email from club - NO MORE TICKETS ON SALE IN KOP - standing & wrong seat usage

[The Crab]

Yeah, I think that’s me done now. I’ve already had a moan on another thread about how difficult it’s become to get tickets for gigs and football, fucking around with apps and websites that don’t work properly. The “hooliganism” that’s started to re-appear over the last few years is a bit depressing, I don’t want to have to argue with a bunch of 6’5” teenagers because they’re sat in my seat or chucking shit around and I’m finding I don’t really want to go anymore. So, unless things change, I can’t see myself going to the Lane again for the foreseeable future and perhaps not even away games in London. I’d rather put the money into my pension and retire a bit earlier than arse about on a computer trying to get tickets, end up stood next to some bunch of arseholes and get filmed by the plod for just being there whilst there’s a full on fight going off down the road, queue for overpriced “food” and miss half the second half….

I feel much the same. Too many coked up dickheads...

 

[S64 Blade]

So…….
What do YOU do about “upholding the rules”

I’m not employed to uphold them. But I do take personal responsibility by sitting in my own seat

 

[Deadbat]

It seems to me the issue is probably more the numbers who congregate at the back who aren't where there seats are. Hence all the heavy handed checking earlier in the season. Not sure how this helped as the fans could still just congregate up there after getting in either via that gangway or another?

The club now will have all ST holders in the Kop so everyone has a seat after curtailing sales.

Surely the club pays for a proper security firm with police presence now and do it properly. They just do checks during the game asking to see ST cards and check they are in the right area. May not be the popular move but will show the club are serious about not having the Kop closed and losing revenue and 4k to 8k fans every week potentiality not attending.

If any fans are not in the right area then they get a game ban (more maybe?) and the club deactivates that ticket for a game or more.

If caught doing it again they get their ticket disqualified for the season.

May seem extreme but clearly the SAG and Council can impose such measures so United have to act.

I still feel that there will be clubs up and down thr land where fans gather/stand at the back of their Kops and it seems for some reason a huge priority of a Council that has presided over a City Centre that is light years behind every other major UK city is this?

However, the reality is todays decision effectively taking away 2-3k of gate revenue shows the Council can dictate what we have to do.

I do wish the club showed more balls in taking on the council as I said earlier but I don't know what has been said before this or whether we gave challenged them before they were forced to do this.

You do think the club could have said this may happen if things don't improve and the lack of communication is the only gripe I can put in the direction of the club.

 

[bartman]

Have the Kop season ticket holders' been offered alternative seats?

Why would they be ?

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Why would they be ?

Because they're ST holders and have already paid for a seat. If the Kop is shut, I would think they'd get a refund or alternative seat.

 

[Linz]

Because they're ST holders and have already paid for a seat. If the Kop is shut, I would think they'd get a refund or alternative seat.

It isn't shut.

 

[Sheffsteel]

It’s not just the persistent standing that’s the problem, if it was just that it probably wouldn’t be an issue. It’s the fact that people who are allocated seats in other parts of the stand go and stand up at the top of one particular gangway causing a bottleneck in both directions.

I suspect it’s the view of the powers that be that this situation isn’t “relatively” safe and the need to take action. They will look at it from anywhere on the spectrum of somebody getting shoved down the steps and sustaining serious injury to how likely some kind of crush might be.

I get why people want to go and stand up there, better atmosphere etc but the licensing for all seater stadia is based on everyone sitting in their allocated seat.

Fair point, agree and once you turn a blind eye to 10 not sitting in their allocated seat, it then becomes 50 then 100 etc.

I suppose the reason is their mates are all season ticket holders all sat together and the casual fans that don’t attend that often don’t want to be sat on their own or in a restricted view seat.

SUFC need to find out why fans aren’t sat in their allocated seat. Maybe it’s because it’s restricted view.

Anyhow you’d have thought with CCTV these days the club can see what’s happening and deal with the perpetrators. Doesn’t seem right to punish everyone and threaten more punishment.

It reminds me of when a school kid might write some graffiti/ abuse on the blackboard instead of finding and punishing the perpetrators they ask all the class to stay behind for detention.

 

[Addison]

This explains it again.
It isn't standing that is the problem.
It is congregating in an area AWAY FROM YOUR SEAT.

(Not you btw DKC)

The problem is the statement says " as well as standing at the back of the Kop" and the introduction refers to "and persistent standing at the back of the Kop" so in essence they are making standing an issue.

I'm afraid rather than solely concentrating the communication on the more serious problem of overcrowding and congestion caused by people not sitting in their allocated seats they have opened the debate up to standing v sitting and have diluted the message.

Most fans would have accepted a preliminary statement that raised the serious safety issues of not sitting in the correct seat with the threat of sanctions in the future if it did not improve. Yet for some reason, which suggests they haven't managed the matter effectively to the satisfaction of SAG, they have gone to defcon 3 and imposed sanctions immediately penalising the majority for the actions of a minority and costing the Club much needed revenue. At the same time they seem to have annoyed many supporters who now see this as a Standing v Sitting matter rather than a safety concern.

SUFC don't do strategic communications very well and are only reactive rather than proactive. The Club alienating a section of the fan base through poor communication and management of a situation is the last thing PH needs at the moment.

 

[Bert]

If somebody chucks a bottle on the pitch from the South Stand they'll be caught by the CCTV, if it happens from the back of the Kop they'll get away with it.

