Stewards tonight on the kop

[Berkshire Blade]

People wanting a section for younger louder fans to be together...if only there was a corner of the kop that has a lot of seats that when tickets are on sale is the last to fill meaning plenty of space for them to gather

 

[Katzenjammer]

Firstly try the reply button and it will make debate so much easier. Secondly, why is it 'only right' that people can sit in the same seat season after season. It 'only being right' isn't a great argument is it?

The transaction is what makes it right. The supporter pays a relatively large sum of money to commit to using that seat for a full season. In recognition of this commitment, the club provides a grace period in which the supporter is given time to renew for the next.

This is entirely fair. If I forego the opportunity to renew, my seat will be somebody else's, because I didn't engage in a transaction with the club. But for as long I have an agreement with the club, that is my seat and nobody else's.

 

[Westran]

It's a bullshit argument saying people shouldn't be able to buy the same seats, people sit in the same seats for years and make friends with the people around them, it's their little community and if they were split up every year the sense of loyalty and enjoyment of matchday would be reduced for thousands of people. By the same token of saying why should they be allowed to keep their seats, why shouldn't they? Just to satisfy some moron who can't stand to be away from his gang of mates for 90mins? Or daren't sing if they're not with their pals.

The whole resistance from a few idiots is a bit pathetic really, on one hand you've got people saying it's health and safety gone mad and we should all stop being snowflakes, then the same people are being snowflakes about being told what to do. Some people need to grow up and just accept that sometimes we need rules and sometimes we have to follow them.

 

[Cheesebored]

I think that you’ve just switched on for an argument, season ticket holders have always been able to request the same seat, right from my grandad’s days in the old centre stand in the 1950s.

I know. I've had one for 37 years. It doesn't (IMO) make it right. I've simply made a counter argument and received a couple of child like replies. I've yet to hear why it's right to have the same seat year on year. The seat belongs to the club, not any individual.

 

[Cheesebored]

It's a bullshit argument saying people shouldn't be able to buy the same seats, people sit in the same seats for years and make friends with the people around them, it's their little community and if they were split up every year the sense of loyalty and enjoyment of matchday would be reduced for thousands of people. By the same token of saying why should they be allowed to keep their seats, why shouldn't they? Just to satisfy some moron who can't stand to be away from his gang of mates for 90mins? Or daren't sing if they're not with their pals.

So your little community is somehow more important than a group of lads stood up at the back of the Kops community. Why? Because you've been doing it for longer?

 

[Westran]

So your little community is somehow more important than a group of lads stood up at the back of the Kops community. Why? Because you've been doing it for longer?

If those lads don't have a ticket there then yes, absolutely. Just sit in the seat you've bought a ticket for, it's not fucking hard.

 

[BarcaBlade]

sometimes we need rules and sometimes we have to follow them.

Sometimes. But we don't 'need' those particular rules. We could choose to have different rules.

That's more just an academic argument. I've probably been to BDTBL about 4 times in the past 10 years. I'm just killing a bit of time waiting for today's 'derby' game (Bohemians v Sparta) where I'll be standing behind the goal, drinking a beer and smoking a spliff along with a lot of friends, some close, some casual, who I largely met while standing behind the goal drinking beers and smoking spliffs. Sometimes we watch or comment on the football in between singing, drinking beer and smoking spliffs.

 

[Cheesebored]

If those lads don't have a ticket there then yes, absolutely. Just sit in the seat you've bought a ticket for, it's not fucking hard.

They do have tickets. How is it affecting you personally? How does it detract from your match day experience?

 

[The Crab]

Ok. Some fucker who like attention (there’s a few) get a poll up. After dem blades professionally disposed of Swansea yesterday “what triggers you more, pigeons or stewards”

Pigeons.

Never had to clean steward shit off my car.

Not yet anyway.......

 

[Cheesebored]

The transaction is what makes it right. The supporter pays a relatively large sum of money to commit to using that seat for a full season. In recognition of this commitment, the club provides a grace period in which the supporter is given time to renew for the next.

This is entirely fair. If I forego the opportunity to renew, my seat will be somebody else's, because I didn't engage in a transaction with the club. But for as long I have an agreement with the club, that is my seat and nobody else's.

Whist i agree with this in principle the transaction is what makes it right contractually not morally.

 

[Westran]

They do have tickets. How is it affecting you personally? How does it detract from your match day experience?

Personally not very much, but if it doesn't stop happening, the whole stand will be shut and then it will affect pretty much everyone who goes to games. Also, I have mates who come every now and then who can't come in the stand at the minute and so rather than sit on their own, just don't bother coming. It's a slight annoyance to me and that's it. But I sit in my seat every game and I'm not part of the group who think the rules shouldn't apply to them. Entitled pricks.

