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

[Carlton Blade]

And yet we have to, since it’s costing us support and money.

It won't last forever

 

[Harry's Game]

Totally predictable, SAG and the council were always determined to close large sections of the Kop, I am convinced last night was really a secret trial for forthcoming actions of just having the front of the Kop open.

 

[jt64]

Yet it clearly hasn't worked.

If we had actually tried points 4/5 there would be people here bitching about it, so in the absence of that, how do we know it wouldn't work?

 

[S64 Blade]

We could just ban those from the council, from entering the ground.

 

[west_yorks_blade]

It won't last forever

Nothing does.
It’s hurting us now and for the foreseeable when we are seemingly brassic, so need the money and need all the support we can muster for key games.

 

[Stand United]

Why is this any different to what happens at other grounds? Have other clubs been punished in the same way?

It is not just us. Below are a few examples where a combination of SGSA & SAGs in completely different parts of the country have led to a variety of actions, be it warnings to fans, bans handed out to specific fans, restricting areas/stands to STHs etc.

For us, it’s primarily an issue of migration & overcrowding on specific areas of the Kop. Some of the examples below are for similar reasons, while for others persistent standing is the key one, but they all boil down to genuine attempts to deal with problems that have been identified.

Southampton: https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport/football/football-news/toby-steele-southampton-west-ham-7449675

Sunderland: https://www.safc.com/news/club-news/2022/august/roker-end-and-north-stand-update

Burnley: https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/content/club-statement-on-persistent-standing

Bristol City: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/club-statement-e34-dolman-stand

West Ham: https://6foot2.co.uk/west-ham-supporters-told-to-sit-down/

 

[blademan31]

Lots of buts...

Could just sit in our allocated seats? Would solve it!

 

[nopigfansintown]

United thus far have:

Installed state of the art camera tech out of their own pocket at the cost of circa £300,000 ( South Stand too). This is above and beyond.

Advised in programme, website, local media.

Paid staff at club's cost to advise/cajole punters.

Shut down parts of the stand at the club's cost.


The areas of concern shouldn't be a concern anymore. There is nobody there bar a sprinkling of season ticket holders. There is nobody stood in the gangways. It's difficult to see what else they can do at this point.

 

[bladesadviser]

Interestingly, around where I sit there are at least 4 people who don't sit in the seat that's on their season ticket card but everyone is happy as it enables them all to sit with family members rather than randomly sat apart

 

[nopigfansintown]

If we had actually tried points 4/5 there would be people here bitching about it, so in the absence of that, how do we know it wouldn't work?

It has happened. I've seen it. They got short shrift from some.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Well it was standing anyway back in the day and no fixed areas.
Sitting in somebody else's seat isn't normal, I don't think.

People always have always stood on the back rows and inevitabily spilt past the seats.

 

[Original United]

For the Spurs game, give them the kop and we have the rest of the ground - sell out with 32000

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

Can somebody please tell me what problems or safety risks have ever actually manifested as a result of this kop 'migration'?

It was more dangerous being in the away end at Rotherham ffs, just trying to walk along the rows with the seats in front mid shin height. Actual tripping hazard on a steep stand. Are they going to insist that stadium is torn down and rebuilt? Or is that not a trendy enough safety risk? Not 1989 Hillsborough-ish enough?

 

[Sean Thornton]

I'm not buying that at all. The steps at the back of Gangways E and F - the area where this was probably a concern - have looked empty to me during the last few home games.

I’m going on what’s been said, hence the question marks.

The club need to be specific about the issues supposedly occurring and let SCC and SAG explain exactly what is happening.

Does similar happen at S6 ? Are they the only ones who don’t? We get what is effectively a financial penalty, they’d probably get a council grant to make the seats bigger and rubberise the steps.

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

This will continue until a new owner is in place.

 

[BushBlade]

In addition to Sheffield City Council being completely unfit for purpose - peopled as it is with uneducated and unskilled village idiots - another problem is the current absence of any leadership at the club to meet this meddling head-on.

That ^^^. Same with the South Stand farce last night. There appears to be no leadership at the club.

 

[Sean Thornton]

People all stand on the back rows and spill past the seats.

Just a few arseholes enabling the council. Brilliant.

 

[west_yorks_blade]

For the Spurs game, give them the kop and we have the rest of the ground - sell out with 32000

Great idea!

 

[Harry's Game]

Most local councils would relish the thought of Premier League football coming to their city, ours seems to want to do every thing they can to scupper it.

 

[Snowflake]

I'll tell you what the issue is: Sheffield council are cunts

Unlike the people who cannot sit in the correct seat ?

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

People always have always stood on the back rows and inevitabily spilt past the seats.

The report that Foxy posted is saying it's overcapacity by 2-3 times in that area.
I don't think stopping that is so difficult or controversial.
Just standing up isn't a problem.

 

[Nade]

Just so I can understand: Will this go away entirely if people simply just sit in the seat that they have been allocated?

If yes, why are people not sitting in the seat they have been allocated? Is it because they are cunts or is there another reason?

 

[Sean Thornton]

That ^^^. Same with the South Stand farce last night. There appears to be no leadership at the club.

