Access for home fans

[GetIntoEm]

Hardly anyone said that. What most people did say was the congestion will be far worse, which it was. The ground was getting on for half empty by the time the referee blew the full time whistle. After a huge win our players appreciations to the crowd/vice versa were to sparsely populated stands. All in the name of improving the match experience. The club should have been looking into why we have a big problem with early leavers, not making decisions that just encourage it.

I saw someone talking to the police after the game, behind the huge crowds waiting to go to through a narrow pinch point. They were in agreement that the changes made no sense.

I go out that way already anyway as usually go to the park view after the game, and it didn't seem any different to what it normally does. That hate is about 30ft wide, not 6ft as reported here.

Weird about the police though as they will have been consulted through the SAG, probably wanted to just placate a moaner

[Leisure]

Can we use Ormerod Yard tonight?

[Claretfanatic1982]

As the father of autistic kids, I’m incredibly impressed with the thought going into the accessible stands, too.

It is a great initiative but we even had some supporters complaining about this.

[KlyBfc]

Hardly anyone said that. What most people did say was the congestion will be far worse, which it was. The ground was getting on for half empty by the time the referee blew the full time whistle. After a huge win our players appreciations to the crowd/vice versa were to sparsely populated stands. All in the name of improving the match experience. The club should have been looking into why we have a big problem with early leavers, not making decisions that just encourage it.

I saw someone talking to the police after the game, behind the huge crowds waiting to go to through a narrow pinch point. They were in agreement that the changes made no sense.

As we walked round a number of police were squeezing through in the opposite direction to the way to we (the crowd) were going. A few people shouted stuff at them, to which they didn’t respond but they clearly weren’t over impressed with having to struggle through the congestion.

As someone else has also already mentioned, it’s not so much about the changes it’s about when they were announced. As a group in the part of the ground most effected by the access changes, if they had been announed prior to the ability to change season ticket seats then fine, it would have been up to us then if we wanted to stay or move seats.

[nil_desperandum]

I go out that way already anyway as usually go to the park view after the game, and it didn't seem any different to what it normally does. That hate is about 30ft wide, not 6ft as reported here.

I stand to be corrected but I think people have reported it to be about 6 / 7 METRES not feet. Still rather less than the 30 feet you mention but not worth arguing over.
tbh - I think that the "gate of death" has been blown out of proportion by some people. Obviously, it will be more difficult to pass through than previously because of the significantly greater numbers. There have been incidents and accidents at this pinch point before, so the chances are that the number will increase. By far the greatest impact of this change - which the majority agree to be significant, is the serious issue facing those who are disabled or who have mobility issues.
I don't think that you have acknowledged this in any of your posts.
We were relatively unaffected on Saturday. We park as near to the ground (Bob Lord Stand) as possible with a Blue Badge. I would say it's just over a 5 minute walk for me, but it takes us over 15 minutes due to my fellow supporters disability. (No real change to previously)
If we had to walk round three sides of the ground - which is the only option for some now, I don't think it would be walkable for us.

[Woosh Deakin]

So in a nutshell, to surmise the 600 and odd posts.....

It's a tad more populated on the way out of the ground, but most of the wailing and gnashing of teeth for ten pages was completely unnecessary and maybe slightly over the top?

[nil_desperandum]

So in a nutshell, to surmise the 600 and odd posts.....

It's a tad more populated on the way out of the ground, but most of the wailing and gnashing of teeth for ten pages was completely unnecessary and maybe slightly over the top?

Yes, that in a nutshell, if you choose to disregard the disabled and most vulnerable.

[Procrastinate B]

It is a great initiative but we even had some supporters complaining about this.

Blimey.

[manuelbenny]

My dad never went on against Sunderland due to these daft changes. It took him all his time to navigate Ormerod Yard due to serious, grade 4 arthritis in his knee.

The best thing is he could cycle to the Turf as it's low impact but there's no cycle stations....even though we have this fantastic "town to turf"... but all Pace and co are bothered about is cheering the players off the coach, trying to stop people using the cricket club

....and let's not get started on the lousy, tinpot goal music which bismirches our history and proud tradition.

[Goody1975]

Some posters may have over egged the situation but they are no worse than the posters on here who populate the thread with their condescending and dismissive attitude.

Just because it doesn't affect you, doesn't mean it's not a big issue for others

[Rick_Muller]

there were absolutely no problems at the game

quite right too, well except for the hundreds of fans trying to access the CFS with valid tickets and being told to go to the ticket office to resolve it and then return to the turnstiles and try a paper ticket printed at the ticket office for that to fail too which results in the stewards just letting fans in through via the exit gate because the turnstiles didn't work - yeah, no problems at all

[Enola Gay]

....and let's not get started on the lousy, tinpot goal music which bismirches our history and proud tradition.

Overreaction much?

[Orangebernard]

I’ve asked this same question a couple of times before but has anyone seen anything from the club explaining why it has been necessary to switch home and away fans in the CFS? We have been given some corporate waffle about enhancing experiences but what is the real reason? Does anyone outside of the boardroom actually know? People are arguing with each other and others were rightly worrying about the consequences so the way I see it is it has caused and continues to cause people aggravation but for what reason?

[theboydonegood]

Personally i think there is a fair bit of forward planning going on. Will now be easier to close the Cricket field stand for redevelopment and put a reduced number of away supporters in the north lower..... then they may never move back to the new stand.

