Safe standing.

[JK]

I have put some of the suggestions raised in how the atmosphere to be improved on this thread to the club.

Will let you know of any outcome.

After speaking to the club I have an inital update.

PA Issues

The club have been looking at this at recent games. The speakers on the Sir Tom Finney stand need replacing, but they will certainly look at reducing the volume for periods and then probably ramp it up with the right songs/videos as we get closer to kick-off.

In terms of the GSO announcements and present match videos/fans behaviour warnings etc, they are either part of the FA Action plan or Ground Safety requirements.

We agreed that limiting them to being played as early as the regulations allow as to not dilute the pre match build up.

Flags/fundraising/engagement.

We have put this on the agenda at the FAN and see if we can go through another advertising/promotional efforts to the wider fan base, looking for flag bearers/wavers – maybe expanding the giant wavers across the whole stadium.

I have always been keen to get the CET service users or student involved in any fan initiatives on Match Days and the club have agreed to look into this.

I understand there is much more to it than just flags, the PA and the like but it is a start.

I am greatful for the support of @AndySaville and others who do their best each match but for us to continue we need wider support.

Worth noting since the orginal posts about the poor atmosphere, the fans have given it a real go but as always we need the team to start winning.

I have noted comments about the drums from posters and will also ensure this is discussed.

Following the results from our polls in which over 90% are in support of safe standing, I will continue to 'bang the drum' on this.

 

[OB1]

 

[Doyler]

I have noted comments about the drums from posters and will also ensure this is discussed.

Following the results from our polls in which over 90% are in support of safe standing, I will continue to 'bang the drum' on this.

👍👍

I'm personally in two minds about safe standing. No doubt it will improve the atmosphere, but I turned up to Fratton Park at the weekend and couldn't help but think their stand behind the goal had been completely ruined aesthetically (when empty) by the introduction of staff standing.

 

[PNE04]

👍👍

I'm personally in two minds about safe standing. No doubt it will improve the atmosphere, but I turned up to Fratton Park at the weekend and couldn't help but think their stand behind the goal had been completely ruined aesthetically (when empty) by the introduction of staff standing.

Agree with this, looks very ugly.

 

[northender2]

👍👍

I'm personally in two minds about safe standing. No doubt it will improve the atmosphere, but I turned up to Fratton Park at the weekend and couldn't help but think their stand behind the goal had been completely ruined aesthetically (when empty) by the introduction of staff standing.

It'd be a shame to lose the faces in the stand if it wer're introduced, but im sure they could still get the faces in there but wouldnt look as good with the rails, unless they painted the rails to match the seat colours

 

[MrBoomBoom]

Great stuff, let’s poo poo another idea that's aimed at trying to improve the atmosphere, because the stand might not look as aesthetically pleasing (when empty).

 

[pne1881]

I just don’t think the Club have any appetite for safe standing.

They’re more bothered about making the floodlights flash.

 

[Ando31]

If people stand anyway what will safe standing solve?

I don’t sit in area where people stand but it seems from afar that people stand anyway, without being told to sit down?

Safe standing will reduce capacity and after wasting my Saturday to watch one of the worst 45 mins in recent memory, I’d much rather spend every £ on players

The bigger picture is winning games and if we do that, Deepdale will start to liven up a bit

 

[Final Stand]

If the club find it difficult to keep the stadium clean, still haven’t completed the invincibles stand, why does anyone think they would invest in safe standing.

 

[Tommmm12345]

If the club find it difficult to keep the stadium clean, still haven’t completed the invincibles stand, why does anyone think they would invest in safe standing.

I would like safe Standing in Deepdale gives people a choice but it's a fair point it shouldn't take fans on Internet to tell club to keep the stadium clean tho. Should have pride to and wanting to keep stadium up to scratch.

 

[JK]

If people stand anyway what will safe standing solve?

It will give people a choice to legally stand throughout the match safely.

I don’t sit in area where people stand but it seems from afar that people stand anyway, without being told to sit down?

The club have to be seen to act against persistent standing as they get assessed by the authorities on a regular basis.

This can cause conflict but usually the fans self police.

Safe standing will reduce capacity

Not true.

The bigger picture is winning games and if we do that, Deepdale will start to liven up a bit

Winning football matches will help but why are you against trying something different and giving fans a choice?

 

[Jack Daniels]

If people stand anyway what will safe standing solve?

I don’t sit in area where people stand but it seems from afar that people stand anyway, without being told to sit down?

Safe standing will reduce capacity and after wasting my Saturday to watch one of the worst 45 mins in recent memory, I’d much rather spend every £ on players

The bigger picture is winning games and if we do that, Deepdale will start to liven up a bit

No it doesn't.

It has a seat, which you can still sit in, plus a safety rail in front if you wish to stand up.

I was at Cardiff 2 years ago (0-0) and their Safe Standing in the away corner worked perfectly, either when standing up or sitting down.

 

[Ando31]

How are these rails held up?

They need metal poles in between the seats. There is no space in between seats currently for these, so I’d estimate that you lose one seat in between each set of stairs as a minimum. I might be wrong but know that this is the case at other stadia.

