Planet Swans ArchivesThe ability to stand and watch a football match is, to many, a very emotive issue with a growing number of football fans objecting to the current national stadium regulations that prevent standing at the country’s top level matches. Wycombe Wanderers Supporters and Founders Trusts, with the backing of the football club, have announced that the forthcoming League Two fixture with Leyton Orient on 29 December 2005 will be designated “Safe Standing Day”.
“Safe Standing Day” is an initiative designed with a specific purpose – to fill Wycombe’s Valley End Terrace as a statement to the footballing authorities that supporters value the choice of whether to stand or sit to watch the Football Club they have grown up with. Standing at a football match is a basic right that should be available to all football fans no matter at what level their team play. Wycombe Wanderers are in an enviable position, compared to many clubs, of having a traditional terrace at the “home end” of the ground and they want to keep it that way! The increasing number of all-seater stadia now being built takes that right away as does the Football League requirement for any football club to convert to an all-seater stadium within three years of promotion to the Championship.
Wycombe Wanderers’ home match against Leyton Orient will be covered live on TV by Sky Sports. The Club and both its Trusts will use this match to raise the issue of Safe Standing on a national level.
Since the Hillsborough tragedy and the subsequent Taylor Report, a body of supporters have been campaigning for safe standing areas. The aim of Stand Up Sit Down (http://www.standupsitdown.co.uk/) is to restore supporters’ choice as to whether they can stand or sit to watch matches, by agreeing areas where safe standing will be accepted.
Campaign Co-ordinator for SUSD, Peter Caton, comments, “Ask supporters what they enjoy about watching football and many stress the importance of atmosphere and the feeling that they are participating in an event – not just spectating. They add that all-seat stadiums have greatly reduced atmosphere and some of them have stopped attending matches as a result.” Caton adds, “Lord Justice Taylor conceded that standing areas were not intrinsically unsafe. It is time to accept that the current regulations are unworkable and that managed standing areas should be introduced”.
In support of the aims of Stand Up Sit Down, Wycombe Wanderers and both its Trusts are encouraging supporters to fill the club’s Valley End Terrace for this match. In recognition of the national importance of this issue, the Club is also inviting fans of other football clubs to come to this match and stand in the terrace. In order to meet safety requirements, therefore, and in recognition of the terrace’s maximum safe capacity of 1,850, the terrace has been designated all-ticket for this match only and the club encourages supporters that want to stand to buy tickets in advance to prevent disappointment. Tickets can be obtained either through the club’s online ticket facility at https://tickets.wwfc.com or via its ticket hotline on 01494 441118.
As a further safety consideration, supporters are reminded that only fans taller than 1.2m are currently permitted to stand on the terrace. It is our intention that Safe Standing Day rigorously abides by all safety procedures in order to make its point more forcefully, and we hope that you understand our reasons for this. Any existing Season Ticket Holder who is affected will be relocated to any other area of the ground.
The Trusts hope that you will choose to support this initiative by joining Wycombe fans in standing safely on 29 December!
