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

[sheepbridge]

I'm in my 60s. Season Ticket in the Bramall Lane Corner. First stood on the Shoreham in the 60s. In a sense, I haven't got a dog in this fight. But, I will express some solidarity with FB98. When I first started going to games, it was easy for all like mindeds to congregate together. And, I agree with him that other clubs seem to have massed ranks of singing/standing fans which we don't have. I won't debate the details. But, I do agree with his assessment & objective.

But as has been pointed out, the ground configuration is very different and you can't just stand where you want any more.

What is needed is an area of the ground that can be controlled to stop over crowding of rows which is the issue at present, not the lack of a singing section, but the ones pushing for one seem to only accept one at the back of the Kop in the center, not in a 'shit' area and not with fans who may have supported the club for many many years and will have contributed many thousands of pounds and hours to supporting the club if they refuse to stand and sing. They're deemed as the ones who should move.

Bramall Lane corner could be an option actually, especially if it's filled with OAPs

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

But as has been pointed out, the ground configuration is very different and you can't just stand where you want any more.

What is needed is an area of the ground that can be controlled to stop over crowding of rows which is the issue at present, not the lack of a singing section, but the ones pushing for one seem to only accept one at the back of the Kop in the center, not in a 'shit' area and not with fans who may have supported the club for many many years and will have contributed many thousands of pounds and hours to supporting the club if they refuse to stand and sing. They're deemed as the ones who should move.

Bramall Lane corner could be an option actually, especially if it's filled with OAPs

No point coming at me with logic I'm afraid. This needs solving with non-logic. Too much fucking logic in football debates at the mo'.

 

[Kendal]

Could do what they've done in Qatar and pay out of work actor's to generate 'atmosphere' that bears no relation to what's going on on the pitch. Get some flatulent arse to badly toot his bugle. and someone else with the sense of rhythm of a coked-up millipede to bang a drum.

If your ticket says this is your seat, go there. . If you want to sit with your chums, buy tickets with your chums. Its not rocket science. Its not even basic o-level science

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Errr

This is the compromise for me. We cannot tell fans that there will be permanent standing but we could phrase it in a way that could imply this which your phrase would suggest and advise that they longer period of standing that will be tolerated( provided supporters stay in their allocated area.) You could phrase it say that some supporters may have difficulty seeing that game in the signing section area and fans may be on their feet more often than elsewhere in the ground

You could limit to 500 fans initially and allocate the back middle of the Kop and see how it goes....even trial rail seating in that area.

Now that would really fuck the atmosphere if we allocate space to 500 fans silently gesticulating wildly by way of BSL at the back / middle of the kop.

edit BSL - British Sign Language

 

[MobileBlade]

We can't press gang people into moving although maybe designating the back 10 rows say of the kop for under a certain age might be one option if stuctural changes aren't likely.

That would be age discrimination and almost certainly illegal.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

It's not 1971 it's not 1981 ,you can't sit and stand where you want .do we really want a ultras section (fakefootball)

See, you're mocking it by calling it an ultras section. Just because that's what others call it, doesn't mean that's the given name. It's a lazy nickname meant to mock the idea of creating anything in regards to something new or different. The language or mannerisms used by FB98 might come across as rude, abrasive, ignorant or whatever else, but the open mocking of him and his idea is just as bad. We have a family stand for families. A section of that stand is even designated a no-swearing section. All accepted. But a loud zone for fans who want to make a racket and atmosphere?

Fuck that. Fuck them. And fuck off.

 

[S64 Blade]

See, you're mocking it by calling it an ultras section. Just because that's what others call it, doesn't mean that's the given name. It's a lazy nickname meant to mock the idea of creating anything in regards to something new or different. The language or mannerisms used by FB98 might come across as rude, abrasive, ignorant or whatever else, but the open mocking of him and his idea is just as bad. We have a family stand for families. A section of that stand is even designated a no-swearing section. All accepted. But a loud zone for fans who want to make a racket and atmosphere?

Fuck that. Fuck them. And fuck off.

They probably thought the Argue fans were class in the World Cup. Lead of course by the hundreds if not thousands of Ultras that went over there.

Go to any game in Europe pretty much and you realise how abysmal the atmosphere at any game in England is. Even when by our standards, it’s a good atmosphere, it pales into insignificance. It’s all organised and lead by Ultras.

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head in it just being a name but one people have an aversion to, for some reason. It’ll be the only way we really make the atmosphere better. Standing or not.

 

[S64 Blade]

They probably thought the Argue fans were class in the World Cup. Lead of course by the hundreds if not thousands of Ultras that went over there.

Go to any game in Europe pretty much and you realise how abysmal the atmosphere at any game in England is. Even when by our standards, it’s a good atmosphere, it pales into insignificance. It’s all organised and lead by Ultras.

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head in it just being a name but one people have an aversion to, for some reason. It’ll be the only way we really make the atmosphere better. Standing or not.

Argie***

bloody autocorrect

 

[JJBlade]

Linz Foxy Quick question guys, based on the meeting, and sorry if I missed this point, but what is the 'path to effective' and how are they measuring success?

