Interesting artcile of a possible opening of the door to allow terracing back for top flight football.

I think this is a great idea . Turn the middle 3 blocks of the MHL into terracing would increase the atmosphere plus lower ticket prices

We'll listen to case for terraces, says sports minister Hugh Robertson•

The FSF is calling for defined areas of grounds to be made available for safe standing areas, similar to those in Germany.

The sports minister, Hugh Robertson, has said the government will consider the possibility of reintroducing standing areas at top-level football matches, 21 years after Lord Justice Taylor recommended terracing be outlawed.

At the first ever meeting to discuss the issue with the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF), football authorities, police and the Football Licensing Authority, which took place on Monday, Robertson said he would examine the evidence for safe standing. In particular, he said he wanted to see whether modern terracing would be safe, technically able to be built into stadiums and capable of being policed, and whether there is demand from substantial numbers to stand.

But anxious not to raise immediate expectations, Robertson told the meeting frankly that because the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 Liverpool supporters died, led to Taylor's recommendation that standing be outlawed, the stakes are extremely high to recommend a change. If he were to do so, and there was then a major accident or incident of disorder on a terrace, Robertson said: "The minister's head would be on a spike on Tower Bridge before he could draft a resignation letter."

The meeting was called by the Liberal Democrat sports spokesman, Don Foster, who has tabled a private member's bill calling for clubs to be permitted safe standing areas. "I am very pleased we brought all parties together for the first time to discuss the issue," he said. "Real fans are paying high ticket prices and losing out, and I am confident safe standing can be introduced which meets all the minister's concerns. We will be gathering the required evidence, and fans must now make their voices heard."

The FSF will launch an online petition calling for the introduction of safe standing areas at stadiums in England's top two divisions, where all-seating has been compulsory since 1994, as recommended by Taylor four years earlier.

All the authorities represented at the meeting stated their opposition to any reintroduction of standing areas, although they no longer state that this is predominantly an issue of fan safety, rather of crowd control. The Premier League, Football League and Football Association argued that all-seat stadiums had been crucial in improving the game's fortunes and image since Hillsborough, and there is no major demand for standing.

The FSF is calling for defined areas of grounds to be made available for safe standing areas, similar to those in Germany where closely spaced barriers make a crush close to impossible. The FSF points to a survey it conducted in which 90% of respondents said fans should have the choice of sitting or standing. The organisation hopes thousands will sign the online petition.

Robertson stressed he is wary of considering change, but would look at all evidence presented, and would want a consensus, including the police in particular, that standing would be safe.

Andy Holt, assistant chief constable of South Yorkshire police, representing the Association of Chief Police Officers at the meeting, said it is up to the FSF to demonstrate that standing areas could be policed effectively and would not risk increasing disorder at matches.

Malcolm Clarke, the FSF chairman, argued that such standing areas would enable fans to enjoy matches in a more traditional atmosphere. Clarke also pointed out that many supporters regularly stand at top-flight football in the all-seat stands, a practice the Football Licensing Authority considers a safety risk.

"Fans do believe they have lost something in the move to all-seating," Clarke said. "We will be doing further research to respond to the concerns of those who are not yet convinced."

Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/mar/22/terracing-government-reintroduce-standing

If 100'00 can stand at Glastonbury, why not football, they should consider giving over a maximum of 15% of capacity over to terracing. In our case 6'000+, maybe even allow a small section of the away end to have terracing as well.

Would love to see this. Nothing the stewards could do either to make people sit down and whatnot.

...they should consider giving over a maximum of 15% of capacity over to terracing. In our case 6'000+

With that change there might not be such a big demand for a bigger stadium or moving to a new stadium.

Was listening to the debate this morning and apart from one scouser (and to be fair to him <completely against my principles>for some very valid reasons) all fans want it, and everyone knows football has moved on, as long as it is managed properly then no issues.

