' CARDIFF CITY TAKE ACTION AGAINST OUR FANS '

' Cardiff City take action against our fans '

Before replying please read all of my post

It was announced a few weeks ago that Cardiff City would allow up to and including the Manchester United home game Cardiff fans to stand in the Ninian stand in 116 etc and that fans would be ejected or even a 5 match ban given to them.

Since the stadium has been open, some games City fans have been allowed to stand in these areas,other games the club have clamped down on fans but only verbally. Away fans situated next to this section are permanently allowed to stand.

It is not illegal to stand and it is not a criminal offence,but Cardiff City as owners of the club have the right to decide if fans can sit or stand there and can deal with it themselves in a civil matter.

Wayne Nash the Stadium manager does receive numerous letters of complaints from fans who wish to sit down in these areas, Wayne has shown me a number of letters in the past.
Wayne also receives letters of how the atmosphere is being ruined by forcing fans to sit down.

Wayne over the last few years has consulted with fans over these issues and has told fans no problem if you wish to stand, I have made a standing area in the Canton stand, where you can stand as long as you want.

Yesterdays game v Arsenal at 3.15pm the atmosphere was electric in the Ninian Stand, all good banter between Cardiff fans and Arsenal fans. City fans were standing up in there hundreds.
Stewards arrived, not the usual ones extra ones were drafted in and fans were told to sit down, to be fair they were polite in the way they did it.Within seconds the atmosphere was gone and never really came back. but within minutes of everyone sitting down, everyone was back on there feet, time and time again they were told to sit down. The stewards gave up until half way through the second half. This time they came with back up and stewards called the response team. About 4-5 fans were escorted out underneath and spoken to for a while. Also stewards took seat numbers etc of a few fans out of hundreds who were standing.

Now down below underneath the concourse, there was non stop shall we say strong arguments going on. After these fans being told they could now face a 5 match ban they were let back to their seats where hundreds were still standing.

In the 85th minute the stewards tried again to make the fans sit down, but failed and off they went.

For the forth coming game with WBA this will all be happening again.

Now remember the stewards in my opinion are only doing there job they are told to do.
I personally get on very well with our regular stewards and I find them polite/helpful etc.

Now the questions are.




Who is in the right?

Are the Club being fair ?

The Club are getting complaints,so should they act on these complaints or not?

If the Club are saying sit down, then surely it should be for every game?

Should the club leave this section alone?

Should the club now continue where they started yesterday?

I sit in this stand and in this section,I feel for the fans who want to make an atmosphere,but I can also understand how hard it is for the club to keep everyone happy. In some ways the club cant win.


Opinions Please

Annis every fan who pays to watch a game have the right to actually see it sitting down, unfortunately until they bring back safe standing it's a no win situation for the club.

I would love to see standing areas brought back in, but it will only work in an organised and designated area. If people want to sit you cannot allow others to stand in front of them. They've paid for their seat and have the right to watch the game sitting down.

Why get a seat next to away fans if you wanna sit down????

Who is in the right?

Not the club.

Are the Club being fair ?

No they are not taking stock of the whole situation but are trying to impose their own rule which in my mind is not the right one.

The Club are getting complaints,so should they act on these complaints or not?

How many complaints in proportion to how many STs in that area? If it was above 50% then the club are acting in the right way. However I believe it is well below that and is the reason they are having to return to this all the time.

If the Club are saying sit down, then surely it should be for every game?

Yes if that is the rule with the "customers" approval but its not is it?

Should the club leave this section alone?

In my opinion yes and those who want to sit should move as I believe they are the minority in that section.

Should the club now continue where they started yesterday?

No they need to go back to the drawing board and revisit the situation. Perhaps have a survey amongst the fans in that area and see what they want as customers.

Who cares I'm in the canton standing 4 life

Of course the club are in the right.

Standing is not allowed in the premier league anywhere, yet the club have made a concession and let people stand in the Canton, this is not good enough for some of our fans who think they should be able to do what they like, when they like.

