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

[JJBlade]

You can buy seats by the exact row and number. The ticket website has allowed this for years. Put you and your mate's customer numbers in, and you can buy more than one ticket together. So you have no excuse.

Yes, you can
But we're talking about non regulars, shall we go, shan't we go, people without membership numbers who just want to go to an odd game
When the stadium is not full, those extra 4,000 ish tickets should be given to anyone that wants them

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Rotherham game was vertually a sell out was it not ? some fans might not be able to make it due to it being a midweek nite match.

Will the club have many more stewards on hand to deal with the naughty boys on the Kop,noticed on Sat that on entering thru turnstyles at the South Stand side of the Kop there was a gaggle of stewards eyeing me up when i came thru.

 

[JackSUFC]

What a bizarre take.

Stood up and enjoyed it when you were younger, but can't understand why the younger generation would want to do the same and get behind the team today.

Might as well have posted “I stood up on the Kop back in my day but now I’m now I’m not able to, no one else should be allowed to either.”

 

[Grey Blade]

Might as well have posted “I stood up on the Kop back in my day but now I’m now I’m not able to, no one else should be allowed to either.”

To be fair it does come over a bit like that but I think this was the major point of the post:-

I've been going to the lane since 1957 and stood on the Kop with my mates back then, great times, but it changed. because the supporters changed, it became for some just a reason for gang warfare and hooliganism, and believe me somewhere as steep as the Kop (remember Hillsburger) is really not the place for standing if you have those kind of people at the top, and it will happen....

Personally I'm happy to sit in the South Stand and more than happy to stand at away games - as long as I don't have to share my space with someone else!

 

[bladesmanluke]

To be fair it does come over a bit like that but I think this was the major point of the post:-

Personally I'm happy to sit in the South Stand and more than happy to stand at away games - as long as I don't have to share my space with someone else!

It's nonsense though. "The support changed" -yes and it's changed again since. There is no gang warfare or significant hooliganism on the Kop anymore. The odd pyro does not compare to hundreds of opposition fans infiltrating the kop and starting riots ala the 70's.
There's no crowd surges. A crowd surge is not possible with rail seating.
"Remember Hillsborough, it will happen." No... it literally won't

 

[Grey Blade]

It's nonsense though. "The support changed, yes and it's changed again since. There is no gang warfare or significant hooliganism on the Kop anymore. The odd pyro does not compare to hundreds of opposition fans infiltrating the kop and starting riots ala the 70's.
There's no crowd surges. A crowd surge is not possible with rail seating.
"Remember Hillsborough, it will happen." No... it literally won't

I accept a crowd surge can't happen with rail seating but I don't think there'll be any rail seating on the kop until it's been redeveloped - and although rail seating is the long term solution, I don't think there'll be any redevelopment in the foreseeable future

 

[reedy63]

To my surprise, Cardiff has safe standing. for away fans. see away tickets on the United website.

 

[Dnblade]

It's nonsense though. "The support changed" -yes and it's changed again since. There is no gang warfare or significant hooliganism on the Kop anymore. The odd pyro does not compare to hundreds of opposition fans infiltrating the kop and starting riots ala the 70's.
There's no crowd surges. A crowd surge is not possible with rail seating.
"Remember Hillsborough, it will happen." No... it literally won't

For me it wasn't the terraces to blame at Hillsborough, but the fences.. the people getting crushed at the front would have just spilled onto the pitch or to the sides.
But somehow we've gone from there to a mentality of standing and terraces are unsafe no matter what..can't see it getting any better with faceless bodies like SAG involved, who most probably have never set foot in a football ground and can't comprehend the fans having any common sense,but other countries seem to cope ok.
Not a lot the club can do but go along with it, or SAG will withhold the safety certificate.
I don't see a problem if there's empty seats around where your sat or stood, in inviting mates who are sat elsewhere on the Kop to come up to join you.. I can see the problem standing in gangways that's fair enough.
It does feel like they are squeezing the life out of anybody enjoying themselves or creating an atmosphere.

 

[Stu_Blade]

If the cash and finance is available, time to close the Kop in the summer and upgrade it to the removing the posts plan. Or contrivesial swap away fans into the kop and give full BL stands upper and lower for home

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Only time I've sat down at an away game was at Stoke last season. Ticket office got it touch with me as they'd just received a return and offered it to me. I must've been in the Darby and Joan section on a seniors day trip. Really nice bunch, mind, but I felt obliged to sit down as everyone around me was seated.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

The more I read from those who want to stand up for a couple of hours, the more I despair,
If I wanted to go to the Theatre, or the pictures I wouldn't expect the people in front of me to stand up all through the show with their mates. and why the hell would people with seats want to stand up for 2 hours anyway? You want to talk to your mates do it at half time.
Really it beggars all belief. and why are they so eager to stand at the back?
I've been going to the lane since 1957 and stood on the Kop with my mates back then, great times, but it changed. because the supporters changed, it became for some just a reason for gang warfare and hooliganism, and believe me somewhere as steep as the Kop (remember Hillsburger) is really not the place for standing if you have those kind of people at the top, and it will happen....
So, if it is really so important for some to stand for a couple of hours, I'd convert the strip in front of the John St stand and let's just see how many of the stand-up brigade turn up then .. ...

