Alcohol back in the Stands

[CrookesBlade]

It’s a bit like the argument against safe standing, people who largely object seem to think because they don’t others shouldn’t have opportunity to do so.

Weird. Atmospheres are so sterile, but you can see why.

Reminds me of the hysteria around so called “24 hour licensing” 20 years ago.

Any amendment to the existing licensing laws, a relic from World War One, was expected to bring about the downfall of civilisation.

The main casualty of that change turned out to be nightclubs.

 

[jt64]

I'm in favour as long as the bars don't keep serving during the game. No problem people taking their drink in and then finish it off during the half, it works fine at theatres.
Allowing people to keep getting up and going for another is a definite no no.

So you get the same problem with queues at half time?

 

[SwissBlade]

Even if was the best beer in Sheffield theres nothing worth having people walking backwards and forwards to the bar because they can't go 45 minutes without a drink. Then you literally chuck in people throwing beer in celebration because they have seen it on TV and those who can't handle their drink without being a dick head.

No thanks

They could probably get it delivered to their seats. In Japan they used to have someone with a backpack keg and a draught ale dispenser, the US they'd bring cans around

They would be back and forth to the toilets though, unless they had another solution to this... using an empty plastic beer glass.... perhaps.

They have it in Germany which survives despite actually having decent atmospheres, younger crowds and more crowd trouble. Think it will be fine here.

The English and Germans, whilst sharing many similar traits, are not the same. The behaviour of Germans at football is far more respectful to fellow fans.

English / UK crowds at music concerts are a very good example compared to other nations in Europe and around the world.

Football Fan Parks in England when England score are a chance to drench everyone as people launch their glasses in the air at a goal, this trend has only recently become a thing in Europe and elsewhere

The arguments against it are ridiculous. The main ones seem to be a) people might throw it in the air and b) surely people can go 45 minutes without a drink.

The answer to a) is clearly to charge a deposit on the container and make throwing beer in the air an ejectable offence (if it isn't already)

b) isn't a logical argument. Of course anyone can go 45 minutes without a drink. But they might fancy one.

It's like banning chocolate in view of the pitch and if anyone objects saying "surely you can go 45 minutes without a Dairy Milk".

Ridiculous arguments, maybe, but they're a big consideration. Particularly the throwing the beer in the air.

They wouldn't charge a deposit, they'd just charge extra for the first glass / container like they do at a lot of festivals.

 

[JPBrods]

This is one of those things where I am not in favour because no one has asked for it, but I also don’t think it would sound the death knell for the atmosphere at the games. I think people would take a pint into the stand at the start and few would then get up for another while play was on. Might mean more empty seats at KO as some wait to get said pint, Some beer would get chucked about by some dickheads 100% though.

 

[Dambuster.]

Even if was the best beer in Sheffield theres nothing worth having people walking backwards and forwards to the bar because they can't go 45 minutes without a drink. Then you literally chuck in people throwing beer in celebration because they have seen it on TV and those who can't handle their drink without being a dick head.

No thanks

Plus, people will be getting up more frequently for a piss.

 

[Maurice Maurice]

Bring it back, the atmosphere's gone down the pan since they removed our right to piss in the empty pots and lob them on the away fans in the Bramall Lane lower tier.

Same with bottles, get rid of the crappy plastic one's and replace them with the heavier and more aerodynamic glass ones that are vastly superior when being launched into the enemy of the day.

 

[bakeblade]

So you get the same problem with queues at half time?

That's solved by having faster dispensers and you don't have to shove it down before the second half starts.

 

[TJB.]

Considering what you see from groups of England fans watching the game at a big screen, the likelihood of fans just launching beer around if/when a goal is scored seems nigh on guaranteed to me.

When you think of how daunting a single match day is in terms of cost nowadays, having the risk of needing to take my entire outfit for the day to a dry cleaner afterwards, all because a percentage of people are incapable of behaving themselves, would make me not want to go at all.

Sorry, what exquisite attire are you wearing to matches that would require a dry cleaning service because it got a bit of watery beer on it?

 

[JohnDenver]

I’d be more likely to buy a pint if I could take it to my seat. Being forced to drink it in a crowded concourse next to the pissers, (and within ten minutes or miss the game), means I never even consider it as an option.

 

[biggiesablade]

Seen a few comments along lines of "if you cant wait 45 min you got a problem!!" The people necking pints in 2 mins to get back to their seat seem like the ones who have got a problem. Give it a trial, if theres an uptick in trouble restrict it to concourse again.

 

[Bell4]

Agree with most that it’s a terrible idea. Fine in corporate areas where Burnham will sit because you won’t get some dickhead chucking his lager all over you.
This will also cause unnecessary arguments between fans in the stands.

I`m being treated to a bit of corporate v Lincoln - I'm throwing my Barley Wine Spritzer over as many people as i can - They'll soon shut the f up

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

I`m being treated to a bit of corporate v Lincoln - I'm throwing my Barley Wine Spritzer over as many people as i can - They'll soon shut the f up

The Shoreham Boys will, of course, need a few tasty titbits beforehand for the spritzer to wash down.

 

[Sir Nick Montgomery]

Great news for Wilder. He’ll be getting himself purposely sent off every game

 

[Gin&Juice]

Our ground is too cramped and old school. It would be fine at Spurs, or one of the modern grounds. Can you imagine the carnage, especially on the Kop? Kids as well, we were all 18 once, we were all thick dickheads at that age. Just a recipe for disaster. I think we should cut out the malarkey, and make it a welcome place for families, and people of other cultures who might like to feel safe in alcohol free zone.

