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The Safety of Fans in the North Stand

Mowgli said:
The council have rejected that plan because of the sheepfold development. That was in the RAWA meeting feedback
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How is that worthy of a rejection? No matter where the away fans are housed there will be loads making their way back towards the station anyway.

The stadium was designed to have them in the South Stand and the cells were put down there too..... Bollocks to the arguments over atmosphere they need to be moved back there. Fans safety is more important.
 
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Roker Scoreboard said:
How is that worthy of a rejection? No matter where the away fans are housed there will be loads making their way back towards the station anyway.

The stadium was designed to have them in the South Stand and the cells were put down their too..... Bollocks to the arguments over atmosphere they need to be moved back there. Fans safety is more important.
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It’s a whitewash mate and nothing more. Excuse after excuse
 
Frankel said:
So don’t do anything because the Police have sorted it? Have previous away fans not been arrested? Has it done anything to prevent other away fans from doing it?

People have suggested alternatives to the South Stand but surely if it was an ultimatum between moving aways back there or potentially a home fan being seriously injured then there’s only one option?
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No mate bad crack don’t move south stand
 
tony_not_in_london said:
Here is a thought experiment

Supposing the away fans were allocated seats in the Premier Concourse above where club directors, journalists and guests sit.

And so far this season a bottle, assorted vapes and coins and two smoke bombs had been launched from above.

Do you think we would be listening to polite tannoy announcements asking away fans not to throw “pyrotechnics” and half-arsed ineffective searching of away fans entering the ground?

I suspect there might actually be a bit more urgency in ensuring it stops PDQ.
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I’ve suggested in an email that they move the owners / directors / vip’s & their families to the North Stand for a few weeks to see what its like. Sure i won’t get a response….
 
TravellingMackem said:
If we’re keeping a list, we should add in the power bank that was thrown down, the bottle of piss and the dart and that’s just stuff near me…
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I think the fans reps should send a formal “Without Prejudice” letter to the club setting out our concerns under quite a few relevant statutes that we do not think the club are taking their responsibility for ensuring fan safety in the ground seriously enough.

It would be a good idea to seek professional legal advice before sending the letter - I’m sure there are Sunderland supporting lawyers who could be persuaded to advise on a Pro Bono basis OR have a whip round and pay a law firm commercial rates - I’d be happy to donate to help fund it and am sure others would too.

This is not the same as “suing” the club but it would put the club on notice that we do not think they are discharging their responsibilities seriously. And if the worst happen the club would have to explain their response.

And the club’s legal advisors should/would draw their attention to the implication of ignoring a reasonable letter setting out legitimate concerns. So increasing the chance of something sensible being done.

Seems to me we have had enough meetings with club reps with actually nothing effective being done about this by the club afterwards.
 
Roker Scoreboard said:
How is that worthy of a rejection? No matter where the away fans are housed there will be loads making their way back towards the station anyway.

The stadium was designed to have them in the South Stand and the cells were put down there too..... Bollocks to the arguments over atmosphere they need to be moved back there. Fans safety is more important.
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Think they’d need to be moved if we got promoted anyway.

I don’t remember the atmosphere suffering when the away fans were in the South Stand tbh.
 
Roker Scoreboard said:
How is that worthy of a rejection? No matter where the away fans are housed there will be loads making their way back towards the station anyway.

The stadium was designed to have them in the South Stand and the cells were put down there too..... Bollocks to the arguments over atmosphere they need to be moved back there. Fans safety is more important.
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It's not going to happen. I've just told you it's apparently been rejected by the council and police. Like somebody else also posted.... trouble is allegedly down 60% since they moved.

People need to accept they aren't going back in the south stand.
 
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SAFC_Jack said:
Think they’d need to be moved if we got promoted anyway.

I don’t remember the atmosphere suffering when the away fans were in the South Stand tbh.
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They wouldn't need to be. We'd be exempt on safety and police grounds like Newcastle are.
 
SAFC_Jack said:
Thought they were just moved so it looked better?

Still a joke, regardless, and people shouldn’t have to put up with it.
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They were initially. I thought you were talking about the rule that away fans need to be pitch side in the PL?

That's bypassed when police say its for safety which is what they will do and its why they're blocking moves now.

It looks like all the club can do is install netting if moving them is being blocked. What else can they actually do?
 
Roker Scoreboard said:
How is that worthy of a rejection? No matter where the away fans are housed there will be loads making their way back towards the station anyway.

The stadium was designed to have them in the South Stand and the cells were put down there too..... Bollocks to the arguments over atmosphere they need to be moved back there. Fans safety is more important.
Click to expand...

The reality is mate, the club know they could shift the aways to the NEC next season. The council and safety group would approve, but it would cost money. Ultimately they don’t want to spend money
 
Mowgli said:
They were initially. I thought you were talking about the rule that away fans need to be pitch side in the PL?

That's bypassed when police say its for safety which is what they will do and its why they're blocking moves now.

It looks like all the club can do is install netting if moving them is being blocked. What else can they actually do?
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They haven’t put any netting up so that would be a start.

Shouldn’t be going to games thinking about getting twatted by objects from above.
 
tony_not_in_london said:
I think the fans reps should send a formal “Without Prejudice” letter to the club setting out our concerns under quite a few relevant statutes that we do not think the club are taking their responsibility for ensuring fan safety in the ground seriously enough.

It would be a good idea to seek professional legal advice before sending the letter - I’m sure there are Sunderland supporting lawyers who could be persuaded to advise on a Pro Bono basis OR have a whip round and pay a law firm commercial rates - I’d be happy to donate to help fund it and am sure others would too.

This is not the same as “suing” the club but it would put the club on notice that we do not think they are discharging their responsibilities seriously. And if the worst happen the club would have to explain their response.

And the club’s legal advisors should/would draw their attention to the implication of ignoring a reasonable letter setting out legitimate concerns. So increasing the chance of something sensible being done.

Seems to me we have had enough meetings with club reps with actually nothing effective being done about this by the club afterwards.
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There's no point though, I'm not an expert in law but the club will just reply that they had discussions with the police and council and they approved their safety certificate and are doing x, y and z. It'll be instantly thrown out in court if you even managed to get it there.

Unless your planning to take Northumbria Police to court aswell but good luck with that.
 
Hank Scorpio said:
The reality is mate, the club know they could shift the aways to the NEC next season. The council and safety group would approve, but it would cost money. Ultimately they don’t want to spend money
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After today and seeing the mother with her disabled kid in tears, having to leave the ground it's gone too far man.... Couldn't care less about any arguments of location, they need to move them asap.
 
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