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The Safety of Fans in the North Stand

samaistonsrightfoot said:
Moving south stand or what we aside I think the north would be class with both levels full of home fans. Particularly with the displays etc providing the clubs death by a thousand cuts doesn’t kill them off.
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They're looking at safe standing in the south stand for the people who want to be vocal and stand all match. You can't move them into the north stand as the back rows of seats are BCB seats which have a high percentage of elderly people and people with mobility issues who like to sit down all match.

The BCB'ers don't want to go back upstairs as it's easier getting in and out of the BCB where they are now. Apparently there were numerous issues with the lift to the upper section and it takes to long to go down to the bar and back up at half time, which makes sense if they are unsteady on their feet.
 

An online petition will sort it.....We are English, not French. The type of mindset to change things quickly doesn't happen in England. The North Stand should do the pitch invasion if it happens again.
 
If I were a billionaire football club owner and over several seasons my paying punters had been hit with flares/bottles thrown by away support located above where they sit, such that there is a genuine risk that someone could at some point be maimed/killed, I can’t imagine my response would be simply to “do nothing”.

Wouldn’t want it on my conscience if/when the worst happens.

Current approach is counter-intuitive and somewhat maladjusted, really.
 
Zimba said:
In fairness it could easily work up there, plenty of stadiums abroad where there's not an issue.

I know I'm diverting it a bit but the away stand is the least of the issues with security.

Literally a few year back there was a terrorist attack at Manchester Arena yet the response from football grounds is ...? Anyone and I mean anyone could strap a bomb to their chest and walk straight into the stadium as there's absolutely no checks anywhere. It's embarrassing. Not to mention there's nothing stopping someone with a truck coming 5 minutes before kick off and mauling down 1,000 fans walking over the bridge towards the ground.

If you fixed that issue then you'd fix the issue with chucking stuff as whatever those checks are will also remove the stuff ie. Glass bottles which are being thrown over.

I don't want to say it but it's just a matter of time before there's a serious innocent at some ground, just hoping it doesn't involve us but we're an easy target imo. Peeking your head in people's bags for 2 seconds is not a security check.
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That's the thing I can't get my head around. Haven't seen persistent issues elsewhere that we seem to be getting. So where is it going so badly wrong at the SOL?
 
Bailes said:
There are a lot of young children sitting around us in the North stand and it’s not acceptable to feel unsafe at the game. The police were a joke and only moved up there in numbers after the flares had been thrown down onto our fans. The club needs to act - simple as that
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This. Police and stewarding are a joke. It can’t be that hard.
 
McGregor said:
That's the thing I can't get my head around. Haven't seen persistent issues elsewhere that we seem to be getting. So where is it going so badly wrong at the SOL?
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Big allocations maybe and a 'big team' maybe? Means any dick head can get a ticket on their general sale who are there to cause trouble as much as anyone else.

There's been loads of trouble with Coventry and Birmingham particularly this season. I had a Google before, mostly involving fights. There's a video of a steward smacking the shit out of some Brummie supporter which was quite amusing. Birmingham chucked a smoke bomb at their own disabled supporters somewhere so seem they're lacking a few brain cells aswell.
 
ISOE II said:
Sign it anyway to show your displeasure and we may at least get the net option.
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Why would I sign when personally I don't want them moving, although if the club want to do this then that's fine. There is markedly less bother with them up there if the club address this issue (these owners have done zero ti show they are better than the last off the pitch and with investing in the club).
Thankfully I moved from the north stand some years ago. If I still sat there I'd be writing to my MP and the H&S exec as as we all know it's evident their is scope for serious harm.
 
TravellingMackem said:
Ajax have one. Think it just goes from the barrier to the roof, so effectively keeps the away fans behind a barrier, thus making throwing things down physically impossible.

The HSE cites an ALARP principle to dictating what is justified in safety concerns like this - if an option is excluded purely on a cost basis then that cannot be justified in the eyes of the law.
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Cost can be reason not to do something, the controls need to be reasonably practicable.

I’d argue though that the costs here wouldn’t be enough to be a reason on their own.
 
TravellingMackem said:
There is plenty of other places they could be moved to that would be viable, including into the to be vacated SEC for the 24/25 season when the family zone moves, or the NEC. Or pretty much anywhere else that isn’t right above my head, or the head of other Sunderland fans. Which is about 100% of the lower bowl.
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The thing with the current family zone is there are hardly any families left in it. It's mainly vocal youths/adults as an extension of the south stand. It's not going to be the massive exodus as people think it will be when the new family section opens.

I still think the family section should have remained in the NW corner as it was before it's current incarnation. It's never been that family friendly as first it was next to the away fans and now it's next to the noisy section.
 
TAD said:
Why would I sign when personally I don't want them moving, although if the club want to do this then that's fine. There is markedly less bother with them up there if the club address this issue (these owners have done zero ti show they are better than the last off the pitch and with investing in the club).
Thankfully I moved from the north stand some years ago. If I still sat there I'd be writing to my MP and the H&S exec as as we all know it's evident their is scope for serious harm.
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Bother happens when 2 sets of daft lads want a puch up..it happens all over, missiles been thrown down on innocent people and kids is a bit different..I would say if you want change you should sign it
 
6inarow said:
Bother happens when 2 sets of daft lads want a puch up..it happens all over, missiles been thrown down on innocent people and kids is a bit different..I would say if you want change you should sign it
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I haven't read the petition as the post said it was to move the fans. I disagree with that so obviously won't sign it.
If it asked the club to take immediate action by installing a net, screen or moving the fans I'd sign in a heartbeat.
 
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