We should be standing for the whole game...

[DmanDmythDledge]

Who said anything about staying silent? You are surely not suggesting a prerequisite for supporting your team is that you stand throughout a game? or, that you cannot create an atmosphere without standing?

Is it difficult to create an atmosphere sitting down. You can't sing as loud (or at least I can't) and it is harder for people with bodhrans etc.

I think you know exactly the point I was making!

Probably took the wrong meaning of your comment. The comment that you made was stereotypical and a rarity, mainly from people who come hammered to the match.

[Poor Student]

Probably took the wrong meaning of your comment. The comment that you made was stereotypical and a rarity, mainly from people who come hammered to the match.

Exactly. I don't know what point you're trying to make, Superhoops. The vast majority of people who want to stand want to do so in unison with a large group and want to face the pitch. I believe what Dman and others are calling for is a singing section established under the guise of like minded people who are interested in going the extra bit to generate an atmosphere which will result in an unofficial standing section. It's a small bending of UEFA guidelines but it's what already went on in Landsdowne Rd.

For the second time in Lower Canal End I was seated beisde an unanimated lump who possibly never chanted once in the game. The atmosphere was better than the Wales game and the atmosphere in the general area was great but there were stone statues littered about the place that prevented uniformity in action.

[John83]

Wasnt there uproar at Old Trafford a few years ago when fans were threatened with expulsion if they stood and blocked the view of the prawn sangwichers.

I think that was external pressure - fire marshalls or something. Not sure though, TBH.

[Beavis]

Exactly. I don't know what point you're trying to make, Superhoops. The vast majority of people who want to stand want to do so in unison with a large group and want to face the pitch. I believe what Dman and others are calling for is a singing section established under the guise of like minded people who are interested in going the extra bit to generate an atmosphere which will result in an unofficial standing section.

Thats it. The disabled, the elderly, families and anyone who doesnt wish to stand should be accomodated, as indeed those of us who wish to stand for the entirety (all the attention seekers) should; in separate and widely recognised areas.

[GavinZac]

I was speaking to a wheelchair user after the game on wednesday and they found it very fustrating trying to watch the game as everytime people stood up he could see nothing.

is that not the fault of whoever allocated wheelchair seating? even at turner's cross the disabled section has always been at the front of the stand with no obstructions. in the new stand they're given prime spots at the very front of the stand on the left and the right.

saying people shouldn't be allowed to stand at football games if they choose is like saying i have to be silent lest you annoy your neighbour, or not eat curry chips as it offends their senses. its a football game ffs, anyone who isnt aware they may be forced to stand if they sit behind someone singing probably also misses the commentary too.

[jbyrne]

at one stage the mexican wave was beginning to take off but almost immediately "stand up for the boys in green" was started which knocked the wave on the head. might be the best way of stopping wave from now on... as soon as the wave starts just start singing stand up for the boys in green. best form of defence is attack!

[SuperDub]

is that not the fault of whoever allocated wheelchair seating? even at turner's cross the disabled section has always been at the front of the stand with no obstructions. in the new stand they're given prime spots at the very front of the stand on the left and the right.

saying people shouldn't be allowed to stand at football games if they choose is like saying i have to be silent lest you annoy your neighbour, or not eat curry chips as it offends their senses. its a football game ffs, anyone who isnt aware they may be forced to stand if they sit behind someone singing probably also misses the commentary too.

If you read my origional post you will see i did not say in it that i was against anyone standing. I just commented on a situation that was made to me by someone who is a wheelchair user.

[Joey Killester]

Whoever said we'd have to bend FIFAs rules to stand, who the hell cares! In many countries you will find people standing at internationals, just look at the Poland matches on Setanta. Also, who ever said we shuould stand like they do in the Kop, what a poor example since England (and Scotland) is the only country in the world where a section of support does not stand for the whole match (including our own league of course).

There should definitly be a standing section behind the the goal, the stadium is plenty big enough to facilitate those who want to stand, sing and create atmosphere as well as sections for kids, families, the elderly and disabled. And who ever decided to put wheelchair bound fans to the back is in absolute eejit! And in my opinion there is no way can sit down and sing compared to standing. F*ck the "dangers", I'd be willing to risk them for standing up, jumping up and down, and mental when a goal goes in.

