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was recently at a hamburg vs bayern munich game, interesting experience. They both had ultras sections, and the stadium was sectioned off where the 'ultras' were standing only for both home and away fans, but you needed special passes (gold cards) to get into the 'elite' standing sections. We tried to get into these sections from our seats but got rejected. The atmospheres in both were great, singing, dancing,drums, and each had a 'conductor' with a foghorn managing the songs and timing... we were in the Bayern end, and I'd say around 6000 Bayern fams, of which 2000 were standing and the Hamburg end had around 7-8000 standing fans.

The stadium is set up so the seats are added for any international/europe match (have to be all seated by law) and then retracted for every home game so you have that mix of seated and terraced. While you walked away from the game thinking it was very germanic and over structured , you also couldn't help but feel that this was the future of a good mix for vocal / energetic fans and the family environment. As andy mentioned, saints setcion could be ultra small, but I would peronally love to stand for a game in a special section and for sure it would create a better atmosphere, even if only 100 strong...call it what you fukking want.

Not sure on scotish football law on this, but having just been to celtic park that green brigade bunch stood the whole game and did the same shit anyway. Personally, the family concept of our sport, all seating etc has killed the atmosphere and probably a big reason attendances are down over the years. Lots could be learned from germans, other countries if clubs made the effort to learn. And as some other info, Hamburg are shit, never win much if anything, mid table to bottom, and have sold out every home game this season, last season with 57,000 fans per game. Also, they have cold beer served everywhere, with guys carrying kegs and also fresh pints being delivered to your seat....not sure how that would go down in scotland, but we did see a 65 year old bayern fan tumble 10 feet into a lower section crushing a few of his own supporters...worth every penny :)

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Spot on. A meeting regarding the matter is already in place so at least they are showing interest.

Just to clarify, are you saying that the club are holding a meeting to try and improve the stewarding situation? If so, when and who is involved?

Something needs to be done, especially after the last home game against Hibs.

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Just to clarify, are you saying that the club are holding a meeting to try and improve the stewarding situation? If so, when and who is involved?

Something needs to be done, especially after the last home game against Hibs.

Yeah thats correct, looking in to improving the atmosphere and a possible standing section. I've been in constant contact. The meeting should be going ahead beginning of next week, still finalising a time. I heard about the hibs game and will bring it up. Anything else anyone wants mentioned, private message me and I'll note it down.

Edited by PerthSaints_1884
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Yeah thats correct, looking in to improving the atmosphere and a possible standing section. I've been in constant contact. The meeting should be going ahead beginning of next week, still finalising a time. I heard about the hibs game and will bring it up. Anything else anyone wants mentioned, private message me and I'll note it down.

well done chief .

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I missed the game. What happened?

The Stewards and Police just lost the plot for no apparent reason. At least 3 people were thrown out of the scoreboard end of the East Stand and treated like they had just committed some heinous crime! They stewards mutterred something about fans not being able to stand, however despite this, the vast majority of the Hibs support stood for the whole game.

I have seen some terrible stewarding and Policing at football, however this was right up there.

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Yeah thats correct, looking in to improving the atmosphere and a possible standing section. I've been in constant contact. The meeting should be going ahead beginning of next week, still finalising a time. I heard about the hibs game and will bring it up. Anything else anyone wants mentioned, private message me and I'll note it down.

Good on you for being able to arrange a meeting with the club on this matter. I hope that it is not just a token gesture and that the club are serious about trying to improve the atmosphere and address the issues involved with the stewards.

If you could update the forum after your meeting, then that would be much appreciated.

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What about the "pointlessly starting aggro at footy matches because we've got bored beating up our little brother and want to beat up someone bigger cos I'm a real man yeh bring them on yeh pass me the buckie and cheap hash yeh I once told my teacher to fek off look at me yeh yeh" ??

Get a job.

:wink: :wink:

Yer playing up to a stereotype ter don't want to be associated with. Change the name. Or if you're really an "ultra" fekof to Ibrox.

Too many people like yourself in our support. Trying something to improve atmosphere and gain pride for our club is nothing to be quiet about. People who are not fans of a signing/sanding section should sit in the mainstand with a blanket and enjoy there quiet saturday afternoons at mcdiarmid.

Its not about fighting or thinking your a big man its just about showing vocal support for OUR club, and being proud to be part of SJFC.

Edited by SaintGraeme39
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Too many people like yourself in our support. Trying something to improve atmosphere and gain pride for our club is nothing to be quiet about. People who are not fans of a signing/sanding section should sit in the mainstand with a blanket and enjoy there quiet saturday afternoons at mcdiarmid.

Its not about fighting or thinking your a big man its just about showing vocal support for OUR club, and being proud to be part of SJFC.

Sadly that sort of attitude just gets right up peoples noses and causes splits in the fanbase.

I had a muppet at Hampden a few years ago who because my father who is in his 70s asked him to sit down turned and said pretty much the same as you. Lets get it straight fans who do not sing or stand up at games are just as good fans as those that do.

There are and has to be place for families, those that want to sit and those that want to singand maybe even stand but no way should any one of these be to the detriment of the other. Good on Saints for meeting with your group and hoefully an area can be set aside for those taht want to sing.