 

[Sean Thornton]

When I've seen the highlights this season, looks like some of the players have been drinking during the game.

FFS. What an outdated and clearly a Wilder hating statement clinging on for dear life to the supposed Peroni culture currently at BL.

The squad is split between partakers of Sanatogen or Nitrous Oxide. Apart from Peck obviously.

 

[Rufus T. Firefly]

We could have a beer section on the Kop to balance up the singing section.

 

[Varkanoid]

No thank you I remember the days when you used to get showered in it or someone would chuck theirs down forward and you had to sit there with it trickling down the back of your neck and back and stinking of it.

 

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Bring it back, the atmosphere's gone down the pan since they removed our right to piss in the empty pots and lob them on the away fans in the Bramall Lane lower tier.

Same with bottles, get rid of the crappy plastic one's and replace them with the heavier and more aerodynamic glass ones that are vastly superior when being launched into the enemy of the day.

Whatever happened to pissing in peoples pockets?

 

[Varkanoid]

Seen a few comments along lines of "if you cant wait 45 min you got a problem!!" The people necking pints in 2 mins to get back to their seat seem like the ones who have got a problem. Give it a trial, if theres an uptick in trouble restrict it to concourse again.

Then spend every 10 minutes going to the loo.

 

[skegblade]

Nowt better sat in the open air pissing it down with snow/ rain high winds and get a last minute winner with a cold carling
Whatcould possibly go wrong

 

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I'm in favour as long as the bars don't keep serving during the game. No problem people taking their drink in and then finish it off during the half, it works fine at theatres.
Allowing people to keep getting up and going for another is a definite no no.

It's a pain with people up and down to the bar then up and down to the toilets, found that out at Twickenham. However on the Western terrace at Headingley it doesn't seem a problem. Not sure if it's because of the more relaxed sport of cricket or everyone on the Western terrace is up for a good piss up and don't mind the backwards and forwards.

 

[KMC-1889]

I personally think any uptick in sales (after the first couple of games) would be minimal.

At nearly £7 a pint I don’t think many will be buying extra - but rather taking their time with their drinks rather than necking them on the concourse.

I think the practical difference will make to me is that you’ll see people supping on the concourse at the back of the Kop rather than crowding round the small areas at the bottom of the stairs.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

I've enjoyed having a drink at the seat when we've been to matches in Germany.
Seems good to me.

 

[Maurice Maurice]

Whatever happened to pissing in peoples pockets?

Closest I've seen in what seems like recent years but was a lifetime ago, was a bloke pissing down the backs of the legs of the folks in front of him on the side terrace at Baaaaaaarnsleh in the cup replay in 1990.

 

[jt64]

Our ground is too cramped and old school. It would be fine at Spurs, or one of the modern grounds. Can you imagine the carnage, especially on the Kop? Kids as well, we were all 18 once, we were all thick dickheads at that age. Just a recipe for disaster. I think we should cut out the malarkey, and make it a welcome place for families, and people of other cultures who might like to feel safe in alcohol free zone.

Which you can do by just saying the John Street isn't for this.

 

[bakeblade]

I dont really care tbh , just dont think its ever been a thing in the 1st place never mind " Back in the stands"

I just dont understand where this move is being driven from , not so sure its supporters groups , or clubs , or police , or pretty much anyone except Burnham himself .

Draw your own conclusions to that.

I reckon Burnhams trying to build on his game changing £2 bus fare cap policy with another vote winner.... meanwhile avoid any meaningful decisions.

 

[TopBoy]

If this comes in, I just hope that they start serving pints of Bovril. Those piddly little cups aren't worth a wank. You can't beat a pint of Bovril with 2 sugars on a cold day.

 

[atlanticblade]

It wont help the profit margins of surrounding pubs {and fanzone} who depend on matchdays for their survival.

 

[BessemerBob]

I’m broadly in favour of this. I think the legislation is outdated and is a product of its time which itself was a very different time.

I think it would easily be implemented, you’d have to alcohol free stand where you aren’t allowed to take it to your seat, giving people who don’t wish to be around a space where it isn’t present. John Street would be the prime candidate.

I don’t think you’d see many beer showers. That’s a phenomenon in the various fan parks for the big England games. It’s a markedly different atmosphere from the regular match goers. It’s the occasional match goers who attend places like that who want to be involved in what they think it is football culture rather than people who are the actual culture of football. I think at £7 a pint, you’d not see much of it as it quickly becomes an expensive game.

People who get tanked up at football will do it, there is hours before to get smashed and then hours after to indulge if one so wishes. I don’t think people will go crazy for a couple of hours.

I’ve attended football matches in other countries where fans have got the opportunity to drink in the stands and the difference was negligible, it was a nice experience to be able to enjoy a beer whilst the match was in progress.

At Bochum it was like a proper away with 2,000 Blades and having a drink in the ground didn’t make any difference in an away crowd of travelling Blades.

Personally I’m take it or leave it with beer but if I want one whilst I’m watching the match, then I’d like to think that as a grown up adult, that times have moved on and I should be allowed that choice

 

[Gin&Juice]

Which you can do by just saying the John Street isn't for this.

Every stand should be like John Street.

Good, clean atmosphere.

G&J