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Standing At Games

Darth Vega

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2013
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The South upper has been a strange mix the last few games. Absolutely everyone was standing during the City game throughout the 90 minutes; Palace at home started with everyone standing, then a 50/50 split of sitting and standing in the second half; and Huddersfield had fans arguing with each other about sitting/standing, to the point where it was almost all seated.

If someone asks me to sit, i'll sit - they've paid their money to watch Spurs the same as anyone else, and I won't be the one to ruin their day - but I do wonder why you've bought tickets in the South if you're not planning on standing.
 

easley91

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
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53,768
The South upper has been a strange mix the last few games. Absolutely everyone was standing during the City game throughout the 90 minutes; Palace at home started with everyone standing, then a 50/50 split of sitting and standing in the second half; and Huddersfield had fans arguing with each other about sitting/standing, to the point where it was almost all seated.

If someone asks me to sit, i'll sit - they've paid their money to watch Spurs the same as anyone else, and I won't be the one to ruin their day - but I do wonder why you've bought tickets in the South if you're not planning on standing.
If they are like myself, they may have health issues yet want to be in the stand to experience it. I did it at the test events to see the view and see how it was. Also, after the horrendous ticket queues and doughnut of death it may be the only place left if you want to go.
 

Yid121

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2008
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3,139
If they are like myself, they may have health issues yet want to be in the stand to experience it. I did it at the test events to see the view and see how it was. Also, after the horrendous ticket queues and doughnut of death it may be the only place left if you want to go.
Experience the atmosphere but not get involved?! You can be involved anywhere else in the stadium and sit with the 3/4s that also don't want to sing!

V Huddersfield I was sat in a row of people trying to sing and stand. No-one else wanted to and it's not an experience I or the others want to repeat as whilst we could see and take in the atmosphere we couldn't get involved
 

easley91

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
18,721
53,768
Experience the atmosphere but not get involved?! You can be involved anywhere else in the stadium and sit with the 3/4s that also don't want to sing!

V Huddersfield I was sat in a row of people trying to sing and stand. No-one else wanted to and it's not an experience I or the others want to repeat as whilst we could see and take in the atmosphere we couldn't get involved
Experience it first hand in the south stand obviously, ya know since it was hyped up in the construction process. People can sing while seated, some may stand for short periods depending on their health conditions (not everyone can stand and sing continuously for 90+ minutes). Doesn't make them less passionate. I, myself, wanted to see it from within the south stand and get involved hence why I did the test events, because people like you would dismiss me just because I couldn't stand all the way through. That's me personally, though. Once I am back to full health I will be able to be fully immersed.
 

Saoirse

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
6,143
15,550
I noticed that Watford have actually come up with what seems like a good idea. For away games as well as the FA Cup semis/final, they offer a small percentage of seats on a "No Standing" basis. These are in the front rows so you can see while seated regardless of what others are doing, and no standing is permitted even at moments of excitement such as chances or penalties being taken.

We could do that at NWHL, putting it directly behind where the disabled section is in the South Stand. Those seats could then be sold to people who want to sing and be part of the atmosphere, but can't stand for extended periods. That might be because they are very young or elderly, have a disability that doesn't mean they need to use or qualify for the disabled section, etc. You can then have the majority of people in the South who want to stand pretty regularly doing so behind these rows without causing an issue.
 

Darth Vega

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2013
1,704
10,470
If they are like myself, they may have health issues yet want to be in the stand to experience it. I did it at the test events to see the view and see how it was. Also, after the horrendous ticket queues and doughnut of death it may be the only place left if you want to go.

Appreciate where you're coming from. The person I'm sat next to is in front of a child, so standing would block a young kid's view for the whole 90, and I go along with my dad whose knees are starting to get the better of him. It's a tricky one, but, much like the old Park Lane or at Anfield and in Dortmund, I'd imagine a pattern will eventually emerge.

It's just all a bit weird right now.
 

nicdic

Official SC Padre
Admin
May 8, 2005
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If I didn't want to, or couldn't stand I wouldn't buy tickets anywhere in the South Stand.
 

Saoirse

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
6,143
15,550
If I didn't want to, or couldn't stand I wouldn't buy tickets anywhere in the South Stand.
If I didn't want to then I wouldn't. But if I'd been the standing/singing kind of fan my whole life, but then had a kid I wanted to take or a disability than stopped me easily standing for 90 minutes, a way to be part of it while seated would certainly be tempting.
 

Spurs 1961

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
6,665
8,739
Experience the atmosphere but not get involved?! You can be involved anywhere else in the stadium and sit with the 3/4s that also don't want to sing!

