Safe Standing, great, but let’s get it right

790

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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  1. Leftclicktic

     

     

    Also now remember we also had a strip very similar which was White with the pin stripe in Green

     

    What year was that ?

     

     

    Hail Hail

  2. Was coming along grand,till I kicked the couch bringing in the weemhans breakfast this morning(without my protective boot on):((( (” Papa You said bad words”) :)))))))))

     

     

    Was talking to a man last night 40s who has been waiting 9 month on the NHS waiting list for the same op as you had during the week ,he has it in both heels.

  3. Well if we’re putting in requests for help….if anyone see a vinyl copy of Nobody’s Fool by Dan Penn in the Oxfam shop – pick it up for me, eh? :-)

  4. celtic1member1vote on

    Safe Standing .. Imagination Required .. North Stand Lower ..

     

     

    Imagine Celtic decided to place the Safe Standing Area where it would give maximum benefit and support to the team ..

     

    Where say in a Champions League qualifier game with £30 million riding on it surely any and every advantage would be crucial for the team ..

     

    The greatest transfer of positive energy ( best explained and understood by thinking back to the incredible atmosphere inside the Stadium in Seville 2003 ) would naturally come from having the most passionate and noisy supporters in the area of the stadium where the players could experience maximum benefit ..

     

    Imagine for a second the whole North Stand Lower together with both corners was Safe Standing ..

     

    Your talking about approx 15,000 fanatical Celtic Supporters

     

    driving on and transferring massive amounts of ” Positive Energy ”

     

    to give the players that extra belief which in sport is the difference between winning and losing ..

  5. jamesgang spooling has never been my strong point and this auto correct… I mean it got it right anyway. Almost feel sorry for those sad sacks I mean south siders. Evolution standing seats versus Extinction nae team, nae manager , nae money. Gotta laugh. Thanks for the memories. right oof oot scratcher. Going over to Hamilton to see the all whites under 20’s playing Portugal tomorrow with my girls. Not holding out for a win but you never know. Hail Hail

  6. Lennon18

     

     

    Thanks for the heads up on the tickets for the pre season games at St Mirren Park which I hadn’t seen were on sale.

     

     

    Got the 3 game package.

     

     

    Not many left.

     

     

    HH

  7. Leftclicktic, what a link that is

     

     

    Like the 1926 one, plus 1955 – 65 styles

     

     

    Lymmbhoy, thanks

     

     

    Hail Hail

  8. glendalystonsils on

    Sports Direct is not a travel agents – for the avoidance of doubt.

     

     

    You don’t really need a travel agent to get to Brechin, Alloa or Livingston.

  9. celtic1member1vote

     

     

    Sorry c1m1v, the Rail Seats have to be “locked down” for European games.

     

     

    HH

  10. playfusbal4dguilders on

    glendalystonsils

     

    10:34 on

     

    10 June, 2015

     

    Sports Direct is not a travel agents – for the avoidance of doubt.

     

     

    You don’t really need a travel agent to get to Brechin, Alloa or Livingston.

     

    ——————————————————————————————–

     

     

    You do if the travel agent is paying for the Bus.

     

     

    play

  11. parkheadcumsalford

     

     

    09:55 on 10 June, 2015

     

     

     

    I’m sure they would but like any issue they take up there would need to be the demand for it.

     

     

    FGF

     

     

    Are you making the FAC meeting tonight?

  12. medtim

     

    10:32 on

     

    10 June, 2015

     

     

    Does anyone know what the “to be paid by” date is for the Ashley loan?

     

    ————————————————————–

     

    Can be called/paid off any time by either party I recall reading somewhere?

  13. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    COWIEBHOY

     

     

    I’ve got a replica of the quartered top upstairs. I should have bought one that fitted but it was the only one left AND the only one I’d ever seen!

  14. NatKnow

     

    Thanks for that.

     

    Seems a bit odd not to have a specific date included but I am sure there is method in what Ashley has agreed to.

     

    I was thinking along the lines of King saying he won’t be paying it back anytime soon and Ashley saying “well,if you don’t,you are in breach of clause xxxx and I will see you in court”

     

    Maybe your understanding would still allow him to do this though

  15. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    KEVJ

     

     

    Just back after a pretty lousy 12-hr shift. Yer new slant to life cheered me up.

     

     

    Thanks for that,bud.

     

     

    In fact,the whole blog recently has been bliddy marvellous. Including the return of the sage of scrofula from Shangri-la lifting the mood daily. And sunshine to cheer up PARKHEADCUMSALFORD.