Finally if you go back to the start of this thread some of us advised at the time to use something other than ultras and it would get more support.

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One of the important things for the club to consider is are the people who are pushing for this going to turn up every week.

There is a good chance that they will have to relocate season tickets in order to accomadate it.

Like Mainstand I go to the games with my elderly father plus my young son. We ll have had the same seats in East stand for 20 years, I would not though wish to be part of a standing section. Will Saints consult the season tockets in a certain area of the ground before going ahead with this ?

I wouldnt be happy if we had to move only to find that the people pushing for this arent going to turn up apart from the big games which is ehat I can see happening.

My suggestion would be to sell season tickets for a certain area which will be for standing, maybe in half the Ormand ?, see how many people eho want to do this are willing to commit? If there is the demand then great, lets do it.

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Would have to be behind a goal. That is what they have at the excellent Freiburg v Hamburg game I attended recently (complete with freely sold beer) and it was excellent. No safety issues as the opposition fans were as far away from the potentially 'volatile' standing section as possible, tucked away in the opposite corner of the stadium. Some of them would have had rights to declare even their 'restricted view' tickets false advertising though!

P.s. I'm not advocating beer selling yet though, just home fans standing behind one goal, away fans sitting in the other end

Edited by Jiangsu Sainty
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Have SPL rules changed re standing? If not, Saints won't introduce a standing section, as the SPL doesn't allow it.

I'm all for trying to generate more atmosphere, and if that means experimenting with a 'singing section' then it's got to be worth a go (although personally I don't feel it would make much difference). But people who insist on standing up and blocking the view of fellow fans who want to sit are, frankly, twats.

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Sadly that sort of attitude just gets right up peoples noses and causes splits in the fanbase.

I had a muppet at Hampden a few years ago who because my father who is in his 70s asked him to sit down turned and said pretty much the same as you. Lets get it straight fans who do not sing or stand up at games are just as good fans as those that do.

There are and has to be place for families, those that want to sit and those that want to singand maybe even stand but no way should any one of these be to the detriment of the other. Good on Saints for meeting with your group and hoefully an area can be set aside for those taht want to sing.

Finally if you go back to the start of this thread some of us advised at the time to use something other than ultras and it would get more support.

I never once said you were not a good fan for not singing but its just that a wouldn't choose to support my club in that manner. Separate sections for separate types of supporters ie family area, standing and non-standing areas, is the way forward for home matches in Scotland. However at away grounds and Hampden it is harder, as there is a mix of all supporters in one area. Why doesn't this league try and break away from the norm in the UK and allow 'safe' standing in areas of the stadium?

Would have to be behind a goal. That is what they have at the excellent Freiburg v Hamburg game I attended recently (complete with freely sold beer) and it was excellent. No safety issues as the opposition fans were as far away from the potentially 'volatile' standing section as possible, tucked away in the opposite corner of the stadium. Some of them would have had rights to declare even their 'restricted view' tickets false advertising though!

P.s. I'm not advocating beer selling yet though, just home fans standing behind one goal, away fans sitting in the other end

The ormond stand would be a great place for this if the club wanted the 'volatile' section as you say away from away fans in the north stand or main stand.

However, until the SFA/SPL changes there rules on standing at football, there is unlikely to be change anytime soon.

Edited by SaintGraeme39
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Have SPL rules changed re standing? If not, Saints won't introduce a standing section, as the SPL doesn't allow it.

I'm all for trying to generate more atmosphere, and if that means experimenting with a 'singing section' then it's got to be worth a go (although personally I don't feel it would make much difference). But people who insist on standing up and blocking the view of fellow fans who want to sit are, frankly, twats.

Rangers, Celtic, Motherwell and Hibs all have a standing section so I'm assuming it is allowed, unless the SPL are simply turning a blind eye. Even if it is only a small difference, it's progress and something to build on.

Spot on about those standing and restricting the view of others, it's rude and inconsiderate. However, occasionally I feel that those who moan and grumble about possible change are just as bad. The fact that some criticise before a final product is there to be witnessed truly bemuses me. If it doesn't work, then at least it was attempted, don't put it down before its even started.

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Ahhh, I see the confusion. When I was talking about Freiburg, I meant a real genuine standing terrace, which is indeed against SPL laws, and would be a consideration for further in the future.

Whereas the SPL clubs, and the St. Johnstone discussion PerthSaints_1884 is talking about, must refer to an seated area where those who stand aren't ordered to sit down

Edited by Jiangsu Sainty
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For me, the singing section needs to be beside the away fans. That is what generates the atmosphere, opposing sets of fans singing at each other....that's what happened in the old days when attending football was fun and you didn't get hung for swearing or using inappropriate terminology.

It's not just the seats that have killed the atmosphere, it is this suffocating, unbearable pc society we have created

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Too many people like yourself in our support. Trying something to improve atmosphere and gain pride for our club is nothing to be quiet about. People who are not fans of a signing/sanding section should sit in the mainstand with a blanket and enjoy there quiet saturday afternoons at mcdiarmid.

Its not about fighting or thinking your a big man its just about showing vocal support for OUR club, and being proud to be part of SJFC.

I agree. I'm on yourside. So as loads of folk are saying, change the name and everyone will understand that. :eek:

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