Should Spurs Consider ‘Safe Standing’?

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Article by e-Spurs Writer Johnny Murwill (UK)

With the Northumberland Development Project underway, and plans expected to progress within the next year, it is hopeful that the process of constructing a new stadium will speed up. The plans to move into a new stadium have coincided with an increasingly vocal argument for the FA to see the introduction of ‘safe standing’, an issue which is understandably a highly emotive subject. But with the construction of a modern, first-class stadium in the wings, is it a debate that Spurs can afford not to engage with?

The tragedies of Ibrox and Hillsborough are still etched into the footballing memory of the country, and many inside and outside the game remain vehemently opposed to the idea of standing being reintroduced to the upper leagues. The SGSA (Sports Ground Safety Authority), the authority on all aspects of sports grounds safety, have stated that there are currently no plans to reintroduce standing at Championship and Premier League grounds. Mike Nicholson, the director of a documentary on Hillsborough, raises a number of points that opponents of standing argue. In his blog, he argues that standing can never be as safe as seating as seating helps create a physical barrier between fans, preventing crushing and surges, whilst also helping to slow the flow of people exiting the ground. Equally, arguments have been made that all-seated stadiums allow police to better monitor and control crowd disturbances, and that this would be threatened by standing areas.

However, there is increasing support to bring ‘safe standing’ into stadiums throughout the leagues. In late 2011, the Scottish Premier League announced its approval of pilots for ‘safe standing’ in Scottish grounds. Both Aston Villa and Manchester City have joined numerous clubs who have stated a willingness to hold trials for standing areas in their stadiums – if the FA were to change its stance. More recently, the Tottenham Hotspur Supporter’s Trust backed the movement towards introducing safe standing, making a pointed reference to the imminent construction of Spurs’ new stadium.

In response to the fears and objections raised by some, the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) – the group behind the ‘safe standing’ movement – raises a number of points. The FSF argues that contrary to concerns, ‘safe standing’ does not hold the dangers that it once did. The reintroduction of standing would not be a return to the old terraces, but a move forward to the modern stadiums seen in the USA, and Germany in particular. As exemplified below, the bars between rows in rail seats prevent the surges associated with standing, while also allowing seats to be used during UEFA matches – who require games to take place in all-seated stadium.



                       Rail Seats in operation at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim

Photograph: Jon Darch

 

Concerns have been raised that standing areas could lead to too many fans being allowed in one area. However, the government’s Green Guide allows a maximum of 1.8 standing fans to every seated fan, and with the technological advances available to clubs in terms of turnstiles and ticket allocation, there are surely ways of ensuring only a safe number of fans is allowed into standing areas. Rail seats provide a barrier but also a space within which numbers can be controlled, and with the vastly increased surveillance capabilities available to the police, the danger of crowd trouble is surely just as limited as in seated areas. A multitude of other concerns are addressed in the FSF’s Safe Standing Mythbuster.

While obstacles and objections remain, the movement towards ‘safe standing’ continues. With the construction of a new stadium in the near-future, should Daniel Levy and those involved at Tottenham become involved in this debate? ‘Safe standing’ could provide a larger capacity of cheaper tickets to match the vast demand at Spurs games, while creating a more vibrant and raucous atmosphere. Concerns over safety must undoubtedly be addressed, but perhaps it is time to consider the place standing could have in our prospective new stadium.

By Johnny Murwill

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