Posted on 12th March 2014
This is a story from the FSF archive – the FSF and SD merged to become the FSA in 2019.
Norwich City supporters are the latest to give the thumbs up to safe standing following a survey by fans’ group Barclay End Projekt. 89% of 853 respondents gave their backing to a safe standing trial at a top-flight English ground.
The positive response is consistent with similar surveys at Arsenal and Aston Villa and follows the Football League’s announcement that it too supports safe standing trials.
88% of respondents backed a safe standing area at Carrow Road with 87% believing safe standing areas would improve the atmosphere.
While the majority of respondents (63%) are season ticket holders the club will be interested to hear that 35% of fans say they’d go to more games if there was a standing area at Carrow Road. Only 3% say it would encourage them to go less.
David Wiltshire of the Barclay End Projekt hopes the survey will help educate fellow fans and encourage clubs to take a lead on this issue.
“In the last year we’ve gained the support of both the city’s MPs who agree that the implementation of safe standing should be decided by clubs and fans, rather than being a political issue,” says David.
“Once people understand the concept of rail seating they’re very open minded and welcoming of the idea. Supporters can have a choice of standing or sitting without compromising on safety, this is progressive step forward not a return to the past.
“We’re absolutely delighted by the positive response. It’s undeniable that the overwhelming majority of Norwich supporters back the campaign, and that’s testament to the work that the FSF have been doing on a national level, which we’ve carried forward in our own area.”
The survey was launched on 28th December 2013, the day of the club’s home match with Manchester United, and ran throughout January 2014.
Norwich City Supporters Trust and the Barclay End Projekt are holding an open meeting on safe standing in the Norfolk Lounge, Carrow Road, on Wednesday 19th March (8pm). The meeting is open to all supporters and Jon Darch of the Safe Standing Roadshow will be in attendance.
Thanks to Action Images for the image used in this article.
There you are, going about your day, encouraging football clubs to think a little more about their long-term financial health and ways to increase supporter engagement when – BAM! – a club CEO compares your ideas to the Great Leap Forward (Chairman Mao’s disastrous policy which led to the deaths of at least 15m Chinese citizens).
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) was contacted last night by the Sports Ground Safety Association (SGSA), who told us that the option for football clubs to offer licensed standing at all levels of the game in England and Wales has at last been passed into official Government policy.
Brentford, QPR and Wolves are the latest clubs to confirm they will have safe standing areas – and more clubs are expected to follow next season as the Government has confirmed that Premier League and Championship clubs can introduce standing during 2022/23.
This week UEFA confirmed that it has approved the use of safe standing in European competitions for the upcoming 2022-23 season.
