Fans meeting with Bristol city on Wednesday evening

[T R]

6 minutes ago, Cider-Head23 said:

The atmosphere from S82 has been woeful this year, I can hardly hear them from the middle of the Dolman. 

I know we haven't had much to sing and cheer about of late but it's all good saying we need to accommodate a singing unreserved section 

but it's hardly that at the moment. 

You have to remember since leaving the East End there was nearly 2000 of us there. Each time we have moved we have been reduced in numbers. We are down to 1000 now and alot of people are original Atyeo fans that stayed from last season who just sit down and don't partake in singing.

[Cider-Head23]

6 minutes ago, East End Old Boy said:

All this S82, what is S82?

Section 82 it's what the singing section fans call themselves.

[East End Old Boy]

38 minutes ago, Cider-Head23 said:

Section 82 it's what the singing section fans call themselves.

So does the S stand for silent?

[Mad Cyril]

Would it not be a good idea to trial this switch to the SS Corner as a one off this season, perhaps at a lower profile league game or a cup match (if we get any more after Fleetwood)?

Not sure how many season tickets we have in that corner, but I am sure most would accept a nil cost switch for one game to central or upper Lansdown.

[NOTBLUE]

2 hours ago, Red Army 75 said:

I'm in the Atyeo . Don't mind moving don't mind paying more which is only right. If those season ticket holders don't mind moving I think that is a great idea . Think the Atmosphere would significantly be better in the ground 

Me too,let's get it sorted out,SS corner sounds good to me,the original east end corner of the ground.Would improve the atmosphere in the whole ground.

[Merrick's Marvels]

2 hours ago, Kotsy said:

I think a big reason for the move is it will allow S82 to grow. 

It is currently a renewals only group in the Atyeo and I'm sure there are many ST holders (myself included) who would like to relocate to the Dolman / SS corner along with S82 if it were to happen. 

This in turn will help improve the atmosphere drastically getting more core singers involved.

I agree and would consider relocating too. In fact, where do I sign up...

[semblar]

13 minutes ago, Mad Cyril said:

Would it not be a good idea to trial this switch to the SS Corner as a one off this season, perhaps at a lower profile league game or a cup match (if we get any more after Fleetwood)?

Not sure how many season tickets we have in that corner, but I am sure most would accept a nil cost switch for one game to central or upper Lansdown.

It's where the family section is currently - so it is fairly full (including me and my two boys). On that note, can anybody elaborate on what options were discussed for the family area? As one of mine is five, a zone where the more robust language is slightly more distant has an appeal... if nothing else to avoid problems with my football-hating wife when it comes to renewal time!

[Dollymarie]

2 hours ago, Kotsy said:

I think a big reason for the move is it will allow S82 to grow. 

It is currently a renewals only group in the Atyeo and I'm sure there are many ST holders (myself included) who would like to relocate to the Dolman / SS corner along with S82 if it were to happen. 

This in turn will help improve the atmosphere drastically getting more core singers involved.

 

17 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

I agree and would consider relocating too. In fact, where do I sign up...

The club brought up that very issue last night, and a few of us said we were confident that if there wasn't such a restriction on numbers, (like there currently is in the Atyeo) more would want to get involved in that area  

[City fan 1982]

are there plans to drop the 1000 season ticket limit there currently is ? half the time there are 300 empty seats, and no people arent still on holiday ! 

will there be price increase on the cost of a season ticket /  potd  ?

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, kivsy said:

are there plans to drop the 1000 season ticket limit there currently is ? half the time there are 300 empty seats, and no people arent still on holiday ! 

will there be price increase on the cost of a season ticket /  potd  ?

Isn't that because it's unreserved seating?

[Kid in the Riot]

11 minutes ago, kivsy said:

are there plans to drop the 1000 season ticket limit there currently is ? half the time there are 300 empty seats, and no people arent still on holiday ! 

will there be price increase on the cost of a season ticket /  potd  ?

The Atyeo lot would be expected to pay the going rate for a season ticket in the SS, I'm sure. It's only £46 more a season on what they currently pay.

I reckon releasing 1,500 seats in the SS corner for an unreserved standing singing section would be a start. Potential to increase allocation if demand dictates 

[pongo88]

Sorry to add a bit of negativity into a positive thread, but this whole saga illustrates the poor planning in the initial design phase for the redevelopment. There seemed to be no contingency plan for safe standing not being allowed, nor any any real thought as to where those who want to stand could go. I've lost count of the number of times various groups have been moved but, as the bard said, all's well that ends well. For the sake of those affected, please make this the last move. 

