Standing on the terraces?

[Mr Irascible]

There is a momentum behind the campaigns to get terraces returned to football with David Cameron now including it as prospective future Conservative government policy. Leaving aside any political comment please...if the club were to agree to introducing terraced areas where would be the preferred location? I am assuming on the grounds of safety that the West Upper is excluded along with any proposed stadium extensions.

[Huntley & Palmer]

The clever move would be to make the North Stand (lower, if they build the new tier) the standing area.

[TFF]

The sides of the 'bowl' are too steep for traditional terracing and I really can't see the club spending big to create a terrace. Best you could ever hope for would be to allow standing between the seats IMHO.

Any such area would be at the south end of the east stand - Y25/Y26 - where a desire to stand has already been demonstrated.

[West Stand Man]

Where is the option for 'nowhere'?

[Mr Irascible]

Tried to add it...but edit does not seem to allow. Can you vote Other please!

[Dirk Gently]

I don't think anyone has ever talked about big terraces like we used to have in the past (e.g. The Holte End, the Kop, the Valley, etc, etc) - they have gone for ever and good riddance to them.

What the safe standing campaign envisages are small, properly controlled safe standing areas - so certainly nothing the size of a whole stand.

As stated, not sure how the MadStad would be suitable as such without changes, but with the reconstruction there is a potential opportunity, changes to the law permitting.

Try this for an idea - take out the seats for the first 8-10 rows of any stand - let's say the East. Or, better yet, replace them with this type of retractable seating :


The 2 or 3 rows behind that are taken out, and behind that is a properly designed area for wheelchairs and disabled seating. This is properly raised up so it's above the heads of those standing below - the model for this would be Old Trafford, which has state of the art diasbled areas (which I was lucky enough to have a tour of after the match in December - absolutely superb facilities!)

Above that, you then have seating as normal for the other rows fgoing back to the top, and anyone standing in that area doesn't have a prayer of support from anyone.

So don't think whole stands to be safestanding areas - think smaller areas, which I'd like to see as a strip along the front.

[Winchester Royal]

Dirk's hit the nail on the head.
We're never going to get terraces back, and I don't think that can be argued.
Safe standing areas like the ones in Germany provide a common sense solution and are something that I think the club should look to provide should the regulations be changed.

[Garry Mann]

I don't see why we can't bring in larger terraces than just a few rows worth. I'd love to see the bottom tier of the Stretford End be made all terrace, get around 8,000 people in the space for 7,000 seats. I don't see why it can't be done, if well regulated. You need to split the (for example) Stretford End into 8 blocks and only allow 1,000 people in each block, with tickets for that block.

Hillsborough was because too many people got in one part of the ground and there were fences at the front meaning no one could escape the crush. We've moved on since then and it's time for football supporters to claim back the stands.

[AJ~]

I love this photo. So simple, so logical, quite clearly safe, just the perfect solution.

If the club were to ever introduce something like this though would they in the interest of fairness have to allocate a similar section in the away end? Can see an even bigger struggle to keep away fans seated if they see a group of Reading fans on their feet for 90 minutes.

[Harps stay sharp]

So this type of safe standing wont increase the capacity then, as they could only sell the space corresponding to the seats. So it would never allow the swaying of a standing crowd during times of excitement? Just increase the chance of having a restricted view with all that extra scaffolding.

What's the point?

[Winchester Royal]

You won't have a restricted view because you'll be standing, so it won't come up to eye level.

[Harps stay sharp]

I think my 8 year old son might disagree.

[Winchester Royal]

There would still be plenty of seated areas if you found the standing option unsuitable.

[biscuitman]

I think my 8 year old son might disagree

Your 8 year old on can sit in the seats with yourself, all about choice

[STAR Liaison]

So this type of safe standing wont increase the capacity then, as they could only sell the space corresponding to the seats. So it would never allow the swaying of a standing crowd during times of excitement? Just increase the chance of having a restricted view with all that extra scaffolding.

What's the point?

I think you will find that the space needed for standing is more than a seat in width so the only way it could increase capacity is if the depth of the rows is less, and if they have retracable seats that is unlikely.

As mentioned before such decisions are not down to the club, it is a political decision to be taken at national level.

[Schards#2]

If you want a return to the terraces vote Tory as Cameron is advocating this.

Can STAR organise a campaign?

[Winchester Royal]

Ah, but if permission was granted to build these facilities, would the club actually cater for its fans and build them?

[Jerry St Clair]

Ah, but if permission was granted to build these facilities, would the club actually cater for its fans and build them?

Only if it were financially viable. Which I doubt it is.

[Winchester Royal]

I think it would make sense to cater for fans who want to stand, as it would reduce stewarding costs - If there weren't any people standing in seated areas, there would be less tension between fans and stewards, and the stewards wouldn't have to continually tell people to sit down.

[Stooper]

Sadly it won't happen.

Having said that, there's a new stadium being built in Salford with an area of terracing.

But I can't see it happening in football.