Safe Standing

[standupsitdown]

Written by a supporter who follow Torquay as his second team, and with many references to watching Gulls’ matches, including of course Bryn the police dog (the author was at Plainmoor that famous afternoon) -

A new book Stand Up Sit Down - A Choice to Watch Football, covers the campaigns and issue of terraces and standing at football in detail.

The book includes sections and photos on all 23 league clubs who still have terraces – the author was kindly shown round Plainmoor by Andrew Candy.

Currently just £6.99 post free on Amazon. 325 pages.

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Note - The book hasn’t been written to make money – but hopefully will recoup some of the £4000 publication costs. The aim is to promote discussion and awareness of the safe standing arguments.

Details as follow and list of contents below:

Stand Up Sit Down - A Choice to Watch Football : by Peter Caton
For a hundred years most supporters watched football from terraces, a culture that was an integral part of the game. By the 1980s though, neglected stadia, hooliganism and a lack of concern for safety meant that football had to change, and after 96 Liverpool fans tragically died at Hillsborough, Lord Taylor’s report recommended that our grounds should be all-seated. Many people however believe that something of the soul has been taken away from watching football and that standing is the natural way to feel part of the game.

In Stand Up Sit Down Peter Caton considers the arguments for and against the choice to stand to watch football. He visits the 23 English grounds that still have terraces, seeking the views of clubs and supporters, travels to Yorkshire to watch rugby league and to Germany to stand on a convertible terrace. With extensively researched background, the author analyses the disasters and hooliganism that led to all-seating, and the many changes that have occurred in the game. He considers various solutions proposed to allow standing, and highlights obstacles facing those backing the choice to stand. His own experiences of watching football at all levels add insight and interest. The book ends by asking its own questions and with a whiff of conspiracy.

Illustrated with colour photographs, Stand Up Sit Down is a fascinating read, which unearths some surprising facts and raises many controversial issues relevant to all who love football.

Introduction
Part One Background to All-Seating
Chapter One A Series of Disasters 3
Chapter Two Hillsborough 14
Chapter Three The Taylor Reports 27
Chapter Four Reaction to Taylor 37
Chapter Five Hooliganism 46
Chapter Six Ellis Park 57
Part Two Current Situation - Seats & Terraces
Chapter Seven Current Situation 63
Chapter Eight The Legal Position 75
Chapter Nine Proposed Solutions 80
Chapter Ten Around the Terraces - North 89
Chapter Eleven Around the Terraces - South 114
Chapter Twelve Around the Terraces - West 132
Chapter Thirteen Germany, Rugby League and Summary 147
Part Three Arguments For and Against the Choice to Stand
Chapter Fourteen The Case Against Standing 159
Chapter Fifteen Demand for Choice 175
Chapter Sixteen The Taylor Report 183
Chapter Seventeen Safety and Injuries 200
Chapter Eighteen Lessons from Hillsborough 212
Chapter Nineteen Comfort & Diversity 217
Chapter Twenty Crowd Management & Disorder 221
Chapter Twenty One Standing in Seated Areas 231
Chapter Twenty Two Further Arguments 242
Part Four Campaigns for Choice
Chapter Twenty Three SAFE 249
Chapter Twenty Four Stand Up Sit Down 256
Chapter Twenty Five Safe Standing 273
Part Five Conclusions
Chapter Twenty Six Inconsistencies 281
Chapter Twenty Seven Conclusions 293

[standupsitdown]

An Early Day Motion has been raised in Parliament with the aim to build support amongst MPs for a relaxation in the government’s stance to allow safe standing trials in the Premier League or Championship (it is hoped that such trials will soon go ahead in Scotland, where the SPL have backed standing and the Act does not apply).

The Football Supporters’ Federation are urging supporters to contact their MPs to get them to sign this EDM.

Please follow this link to read more and email your MP.

http://www.fsf.org.uk/campaigns/safestanding/index.php