Phil Buckingham hears the case for safe standing as roadshow visits Hull's KC Stadium
HULL City supporters have not stood at a home game since the final fixture at Boothferry Park almost a decade ago.
But as the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) bring their Safe Standing Roadshow to the KC Stadium on Saturday, a growing section of fans are hopeful that could soon change.
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A section of rail seats at a ground in Germany.
Working together with City's Official Supporters' Club, and with the approval of the Tigers, the FSF's initiative will visit the KC ahead of the Championship fixture with Bristol City to champion the technology they believe can see standing areas reintroduced to the top stadia across English football.
A small example of a "rail seats" structure will be erected outside the Sports Bar ahead of the game and fans will be invited to use the proposed safe standing areas for themselves.
The FSF's campaign has enjoyed growing support in recent months, with Aston Villa and the SPL declaring their interest in giving a trial to safe-standing areas.
The organisers of this Saturday's Roadshow hope a display of their proposals will help win support among the City faithful – and eventually lead to a standing area being introduced at the KC.
Chris Smith, chairman of the Hornsea branch of the OSC, has played a part in staging the event and said: "It's my perception that there are a growing number of supporters who wish to stand at games and I see no reason why that can't be implemented in any stadium.
"No one is advocating going back to open terraces. Safe standing is nothing like we remember of the open terracing at Boothferry Park.
"The idea of the Roadshow is to try and improve understanding of the FSF's campaign, and bury some of the myths.
"We want to increase knowledge on the subject and move the issue forward. We are waiting for the politics to catch up with reality."
Like the majority of purpose-built grounds, the KC was designed as an all-seater venue in the wake of Lord Justice Taylor's report into the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.
However, a bill which proposes a return to safe standing areas has been tabled in the House of Commons, while the SPL revealed in December that it would receive requests from member clubs to pilot the new-look terracing from next season.
Standing is commonplace in the German top flight and their rail seats system is being used as a blueprint by the FSF.
Although the design allows for specified all-seater events, they can also be locked in an upright position for supporters to stand.
"There's an obvious cost factor for installing this equipment but if that can be overcome, it would improve the safety for those wanting to stand," added Smith.
"I look around the KC on a match-day and there's people at the back of the East Stand standing and some in the South Stand as well.
"You see most of the grounds around the country are allowing it to take place and people who want to sit are sometimes inconvenienced by those who want to stand.
"To have safe standing areas would be a far safer option than when supporters stand behind low plastic seats, and it would improve an atmosphere at the KC that's been declining year on year."
For all the support building behind the FSF's campaign, it remains an emotive issue for the authorities.
The Hillsborough Families Support Group have spoken out against a return to standing areas, insisting it would be a backward step for football fans' safety.
The Safe Standing Roadshow has spent the week in Scotland and will travel to Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, Dunfermline and Aberdeen before the weekend trip to Hull.
The provisional approval of the SPL is a boost to the FSF's hopes to reintroduce safe standing and they have urged City fans to try out their proposals.
"Terracing has a stigma to many politicians that it's a bad thing so a better idea is to propose something different," said Jon Darch, who is taking the roadshow around the UK.
"It's about more and more people being educated and understanding what it's about.
"The biggest problem of the safe standing campaign in recent years has been a struggle to get the message across.
"The only way of overcoming that is to take the model out to supporters and let them touch and feel the rail seats.
"We don't believe any council officer, safety officer or politician can stand there and go away thinking it was unsafe."
7 Comments
by RobL1968
Friday, February 10 2012, 6:28PM
“Surely the KC Stadium can just put barriers in front of the existing seats which would be cheaper? Or am I missing the point?”
by MikeMadrid
Friday, February 10 2012, 3:49PM
“Standing is logical. It's more fun and helps the atmosphere. Remember when Elton John was about the first singer to play a live concert in the old Soviet Russia. They had stewards at the end of each aisle to tell the fans to sit down. Impossible! Also, if you take small kids to the game, when there is an attack the adults in front stand up causing a ripple effect, so the kids miss the goal. People who choose to sit normally stay sitting. People forced to sit don't. The safety argument is not at all valid. In the old days the problems were caused by crowd surges which crushed the people at the front and could cause barriers to break. With more barriers there would never be more than 2 or 3 peaple deep in any section. Simple. Just do it. The KC with both ends home ends. Both ends totally standing (and safe). Sides seats, or maybe even the lower sides standing. Should increase the capacity also which creates revenue.”
by Jack_Russell2
Friday, February 10 2012, 3:26PM
“If you want to show respect at 1-2 minute silences......you have to stand up!
If you want to keep warm,you have move,shuffle,bend your knees,swing your hips,do the bop!
To do all these things.........................................you have to stand up!
To sing,chant loudly you need to reach the high notes by raising up on the tips of your toes.
You can't do this sitting on your erse......................you have to stand up!
Watching football is rubbish when your forced to sit, so give your support to the safe standing roadshow and hopefully it won't be long before we are back to the good old days and all standing together.....UTT!"”
by veneztigres
Friday, February 10 2012, 3:17PM
“been to games in Latin America where standing is the norm even in the seated areas, there is way more atmosphere and passion than the stale controlled games in England, plus the stewards there do not try to throw people out who shout and scream, bring back safe standing, it works in Germany it can work in the UK don't let the Hillsborough families dictate to everyone else.
"UP THE TIGERS"”
by F_enchTickler
Friday, February 10 2012, 10:56AM
“BRING BACK THE TERRACES PRONTO i mean.!!!!!”
by F_enchTickler
Friday, February 10 2012, 10:54AM
“i was brought up on terraces and there is nothing wrong with them. the whimpish governments muppets who banned them should have been shot imo. dont blame the terraces for the tragedies blame the fans who took part in awful situations. Bring them back Pronto.”
by Squaggles
Friday, February 10 2012, 10:37AM
“I really hope this happens and we get standing sections back in English grounds again . The important thing is choice so those that want to stand can do so in the standing areas but those who want to sit can do so without other people standing in front of them .
It is a win-win situation for both those who want to stand and those who want to sit .”