 

[CrookesBlade]

If somebody chucks a bottle on the pitch from the South Stand they'll be caught by the CCTV, if it happens from the back of the Kop they'll get away with it.

If it happens from the back of the Kop they should be recruited to team GB for the next olympics

 

[S64 Blade]

If somebody chucks a bottle on the pitch from the South Stand they'll be caught by the CCTV, if it happens from the back of the Kop they'll get away with it.

It’d be a good throw, especially from such a crowded area. Unless said crowds make space to enable such a throw, meaning you would be able to pick them out.

 

[WhiteHawk]

If somebody chucks a bottle on the pitch from the South Stand they'll be caught by the CCTV, if it happens from the back of the Kop they'll get away with it.

Every single seat in the stadium is covered by high definition CCTV I believe.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

Somethings got to change, its carnage on there at times, with Burberry clad mongs and pissed up Slavverchops doing what they like
Would love something to be done at away games, you get a good seat only for the usual bunch of cunts standing in the aisle while stewards sit on their £9.50 per hour doing nothing

A whole £9.50 and theyre not willing to take a bit of abuse or threatening behaviour from the coke heads. Should cut their wages.

 

[FallowfieldBlade]

Seen as the away fans Stand for 90 minutes a game most of the time

I expect the advisory group to ban away fans also

 

[Balham]

Every single seat in the stadium is covered by high definition CCTV I believe.

Doesn't help if people aren't in their allocated seats though.

 

[FB98]

I feel much the same. Too many coked up dickheads...

If you don't like being around that sort of thing why not sit on Gangway C in the South or the John Street? It's not exactly difficult to avoid at the Lane. If you don't like back of the KOP types simply don't sit near the back of the KOP

 

[Sean Thornton]

Unsurprisingly the club are criticised for not doing enough by people who don’t have a clue about what they may have done.

If everything was that black and white, then so is the answer. Sit in your fucking seat.

 

[The Crab]

If you don't like being around that sort of thing why not sit on Gangway C in the South or the John Street? It's not exactly difficult to avoid at the Lane. If you don't like back of the KOP types simply don't sit near the back of the KOP

I don't sit near the back of the kop. Last time i went i was in BLUT

 

[HighfieldBlade]

I'm gonna protest by singing 'Football in a library' from BLUT.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I'm gonna protest by singing 'Football in a library' from BLUT.

#prayforricky

 

[FB98]

I don't sit near the back of the kop. time i went i was in BLUT

So you're saying there's too many "coked up dickheads" in the BLUT? Am I missing something?

 

[robbiez666]

My mate used to steward in London in his teens in the 90s. Someone broke his nose at Millwall and he got like a £20 compensation pay-off.

That's how shit stewarding is.

But then, the club won't pay for or ensure adequate catering so they're hardly going to shell out for a private security company on top of the police bill.

And the only way to do it properly is to make everyone stay seated, for the majority of games, on their designated seat.

And you know how that'll end.

The only way to do it is to ban anyone who won't sit down after being warned. Anyone who refuses is ejected is banned for a calendar year and forfeits any season ticket/membership. Won't happen.

And think on this, is we're being investigated for it then it means people have complained. SCC are hardly overstaffed.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

Doesn't help if people aren't in their allocated seats though.

True. But the authorities/club could easily circulate the images of anyone caught or suspected of throwing stuff. They've done it before.

 

[FB98]

Unsurprisingly the club are criticised for not doing enough by people who don’t have a clue about what they may have done.

If everything was that black and white, then so is the answer. Sit in your fucking seat.

Fortunately some people want to stand up & make an atmosphere. Those who don't need to stop buying tickets 8 rows from the back of thr KOP. Amazing that the minority who actually do create a slither of atmosphere are the ones that get the stick. We need these people at the back of the KOP.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

Seen as the away fans Stand for 90 minutes a game most of the time

I expect the advisory group to ban away fans also

That would be easy to sort as well. All tickets are purchased in a name. Ban them. Easy.

 

[The Crab]

So you're saying there's too many "coked up dickheads" in the BLUT? Am I missing something?

There were a few near me in there last time i went yes.

 

[WhiteHawk]

You can almost guarantee that those who don't sit in there allocated seats will ignore this and continue to do so, which I reckon is going to lead to trouble when the fans try to self police it.

 

[Bert]

Fortunately some people want to stand up & make an atmosphere. Those who don't need to stop buying tickets 8 rows from the back of thr KOP. Amazing that the minority who actually do create a slither of atmosphere are the ones that get the stick. We need these people at the back of the KOP.

You have a season ticket at the back or do you move there?

 

[FB98]

I have a season ticket on row OO Gangway G where people stand around 20 rows from the back. When my mates who don't have season tickets want to come there is nowhere for them to buy tickets in areas that stand because there isn't enough space before people start telling you to sit down. Until these people stop sitting 8 rows from the back in every other Gangway this will remain a problem

 

[Sean Thornton]

Fortunately some people want to stand up & make an atmosphere. Those who don't need to stop buying tickets 8 rows from the back of thr KOP. Amazing that the minority who actually do create a slither of atmosphere are the ones that get the stick. We need these people at the back of the KOP.

Clearly not the point l was making.

H Block seems to manage without similar atmosphere problems. There were no atmosphere problems when the All seater Kop was first opened.

The club is shit, Our fans other than the Superblades are shit. But fuck it, l’ll stand even if it results in less income for the club. Oh, standing area is the answer, get yer wallet out Abdullah.