Big Ben on radio sheffield

Fortunate for Paul Heckingbottom, Ben doesn't have to play full back at the week end.

Fantastic season. Irony, drew with sheff u to go bottom then drew with them to go top 6. What a turnaround

Always been happy with the squad and staff all season round

Happy for the fans, glad to give us 1 wembley visit. Hoping for number 2.

On talk with Hammill. We think a lot of Adam, Adam thinks a lot of us. Talks are ongoing. Realistically Adams performances are attracting attention leagues above, who can offer more money who are looking at trying to yet within salary cap pare meters. Still a chance if us being in championship anyway and we can offer more. Hope Adam looks at more than the money.

Set out when we got relegated that our club is somewhere to develop, hopefully to take us to the championship. But also look at offers from other clubs. Hoping to attract young players who like playing at pace jn a 442 system as the fans want to see that.

On free tickets to schools. We wanted to give more tickets. When planning starts, with it being last game, we really want everyone to stay off the pitch. The players want to pay their gratitude. They won't come back out if fans come onto the pitch. Going back to tickets. The cost of policing and things, given the lateness of the offer, we've only been able to give 1000 out. Years 1 and 2 as that's when young fans pick their team.

On safe standing - he was young when Hillsborough disaster happened. On behalf of himself and Barnsley he's happy there's finally some closure. Safe standing is topical issue, a lot of stadiums went all seater after disaster, which cost a lot of money. It would also take a lot to go back to partially standing areas. Leaving atmosphere and things out of it, going to be unlikely to see many clubs go back to safe standing.

Again sorry I was typing as he talks.

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I'm not sure why Mansford needs to be happy with the squad? It shouldn't be his concern.

As for safe standing... I'm pretty sure Celtic have been given the go-ahead to create a safe standing section at Parkhead, so hopefully it's something that will catch on and move through the leagues.

 

Working with 5 local primary schools with years 1&2. Gave 1000 free tickets to them. Im glad im not taking my PE sessions with those class sizes!

 

Thanks for that

 

To give the safe standing thing context. One of the major topics on Radio Sheffield tonight was the Hillsborough disaster, and a lot of talk about safe standing, stewarding at games and skallies bringing flares/smoke bombs (whichever it is Barnsley Loyal) into grounds.

They had a chap named Alan from the fans association (Barnsley fan according to Ben Mansford) on trying to give his views as to why safe standing is a good idea.

I think what is abundantly clear is that safe standing now would be a polar opposite to standing terraces of pre 1990's stadia. There would still be a capacity on the stadium which would make it comfortable even at big games. I think it's something which makes sense from the point of view that people do still stand up at games, and that it would make it safer for these people to do so, and of course, generate a bit more atmosphere.

The point Ben Mansford was trying to make is that clubs have spent millions to make their stadiums all seater, and then would be spending millions reversing this process to a degree. Whilst he believed some clubs would eventually install safe standing, it was clear from the way that he spoke, that we probably won't due to the financial implications of doing so.

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Sticking with 442!

Think I might pop out for some popcorn

 

You don't think it's the concern of the CEO what his maib product is like?

 

And Ben is absolutely right. To install safe standing at Oakwell would cost an absolute fortune and who would pay for it?

If it was installed into existing stands then it is a huge expense that doesn't really generate any extra income. Would those wishing to use the standing area be willing to pay significantly more for their tickets compared to the seating area? Or would they expect everyone else to fund it?

Likewise if a new stand was built and it was incorporated, a seat is much cheaper than safe standing section is so who pays the additional cost? Would those wanting it be willing to pay significantly more to stand in that new stand? I doubt it.

I've nothing against the principal of safe standing but the problem is as Ben says, it costs a fortune so it's a nne starter for a lot of the smaller clubs like us

 

No I completely agree. It's a good idea which I reckon could work. But at present I feel it's an unnecessary cost given our current stature.

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That and the current preferred choices are absolutely awful at present. Expensive, bulky and not practical when converted into seats. A lot of work needs doing to come up with a better design that works better in all scenarios and is far cheaper to implement. They seem to have over engineered the designs somewhat and in my opinion failed miserably

 

What. The. Actual. ****??!

That's either an attempt at a windup that's fallen flat on its arse, or you are on some industrial strength crack. Of course it's a concern for him; as are many things around the club. Why on god's earth wouldn't it be??!?!

 

It needn't cost an absolute fortune...it depends on the size of the area to be converted and there's no reason to scrap the seats removed, they could go into storage to replace others in the ground lost to damage of one kind or another....it will cost initially but there are long term savings to be made on seat replacement.

 

But the cost of safe standing sections far exceeds and potential saving of a second hand seat

 

If safe standing areas were implemented and priced cheaper in those areas, it may drive additional heads through the turnstiles by making football affordable and accessible for those on lower incomes or those with more of a passing interest in following the reds

 

We have an all seater stadium. At great cost.

We don't fill it as it is. Without spending money we don't have reversing the enforced implementation.

To this day some grounds have standing and we were forced to play to an east stand and upper west stand.

We can have already a standing area. Just use one of the lower west stand areas or summat and let them stand in front of a seat

 

Not sure standing in front of seats would be deemed 'safe' though that's the problem.

My point being, some investments can generate a return. If properly assessed and appraised and it doesn't generate a return then don't do it

 

I get your point.

Not against it per se. But I don't think spending money at this point to introduce an official safe standing area is any remotely near our priority.

A new scoreboard..... well...

 

Haha yeah I don't think it is either tbf, and perhaps playing devil's advocate a little.

Maybe we should bite the bullet and do both, then with the added attendance from the standing, the advertising on scoreboard generates more revenue as it becomes more valuable as more people see it

 

Rather than replace seats step one coudl be to convert the corner section between ponty and west stand to safe standng to test it out and see the popularity.

 

Not a bad shout. Although a problem would exist with the side of the ponty end blocking half the view