In fact Steve Currie was against it as well saying that it had caused Hysell and Hillsborough...absolute nonsense, it added to it no doubt but there is only one common dominator in those incidents but everyone two worried about mentioning it. We had 100 years of terracing without to many issues before them disasters and going forward which modern day football club would let something like that happen again ?

I welcome it and think it will improve atmosphere no end, however lowering ticket prices will not happen.. there is talk about increasing them as they will be marketed as the "Prime match day experience" :angry:

Everyone stands up for the whole game anyway. Espicially at away games.

Everyone stands up for the whole game anyway. Espicially at away games.

They dont need seats in the away ends,thats why they used to throw them on the pitch.

In fact Steve Currie was against it as well saying that it had caused Hysell and Hillsborough...absolute nonsense, it added to it no doubt but there is only one common dominator in those incidents but everyone two worried about mentioning it. We had 100 years of terracing without to many issues before them disasters and going forward which modern day football club would let something like that happen again ?

Rubbish argurment .....Even after the Rangers v Celtic disaster you still use stairs to get into the ground ............

Another reason it could work now is the turnstiles, they are much more proficent at getting large numbers into the grounds nowadays.

Im for it 100%, Germany has done it safely.

Nobody sits down at away games anyway. Proper games are when everybody is standing, you get a much better atmosphere.

You stand for the whole game, and sit down at half time, that's the drill.

I personally think the Shed End Lower and MH Lower should be made all standing, only problem is you'd have to take away some of the restricted view seats.

But it would certainly make for a better atmosphere at the Bridge.

RDFC peter de banke terrace is class.

bring them back!...

Think there is a facebook group as well you can join to support it as they are going to have a meeting about it in June!!

Brilliant idea, it really is time for a rethink over the ban on terraces as the game and the fans have moved on since the bad old days. I read somewhere that in Germany a lot of people feel Dortmund are so far ahead in their league because of the terraces they have and the atmosphere it generates. Home crowds now are outsang almost every game at most stadiums, mainly because the fans who do sing are spread thinly throughout the ground, whereas the away fans are all clumped together.

Brilliant idea, it really is time for a rethink over the ban on terraces as the game and the fans have moved on since the bad old days. I read somewhere that in Germany a lot of people feel Dortmund are so far ahead in their league because of the terraces they have and the atmosphere it generates. Home crowds now are outsang almost every game at most stadiums, mainly because the fans who do sing are spread thinly throughout the ground, whereas the away fans are all clumped together.

The Dortmund terrace is a breathtaking sight at every home game. And there are several others in Germany that are very impressive as well.

You can put your name to it here

http://www.fsf.org.uk/petitions/safestanding.php

but where will i eat my prawn sandwhich in peace!

As a 6'3 lad I like this, if I was a foot short I might not be a big fan :P

i'm in favour

Been looking at a few vids from germany and it just looks amazing.

yes, but pilot it first using modern turnstiles it can be limited so no crowd problems

so i'd start shed lower..........nice and easy, prove it works......................good idea

It's something that has been called for for many years now. I am firmly in favour of it, ok it won't be the same as the old shed, but it's the closest we'll ever get to the old days and most importantly it'll improve the atmosphere.

Edited March 23, 201115 yr by Scooby Blue

Absolutely. I'd be more than happy to have an entire stand erected that was nothing but Terracing.

Lets be honest, it's not terracing that's the problem.

Make the entire North Stand one big terrace

All in favour of it but I don't see it happening, the first time someone get hurt the person that agrees ther return of terracing will cop the full blame. No polition would want that. A compromise though could be to sell tickets for a stand rather than a specific seat, this would get fans into the ground earlier and ensure groups of fans can sit together-providing they get there early enough!

We have sit/standing at IFK Göteborg works perfectly the only stumbling block I can see at the Bridge is in the Champions League when the seats are down no one will put their bums on them and Platini & Co will start issuing large fines and warnings of bans.

Talksport read out a statement yesterday apprently from the FA that said they would not consider allowing "Safe standing" in the top two division. They said they go on the advice of police and safety officials i think.