There’s enough senior staff at the Lane to sort this out. What’s the CEO doing? Makes you wonder is some are aware of big changes to come and no longer give a monkeys.

 

[Bladeloyal]

The report that Foxy posted is saying it's overcapacity by 2-3 times in that area.
I don't think stopping that is so difficult or controversial.
Just standing up isn't a problem.

It's impossible physically to over populate a seating area 3 fold .

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

Just so I can understand: Will this go away entirely if people simply just sit in the seat that they have been allocated?

If yes, why are people not sitting in the seat they have been allocated? Is it because they are cunts or is there another reason?

Yes.
Or they can even stand in the seat they have been give.
Don't know

 

[Linz]

Could we offer to store the shitty container things from Fargate in the car park to recoup some of the lost revenue?

I get the feeling that the club were initially sympathetic to the fact that there was an issue but have given an inch to the Council who are now trying to take a mile.

Is overcrowding really still happening to the extent the SAG claim?

From the South Stand, it doesn't look like persistent standing in the gangways is still an issue beyond the usual bottlenecks around half time.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Just so I can understand: Will this go away entirely if people simply just sit in the seat that they have been allocated?

If yes, why are people not sitting in the seat they have been allocated? Is it because they are cunts or is there another reason?

The initial reaction from some explains why it is apparently an ongoing problem.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

It's impossible physically to over populate a seating area 3 fold .

Ask the boss

Was part of a meeting this evening in which representatives of SAG, SCC and Sheffield United were present, there will be more communications in the coming weeks, but my personal takeaway from what was said in summary (most of which has already been suggested in this thread) - This is by no means anything close to verbatim nor have I been asked to say particular things (we've never been in for that):

• The crux of the issue and the most pressing matter, as speculated in this thread, is the migration and occupying of specific areas outside of an individuals ticket resulting in overcrowding, blockages and an unsafe environment. In plenty of observed examples this is 3/1 or higher. Talking particular areas at the back of the Kop and the gangways/exits.
• The club have to tackle this, they can't simply ignore it and are ultimately responsible for safety of supporters, they want as many people in as possible, the best atmosphere possible, but have responsibilities to ensure that's in a safe manner.
• I think by the very fact there is some dialogue beginning, they accept or think that perhaps it could have been handled differently or that the original message perhaps has been misunderstood in terms of meaning. At the very least, they want dialogue and a co-operation with supporters rather than "us and them".
• SAG and SCC are currently working with the club, rather than against the club and have the same stated aims and can currently see that the club are taking the issue seriously and working towards improving things.
• The first real games that are properly affected by the temporary changes are approaching and will help identify particular potential causes/assist in tackling the core problem.
• The club are very unlikely to make any significant changes to the Kop on a piecemeal basis and anything of any consequence would be part of any larger redevelopment.
• Safe standing, rail seats etc would all have to be part of larger redevelopment and regardless of a want, a budget or anything else, a HUGE prerequisite of any of that being allowed would be for the current setup running without the kind of current issues. Put simply, parachute some rail seats [spoiler, we can't] in and we'd still have the same issue and problem to tackle, just in the "safe standing" area, rather than the seated area.
• Despite it seeming and "only targeting us" issue, other clubs are experiencing similar issues.

If people decide to ignore the appeals to stop the wrongdoing and abuse those trying to encourage changing their actions... problems will continue. If people start doing what they should, the problems will go away.

Happy to pass anything back the other way, this thread was mentioned multiple times during the evening and I'd never claim to speak on anyones behalf, but always happy to be a co-ordinator passing between.

 

[Houston_Blade]

The report that Foxy posted is saying it's overcapacity by 2-3 times in that area.
I don't think stopping that is so difficult or controversial.
Just standing up isn't a problem.

Where? I’ve been having a look across from the SS since this was a thing and I can’t see areas of overcrowding on the kop.

 

[Addison]

I’m going on what’s been said, hence the question marks.

The club need to be specific about the issues supposedly occurring and let SCC and SAG explain exactly what is happening.

Does similar happen at S6 ? Are they the only ones who don’t? We get what is effectively a financial penalty, they’d probably get a council grant to make the seats bigger and rubberise the steps.

Thats the problem with the communications. They are not clear and concise. They haven't been from the start when they realised they'd confused the matter with safe standing. You have to read between the lines to work out what the current issue is. The first bullet point of Foxys note implies its people not sitting in their allocated seat. Does that mean congestion in gangways has gone away? improved? still a matter of concern?

As we are the only Club in the country who have stopped selling match day tickets has this improved matters, made it worse, no change. If there's no change why did we stop selling them in the first place as it would seem its a season ticket holder problem.

Wording stating we are not getting the desired results doesn't explain exactly what they are trying to achieve. Just come out and say what the aim is. What are the minimum requirements SAG/SCC have set i.e. There must be no-one throughout the stadium not sitting in their allocated seat. That would seem a totally unrealistic target bearing in mind the lack of focus on the away end but tells us what the expectations are rather than continuing to couch messages in vague terms. If you want to effect change explain it in simple terms that can't be misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Other Clubs affected seem to be concentrating on improved steward training and in some cases more robust stewarding. Are we considering this as a better solution to losing revenue? Ticket checks were mis managed before. Hopefully lessons will have been learnt.