and advertising to get the word out to a larger audience so when the serious campaigning begins people are better educated on the subject, with the pros and cons of standing and can make an informed decision on the future of watching this great game.

So before you make your mind up that this is a lost cause with no direction or drive perhaps you can reflect on the above and the fact that the FSF have backed the campaign to the hilt. Hardly mickey-mouse as you are trying to insinuate.

Or we could all give up and take to our seats to watch our football in an ever decreasing atmosphere in silence. Sorry thats not for me so we will fight on!

[Magnus]

Good luck with that then, and thanks for the lesson.

In the meantime, how much are you spending a year to sit in silence watching your team then, if you don't mind me asking? If we all stopped going the message would be far stronger than a letter any one of us could write to the Guardian or Martin Salter.

[biscuitman]

Ok lads, I've got a pink handbag...who wants it?

[Stuffed Crust Pizza]

Ok lads, I've got a pink handbag...who wants it?

I'd like to campaign for it, but I suppose it would be a waste of time - so I won't bother!

[biscuitman]

Oh I'm in support of it mate. I just like it went a forum has a virtual fight.