I stood on the Kop in the 70s/80's and still do today. It's nothing like what it was back then in terms of trouble and nowhere near as steep as the Preston away end for example.

 

[Sheffsteel]

The more I read from those who want to stand up for a couple of hours, the more I despair,
If I wanted to go to the Theatre, or the pictures I wouldn't expect the people in front of me to stand up all through the show with their mates. and why the hell would people with seats want to stand up for 2 hours anyway? You want to talk to your mates do it at half time.
Really it beggars all belief. and why are they so eager to stand at the back?
I've been going to the lane since 1957 and stood on the Kop with my mates back then, great times, but it changed. because the supporters changed, it became for some just a reason for gang warfare and hooliganism, and believe me somewhere as steep as the Kop (remember Hillsburger) is really not the place for standing if you have those kind of people at the top, and it will happen....
So, if it is really so important for some to stand for a couple of hours, I'd convert the strip in front of the John St stand and let's just see how many of the stand-up brigade turn up then .. ...

I despair that you have compared Bramall Lane to the theatre or a cinema. Guessing you might be on the wind up.
I'd stop going if the experience became anything like that.

Also it doesn't make sense that you can't understand that young people might want to have fun like you did when you was young.
I wouldn't dream of restricting your choices and think everyone should have options to sit or stand, seems common sense to try to keep as many happy as possible.

I was on the Kop on the 70's and 80's, it was never a great view and was very noisy, uncomfortable and cheap but I loved it.
As fans got older and weaker on their legs that fans would have the choice to move to a seated area away from the noise, hustle and bustle.

I agree with some of the concerns, my issue is the answer by Authorities is often to use a sledge hammer to crack a nut.
Would love to know what United have done and/or plan to do about this, surely with proper communication things should be resolved.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Yes, you can
But we're talking about non regulars, shall we go, shan't we go, people without membership numbers who just want to go to an odd game
When the stadium is not full, those extra 4,000 ish tickets should be given to anyone that wants them

Whereabouts are those 4000 tickets in the ground situated?

 

[JJBlade]

Whereabouts are those 4000 tickets in the ground situated?

We get about 28000 average
The stadium holds 32000 +

Even with big away support there are still the same seats empty, game after game

 

[Sheffsteel]

If the cash and finance is available, time to close the Kop in the summer and upgrade it to the removing the posts plan. Or contrivesial swap away fans into the kop and give full BL stands upper and lower for home

The Kop would need a new substantial cantilever structure to hold up the roof which would be costly and take longer than the Summer.
In return all it would do is make 100 seats a lot better and 2000 seats slightly better.
So it becomes a bad business plan to spend millions with the plan/ expectation to see zero in return.
If we're doing the Kop we need to increase the capacity, implement or plan for safe standing
and update/ enlarge the concourse, toilets, kiosks facilities putting everything under cover.

Your controversial swap plan makes no sense and some Kop season tickets holders would effectively be banned from the stadium.
The Kop holds 10,500, the away bottom tier holds 2,700.

So why would we ever give away teams over 10K tickets when hardly a single team will even half fill it
and how do you fit 8,000 season ticket holders on the Kop into the top and bottom tier of the Bramall Lane end when it only holds about 6,000.

 

[Gerritforud]

Yes, you can
But we're talking about non regulars, shall we go, shan't we go, people without membership numbers who just want to go to an odd game
When the stadium is not full, those extra 4,000 ish tickets should be given to anyone that wants them

I wasn't aware anyone could buy a ticket without a membership number...?

 

[Sheffsteel]

I wasn't aware anyone could buy a ticket without a membership number...?

Think you might be right however JJ does heing have a point regards the principle.
I sometimes have family visitors from London who casually support Arsenal.
They come to Sheffield once a year and on the day of the match might show interest in going to a match.
If I told them they need to register then they refuse because they're not that bothered.

or I might know a Rotherham fan who just wants to attend a PL match, so thinks why not go to Bramall Lane.
He can't be bothered to register because he's not a Blade but would go if I got him a ticket.

