A couple of belated observations on this. Firstly the club's communication on the issue has been dreadful. I'm still not clear exactly what the issue is and SAG/the Council have a responsibility to clarify their precise concerns to the club, so why haven't the club passed this on. The issue isn't standing - it happens in all parts of the ground and every other ground, so its not just an issue on our Kop. There's plenty of speculation about too many people to a seat, refusing to give up a seat if the owner turns up, gangways being blocked etc, but we don't know exactly what SAG's concerns are. Why don't the club give us clearer and better targetted information.
It is also clear that we have a smallish number of scrotes who seem to takle great pleasure in making life as uncomfortable as possible for other Blades and see any requests to follow rules or for common courtesy as a challenge. I sit further down the Kop, so its not much of a problem for me at home matches, but this behaviour is evident in abundance at away matches. I wouldn't have a problem in these people being identified, warned and if necessary banned.
However, it does appear that we are being subject to a level of scrutiny and enforcement that is greater than other clubs. Do we have more scrotes than other clubs? Are the unspecified problems at the back of the Kop worse than at most other grounds? For those nerdy enough to have a look at the Council's policy, it is here ...https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/business/licences-permits-registrations/sports-ground-licences
It does say that the Council's actions have to be proportionate, accountable, consistent, transparent and targeted, so the club could have a conversation with the Council about how they have demonstrated that they have acted in this way. The policy also seems to give a great deal of delegated authority to the Chief Licensing Office and the Head of Licensing - it would be interesting to know how much the elected councillors know about what is being done in their name. Its not clear to me how many other mebers of SAG will have had an input into this. SY Plod have a history of profound incompetence and utterly counterproductive interventions, but how much are they concerned about minor issues contained in the home support inside the ground? Are the Council's Health and Safety team going to matches?
So, in my view, the club has got to make a decison about whether SAG/ the Council are making reasonable requests or taking the piss. If its the former, then we've got to get on and deal with it - hugely better communication, much better stewarding by fully trained and competent people and ejection for those who refuse to comply. If its the latter, then challenge the Council. Get them to provide all their evidence. Get them to demonstrate their actions are consistent, transparent, proportionate etc. Get proper legal advice, not from some local two bit solicitor who spends most of their time doing divorce cases, but a recognised specialist (who will be expensive but less than 30k a game!). The Council's legal team aren't great, so a heavyweight challenge would make them think. And if necessary, make it an issue for the elections in May. The votes of 20,000 Blades would make a huge difference.