[Bristol Rob]

11 minutes ago, pongo88 said:

Sorry to add a bit of negativity into a positive thread, but this whole saga illustrates the poor planning in the initial design phase for the redevelopment. There seemed to be no contingency plan for safe standing not being allowed, nor any any real thought as to where those who want to stand could go. I've lost count of the number of times various groups have been moved but, as the bard said, all's well that ends well. For the sake of those affected, please make this the last move. 

Not really  - you don't make provision for standing in an all seater stadium, aside from the fact that if a standing area is permitted you retro fit one.

the fact that the club have been kind enough to tolerate standing is to their credit. They could equally and reasonably say 'no'.

[phantom]

20 minutes ago, matalan12 said:

Kind enough to tolerate? If football fans on mass want to stand, they will do. As is evident at a lot of grounds every week, home or away ends.

They could say 'no', I'm not sure they've ever really said 'yes'. Clubs up and down the country turn a blind eye, and rightly so. But then it wouldn't really matter if they didn't...

I believe the official line was, and I have a feeling it was @Dave L who said it too, that the club can't be SEEN to saying standing is OK, but it was a kind of unwritten rule that it would be tolerated in specific areas of the ground

[Dollymarie]

The club have also said that once the authorities allow safe standing in stadiums again then they want to go ahead and retrofit it  

[pongo88]

1 hour ago, Bristol Rob said:

Not really  - you don't make provision for standing in an all seater stadium, aside from the fact that if a standing area is permitted you retro fit one.

the fact that the club have been kind enough to tolerate standing is to their credit. They could equally and reasonably say 'no'.

Standing is permitted in virtually every all seater stadium. It may only be in certain areas of the stadium, but it's permitted, even if not official approved. City have allowed the ex East End crew to stand in the old Williams Stand and the Atyeo Stand, both of which were designed for seating. In the initial design phase for the redevelopment, there didn't seem to be any thought as to where the ex East Enders would go, hence they have been shunted around. I can't beleive City ever thought that they would sit down during a match

[phantom]

36 minutes ago, Dollymarie said:

The club have also said that once the authorities allow safe standing in stadiums again then they want to go ahead and retrofit it  

Any indication where?

Assuming S82 etc don't get moved around the ground too many times by then

[Dollymarie]

8 minutes ago, phantom said:

Any indication where?

Assuming S82 etc don't get moved around the ground too many times by then

The South stand and the front bit of the Dolman were designed specifically so that if and when the laws changed and if and when demand dictates it, rail seating could go in either of those areas. @Blagdon red would know if the same applies to the Lansdown. 

[Phileas Fogg]

9 minutes ago, Dollymarie said:

The South stand and the front bit of the Dolman were designed specifically so that if and when the laws changed and if and when demand dictates it, rail seating could go in either of those areas. @Blagdon red would know if the same applies to the Lansdown. 

Sounds pretty promising. Would love them to do the bottom third or half of the south stand (obviously finding a way of ensuring people above can see) and then the lower dolman. May not be enough demand for that but I'm sure there's lots of people who'd like the opportunity to stand at football - even if they're not into singing/flags etc

[ExiledAjax]

6 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Sounds pretty promising. Would love them to do the bottom third or half of the south stand (obviously finding a way of ensuring people above can see) and then the lower dolman. May not be enough demand for that but I'm sure there's lots of people who'd like the opportunity to stand at football - even if they're not into singing/flags etc

Is it not better to do the top third or half? Then people are sitting in front of those who stand, so you don't have to worry about sightlines. Plus I think it improves the acoustics.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, Bristol Rob said:

Not really  - you don't make provision for standing in an all seater stadium, aside from the fact that if a standing area is permitted you retro fit one.

the fact that the club have been kind enough to tolerate standing is to their credit. They could equally and reasonably say 'no'.

To a point yes I agree but people will generally stand verbatim. At the top of the Dolman and South Stand people stand for example which are not 'tolerated' areas for this- not everyone but people do.

[Blagdon red]

16 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Is it not better to do the top third or half? Then people are sitting in front of those who stand, so you don't have to worry about sightlines. Plus I think it improves the acoustics.

If you recall, the architects' original plans, based on fan input, was to have rail seating in the lower part of the South Stand with what is known as a 'super riser' (i.e. a gurt big step) creating an elevated rear section, where seated fans would thus be able to see over the heads of the standing fans in front (in the same way that the lower and upper Dolman are now configured). Feeback from fans then indicated that they would actually prefer to stand at the back of the South Stand, so the architects changed their plans and the super riser was taken out (as it was no longer needed).

That now means that (unless major structural alterations were made) to have rail seating in future in just part (not all) of the South Stand, this would have to be at the back.

My personal vision would be:

Phase 1: Standing behind normal seats for the time being in the South East quadrant

Phase 2: Standing behind rail seats in the SE quadrant when the rules permit

Phase 3: As Phase 2, plus standing behind rail seats across the back of the South Stand (coming forwards down the stand over time if the demand is there for an ever-growing standing area)

But that's just my own personal vision.

