Away Fans Limited to 2000 in the Play Off Semis

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fmttmadmin

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It looks as if we were not alone in getting 2000 away seats at Coventry and reciprocating for them at the Riverside.
I have just heard this was the total allotted also for the League One Play off semi finals even though away clubs would have sold more especially when you look at the support of Barnsley, Bolton and Sheff Wed and how short the journeys were for their fans.
I wonder where this 2000 figure has come from and how official it is. And why?
 
fmttmadmin said:
It looks as if we were not alone in getting 2000 away seats at Coventry and reciprocating for them at the Riverside.
I have just heard this was the total allotted also for the League One Play off semi finals even though away clubs would have sold more especially when you look at the support of Barnsley, Bolton and Sheff Wed and how short the journeys were for their fans.
I wonder where this 2000 figure has come from and how official it is. And why?
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My guess is the police.
 
it is in EPL play off rules

3.3 The Visiting Club shall have the right to claim 2,000 tickets for use by its supporters (or such number as represents 10% of all tickets reserved or otherwise sold in advance, if less than 2,000). The following conditions shall apply:

link
 
Peterborough didnt have the full top tier of the leppings lane end and bolton only had the top section of the away end at Barnsley. Barnsley wouldnt have even been able to sell tickets in that stand to their own supporters despite the fixture being sold out

Even Carlisle opened the open terrace behind the goal to home supporters, which for a cup game would usually be not used or given to the away team
 
A shame, as many more away fans would want to go to each match.

I suspect it's down to policing. For some play off matches, such as Sunderland's home match, we only knew there'd be a match 5 days before it was played. Odds were against them making the playoffs on the Monday morning, and the match was played on the Saturday.

Now, I can see an argument that 4 days isn't long enough to arrange a major policing operation with 4-5k away fans rocking up. However, I'd expect there to be fairly standard plans for these events already in existence. I don't really know enough about police planning for such events to have a strong opinion on that.
 
I genuinely think it's just clubs trying to maximise the advantage of home support rather than police advice.

Why have more away fans than you need when it's a "bonus" televised game that could help you get promoted?
 
TeaCider said:
I genuinely think it's just clubs trying to maximise the advantage of home support rather than police advice.

Why have more away fans than you need when it's a "bonus" televised game that could help you get promoted?
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I think you're over estimating the role of the fans.
 
Corcaigh_the_Cat said:
I think they'll have had some influence, that's quite a bit of revenue clubs are giving up.
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Yes, we were able to get more home fans in as a result, but the likes of Sunderland, Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday couldn't/didn't due to the configurations of their grounds

I agree it's probably an agreement with the police who have to implement plans at very short notice.
 
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What I am also hearing is that clubs such as Hull and Reading are actively reducing away allocations and relocating them to more expensive areas and also where they can create less atmosphere. So, to increase home advantage - one of the reasons why Newcastle and Sunderland both park the away supporters far from the pitch. It is a really worrying trend in the EFL - where rising policing costs are also a factor.
Think of Preston Gentry Day, think of Coventry, last game of the normal season, the away fans were a big factor in making those match days a real event. Then think of Boro fans travelling away, all those arguments about priority points etc if clubs start restricting numbers, even when they do not fill their own grounds, then the debate is going to get even more heated on here.
 
fmttmadmin said:
So, to increase home advantage - one of the reasons why Newcastle and Sunderland both park the away supporters far from the pitch.
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I believe the PL have stipulated than away fans must be accommodated at pitch side, but Newcastle are given exemption due to the configuration of their ground.

Would they be obliged to rectify this in any future development?

On the whole, a good rule which if like to see the EFL adopt. Mind you, maybe there aren't too many EFL grounds that don't do this already.
 
fmttmadmin said:
What I am also hearing is that clubs such as Hull and Reading are actively reducing away allocations and relocating them to more expensive areas and also where they can create less atmosphere. So, to increase home advantage - one of the reasons why Newcastle and Sunderland both park the away supporters far from the pitch. It is a really worrying trend in the EFL - where rising policing costs are also a factor.
Think of Preston Gentry Day, think of Coventry, last game of the normal season, the away fans were a big factor in making those match days a real event. Then think of Boro fans travelling away, all those arguments about priority points etc if clubs start restricting numbers, even when they do not fill their own grounds, then the debate is going to get even more heated on here.
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The continued attack on freedom of the football fan, all part of the fight against democracy going on in the country.
 
Frozen Horse said:
I believe the PL have stipulated than away fans must be accommodated at pitch side, but Newcastle are given exemption due to the configuration of their ground.

Would they be obliged to rectify this in any future development?

On the whole, a good rule which if like to see the EFL adopt. Mind you, maybe there aren't too many EFL grounds that don't do this already.
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Theyre moving home supporters to accomodate a safe standing area, so no reason why they cant move the away section too. Yes it will upset a few afterall who wants to watch their side from Level 7?
 
fmttmadmin said:
What I am also hearing is that clubs such as Hull and Reading are actively reducing away allocations and relocating them to more expensive areas and also where they can create less atmosphere. So, to increase home advantage - one of the reasons why Newcastle and Sunderland both park the away supporters far from the pitch. It is a really worrying trend in the EFL - where rising policing costs are also a factor.
Think of Preston Gentry Day, think of Coventry, last game of the normal season, the away fans were a big factor in making those match days a real event. Then think of Boro fans travelling away, all those arguments about priority points etc if clubs start restricting numbers, even when they do not fill their own grounds, then the debate is going to get even more heated on here.
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You mean like what we did? Moved them from the South to the east upper (2nd most expensive part of the ground) also means we can have our fans behind both goals
 
Anybody4aBeer said:
You mean like what we did? Moved them from the South to the east upper (2nd most expensive part of the ground) also means we can have our fans behind both goals
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Yes, that is true. Though we didn't reduce the away capacity or capacity to create an atmosphere by showing them away from pitch.
 
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