There will be a differential in price between including normal seating in a stand and safe standing area. It is not possible to gauge how much a safe standing area would cost due to the refusal of the Football licensing authority to enter into a debate on the issue and therefore organisations like the Football Supporters Federation and Stand Up Sit down have not been able to realistically discuss potential pricing. Ironically, many fans today pay a lot for their seat but don't want to sit in it and stand for long periods. Most do this out of choice. It should not be taken for granted that supporters would automatically expect to pay any less than their counterparts who prefer to sit.

Safe standing areas will become a reality within Britain. The football licensing authorities arguments seem to centre on safety and control of crowds. When the German model of safe standing is introduced into any reasoned argument both these points lack validity. Indeed Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council commissioned a report on standing at Old Trafford. The results of this independent risk assessment were that sitting the whole time presented a low risk of injury, that standing the whole time presented also a low risk of injury but that sitting then standing at moments of excitement (as we have now) represented a medium risk - i.e. it was MORE dangerous than persistent standing!

Herr Volker Fuerderer Safety officer at the Veltins arena [FC Schalke 04]: " In the nearly six years of the existence of the Veltins arena I would go as far to say that there is not a single incident or injury that was caused we would explain with the existence of standing areas". Football Supporters Federation (2007) The case for safe standing at major football stadia in England and Wales .

Arguments against safe standing areas are becoming a spurious nonsense and here is an opportunity for Bristol City football club to work meaningfully with supporters groups and national, organisitions to be at the forefront of exploring the possibilities. By acting on fans initiatives and desires Bristol City football club can be a respected role model for others to follow.

Stand up Sit Down - http://www.standupsitdown.co.uk/

Football Supporters Federation http://www.fsf.org.uk/

Seating Designs

No dull writing across the seats please (unless it spells EASTEND) let's see an image of John Atyeo across seating in the manner of the designs seen at Deepdale of Tom Finney and Bill Shankly or the impressive [!] above idea for New Anfield. A huge Robin and Suspension bridge at one end and the Crest at the other would contrast vibrantly against red seating, would not cost the earth and create a real focal point when the stands are empty unlike the lettering currently displayed across the Dolman stands blocks.

The New East End

If acoustics and atmosphere are to be appreciated and designed into the new ground; the stand with two names (East end/ Micra wedlock stand) must be in the club's and fan's thoughts. This stand, even when 70% empty, constantly generates a good atmosphere in comparison to other stands at the Gate, which have considerably higher fan to capacity ratios.

It's pretty hard to think of anything built recently that shares the same characteristics as our Cow Shed. The East End is essentially a low roofed shallow terrace with seats bolted to it and its closest relation, minus those pillars appears to be Oldhams purpose built "all seated" Rochdale road stand built back as far as 1992. Quote from the Football ground guide - "The facilities in this newish stand are fairly good, as are the acoustics" http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/yfh45/oldham.htm

Taking part in what makes the East End distinctive and transplanting it into another stadium is a possibility, but it's necessary to have an understanding of why the stand works on certain levels:

Possessing a low roof means that sound is trapped in a limited space, and this sound then reverberates against surfaces thus being amplified while being pushed out towards the pitch. This is known as reverberation time [RT]. Coupled with a shallow rake the stand has exceptional acoustics: Football ground guide : "The acoustics of this stand are excellent, so even a small number of away fans can generate some noise" - http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/yfh45/bristolc.htm.

Increase the height of roof or steepen the gradient of seating and the stand's ability to amplify sound is diminished, as sound will dissipate. The intention was never there when it was built, but even the sheet metal used to construct the Eastend's roof has a high RT.

Many new grounds have a sense of amphitheatre rather than traditional football stadium about them, all bright and shiny, huge cavernous spaces lacking in intimacy, detaching the spectators from those around them. Like it or not the East End does have an ambience about it when you walk in, it feels confined and it's indisputable even to the fair minded that it retains (even with seats) important qualities absent from the ubiquitous bland constructions springing up everywhere.

Looking around the Championship and above there are stands that can be used to provide a rough benchmark and combined with our East End's traits result in a very happy medium. Wolves' South Bank and the Jack Harris stand, or Preston's Alan Kelly and Bill Shankly stands are surely within a realistic Budget for BCFC.

