Delighted for everyone involved in making Celtic the first club in Britain to be given permission to install Safe Standing facilities. There’s time for a seat but going to the football in Scotland was largely a standing undertaking for a century, for good reason.
Standing enables the creation of football’s now too scarce atmosphere, it allows people to shuffle in the cold and sing with projection. It’s also safer across more scenarios than sitting.
I have one (significant) problem with the plans……..
Celtic intend to install Safe Standing at the corner of the lower North and Lisbon Lions stands, including the Green Brigade’s area. The Green Brigade pitched up at this part of the ground one League Cup game several years ago, the area was no more or less appropriate for as a singing section than any other part of the ground.
The North Stand upper is the proper place for a Safe Standing section, front and centre of the stadium. It’s where the Jungle was, and if we’re going to come anywhere close to recreating the unique atmosphere of the Jungle in a modern stadium, we must select the appropriate area.
The Safe Standing section will have unique properties. The ability to stand all game, bounce around and generally be more active, will ensure it sells out, but it’s unlikely to attract the infirm, and it will never be part of the family section. It’s also not going to attract corporate business.
The decision where to locate this section is unlikely to be reversed until there is a major stadium renovation, and that’s likely to be decades away. A couple of decades out, there will be more demand for family and infirm sections, more demand for corporate and lounge facilities.
Football spent years failing to notice how people grew fond of comfort, shelter, safe and clean facilities. The trend is not over. Thousands will want to stand, but perhaps more will want access to lounges, video games for the kids and shops selling all sorts.
Celtic Park is magnificent building of its time but it’s not a 21st century stadium. The Celtic Way is genuinely stunning, but if we want to cater for fans in the decades to come we’ll need proper cafes, fan zones, bars, better toilets and a museum. We’ll need to make use of all that land we’ve acquired, but which largely lies undeveloped.
Real estate in the lower stands will be more of a premium in the future, we should plan for it now, make the Safe Standing section the New Jungle.
Sports Direct is not a travel agents – for the avoidance of doubt.
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Cfc
kojo
Stand up
for the Champions
Good points Paul.
I trust you’ve got fair access to Celtic’s SMT to pass them on.
HH jamesgang
In Mijas waiting to play golf!
Kikinthenakas
Paul67
I’m sure you’ll know better than me but my understanding is that Celtic have been doing their upmost to utilise areas around the stadium. The police have been the biggest obstacle to the regeneration of these areas.
Correction, Sports Direct is not a BANK, Big Mike wants his dosh back……….NOW!!!!!!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/business/sports-directs-mike-ashley-tells-5855002
Hail hail paul67
well said
It has been confirmed that MASH has not been approached for the empty managerial spot, for the empty team, and the empty ground. He has been approached for further money and will respond on Friday at the Extraordinary Genital Meeting.
Kitalba
I posted this on last article for you.
To stand or not to stand?
Published on Wednesday 10th June, 2015 by Celtic Trust
Good News re the introduction of Safe Standing aka Rail Seating.
The Celtic Trust was delighted to hear today that, at long last Celtic had been given the go-ahead to introduce an area in which supporters can stand safely during domestic matches.We congratulate the Club on persisting with this initiative despite the many obstacles put in its way during the negotiations.
The proposed system also called Rail seating will comply with UEFA regulations which require all spectators to be seated for European games as it incorporates a seat which can be used during those matches.
This initiative was originally proposed by the Trust way back in 2010 when following a meeting at Celtic Park, during which Police raised objections to sections of the Celtic support standing during matches, our then chairperson, Jeanette Findlay, suggested that a feasibility study be carried out on the possibility of re- introducing a standing section at Celtic Park. At the Celtic AGM of 2011 the Trust tabled a resolution on the issue but we were happy to withdraw it as the Club had in fact done a lot of work on the issue and stated that they intended to press ahead with seeking the relevant agreements to allow implementation.
It has taken from then until now to achieve this due to many objections and stalling tactics mainly from the police. It is to Celtic’s great credit that they refused to be deterred and continued to press their case. To aid them in this they engaged the services of Dr Steve Frostick an acknowledged expert in the area of public safety. He has worked in Germany where many Clubs have installed the same system proposed for Celtic Park and where fans have been standing safely and successfully for many years. The risk assessment which Dr Frostick carried out and on which he consulted a representative group of fans, established that the form of standing area proposed, is actually much safer that having supporters stand in what is designed to be a seated area.
Standing is a choice, and there are those who will chose not to stand. If their seats happen to be in the part of the stadium which is to be given over to standing they will have to be re-located. We have been assured that this will be done sensitively and after consultation so although there will be some who will be inconvenienced the match day experience for all should be enhanced by a large section of the crowd standing and enthusiastically supporting the Hoops.
The Celtic Trust seeks to be a voice for Celtic supporters and to propose and pursue issues of importance to the support. We are always pleased when we find common cause with the Club as on this occasion, and we look forward to watching our team play in the first stadium in Britain, to re-introduce an area where supporters can stand safely and cheer on the Bhoys.
Paul67,
There is a lot in what you say. Personally, having stood for about 40 years in the Jungle (and totally unable to stand for any length of time these days) there is one thing you fail to mention. In the Jungle, you could at least try and move, if you found yourself behind a guy taller than yourself. That is not going to happen anymore. You will be stuck. Hard lines of you’re 5ft 4 behind someone 6ft 4.
