Supporters back move for standing at football ground
Football fans say they would welcome being able to stand at the King Power stadium, after seeing a display of how it could be made possible.
Scores of supporters attended an exhibition at the Safe Standing system yesterday – which is widely used in Germany and Austria and involves barriers and optional fold-down metal seats.
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Since the Hillborough disaster in which 96 people died in a stadium crush, top clubs have had to ensure their fans sit down during games.
However, 23 years on, the call is growing for the right to stand at matches and the Safe Standing system is being shown off around the UK in a campaign by the Football Supporters Federation.
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Fan Gary Jacques, 48, of Countesthorpe, who was at the exhibition on Saturday, said: "We want to be treated like humans.
"It's much safer and you're actually going to get less injuries without the seats in front digging into you legs.
"With this system you couldn't surge forwards if you tried."
Alistair Proudman, 19, of Wigston, said: "It's quite impressive. There is less danger because people aren't going to topple over the seats any more."
City season ticket-holder Stuart Ellison arranged the demonstration of Safe Standing at the Counting House pub, in Freemans Park, Leicester, ahead of City's match against Peterborough on Saturday.
He said: "It's the first time I've seen the system myself and I think it's brilliant.
"We've had a lot of people looking at it and everyone seems to be in favour of it."
However, the estimated costs of buying the Safe Standing system is £80 per seat space, which would mean a bill of well over £2.5 million for the whole of the King Power Stadium, before fitting costs.
When asked about the campaign to change the law Leicester City Football Club said it does what the law requires.
A spokesman said: "The conditions of King Power Stadium's safety licence, as prescribed under the Football Spectators Act 1989, require all parts of the stadium to be all-seater."
However, some Leicester fans admitted standing despite the law.
Ben Bayne, 22, of Broughton Astley, said: "It's a much better atmosphere at away games where everyone's standing."
While all the fans who saw the Safe Standing system seemed to like the idea, some had doubts things would change.
Steve Bates, 22, from Countesthorpe, said: "I'm for it 100 per cent. I think the club will be wary about it because they will pay all this money to replace the seats and after all that investment the fans will expect to pay less for a ticket because they're standing up."
Daniel Varney, 24, of Thorpe Astley, said: "It's a good idea but it won't be supported by the politicians because of what's preceded it."
Comments
by Patrick4939
Tuesday, August 21 2012, 4:22PM
“There are never enough fans at most Austrian games for it to be a factor. In Germany they are
very worried about increasing violence especially at grounds in the former East Germany because gates have shot up. The authorities are looking at several alternatives including - wait for it- all seat stadia.”
by sydney11
Tuesday, August 21 2012, 3:19PM
“There appears to be a difference between the culture of rugby and football fans - having been a rugby fan for years and never experience taking drinks or food into the game or stands. Having been to the football at the millenium stadium was totally different - there was also to be a divide between the fans they searched, ie they did not frisk the women in the queue in front of me (she was wearing a scarf etc) but frisked me - although 62 i would class my self as beeing quite reasonablly dressed. Neither were children searched. It would appear that 'white' women were singled out as opposed to women from other ethnic backgrounds! Also the no drinks rule- I still cannot fatham out - I can only assume that this was a marketing tool to sell more of their extautionated priced catering - but it did not work with me!!”
by Lee_p_83
Tuesday, August 21 2012, 1:13PM
“Unfortunately, the law needs to change before any of this can happen. Everyone who is in favour needs to sign the FSF petition if they want to see it considered in parliament.
Personally, I can't see why people who like to sit oppose the idea.
The rail seating would be in designated areas only, meaning those who wish to stand buy their ticket in that part of the stadium and those who wish to sit, buy a seat.
No one is inconvenienced and the system is perfectly safe as each row has a rail in front of it (no surging or crushing) and each standing 'spot' has a number like a seat, meaning no overcrowding.
As Blagdonred says, everyone wins.”
by Blagdonred
Tuesday, August 21 2012, 8:53AM
“Hi MjCClarke: I think you answer your own reservations. You point out yourself the inconsistency in the rules between football and rugby stadia, in Leicester's case just a few hundred yards apart. That clearly is illogical and needs addressing. Either standing should be banned in the rugby ground (because it is deemed unsafe), or - if we accept that standing is not unsafe - it should be allowed in properly designed areas at the football ground.