The rules are there, whether you agree with them or not, to allow safe exit in the case of an emergency, say there was a fire, or there was a terrorist attack. It would affect me if you and your mates were all blocking up up the emergency exits because they couldn't stand to be apart for 90mins. I think the rules are excessive and should be changed, but the people who have to apply the rules and issue safety certificates will have no choice to apply them and whether the coked up morons at the back think the rules don't matter or not, if it isn't fixed then we'll end up losing part of the stand by default. And it won't be anyone's fault but those who don't sit in their seats, not the club, not the SAG, not the Council, just the fans, because the rules exist, won't be changed for us and have to be applied.

 

[Bladeloyal]

No issues flagged yesterday

 

[Katzenjammer]

Whist i agree with this in principle the transaction is what makes it right contractually not morally.

Not quite, that's only part of the transaction.

It wouldn't make financial sense for the club to offer 23 fixtures at a lower rate than match-by-match basis if other factors didn't come into play.
Football clubs have sold season tickets for well over a century because they want loyalty. Loyalty in this case is measured by longevity. Which is why the supporter who has had their seat for 10, 20, 30 years is of more value than the newcomer because they've generated more revenue.

 

[Cheesebored]

Personally not very much, but if it doesn't stop happening, the whole stand will be shut and then it will affect pretty much everyone who goes to games. Also, I have mates who come every now and then who can't come in the stand at the minute and so rather than sit on their own, just don't bother coming. It's a slight annoyance to me and that's it. But I sit in my seat every game and I'm not part of the group who think the rules shouldn't apply to them. Entitled pricks.

The rules are there, whether you agree with them or not, to allow safe exit in the case of an emergency, say there was a fire, or there was a terrorist attack. It would affect me if you and your mates were all blocking up up the emergency exits because they couldn't stand to be apart for 90mins. I think the rules are excessive and should be changed, but the people who have to apply the rules and issue safety certificates will have no choice to apply them and whether the coked up morons at the back think the rules don't matter or not, if it isn't fixed then we'll end up losing part of the stand by default. And it won't be anyone's fault but those who don't sit in their seats, not the club, not the SAG, not the Council, just the fans, because the rules exist, won't be changed for us and have to be applied.

I haven't sat on the Kop for 26 years so I'll have all on blocking any exits. I don't want the rules changing but I'd like them applying fairly and evenly across all clubs not just ours.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

They do have tickets. How is it affecting you personally? How does it detract from your match day experience?

By the same token, how does your wanting my seat, which I’ve had for twenty years, improve your match day experience? Because you think it has a better view? Stop digging mate, you’re embarrassing yourself.

 

[Bladeloyal]

What all ways makes me laugh is fans that won't go if they have to watch the game on their own .then have the temerity to complain about seat allocations. Pathetic individuals

 

[itsinyerblood]

If they’ve requested it and they’ve paid for it, what’s not to like? I can live with that better than a self entitled cunt deciding he’ll have it.

Completely right. If the time constraints have been followed to the letter why would the club decide to ignore a supporter's wishes? I know that commonsense is often awol in what should be a straightforward and sensible commercial discussion, but to not be receptive to the wishes of a supporter who has used a specific seat seems the height of stupidity, and whatever bond has existed between club and supporter will be broken.

 

[Westran]

I haven't sat on the Kop for 26 years so I'll have all on blocking any exits. I don't want the rules changing but I'd like them applying fairly and evenly across all clubs not just ours.

What evidence do you have that they aren't applied evenly and fairly?

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

People wanting a section for younger louder fans to be together...if only there was a corner of the kop that has a lot of seats that when tickets are on sale is the last to fill meaning plenty of space for them to gather

Aye
But that’s not good enough for ‘em

Centre / rear or nowt is their ‘ motto

 

[Flippity Gibbert]

Because they’ve sat there for years and years. That’s how it works.

Perhaps people can buy their season tickets during the drab league one and league two years. Then when it comes to the halcyon days of the premier league, the people who haven’t been for years should get first dibs on the best seats. That’s how to reward loyalty.

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

I know. I've had one for 37 years. It doesn't (IMO) make it right. I've simply made a counter argument and received a couple of child like replies. I've yet to hear why it's right to have the same seat year on year. The seat belongs to the club, not any individual.

So, you sat in > 750 different seats during that time?

 

[shorehamview]

And people reckon the young lads standing together are entitled! I know that's how it works, I'd like you to explain why that should be the case?

Why should they have to move because someone else want their seat? Would you move house just because someone else fancied living there?

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Not quite, that's only part of the transaction.

It wouldn't make financial sense for the club to offer 23 fixtures at a lower rate than match-by-match basis if other factors didn't come into play.
Football clubs have sold season tickets for well over a century because they want loyalty. Loyalty in this case is measured by longevity. Which is why the supporter who has had their seat for 10, 20, 30 years is of more value than the newcomer because they've generated more revenue.

