STV: Is safe standing coming soon?

[mizer]

http://sport.stv.tv/football/311451-is-safe-standing-coming-soon-premiership-clubs-state-their-position/

 

Debate has raged in Scotland in the past few weeks over ways to improve match day experience with the return of safe standing areas just one piece of a complicated puzzle.

 

Top flight clubs in Scotland were given the green light to introduce safe standing sections at their stadiums back in 2011 but so far none have been able to do so.

 

Dundee United are the latest club to state their ambition to introduce a standing area at their ground, subject to further approval from fans, the police and local authorities.

 

Celtic have been frustrated in their attempts to use rail seating at Parkhead while Aberdeen have previously looked at the system, which is in operation in the Bundesliga.

 

STV contacted all 12 current Scottish Premiership sides to gain their views on safe standing.

 

Aberdeen - An Aberdeen spokeswoman indicated since the Dons were looking to move to a new ground in the near future, safe standing would not be "top of our priority list for Pittdorie". However she added safe standing was something they would look at when constructing the new stadium.

 

Celtic - Celtic have seen proposals to introduce safe standing rejected by Glasgow City Council with the local authority unsatisfied over a lack of provision for a barrier between standing and seated areas.

 

Dundee -  we currently have no plans.

 

Dundee United - Creating a safe standing area is expensive but it looks great and creates an atmosphere. We’re in a position to spend the money but we’d need to survey the fans first

 

Hamilton - We believe there’s a place for safe standing areas but will take the SPFL Board and Memberships view and recommendations

 

Caley - Preliminary research shows that the cost of this could be prohibitive as things stand at the moment but we are keeping an open mind on this initiative and will be discussing the options with the supporters.

 

Killie - In principle, we would support the creation of "safe standing areas" but due to the capital expenditure required to convert seated, concrete terracing into an area suitable for "safe standing", this is not a priority at present.

 

Well - The main issue for us, and possibly other clubs, is the costs involved. The area we would consider logical within our ground would probably require a significant amount of work to be able to facilitate.

 

Partick - Any move to introduce standing at games must be proved completely safe before its widespread introduction.

 

County - It is time for this debate to move forward and for our politicians to make decisions which will see safe standing back at Scottish football grounds.

 

St Johnstone - There are no timescales for any such work at McDiarmid Park and we have yet to have any dialogue with the local authority.

 

St Mirren - My worry is that supporters would expect to pay less for standing yet would cost clubs money to first of all create these areas plus there would likely be extra stewarding and police costs associated with standing areas for clubs.

[manc_don]

So, in summary, nothing is going to be happening any time soon. Couldn't care less, as long as the steward nazis don't tell you to sit down.

[Jute]

We already have safe standing on section Y.

[manc_don]

Well, on the day that the club announce (according to the EE...) that they won't be looking to introduce it at Pittodrie (presumably because this already happens in Section Y), the Dhims announce they are going to introduce safe standing.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33061483

 

Dare I say it, fair play to them.

[manc_don]

Septic have finished installing their safe standing section. Looks pretty good imo