Unreserved seating - Away Games

[Gumpster1]

Hi,

What do people think about this at away games? 

I am old fashioned, I get the ticket, arrive early and sit in my allocated seat. If it's a crap view, I just accept it. I know that lots if fans want to sit with friends, form a singing section etc and this greatly helps the atmosphere.

At Reading some stewards, not all, were telling fans it was unreserved. Great news for some, but others found themselves going up and down steps looking for alternative seats having found that ‘theirs’ had been occupied already.

Pros and Cons, but personally I would rather know beforehand if it is going to be unrestricted.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

2 minutes ago, Gumpster1 said:

Hi,

What do people think about this at away games? 

I am old fashioned, I get the ticket, arrive early and sit in my allocated seat. If it's a crap view, I just accept it. I know that lots if fans want to sit with friends, form a singing section etc and this greatly helps the atmosphere.

At Reading some stewards, not all, were telling fans it was unreserved. Great news for some, but others found themselves going up and down steps looking for alternative seats having found that ‘theirs’ had been occupied already.

Pros and Cons, but personally I would rather know beforehand if it is going to be unrestricted.

 

At big clubs like Man United who sell out every away allocation - the unwritten rule is that it’s unreserved but those who specifically want to sit down go towards the front. That seems to work pretty well for them but I appreciate not everyone likes that approach. 

[James54De]

As a general rule, away games are unreserved 

[Offside]

I appreciate there’s a need for reserved seating at times, but I much prefer being able to choose where I sit.
 

But if it is reserved seating, people should sit in their allocated seat. When there’s plenty of space I’ve waited until kick off and moved then if I want a different seat. I have seen plenty of arguments due to people sitting in other fans’ seats. 

[2015]

Away games to me = Go where you want to!

[Silvio Dante]

At Reading on Tuesday, myself and two children (12 & 9) got in early and sat in our allocated seats. Weren’t directly next to Reading fans and about 15 rows from top so not in “amongst it”. 
 

All was fine until about five to eight when the rush from downstairs started, and as a result we ended up with a guy virtually sitting on my daughters lap. At that point it was too late to move seats.

My feeling is reserved/unreserved fine - but has to be clear, and if it is unreserved, then if you want to bag a certain spot, do it before five minutes before the game

[Rossi the Robin]

Away games should be where you want as you don’t get the choice normally when ordering- I order at different times to my mates 

I don’t mind sitting on my own but it’s less fun 

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Gumpster1 said:

Hi,

What do people think about this at away games? 

I am old fashioned, I get the ticket, arrive early and sit in my allocated seat. If it's a crap view, I just accept it. I know that lots if fans want to sit with friends, form a singing section etc and this greatly helps the atmosphere.

At Reading some stewards, not all, were telling fans it was unreserved. Great news for some, but others found themselves going up and down steps looking for alternative seats having found that ‘theirs’ had been occupied already.

Pros and Cons, but personally I would rather know beforehand if it is going to be unrestricted.

 

Not that I go to many away games, but having been to Reading twice, the stewards are inept and some of our fans are idiots.  Plus the Carer seats for wheelchair users are in the row in-front, so I block Joe’s view.  Fans attitudes to “I’m sitting where I like, sod you” causes unnecessary agro, plus we ended up with a bunch of nutters overcrowding the wheelchair area.  Joe felt very anxious.

Clubs need to do more though, both City and others either through seating policy and / or stewarding.  It’s a cop out imho.

[exAtyeoMax]

At QPR there are different areas, gold and silver. If I pay for my gold seat, I expect to sit in it. I think every time I've been there, the stewards will tell you to sit in your seat. I have moved if it is possible and there are any spaces though. 

Some grounds it is unreserved, others not. Craven Cottage isn't usually unreserved.

[SDBS36]

Had a heated discussion with one of fans at Man City top tier, my son went to the toilet and this fan decided that he was going to use the seat!!

[Bris Red]

 

40 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

At QPR there are different areas, gold and silver. If I pay for my gold seat, I expect to sit in it. I think every time I've been there, the stewards will tell you to sit in your seat. I have moved if it is possible and there are any spaces though. 

Some grounds it is unreserved, others not. Craven Cottage isn't usually unreserved.

Unless there is a medical reason from preventing you to stand i find it beyond odd that anyone would want to sit at an away game..

[exAtyeoMax]

Just now, bris red said:

 

Unless there is a medical reason from preventing you to stand i find it beyond odd that anyone would want to sit at an away game..

I'm 5'3 babber, I don't mind standing but usually can only see someone's back if I'm at the back of the stand. At Craven Cottage, I couldn't see most of the action, not even the goal. Not much I could do about it because it was a sell out.

[Unan]

Tried to sit in our proper seats at Reading, mainly because they were good seats, and people were already sat there. Fine, no problem, we stand to the side. Steward comes up to us and says we have to move out of the gangway (we weren't even in it, about half of my leg was), we explain that are seats are in this row but there's too many people there, show him our ticket etc etc. He then proceeds to tell us it's unreserved and we'll have to move, we ask where and he points to the bottom of the stand. Obviously that isn't happening, so we all squish up a bit and apparently 8 people on top of each other was fine as long as we weren't in the gangway.