V Huddersfield I was sat in a row of people trying to sing and stand. No-one else wanted to and it's not an experience I or the others want to repeat as whilst we could see and take in the atmosphere we couldn't get involved

Los of people where I was sang a lot through the games and actually sat through most of the game, i.e. when others around clearly wanted to sit. Yes it is better to stand and sing, well make noises, but this is hardly an operatic choir or the Proms we are talking about. I do hate the way crowds have been discouraged from singing and remember fondly the days of going home from West Indies cricket matched with no voice left and having had a good time as we shared cans around before banging them together ... but then we have rhythm.

Finally if you want to sing why not try singing something good, interesting and dare I say it with some signs of invention. I would rather silence than 'if you hate xyz stand up'. or 'we are the abc side'. When not influence your crowd to come up with something that other people might actually think is worth joining in. Also I am one of those who have never felt comfortable shouting 'yids' so it would be so good to have more we can all join in and is more than just a chant but something that might encourage the players
 

nicdic

Official SC Padre
Admin
May 8, 2005
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Which is fine until you realise people are standing in both the east & north stand with the west stand costing too much.
Yeah, the other stands is where the problem is. Hopefully all of this dies down and gets sorted out.
 

easley91

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
18,721
53,768
We have literally only had 3 games at the new ground. It was always going to have teething issues. My main problem with how people have reacted is the dismissal of those who want to go and sit (not by choice mind you). They can still sing and get involved. Yes, fine, not in the south stand, or at least not the lower part where safe standing has been prepped for. There should be family sections as well around the ground so kids have less restricted views.

We all want to enjoy going to football matches. Let's not dismiss one group over another just because some feel it's more fun and essential to stand whilst others do enjoy to just watch the match up close. The others (like myself) have health issues that dictate when and how long we stand/sit. At the end of the day we are all Tottenham fans, and with this being the new stadium we all want to watch our team there.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
If they are like myself, they may have health issues yet want to be in the stand to experience it. I did it at the test events to see the view and see how it was. Also, after the horrendous ticket queues and doughnut of death it may be the only place left if you want to go.

Like I say, I can appreciate why people don't want to stand, whether it be health reasons or otherwise, and I appreciate that technically it's supposed to be all-seated. However, the tiniest bit of common sense and/or basic knowledge of football culture in England tells you that people standing is going to be an issue in the home end behind the goal. Therefore I find it quite hard to have any sympathy to be honest. Even if you'd never been to a match before you must've known that a significant number of people in the south stand would want to stand, so if that's something which is an issue for you then I just don't understand why you would buy a ticket there. Even if it was the only area you could get a ticket in, you still would've known people would be standing so again, if that's enough of an issue to ruin it for you, then you're better off just not buying a ticket there. But you can't buy a ticket in the south stand and then act all shocked and horrified that people are standing.
 

Lighty64

I believe
Aug 24, 2010
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12,476
If I didn't want to, or couldn't stand I wouldn't buy tickets anywhere in the South Stand.

for the south stand it doesn't effect disabled members/ST holders as the areas selected are perfect. if it did then the only view your ever get as a disabled fan is as a wheelchair bound member/ST holders.

telling those that suffer a disability to sit elsewhere doesn't work, as the area in the North stand means you have to keep getting up and down, which to some disabled bodies is worse than being stood all match. they got the north area wrong, they needed to put the entrances to the stands at the bottom rows, but would of lost seats.

my real worry about the south upper standing is the steepness, and the problems if something happened near the top, that caused a domino effect going down.
 

easley91

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
18,721
53,768
Like I say, I can appreciate why people don't want to stand, whether it be health reasons or otherwise, and I appreciate that technically it's supposed to be all-seated. However, the tiniest bit of common sense and/or basic knowledge of football culture in England tells you that people standing is going to be an issue in the home end behind the goal. Therefore I find it quite hard to have any sympathy to be honest. Even if you'd never been to a match before you must've known that a significant number of people in the south stand would want to stand, so if that's something which is an issue for you then I just don't understand why you would buy a ticket there. Even if it was the only area you could get a ticket in, you still would've known people would be standing so again, if that's enough of an issue to ruin it for you, then you're better off just not buying a ticket there. But you can't buy a ticket in the south stand and then act all shocked and horrified that people are standing.
I was talking about the upper portion of the south stand, the bit that doesn't have railing. I'm not saying I'm shocked by it. You have completely missed my point. I'm saying the ground should be in sections. Standing in south, a section for families with kids perhaps with those with health issues also in another stand, maybe east. But at the moment when people are going anywhere they can just to get in as it's new, those who cannot stand for long may end up in that stand. Maybe they love the club so much so they will go through the pain to be there? You don't know them.

