Safe Standing at St James Park

Cardiff pioneered this at a Championship level - they actually allowed home fans to stand behind their seats behind the goal for a couple of years when this was officially banned in England. They then installed rail seats as and when they could afford them.
Rail seat are far more expensive than ordinary seating - but the Riverside has an issue where large swathes of seats need replacing, particularly lower down in the stadium where they have been struck by footballs in the warm ups. At Stoke, a similar stadium to the Riverside but a couple of years younger, they have recently replaced much of the seating but not with rail seats.
But this will be the best time to install rail seats when we need new seats.
 
If people stand up in front of you .......you have to stand up to see regardless , see more arguements about this than owt else in grounds
 
If people stand up in front of you .......you have to stand up to see regardless , see more arguements about this than owt else in grounds
The idea is that you have an area where people have to sit down and an area where you can stand - and you sell tickets accordingly. So, the theory is if you say in advance you want to sit you should not have your view blocked any longer.
 
Serious question, do you actually get more people in? Looks like the same amount of seats to me, just with a rail in front of them?
You don't get more people in, at least not with this system. For these rail seats there can be slightly less capacity rather than more as everyone has to have a seat and they sometimes remove the seats at the end of a row for extra safety.
Lower down the pyramid safer terraces are an option without seats.
 
I mean it’s not standing as many knew it
But it is standing up. But yes you stand in rows with the seat behind you and a rail in front - at waist height or higher. So, no it isn't like the Holgate experience. That is why no one can accuse it as being taking a retrograde step - in fact it is newer technology than normal seats.
But sadly we would have to be relegated rather than promoted to hope to experience standing in the way we last did at London Road, Peterborough or away at Burton Albion.
 
Would it not be more worthwhile putting standing into the north stand? We already have a vociferous following in the south stand. We need one in the one TV and rail seating would encourage that.
 
Would it not be more worthwhile putting standing into the north stand? We already have a vociferous following in the south stand. We need one in the one TV and rail seating would encourage that.
I can see what you mean but I think you would have to invite people in the North Stand for their opinion. In the South Stand they have already voted with their feet, so to speak.
To be honest the governing body for safety in football the SGSA are pressing clubs to either make fans sit down or stand up with rail seats. It hasn't happened yet but ultimately they might try and reduce the capacity of a stand for persistent standing - it would seem a draconian measure and from a different time altogether but it could be a factor at play further influencing clubs to take a plunge with rail seating.
 
Impact on revenue will be a factor.
Big Clubs - the bet it is will be revenue enhancing as they get more people in.
Bit of a no brainier really
Smaller clubs - opposite effect and a difficult sell to any Board.

You could argue it will open up the game to those who can’t afford seat prices.
Clubs who are keen on supporting their local communities in this way may take a punt.
I wouldn’t hold your breath for us
You only get more people in with proper standing. Dortmund's capacity goes down from 81k+ To about 65k for European games when they have to put the seats in.
 
No. They are not allowed to be locked.
Rail seats were required to be locked down as a seat by UEFA for UEFA tournament- hence in Germany the massive popular ends behind goals all had to be in the seat mode and not locked away.
At Dortmund they take the seats out for league games.
 
You don't get more people in, at least not with this system. For these rail seats there can be slightly less capacity rather than more as everyone has to have a seat and they sometimes remove the seats at the end of a row for extra safety.
So what's the point?

More expensive to install than normal seats, lower ticket prices(?), and less people in the ground.
 
So what's the point?

More expensive to install than normal seats, lower ticket prices(?), and less people in the ground.
The point is it gives people the chance to stand - and many already do that. In the South Stand for instance and every away game for the past decade. So, firstly the safety people are starting to insist on people standing with rail seats or safety measures. Secondly, not everyone wants to or is able to stand. If you have designated (safe) standing areas then you also have areas where everyone can sit and not have their view blocked.
I said safe in brackets because to my knowledge and also from government research, no one has been killed or seriously injured standing behind their seats with or without rails in recent times.
But this is latest technology, proven to be very safe and so many clubs want to bring in rail seating mainly because standing fans tend to generate more noise and atmosphere - we "stand up if we love Boro." we stand up when action hots up. We stand up to celebrate a goal.
 
The point is it gives people the chance to stand - and many already do that. In the South Stand for instance and every away game for the past decade. So, firstly the safety people are starting to insist on people standing with rail seats or safety measures. Secondly, not everyone wants to or is able to stand. If you have designated (safe) standing areas then you also have areas where everyone can sit and not have their view blocked.
I said safe in brackets because to my knowledge and also from government research, no one has been killed or seriously injured standing behind their seats with or without rails in recent times.
But this is latest technology, proven to be very safe and so many clubs want to bring in rail seating mainly because standing fans tend to generate more noise and atmosphere - we "stand up if we love Boro." we stand up when action hots up. We stand up to celebrate a goal.
I can't be the only person who's had to help catch someone about to fall over the seat in front. Rail seating can only be an improvement.
 
I can't be the only person who's had to help catch someone about to fall over the seat in front. Rail seating can only be an improvement.
NYBoro - even going back to the 1990s Trafford Council investigated the safety issues around standing at football matches and concluded that the real dangers were when people suddenly and unexpectedly stand up from their seats when there is goal action or it could be someone trying to squeeze past. It is those unplanned actions that can leave people vulnerable to losing balance. A rail prevents any forward movement, the seat prevents any thing happening from behind. The reason for taking seats out at the end of rows is so no one can fall sideways.
 
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