You also mention with some frustration the fact that fans do stand and inconvenience others by blocking their view. The appetite for standing has not waned over nearly 20 years of all-seater stadia and appears, in fact, to be now growing. Fans who want to sit are going to continue to have problems with standing fans ... unless the standing fans are given their own area.
Everyone - and logic! - wins.”
by Blagdonred
Tuesday, August 21 2012, 8:50AM
“Hi MjCClarke: I think you answer your own reservations. You point out yourself the inconsistency in the rules between football and rugby stadia, in Leicester's case just a few hundred yards apart. That clearly is illogical and needs addressing. Either standing should be banned in the rugby ground (because it is deemed unsafe), or - if we accept that standing is not unsafe - it should be allowed in properly designed areas at the football ground.
You also mention with some frustration the fact that fans do stand and inconvenience others by blocking their view. The appetite for standing has not waned over nearly 20 years of all-seater stadia and appears, in fact, to be now growing. Fans who want to sit are going to continue to have problems with standing fans ... unless the standing fans are given their own area.
Everyone - and logic! - wins.”
by MjCclarke
Tuesday, August 21 2012, 8:17AM
“In my boyhood I watched football standing on Filbert Street's vast Popular Side terraces, all the traditional atmosphere, standing with a cluster of regular match day pals, adults helping we kids through to th the front perimeter wall where we could hear the thud of Howard Riley's boot aaginst the leather ball of the day. But beneath the rose tinted recollections I also remember the crushes and forward crowd surges. Rangers fans once standing at the back and hurling bottles. Some spectators even urinating on the spot because toilets were unreachable. I still enjoy standing to watch football, but for that I travel to Boston United's lovely York Street (League 2 grade) ground. It must be remembered why grounds became all seater, Even before the Hillsborough disaster, there were others Bolton 1946, Ibrox 1973, Luton v Man U. 1983. Watch football at lower levels, smaller crowds and you can still enjoy the traditional atmosphere, but if Leicester City fans really have ambitions for top flight football they will have to remain seated (if only they would during a game so all can see!) However its always intrigued me why Leicester Tigers can have a 24,000 gate with a standing on terrace? Safety issues are surely the same?? Despite the atmosphere of the old grounds modern grounds offer fantstic, clean, comfortable, safer, accessable facilities”
by LCFCSTU
Monday, August 20 2012, 9:27PM
“This isn't a concept dreamt up by someone who then went to his shed to build it. The model is used all over Germany ( as said) and several Premiership and Championship clubs have said they want this. Some publicly, some privately. Its not a matter of persuading fans it may work, its a matter of persuading the government fans are not stuck in the 80s hooliganism era anymore, which they associate with standing.
Theres much more to this than meets the eye. Did you know league 1 and 2 clubs can have standing legally? Rugby can at any level, as well asmusic concerts. Wheres the consistency.
Not knocking you for having an opinion but at least make it an informed one before dismissing it”
by LCFCSTU
Monday, August 20 2012, 9:21PM
“Wrong duane. The stewards would be on to anyone doing that in an instant.
This rail seating is used all over in the German Bundesliga, with 27K 'rail seats' used for standing for the standing area. If it can happen on that scale there, why not on a smaller scale here?
Any argument against is pretty much flawed”
by Janet_F22
Monday, August 20 2012, 3:32PM
“A great idea and as long as there's a choice for seating and standing. I like the idea of improving the atmosphere at games although I suspect it's money that will be the decider on this one.”
by Blagdonred
Monday, August 20 2012, 3:17PM
“Unfortunately the reporter has misunderstood and given the impression that the WHOLE ground would be fitted with rail seats. That is NOT the intention.
The idea is that a separate section be provided specifically for those fans that want to stand (you'll know better than me how many Leicester fans already do so or might want to if it was allowed, but I'd have thought that perhaps around 10% of the stadium capacity might be set aside for standing).
90% of the ground would therefore remain exactly as it is and everyone who prefers to sit would continue doing so in those areas and never again be inconvenienced by anyone standing in front of them ... as everyone who wants to stand would be in the standing section.
With no mixing of standing and seated fans, neither the problem mentioned by sydney11 of being forced to stand in order to see or the issue mentioned by DuaneB of children climbing on seats to get a better view would arise, whereas in the situation as it exists at present with standing often tolerated in seated areas both can and do happen.
Designated safe standing areas will create a better, safer, more vibrant matchday experience for all fans - those who stand AND those who sit.”