[GavinZac]

If you read my origional post you will see i did not say in it that i was against anyone standing. I just commented on a situation that was made to me by someone who is a wheelchair user.

I didnt say you did, the second part of my post was addressed to the wider audience.

[galwayhoop]

there are two types of people who attend football matches:

spectators - who go to watch
supporters - who go to support

why not put those of us who want to support (and stand) in one section??? i'm sick and tired of gobsh1tes** telling me to sit down if i'm at a match, as said above p1ss off home and watch the telly if you want an uninterupted view!!


** self same gobsh1tes who rarely encourage the team instead spend their time critising individual players - usually JoS and KK.

[RogerMilla]

got to agree with you galway hoop , thats why the away games are always better , you are in with a load of fellas who want to jump and sing who are pretty much all supporters.

[WexDec]

F8cking hell some people will look for any auld excuse to stop something. We must be the only country in Europe that implements every European regulation going and always does what we're told. We're talking about singing and shouting and standing and maybe sometimes fecking dancing at a football match not disrupting some performance at a theatre. You'd think we were breaking into someone's housing and robbing them we're made out to be such criminals/gobsh1tes.

Wheelchair sections are nearly always at the front of stands for bleedin' very obvious reasons. Users of this area should complain to the real gobsh1tes who put them there in the first place behind a few thousand footie fans who are very likely to stand occassionally.

A whole stadium won't and needn't stand up for all the valid kids, pensioners and even prawn sandwichers reasons given but nobody is saying it should just as is/was traditional in most football stadiums that there's a hardcore section. This hardcore section often becomes the object that the "spectator/tourist" come to see and hear from their relative seated comfort. It exhibits the genuine passion that the sport is all about and entertain people who just "like the idea" as well greatly improving the overall atmosphere.

I'm not sure what exact rule is meant to be broken if there's standing areas in Germany and there's seated areas all over the place that people stand in. Yes the Kop stands for CL nights and funnily enough there's a wheelchair section on the Kop from which nobody's view is blocked (a mate of mine goes there) but amazingly its not at the back ! The away section at every match there also stands as any away section stands. So its not like we're talking about introducing some innovative idea, anything but. Incidentally from next season the Dad and Lad sections on the Kop are being moved as a new singing section is being created across 3 or 4 blocks and can gaurantee you these blocks will stand at every match so I guess I'd better mention to them about breaking a UEFA rule as they'll probably immediately drop the idea then !!! Also all the other sections sit down because they are constantly told to sit down which they don't do on the Kop cos its pointless when EVERYBODY does it.

I believe the Old Trafford thing was due to threats from the local council to do with health and safety regulations in the planning permission when they were extending the corners of the ground or more importantly the capacity which needs to be passed by the council. There was a threat that some of the top sections would be closed off if standing persisted AFAIK but I'm very open to correction. I reckon it was more the council using a regulation to stamp their authority as these small minded little men and women are always likely to do given a little power.

As far as safety goes and terrace tragedies thats the greatest cop out excuse of the lot. You have your own square space to stand in rather than sit in. Your still have your seat numbers its not like its a free for all or crowd bunching is going to happen for God's sake. If anything everybody jumping up from a seated position suddenly for a goal is more dangerous flying coats, programmes, flags and hot cups of tea and all !

Anyway all these comments probably apply to new LR as the FAI couldn't even organise the singing section when allocating seats for Croker not to mention the well known other fcuk ups and I can only presume the wheelchair section will be where it is for all matches at Croker. I sympathise with wheelchairs users/pensioners/kids whoever can't stand/see but I don't think a singing standing section goes against their needs at all in fact I'm sure most would like be adjacent to or in front of such a section for the atmosphere just not in it or behind it. Especially the kids who are the future hardcore and often way more full of life than their more statuesque elders (a return to the cheap ticketed boys pen approach not a bad idea either !). I don't sympathise with day tripping spectators who moan about real fans and quite frankly are the root cause of the lack atmosphere and modern sanitisation of football. They can simply fcuk off back to their Sky box and have their opinons formed by Dunphy/Giles from their comfy armchair/barstool.

Some people will look for any 'excuse' to not do something while others see all the good 'reasons' to do it, end of.