PcumSalford [FTLT] – the AGM is Friday.
I don’t know where.
The polis had better turn up loaded for bear…
The fact that big Mike is making a statement is very ominous for the deadly bears………………
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/business/sports-directs-mike-ashley-tells-5855002
Morning Timland from a hot hun free mountain valley.
Good to see the gardener has been busy then
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/mobile/news/ally-mccoist-opens-new-hospice-garden-209765n.128512024
HH
Can see it now , on the application for safe standing please give your height, giants need not apply.
Did kevJ get lucky last night?
parkheadcumsalford
I replied to you on the last article mate. I’m not sure the Trust would be in a position to address that in any way that might resolve the issue unfortunately.
Mmmmm
North stand upper so corporate fat cats can have first pick? Was the jungle on the roof or by the track? Dortmund’s yellow wall is the model. That of course clashes with the need to make available 7,500 seats for a now dead team.
Relocating this might upset… Corporate Celtic too…
Fans first please Paul. East stand lower first then upper.
Stand up for the champion fans.
HH
I don’t know if Pope Francis is ‘a mason’; but then I don’t live in the world of the Swivel Eyed Loons
He is the best thing that’s happened to the Church for many,many years; someone who can speak to the World in these troubled times with genuine compassion, courage and wisdom.
Paul 67
______
Hi Boss.
Would just like to say that, creating a standing area within Celtic Park is, the sprinkling of the seeds to, create the best and, most important signing that the club could ‘ever’ make ie: the 12th man…as you say, shouldny be shunted away in some corner of the stadium…they should be….imho…occupying the area with the word ‘CELTIC’ on the seats.
Fergus approached the old board during our Centenary season with a proposal of him investing, £5 million into the club to build seating above the Jungle and, to bring the Celtic and Rangers ends closer to the pitch and, do the same…all for a seat with a level of control on the board…he was dingyed.
Anyway….guid to talk….bring on the future.
Hail Hail……bye.
DBBIA
Praise the Lord to that! I ignore for fear that my replies would render my CQN account capoot!
So is M.Ashley after 5M or 9M?
It doesn’t matter ; this is loose change for Dave King…..
Capoot.
An early contender for CQN word of the day.
. @NBFootball reveals 2015/16 Away Kit,http://t.co/jmZ9OemY7z (SC) http://t.co/HguoGBogzz
HH
Hearing that, Martin O’Neill and, Roy Keane have been involved in a car crash in Dublin.
Hope everything is ok.
taurangabhoy
08:41 on 10 June, 2015
Typo?
Conspiracy or cock up?
Laters, laughing!
HH jamesgang
Can I be the first to say I don’t like the new away kit?
Dave King of Africa will just laugh at MASH.
“yeez ur getting nuthin”
Could be a good scrap….a man who believes his own lies against a man who would sell his own granny.
Loving it.
Hell and Damnation….Hee, Hee
HH
…..oot before sumdy throws a haulf-brick through my LOVE-bubble…bye. YNWA
Safe standing yip all for it, but these days I’m more of a sitter than a stauner :) But really pleased to see Celtic park & it’s environs what a difference it makes, hopefully with more to come, safe seating outside the ground please for the older tims & early arrivals
Hamiltontim
08:38 on
10 June, 2015
Paul67
I’m sure you’ll know better than me but my understanding is that Celtic have been doing their upmost to utilise areas around the stadium. The police have been the biggest obstacle to the regeneration of these areas.
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I can understand why the police think they have a say in issues like safe standing, but what else have they objected to?
Hamiltontim
I was thinking the same thing regarding the plod, what will their take be on 2500 people potentially jumping about and moving about, will it be an issue for them, more cameras in faces?
Heard on the news this morning the vast majority of SPFL clubs are in favour of summer football, onlt 7 of the 42 were against.
To be debated.
East stand lower for me. This fits in with calls, met positively I hear, to move the family section away from visiting fans.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
09:11 on
10 June, 2015
Can I be the first to say I don’t like the new away kit?
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It’s green – what’s not to like? A beautiful unisex fashion top. “Modren bhoys, modren ghirls – it’s tremendous!”
so P67 is happy with the standing area because it means we can all do the bouncy?
hmm
but then he wants it in the north stand upper which surely means loads of fans will end up bouncying right over the edge
i dont think that will pass the councils safety standards
im just happy it means i dont need to go for a pee during the game and risk missing a goal any more, i can just empty down the leg of the person in front of me
sweet.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
I think its a belter, reminds me of the 82/83 third, i prefer it looking like I’m wearing hi vis jacket.
logo less all the way as well for the home and away strip. I hope the club keeps that going regardless of who sponsors us in the future.
Hamiltontim:
Cheers mate I was aware of it (hence my initial post apropos credit where it is due) and I did read your post on the last thread.
Congratulations are due to Celtic FC (PLC) for having the will and tenacity to see it through to a successful conclusion regardless of what bias was used to hinder our clubs and supporters ambitions; bearing in mind all seater -stadia were never a requirement in law in Scotland.
Hopefully the new standing facility is not abused, in any manner, and Celtic are able to demonstrate the value and hopefully be eventually allowed to expand the standing area to both ends of the ground.
Along with a host of others, I have been advocating standing be brought back to the game from the day it was banned. I’m sure I exchanged e-mails with our host on the very subject almost 7 years ago.
I would also like to see ‘the common man’ too, allowed to have the option of buying a beer at a game.