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WANDERERS have said they will take a watching brief as safe standing edges closer to becoming a reality in the Football League.
League One Shrewsbury Town this week broke ranks to become the first club to actively pursue a trial to prove safe standing’s viability to the government, police and Premier League.
EFL chief Shaun Harvey has added his support, while Northampton Town have now stepped forward to confirm they will test the scheme, possibly as early as next year. Other lower league clubs, including Bury, are waiting on the outcome of their application.
Wanderers have been open to the idea of safe standing for some time and openly voted in favour of challenging the current regulations on all-seater stadia in 2014, which were implemented after the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989.
The Macron – then Reebok – was created as an all-seater stadium 20 years ago but it has been a long-held view among many supporters the area near the scoreboard at the end of the East Stand would be the most viable to put forward for redevelopment.
“Bolton Wanderers are aware of Shrewsbury Town’s stance on safe standing and are monitoring the situation,” a spokesperson confirmed to The Bolton News this week.
It has now come to light, however, that the viability of safe standing is being actively pursued by the Supporters’ Trust, who have plans to poll their members on the topic in the near future.
Daniel Izza, the BWFCST’s acting chairman, discussed the issue with Ken Anderson and board advisor Paul Aldridge this week and feels it warrants further exploration.
“Our own personal opinions on this don’t really matter,” he said. “From my point of view, I’m quite happy sitting down. But I remember the days of the Burnden Terrace and I remember the community that builds up in a football stadium.
“I went to the match with 20 mates but nobody rang each other up before the match – we knew which stanchion was ours.
“I remember what the benefits were and what the atmosphere was like during that time.”
Standing has effectively been banned in the top two divisions since the Taylor Report into Hillsborough was published in 1990 and there remain many who are convinced whether its return would be a backward step.
Aldridge knows better than most the sensitivity which still exists after spending time as chief executive at Sheffield Wednesday.
Wanderers have not dismissed the possibility out of hand and may wait to see what policy other clubs of comparable size pick in the months ahead.
“What Paul said is that whatever the club decide, the cost of converting back to standing areas will be something which has to be taken into account in the price and he would not want to send the message out to fans that safe standing means cheaper football,” said Izza.
“Some people think ‘if we’re not sitting down it’s going to be cheaper’ but if you’ve come across the Shrewsbury case, they are saying it’s more expensive than ever and that stanchions are more expensive than seats. It won’t be cheaper.”
Shrewsbury have estimated the cost of replacing seats at around £50-75,000, which will be crowd sourced.
At present, 21 clubs in the EFL have standing areas, including Burton Albion and Brentford in the Championship. Current rules state a promoted club has three full seasons to become an all-seater arena.
A successful trial was held at SPL Celtic, who installed 3,000 rail seats which can be locked into an upright position or used in the standard fashion.
After Shrewsbury broke the seal in England, EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey reasoned it was time to lobby for change at government level.
“It’s an important step on the journey towards our stated aim of seeing standing in stadiums across the EFL. I wish Shrewsbury Town every success,” he said.
“The installation will be popular with the club’s fans and, more widely, will prove a valuable opportunity to assess its use at an English football ground.
“We are aware that the Government is monitoring the installation of 3,000 rail seats at Celtic Park —which the EFL has been to view — and have been seen as a success.
“We have had a clear mandate from our clubs to lobby for changes to the all-seat policy.”
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/15383186.Wanderers_will_watch_from_the_wings_on_safe_standing_plan/?ref=mrb&lp=7
League One Shrewsbury Town this week broke ranks to become the first club to actively pursue a trial to prove safe standing’s viability to the government, police and Premier League.
EFL chief Shaun Harvey has added his support, while Northampton Town have now stepped forward to confirm they will test the scheme, possibly as early as next year. Other lower league clubs, including Bury, are waiting on the outcome of their application.
Wanderers have been open to the idea of safe standing for some time and openly voted in favour of challenging the current regulations on all-seater stadia in 2014, which were implemented after the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989.
The Macron – then Reebok – was created as an all-seater stadium 20 years ago but it has been a long-held view among many supporters the area near the scoreboard at the end of the East Stand would be the most viable to put forward for redevelopment.
“Bolton Wanderers are aware of Shrewsbury Town’s stance on safe standing and are monitoring the situation,” a spokesperson confirmed to The Bolton News this week.
It has now come to light, however, that the viability of safe standing is being actively pursued by the Supporters’ Trust, who have plans to poll their members on the topic in the near future.
Daniel Izza, the BWFCST’s acting chairman, discussed the issue with Ken Anderson and board advisor Paul Aldridge this week and feels it warrants further exploration.
“Our own personal opinions on this don’t really matter,” he said. “From my point of view, I’m quite happy sitting down. But I remember the days of the Burnden Terrace and I remember the community that builds up in a football stadium.
“I went to the match with 20 mates but nobody rang each other up before the match – we knew which stanchion was ours.
“I remember what the benefits were and what the atmosphere was like during that time.”
Standing has effectively been banned in the top two divisions since the Taylor Report into Hillsborough was published in 1990 and there remain many who are convinced whether its return would be a backward step.
Aldridge knows better than most the sensitivity which still exists after spending time as chief executive at Sheffield Wednesday.
Wanderers have not dismissed the possibility out of hand and may wait to see what policy other clubs of comparable size pick in the months ahead.
“What Paul said is that whatever the club decide, the cost of converting back to standing areas will be something which has to be taken into account in the price and he would not want to send the message out to fans that safe standing means cheaper football,” said Izza.
“Some people think ‘if we’re not sitting down it’s going to be cheaper’ but if you’ve come across the Shrewsbury case, they are saying it’s more expensive than ever and that stanchions are more expensive than seats. It won’t be cheaper.”
Shrewsbury have estimated the cost of replacing seats at around £50-75,000, which will be crowd sourced.
At present, 21 clubs in the EFL have standing areas, including Burton Albion and Brentford in the Championship. Current rules state a promoted club has three full seasons to become an all-seater arena.
A successful trial was held at SPL Celtic, who installed 3,000 rail seats which can be locked into an upright position or used in the standard fashion.
After Shrewsbury broke the seal in England, EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey reasoned it was time to lobby for change at government level.
“It’s an important step on the journey towards our stated aim of seeing standing in stadiums across the EFL. I wish Shrewsbury Town every success,” he said.
“The installation will be popular with the club’s fans and, more widely, will prove a valuable opportunity to assess its use at an English football ground.
“We are aware that the Government is monitoring the installation of 3,000 rail seats at Celtic Park —which the EFL has been to view — and have been seen as a success.
“We have had a clear mandate from our clubs to lobby for changes to the all-seat policy.”
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/15383186.Wanderers_will_watch_from_the_wings_on_safe_standing_plan/?ref=mrb&lp=7