Now imagine Wolves South Bank pushed forward imposing itself almost up against the goal but with the stands sides overlapping so that the corners blend into the stands at its sides in the fashion of the Kop as mentioned earlier. The South Bank provides a good parallel as a club like Bristol City would be able to get near to filling a perhaps slightly larger stand on a regular basis. As this stand would be built with creating an atmosphere as one of its basic purposes the congenial setting for the vocal even when half empty or worse would almost guarantee that constantly expressed desire for atmosphere.

FORZA EASTEND'S vision of football utopia is:

Primarily a environment built with the specific purpose of generating atmosphere thus helping to provide the positive vocal support called for by Gary Johnson.

Unreserved seating throughout the entire stand.

A single tier of large blocks of seating creating one bank of singers instead of pockets over two tiers.

A low slung roof to maximise sound.

The ability to become a safe standing area when it becomes a reality.

A shallow gradient but steepened enough to provide a good view without appreciably affecting acoustics. A steeper stand can provide a superior view but you become isolated from the fans in front and behind you. The rake of a stand effects the Communal feel of being part of the crowd you experience.

As close to the pitch as possible in a effort to create that "intimidating " atmosphere.

House the away fans in the corner of the stand as banter is a part of football distinguishing it from other sports.

Include Perspex [high RT] to use as screen ends or an alternative to fencing [IF it is necessary] giving the stand a more intimate feel and again increasing sound enhancing qualities.

Have space incorporated in the stand for supporters groups to display and store flags and banners, especially at the bottom. Imagine an England match without the flags? We need our city flags on display EVERY match.

The Supporters Trust New stadium survey results show significant support identified for having a stadium with atmosphere and character while not being a soulless generic bowl. As far as the two areas behind the goal are concerned, those aims have been wildly missed with the proposed design. City's fans have been presented with the possibility of having two sanitised spaces with no sense of tradition or belonging with neither of the mundane areas in turn never becoming our true replacement for our Spiritual End. If the Chairman really does not want a stand behind the goal like too many in Britain where support sits quietly deadened by the mediocrity of their environment it's a case of … Don't build us a Bus Stop Steve.

Don't build us a Bus stop Steve

"I am very pleased with the East End and I would publicly like to thank you".

Gary Johnson

"There was also the attitude that whatever happened, the crowd were going to get behind the team and give them every bit of support they possibly could. Amazingly this turned almost into a carnival atmosphere at times helped by those in the East End who I congratulate on their contribution on the day". Steve Lansdown

"The lads there have got something".

Gary Johnson

"It's made a big difference and it helps to get the whole ground rocking".

Louis Carey

These are some of the many positive comments, particularly from the Manager, regarding the Eastend. Recently City supporters campaigned to have this stand returned to pay on the day. This campaign was partially successful, with the club granting a limited season ticket holder-only presence within the Eastend. Despite this setback which left many city fans unable to enter this part of their own ground, the partially opened Eastend has delivered a match day experience which has been dramatically improved for many. In the one and a half seasons City fans have regained their home stand , Ashton Gate has gone from being known as a stadium with indifferent support, to a ground with an atmosphere as good as any in the Championship. This has taken an almost relentless effort from supporters in the Eastend. We are now seeing abstract concepts that were discussed with BCFC in person becoming reality, all without the taint of corporate sponsorship. Given the exceptional physical environment within the Eastend coupled with a tangible feel of tradition, the vocal fans within the Bristol City family knew their idea of a constantly supportive and vibrant stand was a realistic goal.

The desire is there from Eastenders to continue striving to bigger and better things if the club move to Ashton Vale. FORZA EASTEND'S goal is to move en masse the Eastend style support seamlessly into the new stadium, if it goes ahead, straight into one stand if a suitable environment is provided. The energy of the Eastend with its displays, flags, drums and uplifting constant total singing support ethos will be the envy of English football. This is the New Eastend; bigger, better, bolder.