I should be able to just go on the website as a season ticket holder and order 5 tickets, all under my season ticket.
If the people possessing my 5 tickets end up being rowdy away fans or cause some crowd trouble, then as a condition on my seasons ticket I will have my card suspended. I know that 2 years ago an advantage of being a Leicester City season ticket holder was to be able to buy up to 6 additional tickets.
Tickets went on sale about 2 months before matches with a sliding points system to allow season ticket holders to buy extra tickets.

If United had that rule then almost every game in the PL would be a total 32K sell out, it always attract casuals and new fans who just wanted to see a PL match but then end up being Blades. I suppose all the attractive games wouldn't even make general sale though as all the spare tickets would be bought up by season ticket holders.

 

[100% part time blade]

When would be a good time to redevelop the kop (assuming it would take 6-12 months based on my knowledge of building projects - which is absolutely zero)?

In the premier league when we’ve got cash (but we don’t really want a 3 sided ground for what usually amounts to 1 or 2 seasons when 1000s of fans wouldn’t want to miss out)?
Or in league 1 (when history suggests around 20,000 or
less might be turning up - but we’d be skint)?
Or now?
Or never?
Or is there any real option to rent someone else’s stadium? (Coventry is a good size but too far away).

Yes, Covid would have been a great time, but we didn’t so it’s pointless mentioning it.

I just wonder what the circumstances would be for the board to say, “You know what, now is the perfect time to get that Kop completely rebuilt.”

 

[Sean Thornton]

We get about 28000 average
The stadium holds 32000 +

Even with big away support there are still the same seats empty, game after game

And how many are netted off as a matter af course, John Street away end BL lower. Kip restricted views?

 

[Sean Thornton]

I wasn't aware anyone could buy a ticket without a membership number...?

He makes stuff up.

Queue-it

tickets.sufc.co.uk

 

[Dkc]

The Kop would need a new substantial cantilever structure to hold up the roof which would be costly and take longer than the Summer.
In return all it would do is make 100 seats a lot better and 2000 seats slightly better.
So it becomes a bad business plan to spend millions with the plan/ expectation to see zero in return.
If we're doing the Kop we need to increase the capacity, implement or plan for safe standing
and update/ enlarge the concourse, toilets, kiosks facilities putting everything under cover.

Your controversial swap plan makes no sense and some Kop season tickets holders would effectively be banned from the stadium.
The Kop holds 10,500, the away bottom tier holds 2,700.

So why would we ever give away teams over 10K tickets when hardly a single team will even half fill it
and how do you fit 8,000 season ticket holders on the Kop into the top and bottom tier of the Bramall Lane end when it only holds about 6,000.

The suggestion further down the thread was to extend the kop up over the existing gangway, making the gangway enclosed and adding 2000 or 2500 to capacity, all rail standing in a new higher section covering the gangway. Like you say the roof would be the problem I imagine.

 

[Dkc]

The budget option, which the club might seriously consider, is leaving the kop as it is and installing rail seating on the Kop / John St corner. This would be vastly cheaper than a kop redevelopment and could be done over summer.

The John St corner could be branded the 'Shoreham Terrace' or similar, and rail seats at decent prices (cheaper than kop at first) offerred to Kop s/t holders.

Employ enough staff so you can get an ale at half time, allow flags (put the Billy banner back there), make it a more comfortable experience all round.

It wouldn't totally solve the problems at the top of the Kop (people would still stand) but it would make things a lot easier.

It also might be possible to change the configuration so that corner stand has access to the Kop concorses, which might make it more attractive to kop regulars

 

[S64 Blade]

And how many are netted off as a matter af course, John Street away end BL lower. Kip restricted views?

It must be close to 1,000.

Also worth adding that a lot of spare seats we do end up having are singles (look at tomorrow night’s availability). Most people are not going to bother to buy a ticket and sit on their own, so they just don’t bother. Especially as said people are more likely to be the casual fan and less invested in going in the first place.

We do seem to have clusters still available in BL upper. Maybe the club could do some sort of promo campaign to start shifting seats up there more easily? I still think it’s viewed as the away end and not really in people’s minds as an option.

 

[Sean Thornton]

It must be close to 1,000.

Also worth adding that a lot of spare seats we do end up having are singles (look at tomorrow night’s availability). Most people are not going to bother to buy a ticket and sit on their own, so they just don’t bother. Especially as said people are more likely to be the casual fan and less invested in going in the first place.

We do seem to have clusters still available in BL upper. Maybe the club could do some sort of promo campaign to start shifting seats up there more easily? I still think it’s viewed as the away end and not really in people’s minds as an option.

Agree about the singlexseats issue obviously. BLUT appears to have spaces where friends could sit together when stone fancy the odd game. All they have to do to make everything easier for them is to become a member. But this apparently is too much trouble - in a world where much commerce is internet dominate - and is spouted by those who have a pop at the club at every opportunity.