In regards to persistent standing in the ninian. They should try and make people sit down from the front rows back, thats what usually angers people when you're being told to sit down when the guy in front is stood up so you wont be able to see.

To sum up, f you want to stand all game. Go to the Canton, otherwise the club have given us enough warnings on what will happen.............

I'm with Pembroke on this, but until there is a safe standing area the situation will always exist.

It's a difficult one, but I would split the Ninian stand into half seats / half standing .

Standing at the back half of the stand , sitting at the front half is the only way to really allow it to happen fairly so as everyone keeps a seat in the area they like and people who want to stand can get next to the away end as well .
It may even improve the atmosphere with all the singers spread out a little more connecting with the canton

They should leave it his year. The Ninian will be bugger next year so those who want to sit can move to he upper tier

They should leave it his year. The Ninian will be bugger next year so those who want to sit can move to he upper tier

Bugger? Some think its that already.

Of course the club are in the right.

Standing is not allowed in the premier league anywhere, yet the club have made a concession and let people stand in the Canton, this is not good enough for some of our fans who think they should be able to do what they like, when they like.

In regards to persistent standing in the ninian. They should try and make people sit down from the front rows back, thats what usually angers people when you're being told to sit down when the guy in front is stood up so you wont be able to see.

To sum up, f you want to stand all game. Go to the Canton, otherwise the club have given us enough warnings on what will happen.............

just to add, here is the rule from the football league ground regulations:

‘Nobody may stand in any seating area whilst play is in progress. Persistent standing in seated areas whilst play is in progress is strictly forbidden and may result in ejection from the ground’.

Not the clubs fault but its the ground regulations set to them by their governing body.

I and 2 other season ticket holders have been moved from the area in question, both times the club stated "for away fan entitlement the first time was only 2 rows back and 6/7 seats further along (even though our original seats was resold to Cardiff fans) the 2nd time we had to move to the next block and the 3 of us had to split up as there was not 3 seats together (this is what the club think of their season ticket holders)

Is it not discrimination to allow away fans to stand and the clubs home fans made to sit down?, it seems to me there is a minority of fans wishing to sit why not offer them seats to the front or relocate?

Why don't all fans wishing to stand complain in writing about the discrimination?

I and 2 other season ticket holders have been moved from the area in question, both times the club stated "for away fan entitlement the first time was only 2 rows back and 6/7 seats further along (even though our original seats was resold to Cardiff fans) the 2nd time we had to move to the next block and the 3 of us had to split up as there was not 3 seats together (this is what the club think of their season ticket holders)

Is it not discrimination to allow away fans to stand and the clubs home fans made to sit down?, it seems to me there is a minority of fans wishing to sit why not offer them seats to the front or relocate?

Why don't all fans wishing to stand complain in writing about the discrimination?

Because its an all seater stadium, so ground regs say people must sit, therefore how can you relocate those sitting?

Of course the club are in the right.

Standing is not allowed in the premier league anywhere, yet the club have made a concession and let people stand in the Canton, this is not good enough for some of our fans who think they should be able to do what they like, when they like.

In regards to persistent standing in the ninian. They should try and make people sit down from the front rows back, thats what usually angers people when you're being told to sit down when the guy in front is stood up so you wont be able to see.

To sum up, f you want to stand all game. Go to the Canton, otherwise the club have given us enough warnings on what will happen.............

So why don't we have stewards in the away end , chucking them out for standing ?

"Concession for the Canton" so this would have had to be approved by the premier league to be above board ?

Of course the club are in the right.

Standing is not allowed in the premier league anywhere, yet the club have made a concession and let people stand in the Canton, this is not good enough for some of our fans who think they should be able to do what they like, when they like.

In regards to persistent standing in the ninian. They should try and make people sit down from the front rows back, thats what usually angers people when you're being told to sit down when the guy in front is stood up so you wont be able to see.

To sum up, f you want to stand all game. Go to the Canton, otherwise the club have given us enough warnings on what will happen.............

So why don't we have stewards in the away end , chucking them out for standing ?

