Segregation

[HeCanDoMagic]

Just talking to a colleague about the match tonight and the segregation issues we have at BL, am I right in thinking the last time we were able to fully sell out was the FA Youth Cup Final?

In addition, when was the last first team game we properly sold out under no segregation rules?

 

[Digger]

Just talking to a colleague about the match tonight and the segregation issues we have at BL, am I right in thinking the last time we were able to fully sell out was the FA Youth Cup Final?

In addition, when was the last first team game we properly sold out under no segregation rules?

Not sure on the YCF, wasn't it around 27K

I think the crowd v Wigan was over 32500

 

[JJBlade]

Yes, Wigan, in 2007 was the last game at Bramall Lane where we could sell every ticket in the house. So, the game that had the most potential for crowd disturbance is also the game that saw every seat sold.
In the Championship the season after we could have sold every ticket but most weeks the away end wasn't full and we had our own drop off following relegation. Averaged over 26,000 that season with United fans on the top tier of Bramall Lane and in the corner as well.

Nowadays if there is a big away following it's United fans that get punished with the City Council and the Police shutting down thousands of seats in the home areas. This leaves even more seats on the top tier for away fans.
If away fans misbehave their answer is to shut more seats down in the United end to separate them further.
They haven't got a f@cking clue and the club should stand up for itself and tell the police it plans to sell tickets in all home areas and it's their job to police the situation.

 

[dronny_blade]

Just talking to a colleague about the match tonight and the segregation issues we have at BL, am I right in thinking the last time we were able to fully sell out was the FA Youth Cup Final?

In addition, when was the last first team game we properly sold out under no segregation rules?

Youth Final - 29,977
That horrible day against Wigan - 32,604

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Part of the reason why Wigan sold out is there were only away fans on BL lower tier.

For all the fans not aware of how Westfield corner was built, one of the EXIT doors leads directly on to the old South stand ramp, so it could never, ever be fully populated with away fans. It should in someway be made available to home fans.

What we should be able to plan for is a flexible approach to big games. It was noticeable at Spurs, on the upper tier at least that the bit we were sat in had some permanent barriers running top to bottom, therefore it created a natural segregation barrier.

United have a real problem with quality seats for big games, especially with John Street being ALL family.

Man Ure game is now on TV and as long as the football gods allow it, Preston and Cambridge will hopefully be despatched, but the same issue may arise pretty soon.

UTB

 

[Rusty view]

United have a real problem with quality seats for big games, especially with John Street being ALL family.

When I went for my ticket they put me on the John Street. Will be sat on my own due to a late cancellation in my diary, meaning tickets were limited.

Compared to BDTBL the segregation is hardly anything in the Prem league. As is eluded to above our main issue is segregation of exits. The only option would be to create temp segregation underneath the top tier. that said apart from our annual cup run the league games are hardly over subscribed.

 

[vorpal blade]

Yes, but given how crowded the entire exit to Bramall Lane is when you leave the South Stand, I don't think that is possible Rusty. Nor legally nor practically.

I ought to be surprised that this issue wasn't addressed at the design stage but I'm not really.......

 

[Grecian2000]

Is there any other sport, in the known universe, where grown men can't sit amongst supporters of other teams without it ending (almost inevitably) in violence?

Why does this have to be so?

It always amazes me that, even on this very forum, you can say you have no interest in the England football team and can be accused of hating your country. If I expressed ambivalence toward our Rugby Union team in the coming World Cup (and I really couldn't give a shit) or our Hockey team in the Olympics no-one would bat an eyelid but once it's our footballers you've no time for it's a national disgrace. Barmy.

 

[madeinsheffield]

I know what you mean Grecian, but how would the singing & chanting work if we were essentially all mixed in together??

Isn't the us against them tribal like singing what makes the atmosphere? That's one of the reasons I sit on G Block

 

[sitwell]

Is there any other sport, in the known universe, where grown men can't sit amongst supporters of other teams without it ending (almost inevitably) in violence?

Why does this have to be so?

It always amazes me that, even on this very forum, you can say you have no interest in the England football team and can be accused of hating your country. If I expressed ambivalence toward our Rugby Union team in the coming World Cup (and I really couldn't give a shit) or our Hockey team in the Olympics no-one would bat an eyelid but once it's our footballers you've no time for it's a national disgrace. Barmy.

because all other teams fans are wankers.

 

[Grecian2000]

I know what you mean Grecian, but how would the singing & chanting work if we were essentially all mixed in together??

Isn't the us against them tribal like singing what makes the atmosphere? That's one of the reasons I sit on G Block

I'm not suggesting a general mingling but I am of the opinion we should be able to share a stand (as at Villa Park/Spurs) and be able to exit the ground onto a common area without coming to blows. I understand we can't but the point I'm making is that it is only football where this is so.

 

[Mustela Putorius Furo]

I'm not suggesting a general mingling but I am of the opinion we should be able to share a stand (as at Villa Park/Spurs) and be able to exit the ground onto a common area without coming to blows. I understand we can't but the point I'm making is that it is only football where this is so.

"Eee when i were a lad..... " and in fact by the time I'd (supposedly) grown up, fans of both teams often stood on John Street terrace - usually either side of the old tunnel, and mingled in the south stand too.. it rarely led to any scuffling, and barely even much of what's now called "banter" - people just shouted for their own side and maybe talked a bit about each other's teams. That was even up to early to mid 80s. Never seemed strange then even when segregation started to get stricter. Coming to blows was rare.


Though once we'd got back in the top flight I recall a Chelsea fan with his young lad of about 6 on John Street West terrace (his lad sat on a barrier) - some dickhead deliberately barging into him when United scored (think that was the 4-2 game when about half the Chelsea fans vacated at half-time) . The dickhead's mates laughed, but were soon put down for their childishness by some "larger", been-there-since-the-50s types. I don't buy the bollox about passion etc... still no excuse for being uncivilised idiots.