It must have been a H&S risk with so many people packed in, covid etc  too.

 

Edit: There were also a lot of City stewards taken up too, not in the stands I don't think, but definitely in the concourse.

[Desso]

10 minutes ago, bris red said:

 

Unless there is a medical reason from preventing you to stand i find it beyond odd that anyone would want to sit at an away game..

Why odd? A lot of people like to sit.

[HitchinRed]

It all depends on how busy it is. If it’s a sell out, then it should be reserved to ensure people who booked tickets together can sit together.

If there are plenty of spare seats around, then who gives a sh!t.

[2015]

23 minutes ago, bris red said:

 

Unless there is a medical reason from preventing you to stand i find it beyond odd that anyone would want to sit at an away game..

I don't understand it myself either unless you have medical issues, you wouldn't see big away support like Leeds, Sheff Wed, Man U and Newcastle sitting at away matches

[054123]

Unreserved is fine.

The crowd usually sorts itself out

[Desso]

5 minutes ago, 2015 said:

I don't understand it myself either unless you have medical issues, you wouldn't see big away support like Leeds, Sheff Wed, Man U and Newcastle sitting at away matches

I'm sure some of their supporters like to sit too, matter of choice really.

[everreddy]

1 hour ago, bris red said:

 

Unless there is a medical reason from preventing you to stand i find it beyond odd that anyone would want to sit at an away game..

If you are elderly or disabled, standing is not really an option. These groups are poorly catered for, and many fans are selfish and bloody minded, offering foul-mouthed, aggressive abuse if you ask them to sit down. Not a pleasant experience, for those who are frail. Because of all the unpleasant, unreasonable and unthinking behaviour of, sadly, a large number of away fans, I'd advocate designated areas for away ticketing, with those that wish to stand, in the rear, middle sections of the stands.

[Busterrimes]

I think if the away end is sold out then it should be reserved seating to cut down on problems. If there is plenty of space then sit where you like. The argument that if you want to sit you have to be at the front to me is unfair. Why should my view be worse because medically I cannot stand at a game?

[Bris Red]

1 hour ago, Desso said:

I'm sure some of their supporters like to sit too, matter of choice really.

Their away support all stand - 99% of them. I can say this as a matter of fact especially for United and Leeds.

[Midred]

I usually go by myself and just before kick off half a dozen or more will turn up and push their way along the row. If there isn't a big enough gap they make one. Very seldom do I end up sitting in a sit that I picked.

Apologies to those who can only be bothered to turn up late rather than come earlier to find enough seats for their group!

[BS4 on Tour...]

45 minutes ago, bris red said:

Their away support all stand - 99% of them. I can say this as a matter of fact especially for United and Leeds.

So 1% of them wish to sit? Fair enough ...

 

[BS4 on Tour...]

3 hours ago, SDBS36 said:

Had a heated discussion with one of fans at Man City top tier, my son went to the toilet and this fan decided that he was going to use the seat!!

The toilet seat?!

[Desso]

1 hour ago, bris red said:

Their away support all stand - 99% of them. I can say this as a matter of fact especially for United and Leeds.

Matter of fact eh? How long did it take you to count them?

[italian dave]

Personally I don’t especially mind whether I stand or sit. But some people do want to sit, and it seems incredibly selfish to deny them their right to that preference, and even more so to stand in front of them, as sometimes happens. 

[Red Exile]

All I can add - as a boring sober bloke who's usually driven to the match and will be driving home - is that whatever arrangements may have made tend to fall apart 5 minute before kick off when City's less boring and far from sober travelling support turn up singing 'we're Bristol City - we'll sit where we want'.

Things tend to deteriorate at that point unless the stewards are up to the task.

I don't understand why there isn't clarity at the point at which tickets are sold. Doesn't seem much to ask that it is either clearly specified that it is reserved - and enforced - or that it isn't and it's a free for all. The problems arise when that's sorted out at the last minute.

[2015]

1 hour ago, bris red said:

Their away support all stand - 99% of them. I can say this as a matter of fact especially for United and Leeds.

Course they do because they understand it creates more of a togetherness and an atmosphere

[Simon79]

5 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Not that I go to many away games, but having been to Reading twice, the stewards are inept and some of our fans are idiots.  Plus the Carer seats for wheelchair users are in the row in-front, so I block Joe’s view.  Fans attitudes to “I’m sitting where I like, sod you” causes unnecessary agro, plus we ended up with a bunch of nutters overcrowding the wheelchair area.  Joe felt very anxious.

Clubs need to do more though, both City and others either through seating policy and / or stewarding.  It’s a cop out imho.

Makes you wonder what is going on in between some peoples ears, not a lot apparently! COYR 

[Hampshire Red]

I have a little bit of syumpathy for some of these commetns but to Dave Fev, this week at Reading the stewards in the wheelchair section were all from Ashoton Gater and did a brilliant job

Generally, come to Preston on a Tuesday night and you can get a fantastic view from every seat, sit with who you want, sing or not, have spare seats all around you and view the game 'in Business Class'. Frankly we take so few fans to most games it isnt an issue. And we all know where we will take more fans that make this anything to concern yourself with.;

Fulham, WBA,QPR, Coventry - if they are all Saturday games not on tv. Otherwise absolutely no probs at all