Tbdg

[Orangebernard]

Personally i think there is a fair bit of forward planning going on. Will now be easier to close the Cricket field stand for redevelopment and put a reduced number of away supporters in the north lower..... then they may never move back to the new stand.

Tbdg

That’s an interesting thought which I hadn’t considered. Do you think that our current board will actually be the ones to spend the money redeveloping the CFS, I have my doubts.

[ClaretPete001]

I honestly don't get it. The club changed people's seating arrangements without notice, which will likely prove to have exactly the opposite affect of those cited by the club. In addition, it does cause problems for people who are older, disabled or have other issues, which mean they are vulnerable in crowds.

One PL season, I think it could possibly have been Lee Hoos (but could stand corrected) decided to give the CSF to away supporters, which meant that in many games Burnley supporters were competing with over 4,000 away fans singing above the players dressing rooms.

His rationale was that “We have to have an otherwise full stadium in terms of home support, as we don’t want to dissipate that support and leave gaps elsewhere." “We want to do everything we can to help the manager and the players, and if we can do it, we will try".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUy9cS5ibco - how is this helping the Burnley players?

[randomclaret2]

Can we use Ormerod Yard tonight?

Burnley Police have tweeted that its Away fans only again

[Barry_Chuckle]

Will now be easier to close the Cricket field stand for redevelopment and put a reduced number of away supporters in the north lower.

What has made it easier?
There were home and away supporters in there both before and after the seat swapover, so nothings changed other than the home fans no have an inferior view to the one they had previously.

[The Shire Claret]

Some posters may have over egged the situation but they are no worse than the posters on here who populate the thread with their condescending and dismissive attitude.

Just because it doesn't affect you, doesn't mean it's not a big issue for others

I absolutely agree with you but it is also a good example of human nature in general with how people are glass half full and and glass half empty

Some people have a reason to be worried , especially those with mobility issues , but some people do like to moan for the sake of it and will ardly affect them at all...

works the same way for others that do dismiss the fans actually affected.

[claret wizard]

What has made it easier?
There were home and away supporters in there both before and after the seat swapover, so nothings changed other than the home fans no have an inferior view to the one they had previously.

My view is much better. Don't Chuckle your way into talking for me.

[theboydonegood]

What has made it easier?
There were home and away supporters in there both before and after the seat swapover, so nothings changed other than the home fans no have an inferior view to the one they had previously.

Erm. The away fans now enter at the opposite end of the stand. Which is now adjacent to the north lower entrances to the right of that stand.

Does that help?

Tbdg

[jlup1980]

Personally i think there is a fair bit of forward planning going on. Will now be easier to close the Cricket field stand for redevelopment and put a reduced number of away supporters in the north lower..... then they may never move back to the new stand.

Tbdg

I sit in the Jimmy Mac and I couldn't really understand the changeover of the CFS on Saturday. I thought similar to what you're saying. It would have made more sense to put away fans in the first block of the North Upper & Lower. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a longer term plan in the pipeline to enable us to have all of the CFS for home fans.

[GetIntoEm]

Yes, that in a nutshell, if you choose to disregard the disabled and most vulnerable.

Well if they were sensible they'd just stay in their seat for 10 minutes until the rush clears, similar to what happens on planes. It's not rocket science

[ŽižkovClaret]

My dad never went on against Sunderland due to these daft changes. It took him all his time to navigate Ormerod Yard due to serious, grade 4 arthritis in his knee.

The best thing is he could cycle to the Turf as it's low impact but there's no cycle stations....even though we have this fantastic "town to turf"... but all Pace and co are bothered about is cheering the players off the coach, trying to stop people using the cricket club

....and let's not get started on the lousy, tinpot goal music which bismirches our history and proud tradition.

Has he thought about a move into the accessible areas? I guess there could be a desire to stay within a group in existing area but if its that or dont go.....?

[appleton]

Where’s the similarities between those three disasters and having to leave through a sufficiently wide exit, albeit at a slightly slower pace?

Classless post.

I'm sorry for the delay in responding but I would simply point to the Wikipedia article "Crowd collapses and crushes."
All is fine until an exceptional set of circumstances precedes the disaster.
A protestant waif and stray from 1950's Glasgow dumped in a children's village in Bridge of Wier, I was a frequent visitor to Ibrox in the late 60's and could so easily have been there then.
I don't fancy fate catching up with me now.

[Yorkshirelad]

Well if they were sensible they'd just stay in their seat for 10 minutes until the rush clears, similar to what happens on planes. It's not rocket science

I presume you don’t have a relation with mobility issues.
You are quite correct on a plane people HAVE to wait behind everyone else to get off a plane. You are also quite correct they could wait 10 minutes to come out. But you have three levels all coming down onto the lower level and all waiting to go out. People want to get home just like everyone else.

Why shouldn’t changes be implemented for EVERYONE and not just got the able bodied supporters.

Remove the team coaches while the game is on make more exits rather than having just the one by the memorial area

One day we all could have mobility issues make it easier for us all.

[RicardoMontalban]

I'm sorry for the delay in responding but I would simply point to the Wikipedia article "Crowd collapses and crushes."
All is fine until an exceptional set of circumstances precedes the disaster.

I think the point is, for two of the examples you cited, Ibrox and Hillsborough, all was not fine. Ibrox, sadly, was no stranger to crowd tragedies and concerns around safety, and it was a similar story to Hillsborough.