     

     

    And LEFTCLICKTIC swearing in front of wee Sean,hilarious!

     

     

    You do know it’s the close-season,right?

  16. Delaneys Dunky on

    Cowie

     

     

    I love the new away shirt. It reminds me of my first European away tie in Amsterdam 1982. Famous victory in pinstripes!

  17. FourGreenFields on

    hamiltontim

     

     

    On Call with work but will try my best to get along to FAC meeting .

  18. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    MEDTIM

     

     

    King’s comment about the £5m being like an interest-free loan,so not in the club’s interests to repay it,betrays a shocking lack of understanding of its terms.

     

     

    For starters,the club has lost control of a further 26% of its retail operation while it is outstanding. Including the profits thereof.

     

     

    Not to mention,of course,the iconic car park…

  19. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    DELANEYSDUNKY

     

     

    Pinstripes? We all know what you were wearing,mate.

     

     

    Full Celtic strip.

     

     

    Wi nae poakits…

  20. winning captains @ 10.41 – Interesting article but seems to be factually incorrect. Tommy talks of Henrik saying this to Advocaat after the Huns beat us 3-2 – McLeish was in charge for that final, so think Tommy may be having a bit of poetic license there

  21. Delaneys Dunky on

    BMCUW

     

     

    Had my green pinstripe top on in the Olympic Stadium Amsterdam that evening.

     

    Will be getting the new one logo less. :)

  22. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PHILBHOY

     

     

    Thanks,bud. He puts his daft uncle to shame,I’m afraid.

     

     

    Still,I gave him one starter for ten-he didnae have much to beat!!!

  23. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    DELANEYSDUNKY

     

     

    I was at the first leg. Rarely seen a Celtic team so comprehensively outplayed as we were that night.

     

     

    Every time Ajax got the ball,you thought they could score. We hung in,smash and grab,result!

  24. Delaneys Dunky on

    BMCUW

     

     

    Big Graeme Sinclair played his best game for Celtic, that night in Amsterdam!

     

    George McCluskey sent us home ecstatic!

  25. Caught the tailend of a discussion on the Victoria Derbyshire programme about illegal immigration. According to Keith Vaz, a Labour MP, all the illegal immigrants want to come here and it’s all the fault of the rest of the EU. I thought countries like Spain, Italy and Germany had already taken many of them.

     

     

    Even if it is easier to work illegally here, as seemed to be suggested, can’t we sort that out ourselves?

     

     

    Sorry to raise this but I thought the bit of the discussion I heard resounded with the voice of little England.

  26. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PARKHEADCUMSALFORD

     

     

    Most countries worldwide deport illegal immigrants. We rarely do so. That may well be a factor.

     

     

    Having said that,Yarls Wood,for instance,doesn’t sound like a holiday camp,not even Butlitz as the old joke went.

  27. traditionalist88,

     

     

    I appreciate what you say but even in the current situation, there are regular times during games when those who insist on standing demand that everybody else join them and they are not confined to the area where the likes of the GB congregate.

  28. traditionalist88 on

    Parkheadcumsalford

     

    11:20 on

     

    10 June, 2015

     

    traditionalist88,

     

     

    I appreciate what you say but even in the current situation, there are regular times during games when those who insist on standing demand that everybody else join them and they are not confined to the area where the likes of the GB congregate.

     

    ====

     

     

    I get that, thats why it makes even more sense to have a dedicated area to cater for those who wish to stand and then there is no excuse for sustained standing in other areas of the ground.

  29. BMCUW,

     

     

    I simply thought the bit of the programme I heard suggested that illegal immigration was solely a British (English) problem and that the rest of the EU were offering no help or even sympathy. Of course, that is very far from the truth.

     

     

    By the way, THAT sun is still shining. It’s glorious down here.

  30. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PARKHEADCUMSALFORD

     

     

    Very true,mate. Little Englander mentality as you pointed out.

     

     

    Surely Vaz must read/watch the news,daily reports from the Mediterranean.

     

     

    Spain and Greece are getting hammered as well as Italy. The latter seems to be getting more news coverage but other countries are suffering too.

     

     

    It’s a really difficult topic. Few countries can adequately cope with such an influx,few human beings would wish them to be returned to the hellholes they have sacrificed so much to get out of.

  31. BMCuWP

     

     

    Apologies, feeling like KevJ I had a call to take :-)

     

     

    Where did you get that strip ? And talking of Ajax, remember they played in a red and white version in the game you talk about

     

     

    Hail Hail

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