"Concession for the Canton" so this would have had to be approved by the premier league to be above board ?

I wouldnt say its been approved, more like a blind eye turned. But you cant have all stands standing if they wanted. So you would prefer zero tolerance then?

Of course the club are in the right.

Standing is not allowed in the premier league anywhere, yet the club have made a concession and let people stand in the Canton, this is not good enough for some of our fans who think they should be able to do what they like, when they like.

In regards to persistent standing in the ninian. They should try and make people sit down from the front rows back, thats what usually angers people when you're being told to sit down when the guy in front is stood up so you wont be able to see.

To sum up, f you want to stand all game. Go to the Canton, otherwise the club have given us enough warnings on what will happen.............

So why don't we have stewards in the away end , chucking them out for standing ?

"Concession for the Canton" so this would have had to be approved by the premier league to be above board ?

I wouldnt say its been approved, more like a blind eye turned. But you cant have all stands standing if they wanted. So you would prefer zero tolerance then?

It sounds like the club is already breaking the governing body rules unless anyone can provide evidence to suggest otherwise.

Those being banned could make it very difficult for the club if they wished and I think the club know this.

Of course the club are in the right.

Standing is not allowed in the premier league anywhere, yet the club have made a concession and let people stand in the Canton, this is not good enough for some of our fans who think they should be able to do what they like, when they like.

In regards to persistent standing in the ninian. They should try and make people sit down from the front rows back, thats what usually angers people when you're being told to sit down when the guy in front is stood up so you wont be able to see.

To sum up, f you want to stand all game. Go to the Canton, otherwise the club have given us enough warnings on what will happen.............

So why don't we have stewards in the away end , chucking them out for standing ?

"Concession for the Canton" so this would have had to be approved by the premier league to be above board ?

I wouldnt say its been approved, more like a blind eye turned. But you cant have all stands standing if they wanted. So you would prefer zero tolerance then?

It sounds like the club is already breaking the governing body rules unless anyone can provide evidence to suggest otherwise.

Those being banned could make it very difficult for the club if they wished and I think the club know this.

ruin it for everyone as they cant do what they like. Just about sums up what i said in my original post.

Zero tolerance then, thats what "you" would prefer!

Of course the club are in the right.

Standing is not allowed in the premier league anywhere, yet the club have made a concession and let people stand in the Canton, this is not good enough for some of our fans who think they should be able to do what they like, when they like.

In regards to persistent standing in the ninian. They should try and make people sit down from the front rows back, thats what usually angers people when you're being told to sit down when the guy in front is stood up so you wont be able to see.

To sum up, f you want to stand all game. Go to the Canton, otherwise the club have given us enough warnings on what will happen.............

So why don't we have stewards in the away end , chucking them out for standing ?

"Concession for the Canton" so this would have had to be approved by the premier league to be above board ?

I wouldnt say its been approved, more like a blind eye turned. But you cant have all stands standing if they wanted. So you would prefer zero tolerance then?

It sounds like the club is already breaking the governing body rules unless anyone can provide evidence to suggest otherwise.

Those being banned could make it very difficult for the club if they wished and I think the club know this.

ruin it for everyone as they cant do what they like. Just about sums up what i said in my original post.

Zero tolerance then, thats what "you" would prefer!

Your opening statement said "Of course the club is right" and then went on to state the the regs.
But we are not because we allow fans to stand in the Canton and the away end.

To answer your question , see my reply earlier in this thread with regards to splitting the Ninian.

I understand that standing creates a great atmosphere but I was at the last home game of last season and didn't have a choice of where to sit so we ended up next to the away fans in the last but one row. I hardly saw any of the game because I'm unable to stand for a long period of time so my particular experience on that occasion wasn't great. However that was the night we were promoted so all the bad stuff went away! I think it would be good to have designated standing areas and people who choose to go into those areas are aware of the fact. Hopefully my next visit will be a more pleasant experience!

Why get a seat next to away fans if you wanna sit down????

