Keep Scunthorpe standing -

Keep Scunthorpe Standing - website text

Manchester United fever swept Scunthorpe this week - doubtless many of you will have had tickets for the big match. Now suppose, in the run up to the game, a fax had arrived from Westminster, telling the club that they must withdraw 10 per cent of the tickets from sale. It's rather implausible, isn't it?

Worringly, it isn't. If the Iron pull a similar big draw next year, 1,000 of you may be locked out. The reason is that 2010/11 is Scunthorpe's third season in the Championship. Once a club has been in the Championship for three years, the government dictates that its stadium must become all-seater. This means that over the summer, the Donny Road terracing will go.

This is would reduce the overall ground capacity from 9,088 to 8,003 - because seated spectators take up more space than standing fans. The club exceeded the 8,003 figure on five occasions last season. Therefore, the practical effect of Glanford Park going all-seater rule is that hundreds of you will be locked out every time there is a big game.

This is not in anybody's interest, nor is it inevitable. Here are a few reasons why:

1. The three year rule is not set in stone. Cardiff City were able to keep standing areas at Ninian Park well beyond their three years, in part because they formed such a significant part of the ground's capacity. The same rationale should apply to Glanford Park, the Championship's smallest ground. The Donny Road terracing is essential to maintain what capacity there is.

2. In 2008, the Liberal Democrats passed a motion supporting Safe Standing areas and since they now form part of the coalition government, we have for the first time a party in power who back Safe Standing. Furthermore, the coalition government has pledged to scrap unnecessary laws. In a 'Your Freedom' exercise, whereby citizens could propose laws to abolish, the removal of the all-seater ruling was one of the most popular suggestions.

3. With a large fan movement and sizeable support for Keep Scunthorpe Standing we believe that we can make and win our case. Supporter power does work - a similar campaign at German side Fortuna Dusseldorf has recently delivered - the fans must endure an all-seater stadium no more.

This situation is absurd. The Donny Road End is modern and safe and complies with all of the latest government safety standards. Morecambe FC, two divisions below Scunthorpe, have recently built a new stadium - with Safe Standing areas almost identical to those at Glanford Park. It is unfair that the two clubs are treated differently; Scunthorpe United should not be punished with a capacity cut just because they play the better football.

The Keep Scunthorpe Standing campaign is due to launch on Saturday, when Ipswich visit Glanford Park. Volunteers will be collecting names for a petition to save the standing area, that we will be delivering to the government. Please support us.

For more information, see our campaign website: www.fsf.org.uk/keepscunthorpestanding and facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=155371877824202&ref=ts. The local organiser is David Beverley, who can be contacted on dpbeverley@aol.com.

Chris Nash

FSF Safe Standing campaign co-ordinator

It is rather implausible, isn't it? Worringly, it isn't. If the Iron pull a similar big draw next year, 1,000 of you may be locked out. The reason is that 2010/11 is Scunthorpe's third season in the Championship. Once a club has been in the Championship for three years, the Government dictates that its stadium must become all-seater.

This means that over the summer, the Donny Road terracing will go.This is would reduce the overall ground capacity from 9,088 to 8,003 - because seated spectators take up more space than standing fans. The club exceeded the 8,003 figure on five occasions last season. Therefore, the practical effect of Glanford Park going all-seater rule is that hundreds of you will be locked out every time there is a big game.

This is not in anybody's interest, nor is it inevitable. Here are a few reasons why:

1: The three year rule is not set in stone. Cardiff City were able to keep standing areas at Ninian Park well beyond their three years, in part because they formed such a significant part of the ground's capacity. The same rationale should apply to Glanford Park, the Championship's smallest ground. The Donny Road terracing is essential to maintain what capacity there is.

2: In 2008, the Liberal Democrats passed a motion supporting Safe Standing areas and since they now form part of the coalition government, we have for the first time a party in power who back safe standing. Furthermore, the coalition government has pledged to scrap unnecessary laws. In a 'Your Freedom' exercise, whereby citizens could propose laws to abolish, the removal of the all-seater ruling was one of the most popular suggestions.

3: With a large fan movement and sizeable support for Keep Scunthorpe Standing we believe that we can make and win our case. Supporter power does work - a similar campaign at German side Fortuna Dusseldorf has recently delivered - the fans must endure an all-seater stadium no more.

This situation is absurd. The Donny Road End is modern and safe and complies with all of the latest government safety standards. Morecambe FC, two divisions below Scunthorpe, have recently built a new stadium - with safe standing areas almost identical to those at Glanford Park. It is unfair that the two clubs are treated differently; Scunthorpe United should not be punished with a capacity cut just because they play the better football.

Keep Scunthorpe standing

Last updated : 23 September 2010 By Chris Nash