Do You Prefer Standing Or Sitting ?

[LeungKen]

Having seen this link on the BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7129319.stm

I wondered what other members thoughts were on how they liked to watch their football live.

If there is a mod who thinks it's worth a poll, please feel free to include one.

Then I can vote for a standing section.

[mrtoad]

Standing everytime. I've always felt that the atmosphere changed after taing away the standing areas. From my understanding, it's a bit of a myth to suggest that standing is unsafe, although regulations in England prevent standing in the top two divisions.

There are noteable exceptions in Europe, such as Bremen, which has large standing area, and of course other stadiums around the world.

Personally, I always hated sitting down at football in some cramped seat and I think the old Wembley along with Villa Park were two of the most uncomfortable seatin experiences I have had.

I like to watch football standing, and I also like to have a beer at the bar standing.

Edited December 6, 2007 by mrtoad

[Florin]

Standing! It's great to watch football back home in Romania, where everybody just stands on the seats...practically never see anyone sitting down if there's a big match.

[nidge]

Standing

[mrbojangles]

Standing undoubtedly. Better atmosphere etc and easier to keep warm on a freezing day

[chavy]

The league was looking some time back about re introducing "safe" standing areas. I know from the Mansfield fans that the new owners were wanting to explore this again.

[lazeeboy]

Standing undoubtedly. Better atmosphere etc and easier to keep warm on a freezing day

standing its all to formal nowadays ,sitting takes away the atmosphere for me.

[keddy]

Standing undoubtedly. Better atmosphere etc and easier to keep warm on a freezing day

standing its all to formal nowadays ,sitting takes away the atmosphere for me.

Standing, with the away supporters standing in the rain though at West Ham they were always under a roof. However that was the only concession they ever got, if they turned up at all. My vote is definitely to take out some of the seats and put a little bit of the old atmosphere back into the grounds. When I catch glimpses of the crowds on TV the people are either very young or middle-aged but few teenagers. Standing would lower the prices and bring back some youthful energy to the games.

[ThaiPauly]

Standing....kids on their Dad's shoulders or down behond the goal, rattles, the half time peanut seller, the lone Bobby,kiddies shouting "You're no good" at the players, no girlies or stewards ,...... jumpers for goalposts...NICE

[EastSaxCol]

The Stand Up, Sit Down campaign was started by some West Ham supporters and has be running for the past two or three years. It's gained massive support and impetus amongts supporters of all clubs. As I understand it the objective is to get safe standing areas as well as seaing areas , whichever you prefer.

http://www.standupsitdown.co.uk/campaign.htm

Nowadays I actually prefer sitting down for mobility reasons, and as at Upton Park they always do stand irrespective, has meant that I've had no option really but to miss most of it if I did sit down during the match. [1] Even at the Millennium Stadium I was forced to move for the same reason (hats off to their great stewards, btw). But, I see no reason why there shouldn't be a mixture. I can remember literally fearing for my life sometimes at our ground on a full house. I can also remember the wholly civilized standing at grounds like Villa Park when the away end was packed out with our own, but you could still go out for a half time pint and pie, or whatever, with ease. Standing wasn't at all claustrophobic and no fear of being crushed against the 'crush barriers' -- a misnomer if ever I heard one.

So the obvious way forward is to back the campaign already mentioned.

[1] Of course, I refer to the lower tiers of all four Stands. Our travelling away supporters - forget sitting down for starters.

Afterword

The Guardian has been reporting on the SU-SD related campaign sometimes. For example:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/02/...r_standing.html

And more recently, even The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...17/sfntyl17.xml

Edited December 7, 2007 by Happy Hammer

[scousemouse]

The Stand Up, Sit Down campaign was started by some West Ham supporters and has be running for the past two or three years. It's gained massive support and impetus amongts supporters of all clubs. As I understand it the objective is to get safe standing areas as well as seaing areas , whichever you prefer.

http://www.standupsitdown.co.uk/campaign.htm

Nowadays I actually prefer sitting down for mobility reasons, and as at Upton Park they always do stand irrespective, has meant that I've had no option really but to miss most of it if I did sit down during the match. [1] Even at the Millennium Stadium I was forced to move for the same reason (hats off to their great stewards, btw). But, I see no reason why there shouldn't be a mixture. I can remember literally fearing for my life sometimes at our ground on a full house. I can also remember the wholly civilized standing at grounds like Villa Park when the away end was packed out with our own, but you could still go out for a half time pint and pie, or whatever, with ease. Standing wasn't at all claustrophobic and no fear of being crushed against the 'crush barriers' -- a misnomer if ever I heard one.

So the obvious way forward is to back the campaign already mentioned.

[1] Of course, I refer to the lower tiers of all four Stands. Our travelling away supporters - forget sitting down for starters.

Afterword

The Guardian has been reporting on the SU-SD related campaign sometimes. For example:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/02/...r_standing.html

And more recently, even The Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtm...17/sfntyl17.xml

Great post HH