The coppers stand in the four corners today. I can't imagine that changing. That street will need to be policed for the 8000 people walking up into Town & away fans too. #TEAMCOUNCIL
I just remember from meetings with Patrick Cryne that for years he wanted to just open one or two stands for some of those pesky non-league midweek games as it would save a fortune and also downgrade the fixture police wise. But he was conscious that people were set in their ways, liked routine, and it would mean not getting your usual seat at Oakwell. I think it only happened in the last year of his ownership.
Depends how the next few weeks and months go. They’ve definitely upset a lot of people with this move, and rightly so as it’s an absolute car crash of a situation, but an upturn in results buys a lot of forgiveness. And if this is all posturing around ground ownership, and speeds up a resolution there, who knows what the situation will be in 9 months time. Maybe it will all quieten down and then they’ll shut the Academy just to keep us on our toes.
I can't support what is essentially blackmail and extortion to force things. It's unethical and immoral
The west stand was closed evening games in the Johnstones paint game & initial rounds of the league cup against lower league teams who brought bugger all fans. Can't really compare it to a championship game against sheff utd etc. Can't imagine they'll be any impact on policing costs - especially if we're trying to bring more away fans in. If anything that will increase costs surely.
Possibly. Was always speaking hypothetically and not as fact. Talking out loud if you will. Was thinking more if coverage and exits were reduced that’s an easier situation to manage.
Don't think the exits will have any impact, it'll still be a similar number of people going the same directions as they did at the end. Only now with increased number of away fans. If anything it'll cause more problems as those who left the west stand going into town will now have to walk round the ground taking longer and making it more likely they get caught up in the increased away following at flashpoints like outside the station/under the flyover.
Alternatively though your policing is roughly the same for 2,000 or 3,000 away fans anyway and having 1,000 supporters no longer coming out adjacent to those away fans makes it easier to manage. When you know all this in advance and can plan. I’ve no idea to be honest though: I’m just speculating that it could be one line of multiple lines contributing to saving costs.
The location of the away stand relative to the west stand hasn't changed in the last few months so regardless of any ******** about saving costs there is absolutely no defending selling tickets there and then closing the stand
I’m not defending anything? You replied to a post yesterday where I said it was ‘amateur and disrespectful’. I’ve not said anything positive about this once from a supporter viewpoint.
You may not outright defend them but you spend an awful lot of effort justifying it which amounts to a defence
Not really. I get involved in a discussion about why it might have happened or what the motives might be in a couple of threads (because that’s how conversations tend to go - back and forth). But I’m not in every thread and I’ve also condemned it. So yeah, not really at all.
But they police the routes people walk on not the gates, people will still be using the same routes. I just can't see how increasing the away attendance can possibly lead to reduced policing costs. It doesn't make sense.
I’ve already agreed with you and said I was just speculating and being hypothetical. It’s really not a hill I’m prepared to die on or care about that much, but you police people and access ways/routes. It isn’t inconceivable to suggest that having those 1,000 fans exit via the East and Ponty would make it an easier crowd to manage and direct overall. That makes complete sense.
Indeed it does. And it also tells you all you need to know about our prospective owners*. *As in they will be the owners when they've paid for their purchase.