I’m against spending money on something which is already self policed.

I’m all for fans standing up, which they have been doing for years without spending money which could be spent elsewhere.

I feel as though fans are exhausted by the current stagnation and are running around in circles trying to make us successful because they love the club, but ultimately the success (or lack of) is predominantly down to factors which are out of our hands.

The Bristol City game showed that we can be loud when we have something to shout about, which was unfortunately another mistake by the referee.

 

[JK]

How are these rails held up?

They need metal poles in between the seats. There is no space in between seats currently for these, so I’d estimate that you lose one seat in between each set of stairs as a minimum. I might be wrong but know that this is the case at other stadia.

I’m against spending money on something which is already self policed.

I’m all for fans standing up, which they have been doing for years without spending money which could be spent elsewhere.

I feel as though fans are exhausted by the current stagnation and are running around in circles trying to make us successful because they love the club, but ultimately the success (or lack of) is predominantly down to factors which are out of our hands.

The Bristol City game showed that we can be loud when we have something to shout about, which was unfortunately another mistake by the referee.

There are different ways of installing them.

They can be installed as a full system or the rails can be retrospectivly installed separately so you do not lose any capacity.

This has been done at every premier league stadium and most of the championship to some extent.

The idea of safe standing is to make it safe to stand as all seater staida is not designed for it.

As for the cost.

It does not have any impact on FFP, the owners could decide to fund it, or look into ways to have it sponsored, crowd funded etc.

Instead they decide to do nothing and fall behind every other club again.

 

[northender2]

I’m against spending money on something which is already self policed.

I’m all for fans standing up, which they have been doing for years without spending money which could be spent elsewhere.

The club can get fined for fans constantly stnading in an all seater stadium, technically, fans have to sit down to meet safety regulations

 

[Libertine]

The club can get fined for fans constantly stnading in an all seater stadium, technically, fans have to sit down to meet safety regulations

I know what you're saying is true, but some supporters in other grounds that are shown on tele nearly every week never sit down at the game.
I'm actually amazed that The FA/Premier League/EFL haven't milked this potential cash cow.

 

[Doyler]

Great stuff, let’s poo poo another idea that's aimed at trying to improve the atmosphere, because the stand might not look as aesthetically pleasing (when empty).

Why not just reply to me instead?

Although surely can't be aimed at me, because I didn't 'poo poo' the idea.

 

[Ando31]

There are different ways of installing them.

They can be installed as a full system or the rails can be retrospectivly installed separately so you do not lose any capacity.

This has been done at every premier league stadium and most of the championship to some extent.

The idea of safe standing is to make it safe to stand as all seater staida is not designed for it.

As for the cost.

It does not have any impact on FFP, the owners could decide to fund it, or look into ways to have it sponsored, crowd funded etc.

Instead they decide to do nothing and fall behind every other club again.

Yes they can be installed retrospectively, but there isn’t room between the seats at Deepdale for the metal poles doors much hold up the rails, so I don’t see where they would go?

It hasn’t been implemented at every Premier League stadium.

If it has no impact on FFP, I’m more concerned about the opportunity cost of paying for it. I’d much prefer money to be spent elsewhere.

As for funding by supporters, too much oness is put on us already in my opinion and the upper echelons still seem to take it for granted.

The narrative for some time now seems to be that we should be happy with just fielding a starting XI, so fans have naturally started to focus their efforts on matters off the pitch.

It’s about time the club did more to please the fans, rather then appease them.

 

[Ando31]

The club can get fined for fans constantly stnading in an all seater stadium, technically, fans have to sit down to meet safety regulations

I see your point and they technically can get fined but I can’t recall an EFL Club being fined for this.

That’s another point around safe standing.

It just puts an unnecessary spotlight on something which is already policed.

Hypothetically, we go 3-0 up in a play-off semi-final and Deepdale is bouncing. We could get fined for persistent standing outside of designated areas. It could take common sense out of the equation completely.

UEFA seem to like fining clubs in the Champions League etc. for this kind of stuff, but it’s unlikely to affect us in the near future 😂

 

[jakehake]

How are these rails held up?

They need metal poles in between the seats. There is no space in between seats currently for these, so I’d estimate that you lose one seat in between each set of stairs as a minimum. I might be wrong but know that this is the case at other stadia.

I’m against spending money on something which is already self policed.

I’m all for fans standing up, which they have been doing for years without spending money which could be spent elsewhere.

I feel as though fans are exhausted by the current stagnation and are running around in circles trying to make us successful because they love the club, but ultimately the success (or lack of) is predominantly down to factors which are out of our hands.

The Bristol City game showed that we can be loud when we have something to shout about, which was unfortunately another mistake by the referee.

These are the ones at Fratton Park we used the other day(well almost the same we were further to the right). Across 9 seats thats 4 legs to support them that barely cover a quarter of a seat probably. If we lost 1 seat per row per block, what's that on capacity as a whole, and in reality we'd be talking about sections only i.e the back X rows in certain blocks? It isn't a deal breaker at Deepdale certainly