Fella, most people weren't given a 'choice' when the new stadium opened, as their only option was to (quote) "Be allocated a seat as near as possible to their positions in Ninian Park"

Didn't happen for me. Me and my mates were separated in 3 different rows (albeit behind each other) and numerous attempts to be re-allocated seats together have failed. Obviously, the club didn't take the fact that we had sat (or stood) together for decades into account

As for the 'standing' argument, the Regulations are clear and the club are legally obliged to enforce them

Personally, I prefer to stand and at 6' 2" I don't have an issue getting a great view regardless. However, the same cannot be said of the poor people sat around me, who miss large chunks of the game (having to watch 'goals' at the Canton End back on the large screens) because some (certainly not all) people are on their feet all through the game and many others as soon as the ball crosses the half-way line

Is it fair? I guess it depends on individual (often selfish) points of view, but the simple facts are:

1: It certainly DOES affect the atmosphere; particularly when fans spend so much time abusing the Stewards

2: It certainly DOES spoil the event for those (short, elderly, infirm)people who miss large chunks of the game even though they have paid the same as you for tickets in a SEATED area

3: The games Regulations (Safety at Sports Ground Act) were put in place after a number of high profile incidents where fans lost their lives and was (given the information available at the time) considered a very proactive step and unfortunately I often feel we have 'lost site' of those facts

It's a toughie and Annis is 100% correct when he states "the club are in a no win situation"

Just had this reply on my FB wall
Neil Hasson
they made us sit down in part of the canton stand too ,like you say ,it took the atmosphere away

I think the club have provided choice for our fans by allowing a standing area,that choice must also be offered to those that want to sit. you can not compare home and away ends because away fans only come to us once a season and can't be dealt with in any safe way the same applies to our fans at away games.
letters will be sent out to warn fans in advance of bans is something that will happen to allow everyone a chance but the only real outcome could be a total ban on all standing,including the Canton if control is lost in other areas of the stadium...the safety advisory group have been very fair to us but they have the power to impose huge restrictions on the club if they want to be awkward.
I would say the atmosphere is much better when standing is allowed but also the fans that stand in the Grange are being selfish and risking the tolerance of standing in the Canton...we have a choice at the moment don't risk losing it.

My problem with the issue is the consistency of its application. It's clear that the club want to use the atmosphere to their advantage against Swansea and MU, so ignored the standing for those two games.

When I spoke to someone at the club about it, I was told it was for safety purposes - so can you explain why it wasn't carried out during the Swansea / MU games? Why were we safe during those games and not yesterday?

Club need to finalise a stance & then stick to it EVERY game.

I'm in canton so I'm happy standing. If this is the case. Tan is constantly standing. I hope this rule applies to him aswell

Is Tan beingvgiven a 5 game ban because he stands throughout every game. double standards come to mind again.

StT.

There could be an opportunity to deal with that area once and for all when the second tier goes in.
The club can pick either the upper or lower tier for sitting/standing and then clamp down properly! Until then they are at fault for being so inconsistent.

My problem with the issue is the consistency of its application. It's clear that the club want to use the atmosphere to their advantage against Swansea and MU, so ignored the standing for those two games.

When I spoke to someone at the club about it, I was told it was for safety purposes - so can you explain why it wasn't carried out during the Swansea / MU games? Why were we safe during those games and not yesterday?

Club need to finalise a stance & then stick to it EVERY game.

I would have thought those 2 games carried more danger than any other games.

Annis every fan who pays to watch a game have the right to actually see it sitting down, unfortunately until they bring back safe standing it's a no win situation for the club.

i know what you are saying , BUT, the bulk of those standing over there { im in canton } went there for a reason, to create an atmosphere , without knowing for fact, i assume those over there standing are ex A block, lower grandstand,and some from the old grange end........was always going to come to this.. i think maybe the club ./ booking office should have been telling season ticket holders this, especially new season ticket holders/ new fans..........why cant the club endeavour to move those complaining? or even ask fans wanting to stand in other blocks if they could swap STs............