Well said. If we get promoted to the PL, it makes sense to reward existing ticket holders by allowing them to renew. They are more likely to renew if/when we go back down. Those of us who have gone full circle from top division to bottom division and back up again have a proven track record of supporting the club through thick and thin. Rewarding and encouraging loyal customers makes sense in many different ways. The club needs as many bums on seats as possible, and I am all in favour of encouraging people with special offers, etc., but a hardcore of regulars is the essential starting-point.

 

[finlaytheblade]

WTF has Brexit got to do with?

Four times? No way. I've been going to the Lane now 60 years. I'm not starting to be treated as a 'suspect' now. You behave as a prick if you want to. I refuse.

Just think about it Sneinton
You have been going 60 years I've been going a lot longer! What's that got to do with it.
THINGS CHANGE and we have to go along with it or get left behind.
All these inna city costs if you take your car
within the area designated! Will you pay or avoid the area! What I am saying we have no control of these matters! either accept or avoid that's it burying your head in the sand will get you nowhere apart from numerous costs each time you enter! No escape.
You get my drift.
Just relax and let the stewarts do there job or do you want the police to step in! After 60 years you are able to watch the team you love ! that's great just relax and enjoy the game!,
Stewards are there to help with that !,don't make it difficult for them.

 

[jt64]

What I am saying we have no control of these matters

Well, people could stop voting for the clowns that do this sort of thing. Problem is that half of Sheffield would vote for a glass of water if it had a red rosette on it

 

[shorehamview]

I’ve watched United from the same seat for almost 20 years. Before then when I was working weekends and nights I bought a ticket for wherever I could, and I sat there. I didn’t try and nick someone else’s seat because they had a better one than me. I sat where my ticket said I should, and I waited until a time when work circumstances changed and getting a season ticket was a viable option. I’ve seen us in the Premier League, and I’ve seen us down the arse end in the old division four, back when I bought my tickets on a match by match basis. I’ve had my season ticket for the highs under Wilder, and the lows under Weir, Adams, Adkins et al.

Why should I or anyone else have to move seats because someone else wants to sit there? Tough fucking shit, it’s my seat. They could try liaising with their mates and getting seats together somewhere, but they want to be at the back all stood together and whoever should be in that seat can fuck off. That hardly seems fair, does it?

 

[Katzenjammer]

Well said. If we get promoted to the PL, it makes sense to reward existing ticket holders by allowing them to renew. They are more likely to renew if/when we go back down. Those of us who have gone full circle from top division to bottom division and back up again have a proven track record of supporting the club through thick and thin. Rewarding and encouraging loyal customers makes sense in many different ways. The club needs as many bums on seats as possible, and I am all in favour of encouraging people with special offers, etc., but a hardcore of regulars is the essential starting-point.

United have historically been very good at striking the balance between treating long-time fans well and attracting new followers.

Season ticket prices have been more than reasonable. In fact I paid less for the 19/20 Premier League season than I did the year Adkins was in charge. Even less last year thanks to the Covid-19 discount.

In the same time, heavy community engagement and incentives for bringing kids in have swelled the numbers and guaranteed future support. These are all things to be applauded.

The club should be careful not to ruin this however. The OP does have a point about the alienating behaviour from some of the stewards this season.
I've witnessed many of them display some quite shitty behaviour towards supporters who did nothing to create the problems that have apparently occurred.
There's a balance to be found between enhancing matchday security and criminalising ordinary fans, and I think those boundaries have been blurred a bit too much lately.

 

[Foxy]

I've witnessed many of them display some quite shitty behaviour towards supporters who did nothing to create the problems that have apparently occurred.
There's a balance to be found between enhancing matchday security and criminalising ordinary fans, and I think those boundaries have been blurred a bit too much lately.

By the same token, stewards have also had to put up with racist and physical abuse.

Agree with the balance and I’m far from a fan of stewarding, but you’ve effectively got low paid roles opening themselves up to abuse… it either needs more investment or additional support with effective policing.

Along with people not acting like entitled pricks.

 

[Bennyand the Blades]

The answer is pretty obvious really, all the stewards need is a big rubber stamp and an ink pad to stamp everyone's seat number on their forehead,
May I also suggest they use luminous ink for night matches....

There fixed it

 

[Katzenjammer]

By the same token, stewards have also had to put up with racist and physical abuse.

Agree with the balance and I’m far from a fan of stewarding, but you’ve effectively got low paid roles opening themselves up to abuse… it either needs more investment or additional support with effective policing.

Along with people not acting like entitled pricks.

Well I can sympathise there, my own job role carries with it a lot of verbal abuse and the threat of violence for a not-brilliant salary (albeit in a very different setting). And many of our fans are no angels by any means.

The key as you say is investment and a better standard of policing. In the meantime, everybody could do with turning the heat down a few notches.