At what point can this restriction be removed?

Is it 5 games without incident? Is it 3 games? Is it a full month of home games?

How are they measuring the effectiveness? It just seems a little subjective at times so what are they looking to achieve for a green light to be given to return back to full capacity?

Cheers

It's permanent
The restriction will cease, but Uniteds new maximum attendance will always be 29,000 for evermore, until the day they find something else they don't like, then another round of cuts will be made to Uniteds stadium

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

They probably thought the Argue fans were class in the World Cup. Lead of course by the hundreds if not thousands of Ultras that went over there.

Go to any game in Europe pretty much and you realise how abysmal the atmosphere at any game in England is. Even when by our standards, it’s a good atmosphere, it pales into insignificance. It’s all organised and lead by Ultras.

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head in it just being a name but one people have an aversion to, for some reason. It’ll be the only way we really make the atmosphere better. Standing or not.

I dare say a lot of the 'anti-Ultra Blades' on this thread will have seen the world Cup, seen the African fans partying in the stands, seen the Argies going for it and thought "I bet that's a good atmosphere. But never in my house." It's the stiff upper lip attitude of the British in a way. Scared of change, we're rooted in our ways. You never know, it could very well work at Lane. Wherever it is located, whoever is relocated (if anyone even has to be), it could make a difference.

If FB98 has this idea then good for him. The ones against it, like I've said before, won't sit in the areas he mentions anyway. It's just arguing for arguings sake for the superiority of it. Making arguments for people not wanting to be moved with no knowledge whatsoever of whether they will or won't.

As has been posted, Palace did it and relocated some fans ("some". The article doesn't say how many) to accommodate the Palace fans desire for it. So it can be done.

If FB98 has genuine desire to start something like this, why should he be mocked? Just because many of those doing the mocking have done their time or can't stand up any more, others can. And if he has a desire to do this I hope he engages with the club somehow. The club will rightly point out the current issues need sorting before any new ideas are put forward and that's fine. But if they take his idea on board I'm sure they can liaise with fans through social media, as I've mentioned before in the thread, and gauge a wider response to it. If 20 people want to get involved there's no point. 200? Maybe more so.

The open mocking is childish though.

 

[Nightsweats]

That would be age discrimination and almost certainly illegal.

Seems fine to need to drag a kid along to be able to sit in the whole of one side of the ground but not create an area for people to make a noise. It isn't about discriminating against anyone. I'm pretty sure anyone on the kop would prefer moving a few rows knowing they won't have to put up with groups stood shouting all around them. Win win. I'm sure you'll come back with some more PC stuff but that dosen't interest me.

 

[MobileBlade]

Seems fine to need to drag a kid along to be able to sit in the whole of one side of the ground but not create an area for people to make a noise. It isn't about discriminating against anyone. I'm pretty sure anyone on the kop would prefer moving a few rows knowing they won't have to put up with groups stood shouting all around them. Win win. I'm sure you'll come back with some more PC stuff but that dosen't interest me.

The original suggestion was that only people within a certain age bracket sit in a certain area. That would be age discrimination. Saying adults must buy a childrens ticket to sit in family stand would not be but to say you have to be say 18-35 to sit at the back of the kop would be. Thats nothing about PC, that the Law.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Seems fine to need to drag a kid along to be able to sit in the whole of one side of the ground but not create an area for people to make a noise. It isn't about discriminating against anyone. I'm pretty sure anyone on the kop would prefer moving a few rows knowing they won't have to put up with groups stood shouting all around them. Win win. I'm sure you'll come back with some more PC stuff but that dosen't interest me.

Wouldn’t those ST holders not wanting people making a noise around them have moved already?

Not agreeing with FB98’s suggestion makes one an “anti ultra Blade” and now all fluffy bunny PC adherent.

If you didn’t laugh you’d be smashing lot up.

 

[BladeByChoice]

We can't press gang people into moving although maybe designating the back 10 rows say of the kop for under a certain age might be one option if stuctural changes aren't likely. We have family stands, why not singles areas ? God only knows we pander to enough, why not give those who want to make a noise an area?

Fuck me, I hope you’re kidding.

I’m in KB4, I stand and sing my bollocks off for the 90 (in my own seat). I’m also getting my over 60 discount next season.

So the club will do what exactly? Tell me I’m to old to stand (in an area where I shouldn’t be standing anyway) and I have to move and sit with the more mature fans. Fuck that, have you been in the South Stand for cup games, stand up for GCB and they look at you like you’re a fucking retard.

I don’t know the solution, the club made such a shit effort at communication, I’m not sure I fully understand the problem.

But it isn’t moving me.

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Wouldn’t those ST holders not wanting people making a noise around them have moved already?

Not agreeing with FB98’s suggestion makes one an “anti ultra Blade” and now all fluffy bunny PC adherent.

If you didn’t laugh you’d be smashing lot up.