 

[St Aldhelms Red]

Was the FAN meeting after just about this or were there other topics discussed?

[Blagdon red]

3 minutes ago, St Aldhelms Red said:

Was the FAN meeting after just about this or were there other topics discussed?

The meeting was just about this. Later, there was the regular montly SC&T meeting at the Rising Sun, where a variety of matters were discussed (and at which, as always, all fans are welcome). The minutes of that meeting will be written up and published on our website in due course.

[ExiledAjax]

5 minutes ago, Blagdon red said:

If you recall, the architects' original plans, based on fan input, was to have rail seating in the lower part of the South Stand with what is known as a 'super riser' (i.e. a gurt big step) creating an elevated rear section, where seated fans would thus be able to see over the heads of the standing fans in front (in the same way that the lower and upper Dolman are now configured). Feeback from fans then indicated that they would actually prefer to stand at the back of the South Stand, so the architects changed their plans and the super riser was taken out (as it was no longer needed).

That now means that (unless major structural alterations were made) to have rail seating in future in just part (not all) of the South Stand, this would have to be at the back.

My personal vision would be:

Phase 1: Standing behind normal seats for the time being in the South East quadrant

Phase 2: Standing behind rail seats in the SE quadrant when the rules permit

Phase 3: As Phase 2, plus standing behind rail seats across the back of the South Stand (coming forwards down the stand over time if the demand is there for an ever-growing standing area)

But that's just my own personal vision.

 

I'd forgotten how the plans had changed.  However, I knew the Dolman had been set up for this.

Your personal vision looks pretty sensible to me and I think it's exciting that it might happen soon, hopefully Celtic are demonstrating that it can work.  I've stood on one terrace in my life at Exeter's St James' Park and that was great fun and as a student just £6 for a ticket.

Recent team form aside I think that this is a great time to be a Bristol City supporter.

[Phileas Fogg]

38 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Is it not better to do the top third or half? Then people are sitting in front of those who stand, so you don't have to worry about sightlines. Plus I think it improves the acoustics.

Good point, yep too third or half much better suggestion.

[St Aldhelms Red]

14 minutes ago, Blagdon red said:

The meeting was just about this. Later, there was the regular montly SC&T meeting at the Rising Sun, where a variety of matters were discussed (and at which, as always, all fans are welcome). The minutes of that meeting will be written up and published on our website in due course.

Thanks. Is FAN the same as SC&T?

[Dollymarie]

9 minutes ago, St Aldhelms Red said:

Thanks. Is FAN the same as SC&T?

No. The SC&T has been in existence now for over 10 years. FAN is a more recent thing. Some of the board members from the SC&T attend the FAN meetings though  

[Blagdon red]

5 minutes ago, St Aldhelms Red said:

Thanks. Is FAN the same as SC&T?

Nope. It can be confusing, I know. The FAN (Fans' Advisory Network, formerly Fans' Parliament, formerly Supporters' Forum, if I recall correctly) is effectively a 'customer focus group' set up by the club / Bristol Sport to obtain 'customer feedback' and brainstorm future ideas.

The SC&T is the Supporters Club and Trust, a body wholly independent of the club / Bristol Sport, which works closely with the latter wherever possible in the interest of the fans, but which is also prepared to offer constructive criticism and to fight the fans' corner where necessary (e.g. earlier this season by getting the £1 booking fee taken off tickets printed at home or loaded onto cards). More details on our website.

[T R]

29 minutes ago, Blagdon red said:

If you recall, the architects' original plans, based on fan input, was to have rail seating in the lower part of the South Stand with what is known as a 'super riser' (i.e. a gurt big step) creating an elevated rear section, where seated fans would thus be able to see over the heads of the standing fans in front (in the same way that the lower and upper Dolman are now configured). Feeback from fans then indicated that they would actually prefer to stand at the back of the South Stand, so the architects changed their plans and the super riser was taken out (as it was no longer needed).

That now means that (unless major structural alterations were made) to have rail seating in future in just part (not all) of the South Stand, this would have to be at the back.

My personal vision would be:

Phase 1: Standing behind normal seats for the time being in the South East quadrant

Phase 2: Standing behind rail seats in the SE quadrant when the rules permit

Phase 3: As Phase 2, plus standing behind rail seats across the back of the South Stand (coming forwards down the stand over time if the demand is there for an ever-growing standing area)

But that's just my own personal vision.

 

Thanks for all your input on here B red. I have been in the East end since it reopened and have followed the group to the Atyeo now. I had always expected the club to move us back into our traditional home (the East end) and would still like it to happen, your plan sounds very good. Let's hope the club officials will take this on board I am sure they will see this as a very good idea aswell.