Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Not standing For It ?



Thanks to all those who replied on the standing issue (especially James) it appears more
action has been taken by the club on the standing issue for the Sunderland game.

Different rows have been closed for this game, though im unsure if this is on top of the
rows closed for the last game or different ones this time round ?

The recipient of this particluar letter has demanded a refund , based on the fact he has
been dispatched to the third tier away from the people he normally sits with. Whilst the
letter makes it clear the clubs hands are tied on this , are they seriously taking enough
action to protect the fans not breaking rules ?

It would appear that this issue is set to run and run , the irony of the situation is that as
the council reduce the crowd they reduce there own revenue !

The opinions on this matter vary hugely as we saw from the comments on the last
article regarding this issue , time to put it to the vote.


Should Standing Be Re-introduced at Football ?
Yes - No restrictions.
Yes - But in a controlled manner.
No - Too dangerous.
No - I prefer sitting.
Free polls from Pollhost.com







vote it up!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

isn't it about time the club "stood up" for the fans on this issue? they could actively campaign for the fans rights to stand in front of their seats, as it has been said the most dangerous time to stand is when a goal has just been scored , which is deemed perfectly acceptable !! i am sick of hearing how the clubs hands are tied ,"support your supporters" in deeds not words ! if nelson mandela hadn't stood up for the rights of his people south africa would still have appartheid.

Anonymous said...

It's misconception upon misconception here, the blind leading the blind. The law states that stadia must have seats, not that people have to sit in them. The reasoning for this is to put a buffer between each row of supporters to prevent crushing or at least give those being crushed an easier escape route. This didn't mean "don't stand" it meant "if you're going to stand you'll be safe". However, as with all badly written rules where their meaning is not explicitly stated, it's taken to mean "you must sit". I look forward to the day when the rules are "re-interpreted" to mean that "you must not make any noise as the only permitted sound is that of the canned applause". The situation is too difficult, the powers that be too scared that there might be another Hillsborough and we are too hell-bent on standing for a compromise to be reached. Not that those who enforce the rules seem interested in compromise. Perhaps if we were treated like adults we'd respond like adults - allbeit slightly tipsy, over-excited adults but grown-ups nonetheless. The current situation is daft.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous: You read somewhere (MCIVTA?) that "The law states that stadia must have seats, not that people have to sit in them."
That in itself is a misconception.
The law states that:
11.—(1) The Secretary of State may, by order, direct the licensing authority to include in any licence to admit spectators to any specified premises a condition imposing requirements as respects the seating of spectators at designated football matches at the premises; and it shall be the duty of the authority to comply with the direction.

From the Football Spectators Act 1989
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga_19890037_en_1.htm

in other words, the Secretary of state has decided that all seater stadia shall have licences requiring all spectators to sit down during football matches, and it's up to the city council's licensing authority to make sure that MCFC comply.

Anonymous said...

I have watched City since I was 8, 52 years ago. I used to love standing on the Kippax but when that went I moved to the Maine stand. Hillsborough changed everything and it is time that the dinosaurs accepted this. I was at Anfield last week and it is clear that the message is beginning to get home to all but a few thickies. I don't need to sit because of my age as I am fitter than most thirtysomethings but If I have paid 30 quid for a seat I might as well sit in it.

Anonymous said...

Its about time that the club stopped upsetting there own supporters.
For years now we have had to put up with a sub-standard ticket office ,that can niether oragnise anything correctly or treat its paying customers with the respect they deserve.
Now supporters cannot stand in a certain section of the ground and are constantly harrassed by stewards,police and the like.
Double standards scream out here as away fans can do as they please as well as other parts of the ground.
They ask us for a show of loyalty season after season and what do we get in return???????????????

Anonymous said...

Sit down if you love City quotes "as respects the seating of spectators at designated football matches at the premises"

Where does it say they have to sit in the seats? All this says is that the club have to provide seating.

It also specifically states that this provision only applies to "designated" matches, and that the Secretary of State "may" apply this provision. In other words there are holes in the legislation that any lawyer could drive a bus through.

Quite simply, the council are deliberately misinterpreting the law, and the club are abetting them by allowing the stewards to attack the supporters.