Aye
But fluffy bunny PC anti ultra blade tofu munching anti- growth coalitionists abhor “smashing” - unless used as a superlative

On reflection: I do believe that an ultra blade singing section is a smashing suggestion that should be wholeheartedly embraced, after all these young people are the future

 

[beatific blade]

Plenty of young lads still at it at the last home game. Three seats but 6/7 of them occupying. What's worse is they expect everyone else to simply "budge up" and get mardy if people don't accommodate them. Sorry but that can't happen.

Its always a bunch of lads 18-23 who I suppose just want to all stand together. Not exactly a menace, they're fine, but at the same time if there isn't room they should accept it and move somewhere else.

"Self-policing" won't work. They just simply ignore you. Why should others have to take it upon themselves to get aggressive to make a difference?

P.S. I stand at the back 3 rows of the Kop since the Blackwell days and sing my tits off - I'm no boring grumbler. I'd just like to be able to buy a ticket for my dad again with me on the kop sometime soon....

 

[sheepbridge]

Plenty of young lads still at it at the last home game. Three seats but 6/7 of them occupying. What's worse is they expect everyone else to simply "budge up" and get mardy if people don't accommodate them. Sorry but that can't happen.

Its always a bunch of lads 18-23 who I suppose just want to all stand together. Not exactly a menace, they're fine, but at the same time if there isn't room they should accept it and move somewhere else.

"Self-policing" won't work. They just simply ignore you. Why should others have to take it upon themselves to get aggressive to make a difference?

P.S. I stand at the back 3 rows of the Kop since the Blackwell days and sing my tits off - I'm no boring grumbler. I'd just like to be able to buy a ticket for my dad again with me on the kop sometime soon....

This is the first I've heard about it at the last match, which is more of an issue as it is season ticket holders, not just those who pay per match.

Contrary to some people, I doubt anyone is against an Ultra section / singing section but they recognise it has to be somewhere that can be controlled and not an area where people can just walk up to and push in to already full rows and as you say self policing won't work and shouldn't be expected to.

This is the exact reason we now can't sell tickets on the Kop and there is no way on earth SUFC or SAG would contemplate sanctioning such an area on the Kop at present if it would lead to overcrowding on rows. The only option as I see it is to find an area that can be controlled, maybe by restricting access to certain turnstiles although this might not be in a part of the ground that these fans don't want to be in, or waiting for the Kop redevelopment and hopefully the implementation of safe standing, though there would still need to be strict control on numbers in that area, and I can't see that happening any time soon.

If it is still occurring then they won't be selling tickets on the Kop anytime soon either I would imagine.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

The financial success of the club is primarily down to the success of the first team. If the atmosphere you generate is crucial to the success of the first team, then stage a sit down silent protest.

I'm assuming the Kop are doing a silent protest today.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

Must have been just been a first half protest.

Fine fettle at beginning of second half, and without any overcrowding at the back at all.

 

[Tom Bott]

No other well supported clubs I can think of have 80 year olds 8 rows from the back of their most atmospheric stand

At what age do you think you will be asked to move on from your seat.

 

[TJB.]

From a purely selfish point of view, they can keep this weird ticket policy.

Love turning up at 10 to 3 and only having five people in front of me at the turnstiles of the Kop

 

[VictoryBlade]

Is it the council thats forced this on us, sorry Ive not kept up with this. It just seems crazy that we cant sell tickets on the Kop when Hillsborugh has not improved since the dissaster (never should have been given a safty certificate in the first place), but why are the club going along with this and not challenging the council, who really do show their blue and white bias!!!

 

[HighfieldBlade]

I wish I were at my usual place on the Kop! I was on BLUT today, and sorry to say it, but the fans up there need a rocket up their arse to get any noise out of them. I ended up singing on my own like a mentalist UTB

 

[Superblades]

Still stood in isles at the back, only going to end one way.

 

[Proper Blade]

This is all going splendidly well. The club have managed to both kill any lingering atmosphere in the ground and totally failed to address the 'issues' they highlighted themselves. All whilst losing hundreds of thousands of pounds every matchday.

United are managed by total idiots from top to bottom.

 

[Sean Thornton]

This is all going splendidly well. The club have managed to both kill any lingering atmosphere in the ground and totally failed to address the 'issues' they highlighted themselves. All whilst losing hundreds of thousands of pounds every matchday.

United are managed by total idiots from top to bottom.

Judging by your arithmetic it’s a bit cheeky to call others idiots.

 

[jt64]

Still stood in isles at the back, only going to end one way.

Well the next step is to eject those people, then see if they learn

 

[dn5 shaun]

Worst for me was getting held up in that gennel leaving Millmoor with a constant stream of people pushing from behind. Absolutely stupid “crowd control”.

it was worse getting in down that dead end, women and children being passed above head and my feet never touched floor for 50 yards back in 1980? very frightening

 

[Inter_blade83]

Well the next step is to eject those people, then see if they learn

I mean it's quite simple really. Remove those who are in undesignated areas. If they don't find themselves an actual seat to stand/sit behind, then remove from the stadium.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I mean it's quite simple really. Remove those who are in undesignated areas. If they don't find themselves an actual seat to stand/sit behind, then remove from the stadium.

Should be easy to spot, the number of grasses we apparently have up there.