“l fancy going to BL next week”

“You’ll have to spend ten minutes on the internet to join the clubs membership scheme”

There’s four of us want to go and sit next to each other”

“Probably another ten minutes to sort”

Doesn’t that mean 4000 unsold tickets for every game?”

“No”

 

[S64 Blade]

Agree about the singlexseats issue obviously. BLUT appears to have spaces where friends could sit together when stone fancy the odd game. All they have to do to make everything easier for them is to become a member. But this apparently is too much trouble - in a world where much commerce is internet dominate - and is spouted by those who have a pop at the club at every opportunity.

“l fancy going to BL next week”

“You’ll have to spend ten minutes on the internet to join the clubs membership scheme”

There’s four of us want to go and sit next to each other”

“Probably another ten minutes to sort”

Doesn’t that mean 4000 unsold tickets for every game?”

“No”

People are lazy though especially when it’s not something they’re fully invested in. Creating barriers where there doesn’t need to be, is never a good thing.

You’ll have probably heard about the three click rule when it comes to websites. If people have to do that forth click to find something, most will just sack it off.

 

[Stu_Blade]

When would be a good time to redevelop the kop (assuming it would take 6-12 months based on my knowledge of building projects - which is absolutely zero)?

In the premier league when we’ve got cash (but we don’t really want a 3 sided ground for what usually amounts to 1 or 2 seasons when 1000s of fans wouldn’t want to miss out)?
Or in league 1 (when history suggests around 20,000 or
less might be turning up - but we’d be skint)?
Or now?
Or never?
Or is there any real option to rent someone else’s stadium? (Coventry is a good size but too far away).

Yes, Covid would have been a great time, but we didn’t so it’s pointless mentioning it.

I just wonder what the circumstances would be for the board to say, “You know what, now is the perfect time to get that Kop completely rebuilt.”

The only comparison I have is for Fulham and their "Riverside" stand they started work in the Summer of 2019, I imagine there were Covid delays and that project is potentially more complex as including hospitality, restaurants, bars and conference facilities along with a 2 tier stand increasing capacity by 4,000 ish (not saying the Kop wouldn't be like this) but off the plan given in '06ish it was a huge 1 stand. Fulham opened the bottom tier for this season and the top tier is due to open in 2023. This development took 7 years from submitting planning to it actually starting.

 

[Sean Thornton]

People are lazy though especially when it’s not something they’re fully invested in. Creating barriers where there doesn’t need to be, is never a good thing.

You’ll have probably heard about the three click rule when it comes to websites. If people have to do that forth click to find something, most will just sack it off.

But some of those people will post repeatedly on here. And don’t go anyway.

 

[bartman]

. Most people are not going to bother to buy a ticket and sit on their own, so they just don’t bother.

I really don't get this. If someone really wants to go to a game, it doesn't matter if they sit on their own as you a watching a game of football with like minded people who you may end up speaking to anyway. You can actually watch the game without distractions

If someone is desperate to sit next to someone they know so they can hold hands during the game, you just ask them to move seats to the BLUT or move to Gangway A of the Kop so they can sit together

 

[Sheffsteel]

When would be a good time to redevelop the kop (assuming it would take 6-12 months based on my knowledge of building projects - which is absolutely zero)?

In the premier league when we’ve got cash (but we don’t really want a 3 sided ground for what usually amounts to 1 or 2 seasons when 1000s of fans wouldn’t want to miss out)?
Or in league 1 (when history suggests around 20,000 or
less might be turning up - but we’d be skint)?
Or now?
Or never?
Or is there any real option to rent someone else’s stadium? (Coventry is a good size but too far away).

Yes, Covid would have been a great time, but we didn’t so it’s pointless mentioning it.

I just wonder what the circumstances would be for the board to say, “You know what, now is the perfect time to get that Kop completely rebuilt.”

My understanding is that the most most important point of any project isn't just building and labour cost
but also minimising lost revenue due to the potential of capacity reduction.

So there's a really strong argument to do what's currently happening at Anfield adding a 2nd tier to the away end.
Basically we block off the land behind the Kop and do much of the building work on there, so initially there's no actual reduction on capacity.
As the project gets closer to completion then a section (maybe 2,000 seats) right at the back of the Kop would need blocking off with final works done during the Summer.

So the vast bulk of the Kop would remain fully operational throughout the modernisation work.

As the Kop has the worse facilities in the whole ground it does really need doing sooner or later.
but as mentioned earlier regards safe standing in the short term an answer might be the trial it in the Kop corner.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

If I wanted to go to the Theatre, or the pictures I wouldn't expect the people in front of me to stand up all through the show with their mates.

Du-du-duhhh,
Football at The Lyceum...