92% Support Standing At Football

Football Fans Census on the Stand Up Sit Down campaign:

'Eighteen years after Hillsborough the issue of the choice to sit or stand whilst watching top football matches hasn`t gone away. Lord Justice Taylor, whose report on the tragedy expressed his view that all fans would gradually adapt and even come to prefer sitting has been proved, with the benefit of hindsight, incorrect. The debate continues. The Football Supporters` Federation will soon make a major contribution to this discussion with its soon to be released report.

'This will advocate the right of clubs, working with their supporters, to introduce safe standing areas at all top grounds in England & Wales. 140 MPs of all political parties have already signed a parliamentary motion calling for a debate involving all concerned. One seminar for MPs and other interested organisations has been already been held. The property consultants and developers Drivers Jonas, who have worked with many football clubs on ground development and building sponsored this event. They are to be congratulated. Another seminar on similar lines for MPs is planned.

The results of the opinion poll conducted by the Football Fans` Census, an independent research and polling organisation shows overwhelming support for the choice to sit or stand, both amongst supporters who prefer to sit, as well as those who prefer to stand.'

Safe Standing
Results Summary
(results produced by the Football Fans Census and reproduced with the kind permission of Standupsitdown and FFC)

About The Survey

The national survey of 2,046 football fans was conducted by the Football Fans Census on behalf of 'Safe Standing' between 11th December 2006 and 6th January 2007.

The survey was conducted online and supporters of 159 teams were represented including all clubs in the Premiership and Football League. 46% of respondents were season ticket holders.

About The Football Fans Census
The Football Fans Census is a football research organisation. It has over 100,000 registered member/users.
Tables of Findings
Source 'Safe Standing Survey' by the Football Fans Census. Sample size 2,046 football fans.

Q1. Should fans be given the freedom to choose whether they stand (in 'safe-standing' areas) or sit inside football grounds?

Yes	92%
No	07%
Don't know	01%

Q2. Should 'safe-standing' areas be allowed in grounds?

Yes - it should be mandatory	27%
Yes - the option should be allowed	65%
No - 'safe standing' shouldn't be allowed	07%
Don't know	01%

Q3. If clubs went ahead with it, what percentage of a ground's capacity should be allocated a 'safe-standing' area?

Over 35%	23%
21- 35%	36%
11-20%	24%
10% or less	11%
Don't know	06%

Q4. Who should have the power to decide whether or not grounds should include 'safe-standing' areas?

Gov/Dept of Culture,media & sport	09%
Local authorities, councils and police	20%
Individual clubs	52%
Supporters	17%
Don't know	02%

Q5. If there was a 'safe-standing' area in your ground how often would you buy a standing ticket IF going to a match?

All the time	40%
More often than not	23%
Occasionally	17%
Never	17%
Don't know	03%

Q6. How would the introduction of 'safe-standing' areas affect your match attendance?

I'd go to a lot more matches	18%
I'd go to a few more matches	13%
Wouldn't affect my attendance	65%
I'd go to a few less matches	1%
I'd go to many less matches	1%
Don't know	02%

Q7. If designated standing areas were available would you generally prefer to use a standing or sitting area?

Standing	69%
Sitting	31%

Q8. What effect would the introduction of 'safe-standing' have on crowd trouble and hooliganism?

Would improve the situation a lot	04%
Would improve the situation slightly	07%
Wouldn't make any difference	69%
Would make the situation slightly worse	10%
Would make the situation a lot worse	04%
Don't know	06%

Q9. What effect would the introduction of 'safe-standing' have on spectator safety?

Would improve safety a lot	06%
Would improve safety slightly	18%
Wouldn't make any difference	54%
Would make it slightly more unsafe	14%
Would make it significantly more unsafe	04%
Don't know	04%

Q10. What effect would the introduction of 'safe-standing' have on your view during the match?

Would improve it a lot	17%
Would improve it slightly	19%
Wouldn't make any difference	43%
Would make it slightly worse	13%
Would make it significantly worse	04%
Don't know	04%

Q11. Do you think the introduction of 'safe standing' areas would improve the atmosphere at football?

Yes - significantly	72%
Yes - somewhat	20%
No - it wouldn't make any difference	08%

Q12. Overall, what effect would the introduction of 'safe-standing' have on your match-day experience?

Would make it a lot more enjoyable	52%
Would make it slightly more enjoyable	26%
Wouldn't make any difference	17%
Would make it less enjoyable	02%
Would make it significantly less enjoyable	02%
Don't know	01%

Q13. Regardless of your preference to stand or sit, do you think that there should be designated standing areas at all grounds, to allow choice for all supporters and overcome the current problem of supporters standing in seated areas, blocking the view of those behind who may wish to sit?

Yes	90%
No	10%

Q14. Do you think there can ever be such a thing as 'safe standing'?

Yes	79%
No - but I would like there to be standing areas anyway	13%
No - and I would not like there to be standing areas	06%
Don't know	02%

Q15. Would you be more or less likely to vote for a politician in Local Elections who supported the reintroduction of some form of standing at football?

Much more likely	29%
More likely	24%
Would make no difference	43%
Less likely	02%
Much less likely	02%

Q16. Would you be more or less likely to vote for a politician in National Elections who supported the reintroduction of some form of standing at football?

Much more likely	25%
More likely	25%
Would make no difference	46%
Less likely	02%
Much less likely	02%

Click here to go to the Football Fans Census and join up. They really are a very worthwhile set up getting feedback from the fans to the people who need it in the game. Their mission statement is to 'provide an independent and neutral forum for football fans that is both an information resource and a platform enabling them to communicate opinion on issues related to the game.

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