My issue is those in the other stands persistently standing and moaning at those sitting. You don't know why they are sitting. Everyone enjoys things in a different way. Some record moments on their phones to relive, others don't and like to 'live in the moment'. Some get more fun out of standing, others from sitting. Some also sing whilst sitting, which still adds to the atmosphere as there are extra voices.

My other issue are those calling those who sit and do not stand as bad fans, or "boring old farts" as someone on here put it and should not be at the game regardless of what stand they are in. Having gone through what I have the past 16 months, I take enjoyment where I can and going to the City game last week was one of the biggest for me regardless of not being able to stand for 90 minutes. I can only speak for myself, but I would be surprised if there were not others who see going to these games as an escape from their real lives and to forget what issues they have for 90 minutes every so often.
 

nicdic

Official SC Padre
Admin
May 8, 2005
41,857
25,919
for the south stand it doesn't effect disabled members/ST holders as the areas selected are perfect. if it did then the only view your ever get as a disabled fan is as a wheelchair bound member/ST holders.

telling those that suffer a disability to sit elsewhere doesn't work, as the area in the North stand means you have to keep getting up and down, which to some disabled bodies is worse than being stood all match. they got the north area wrong, they needed to put the entrances to the stands at the bottom rows, but would of lost seats.

my real worry about the south upper standing is the steepness, and the problems if something happened near the top, that caused a domino effect going down.
I don't think anyone is arguing that people should be stood in the North or anywhere other than the South stand.

Your concerns about a domino effect in the south stand is unfounded in my opinion. Yes it's steep, but it's quite a step to get over a seat, and you'd need an awful lot of momentum to create what you're worried about. Someone could fall down a row, as they could at WHL or Wembley, but it's not like everyone's gonna fall over and go all the way down the stand.
 

Lighty64

I believe
Aug 24, 2010
10,400
12,476
I don't think anyone is arguing that people should be stood in the North or anywhere other than the South stand.

Your concerns about a domino effect in the south stand is unfounded in my opinion. Yes it's steep, but it's quite a step to get over a seat, and you'd need an awful lot of momentum to create what you're worried about. Someone could fall down a row, as they could at WHL or Wembley, but it's not like everyone's gonna fall over and go all the way down the stand.

I think we will have to agree to disagree I'm affraid
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
I was talking about the upper portion of the south stand, the bit that doesn't have railing. I'm not saying I'm shocked by it. You have completely missed my point. I'm saying the ground should be in sections. Standing in south, a section for families with kids perhaps with those with health issues also in another stand, maybe east. But at the moment when people are going anywhere they can just to get in as it's new, those who cannot stand for long may end up in that stand. Maybe they love the club so much so they will go through the pain to be there? You don't know them.

But that's exactly my point. If they know there's standing in the south stand, but are prepared to go through the pain of standing because they love the club, then that's fine. But you can't have it both ways. Either you don't want to go unless you can sit the whole time, in which case either buy a ticket in a different section, or if that's not possible but you love the club so much you're prepared to "go through the pain" as you put it of being in the south stand if that's all you can get, then that's fine too. But you can't say you're prepared to put up with standing and then spend the whole time moaning about people standing when you knew full well what you were getting when you bought the ticket but claimed you were prepared to put up with it. You can't have it both ways.

My issue is those in the other stands persistently standing and moaning at those sitting. You don't know why they are sitting. Everyone enjoys things in a different way. Some record moments on their phones to relive, others don't and like to 'live in the moment'. Some get more fun out of standing, others from sitting. Some also sing whilst sitting, which still adds to the atmosphere as there are extra voices.
.

I agree people shouldn't be having a go at fans for sitting. That's not on at all, as you say, they might have physical difficulties or whatever. The issue comes thoguh, when that person is constantly telling everyone else to sit down when they've bought a ticket in the unofficial standing section.

My other issue are those calling those who sit and do not stand as bad fans, or "boring old farts" as someone on here put it and should not be at the game regardless of what stand they are in. Having gone through what I have the past 16 months, I take enjoyment where I can and going to the City game last week was one of the biggest for me regardless of not being able to stand for 90 minutes. I can only speak for myself, but I would be surprised if there were not others who see going to these games as an escape from their real lives and to forget what issues they have for 90 minutes every so often.

Again, I completely agree with you. Wanting to sit doesn't make you a bad fan at all. But it just comes back to if you want to sit, why would you buy a ticket in the obviously standing section? And again, if you're reasoning is "it's all I could get" then you've still made the deliberate choice to do it so it's hard to have too much sympathy. It's like buying a restricted view seat and then moaning to everyone that there's a pillar in the way.
 
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