Premier and Championship Clubs Can Trial Safe Standing

rob_fmttm

Administrator
Am not sure too many Championship clubs will be able to afford to replace seats at this time. But Premier League is a different matter - they already have safe standing - they call it safe seating - rail seats at Spurs. As Boro fans that went to the cup match in their new stadium will know.
 
Is there any benefit to introducing safe standing, say in the south stand, if it does not increase capacity (and people already stand)?
 
Is there any benefit to introducing safe standing, say in the south stand, if it does not increase capacity (and people already stand)?
A negative could be that stewards may be asked to impose seating again in non safe standing areas but that would surely be out of order at grounds without safe standing.
There is little doubt rail seating/standing is the safest way to watch football. Because who here does not stand up as a reflex action when Boro are attacking and threatening to score? Maybe it is an empty threat all too often but we all stand up on reflex and that is far less safe than either being glued to your seat or standing behind a barrier. (This has long been proven to be the case by Trafford Council).
The problem is replacing a seat for a rail seat costs money - Boro haven't got that money and I don't think anyone will have in the Championship. We haven't got the money to change old seats for new ones, never mind for more expensive rail seats. But prices will come down and if Boro need to replace a large number of seats then that might well be the time to take the plunge.
 
Standing in the seats really affects my ability to attend games, I can’t stand for long due to medical issues. At Charlton away before lockdown I had to ask a steward to let me sit in an empty disabled section at the back of the lower stand. I think that might be the last game I ever attend
 
There is little doubt rail seating/standing is the safest way to watch football.
Looking at it logically, I would think that rail seating would aid egress in the event of an emergency? Stepping over seats as people (including myself) do when walkways are jammed isn't safe but it must be easier and therefore safer to step over rail seats.
 
Maybe useful for smaller capacity grounds to consider but larger ones eg Riverside would look more deserted and have even less atmosphere with same size crowd
 
Standing in the seats really affects my ability to attend games, I can’t stand for long due to medical issues. At Charlton away before lockdown I had to ask a steward to let me sit in an empty disabled section at the back of the lower stand. I think that might be the last game I ever attend
That’s sad BB. As it happens is the last game I went to as well.
 
Standing in the seats really affects my ability to attend games, I can’t stand for long due to medical issues. At Charlton away before lockdown I had to ask a steward to let me sit in an empty disabled section at the back of the lower stand. I think that might be the last game I ever attend
That is something that "safe standing" might actually help with in that you should reasonably be able to expect people to remain seated in sitting areas when they can choose to be in a standing area. At the Riverside, if you choose your seat carefully, you can pick seats that are fronted by stairways that will mean that you are not obstructed even by people leaving the stands. Also, the West Stand has the upper tier and the front row seats on there are nearly always available towards either end of the ground. Hope you can find a way to get back.
 
We could install proper barriers in the lower section of the North & South stands? Theres only 13 rows of seats and those sat in the upper section will still be able to see anyway.
A lot of grounds in Germany still have proper standing areas, not just rail seats.
Union Berlin has standing on 3 sides with no seats!
 
Can't see why we would want it. We can't fill what we have. Quite happy with the view at the Riverside. Just change things to appease a few marionettes hopping up and down. Backward step for me and would be even worse at some of the older grounds.
 
I'm not overly bothered. I used to love the odd random terrace day at Brentford or Peterborough but that's probably more through nostalgia as my legs ached by the end of it 😂

I do like standing at away games (when having a seat) yet little or no interest at standing at home. I've even given up standing for a corner as pointless lol.

The south Stand stand anyway. So not sure what benifts are of fitting the rail system? I can maybe understand in the likes of the Kopp etc. That said they just stand anyhow. Also you go into the Kopp knowing you will stand. You don't go in and moan because everyone stands up when you've paid for a seat (although probably one or two will😂).
 
15-20 years ago I would have thought this was great, not really fussed now personally, but if it is proved to be safer than fans standing in seated areas why not give it a go. As others have said, I know of a few who don't go to away games because everyone stands and they aren't able to for 90 minutes+
 
I can tell there are very few away followers in this thread. I can probably count on one hand the number of times Boro away fans have stayed seated over the fast five years.

Rail seating for those that want to stand and sitting in seats for those that don't helps everyone. If you read the article it talks about no obstructions for those wanting to be seated and for disabled.

For me it is really forward thinking not backward thinking because this is new technology that will help to make grounds safer and fairer. Too often those disabled or not able to stand have their views partially or fully blocked by people standing up in part or all of the game. Or they are told they have to go to the front, with the worst view. Therefore if you have an area of designated rail-seating it makes it far safer and offers better views for all. It means that no longer do those unable to stand have to go to the front.
If you think back to Charlton, at The Valley they have a disabled gantry have way up the stand but Charlton sell tickets directly in front of that gantry and fans often refuse to sit down giving disabled fans a terrible view.
I would underline again that I think rail seats are safer than normal seats because hardly anyone sits for 90 minutes. It is those unplanned moments when you stand because of action on the pitch or to let someone pass you that are when you are most at risk of losing balance. Obviously there are hardly ever any injuries. But with a rail in front it is pretty much impossible to topple forward.
 
15-20 years ago I would have thought this was great, not really fussed now personally, but if it is proved to be safer than fans standing in seated areas why not give it a go. As others have said, I know of a few who don't go to away games because everyone stands and they aren't able to for 90 minutes+
This is one of the main arguments in favour - so that everyone, not just the fit and able can see the game.
 
Do the grounds that have already installed some rail seating areas have to use them as proper seats at the moment (although I'm sure the fans in those areas don't sit anyway)?
 
Do the grounds that have already installed some rail seating areas have to use them as proper seats at the moment (although I'm sure the fans in those areas don't sit anyway)?
Shrewsbury were the first and they are used for standing. As we saw at Spurs in 2020 the rail seats are not locked down and so you have a choice but in reality everyone seems to stand. Or they did on that cup night.
If you are tired you can pull the seat down and rest on it.
 
I’d do the North stand lower first. Try snd get some atmosphere back in there.
We cannot afford it Jonny - I suspect few if any Championship clubs will be able to.
Celtic's initial 3000 rail seats cost £500k. Not a vast sum in terms of football and footballers but still high right now.
If and when we find the lifespan of the lower stand seats are coming to a close then the argument would be to pay more for rail seats than new ordinary seats. If lots of clubs are installing rail seats then the price may reduce.
I don't think we could even afford to replace 3000 seats with new ordinary seats at present.
 
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