Support safe standing

[OUFanatic]

To be honest, the reason why this will go nowhere is money.

No club is going to want cheaper admission,the Premier League dont want it for that reason, nor the FA.

Its not as though we would revert back to the old style cracked concrete and weed type terrace is it?


The only way fans can have any power is nationally on any given saturday no fan attends any game throughout the country. Not going to happen that one though is it?

Not buying a product is the only way to make people listen

[Snake]

To be honest, the reason why this will go nowhere is money.

No club is going to want cheaper admission,the Premier League dont want it for that reason, nor the FA.

Its not as though we would revert back to the old style cracked concrete and weed type terrace is it?


The only way fans can have any power is nationally on any given saturday no fan attends any game throughout the country. Not going to happen that one though is it? - NOPE

Not buying a product is the only way to make people listen

Who said anything about money? I often pay for a seat at away games but have to (or prefer to) stand.

As for the Prem, then fine, they have their own rules but teams like Us, Luton and Wrexham (where the biggest standing terrace in the UK is still in place but closed on match days) are compelled by Law to make our grounds all seater when there is clearly no proper reason to do so for crowd safety concerns.

///

I note that the QC the FLA have employed to answer my quite simple FOI question is taking his time in getting back to me. I have a follow-up enquiry ready as soon as he does respond along the lines of how much he charged the FLA (i.e. our tax money) for getting them out of a hole and maybe buying them some time while I take the matter further to the office of the Information Commissioner.

[slappy]

Planned cuts / loss of tax reliefs in yesteday's budget include:-
Pool betting duty payments towards football ground safety improvements (CTA2009 s139)
Pools payment for football ground improvements (FA1990 s126)
Capital Allowances - Safety at Sports Grounds (CAA2001 s30-32)

The first two I think mean that a pools company can currently get tax relief if it makes donations towards ground safety improvements.

The latter is that at present a club can get capital allowances (and hence tax releif) on safety expenditure, but in future this may just be classified as the structure of the ground.

[Snake]

I got another negative response from the FLA this morning...

I copied it to my local MP here in Witney and also to Don Foster (even though he's a LibDem) this afternoon, given that any formal appeal would take at least a year just to get processed by the office of The Information Commission (which is of course too late to make an impact on the Private Members Bill)

Again, I need some advice please before I respond, or would people like me to just let this matter rest and give up, even though I see that the Bill has made it to a 2nd reading in Parliament on the 17th of June?

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a ... ing-163752

[Baboo]

Don't give up Snake. You have knowledge in these matters so use it if you can find the time.

[Snake]

Don't give up Snake. You have knowledge in these matters so use it if you can find the time.

Found some time

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a ... ing-122403

[slappy]

Don't give up Snake. You have knowledge in these matters so use it if you can find the time.

Found some time

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a ... ing-122403

Is the question still regarding what discussions were held by the FLA about transfer of responsibilities now that body is being abolished?

I gather that some other sporting body will take on this role (and presumably the staff). Are the rest of the FOI requests adding to this? Or am I missing something?

[Snake]

Don't give up Snake. You have knowledge in these matters so use it if you can find the time.

Found some time

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a ... ing-122403

Is the question still regarding what discussions were held by the FLA about transfer of responsibilities now that body is being abolished?

I gather that some other sporting body will take on this role (and presumably the staff). Are the rest of the FOI requests adding to this? Or am I missing something?

What I’m after is a document sent by the FLA to the Sports Minister regarding the official views of the FLA on ‘safe standing’. It’s been refused twice so before I go to further appeal I’m now questioning / ridiculing their ability to interpret the FOI Act correctly in their refusal to disclose. It’s my view that they have no idea about FOI and should have released what is a key bit of evidence in the ‘safe standing’ argument.

However, they are presumably playing for time until the day they are abolished so will suffer no sanction as there will be no one in office to blame..

[slappy]

thank you - that was what I was missing. I wonder why they don't want to release the safe standing info, unless there is some cover up being forced from above. Or the FLA decide it is not in their interests to oppose the government line? Or perhaps it even opposes safe standing and they don't want to antagonise supporters.

Anyway, keep it up!

[Snake]

For those of you who are still mildly interested the FLA came back to me, confirming that the QC they had used to defend their position had never conducted a Freedom of Information appeal before he had to deal with mine. Tsk...

I sent a parallel request to Hugh Roberson (the Sports Minister) for a copy of the letter to him detailing the FLA’s official views on ‘safe standing’ but so far he’s not coughing up either, though he’s still got a couple of days to go before he is in breach of The Act. He did get back to me a while ago saying it may be quicker to contact my local MP but when I pointed out that he was the PM and probably a tad busy with other stuff it all went quiet.

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a ... ing-173691

[Snake]

I really should leave this alone ( http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a ... ing-129163 but the parallel FOI response I got from a proper Government department (i.e. not the FLA) means I won't.

[Kernow Yellow]

Very pleased to see that the Safe Standing Roadshow made an appearance at the Open Day at the weekend. Proves that the club isn't completely opposed to the idea, at least.

http&#58//www&#46safestandingroadshow&# ... tedopenday

[Long John Silver]

To be honest, the reason why this will go nowhere is money.

No club is going to want cheaper admission,the Premier League dont want it for that reason, nor the FA.

The guy from the FSF at the roadshow on Saturday put forward the point of view that money might be exactly the reason it could come back.

The case he used was that of Spurs who are struggling to increase their capacity and revenue. As &quotRail seats/terracing&quot allow for an increase of capacity up to 80% (I assume this is the extra capacity allowed in the Bundesliga) when in the standing set-up, then even if a ticket is slightly cheaper for such a stand the overall income would be increased... and Mr Levy (and others) might look on that as good option.

[Tabbernackle]

It aint going to happen, so why don't people just enjoy watching the game in the comfort of a seat?

[A-Ro]

To be honest, the reason why this will go nowhere is money.

No club is going to want cheaper admission,the Premier League dont want it for that reason, nor the FA.

The guy from the FSF at the roadshow on Saturday put forward the point of view that money might be exactly the reason it could come back.

The case he used was that of Spurs who are struggling to increase their capacity and revenue. As &quotRail seats/terracing&quot allow for an increase of capacity up to 80% (I assume this is the extra capacity allowed in the Bundesliga) when in the standing set-up, then even if a ticket is slightly cheaper for such a stand the overall income would be increased... and Mr Levy (and others) might look on that as good option.

I had to look up Rail Seating, I really hope that never happens, that looks awful.