However such dreams took a knock on November 27th when the Chairman revealed a possible design which would gladden many new fans with its new facilities, opportunities for creating non-matchday revenue and it's embracing of business types; but if it goes ahead in its present form it will most very likely destroy the New Eastend dream. If Killjoy ever got to design a stand to stop the Party here it was revealed not once but twice at either end.

In short, apart from resembling either a huge Bus stop, Green house or a Parking facility for a Zeppelin; there is nothing apparent from the still conceptual [hopefully!] design to feel that vocal support will embrace either end due to the :

Two identical dull, open to the elements, unimaginative, and souless spaces and will not help fans create a cauldron of noise [Remember St Mary's, the Walkers or Wembley?].

Two identical bland airy expanses of seats behind the goal do not equal character or visually go beyond mediocrity.

An unbalanced height of roof in comparison to the size of two ends will not help to amplify the sound made by supporters dwarfed underneath.

A higher roof in proportion to the Atyeo, Dolman, Eastend or Williams will not provide any special acoustics.

BCFC by fully embracing supporter's wishes could act as a role model for others. At this point the club prefers a path where nearly 50% of the new stadium design is dictated to by the notion that

an additional 12000 seats will be added if City:

Establish themselves in the top division for the first time in our history ever and need a Stadium holding 42000
Ashton Gate hosts a minor World Cup game in 2018 if England’s bid is successful.

BCFC also will need to build all four stands far further away from the pitch than anything at Ashton Gate to conform with standards for FIFA International football which dictate that: Stands are EIGHT METRES from the touchlines and TEN METRES from the goal-lines (The minimums are 6 metres and 7,.5] and that advertising boards should be a minimum of 4.5 metres from the touchlines and 5 metres behind the goals

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/football_stadiums_technical_recommendations_and_requirements_en_8211.pdf

This simply will not in any way help to create a intimidating atmosphere or meet the desire of fans surveyed by the supporters trust: Over 85% of respondents want the stands of the new stadium to be at least as close to the pitch as at Ashton Gate

Surely a more pragmatic path would be to build a stadium holding 30000 which ideally suits Bristol City's status now with proper permanent stands like Wolves [cracking support as well] not the haphazard ideas displayed so far which require almost temporary roof structures because the stadium "MAY" increase in size.

BCFC still have a lot consultation with fans to go through if they want to avoid the malaise displayed at numerous stadiums where the atmosphere ends up being a pretty hopeless gaggle of young kids alongside the away fans. This stadium is meant to be for all of us and undoubtedly will serve many in the manner they desire but BCFC really could be building something which ignores the needs of the Eastenders and those in the Atyeo as well, unless they want to be left open to the elements.

If any of you have not been bored rigid by this article so far and are interested enough to read on here is a lot more to consider and could help to create a more dynamic and exciting BCFC in future.

Safe standing

At this point Bristol City FC have turned down an approach from the Supporters Trust to explore safe standing with supporters groups. Unfortunately the Chairman seems to be opposed to working with fans on this topic even though numerous stadia used during the World Cup had dual purpose safe standing areas. It should be noted that Bristol City's supporter trusts survey in 2006 and the Stadium survey results reveal a majority of Bristol City fans support the idea of safe standing. This theme is not an idiosyncrasy of Bristol City fans but repeated at other clubs seemingly everywhere.

Why should safe standing be considered at Bristol City's new proposed stadium?

It is clear that there is a demand for a safe standing area within a possible new stadium. Not only does the Supporters trust survey clearly demonstrate this, but so do many others. Despite concerted efforts by the footballing authorities and stadium management to persuade fans to sit down, it is clear that a sizeable number of supporters prefer to stand up to actively support their teams all over Britain.

Lack of standing areas and what some view as over zealous stewarding [Ashton Gate is an exception] is alienating many from the game, particularly (but not exclusively) younger fans who are the next generation of supporters. For many fans, football is not merely a spectator sport; it is one where they want and need to feel actively involved by the simple action of standing and vocally supporting their club. Fans who sit are quiet and passive. There are no proven reasons why safe standing areas may not be introduced in England; it happens in Germany where safe standing areas can comply both with FIFA and EUFA regulations for teams reaching European competitions and for use in International games.