Away fans - sit/stand where you want

[JohnDearyMe]

Has anyone noticed an increase in our away fans sitting/standing wherever they want at away games? Noticed a guy nearby in his 70s arriving at his designated safe standing space only to be told by 2 aggressive guys in their 30s who were in his space that for away games you just go wherever you want. Led to an uncomfortable stand off for him

[Joe14]

Only half chance is getting to your seat early. Leave it late and it’s a lottery sadly. Some attendees don’t give a sh17 once they have had there fill of goodness knows what.

[Rowls]

It's extremely annoying and rude when people try to sit in somebody else's seat.

Especially when the away end is sold out as it was today.

[Woodleyclaret]

I've had similar problem at Reading
We asked for front row and got about 20 rows back spoke to stewards who didn't want to know so we ignored them and found seats with a clear view.At Stoke had front row tickets and some guys with young kids insisted on standing despite they obstructed the view of fans behind then
Eventually we persuaded stewards to shift us to other seats .This is a similar pattern at away games and this has prevented us attending due to these issues.These selfish ones are usually aled up and don't listen to 15yrold "security" asking them to sit down.

[LincsWoldsClaret]

It’s becoming a real pain - we get there early, sit down and wait to see who is around us and if necessary move to some remote area where we can watch the match we’ve paid to see. Not always possible with sell-outs of course.

[mickleoverclaret]

Portsmouth's away end is meant to be half standing, halg seated. Unfortunately the club couldn't be bothered to tell fans that at point of sale.

[RickyBobby]

The lads would have been coked up and probably didn’t even know where they were. So many of our fans seem to be drug addicts.

[AlargeClaret]

Depends on the game/if it’s sold out etc , though getting to your seat on the earlier side always worth it if you wanna guarantee the seat you booked . If your central or toward the back anywhere it’s usually hard work .

[BigGaz]

It's a sentiment that ive seen more and more on social media having not ever experienced it or heard of it in 30 years of following Burnley, although from what I've seen it's club agnostic.

Seems to be a narrative driven by young lads who want to sit next to each other which is exacerbated by inadequate ticketing arrangements and theres a really simple fix to it.

In the here and now though I feel sorry for the old boy. Even as a 70 year old I think I'd still fancy a row about it but some folk don't want it and that's fair enough

[bfcfan1882]

4 were stood within in our 8 spots today.

Adamant they were in the right - seat xx, seat xx - f’off!!!

Sigh.

There’s my ticket - where’s yours?

Here!!!!!!! F’off!!!!

Ok. You’re on the wrong row.

We all enjoy a shandy. But some become agresive.

[AlargeClaret]

This has gone on for almost ever though , especially when we’ve been in the champ /lower leagues . Generally harks back to big away ends and you just sat/stood where you wanted . Not forgetting many of the prem years we’d not sell out our allocations by a fair bit .

It wouldn’t be hard for the club to remind fans to actually sit where allocated though ? Perhaps that tearful bunch at the FAB could have a word ?
Personally I’ve never had any issues with fans moving if they’ve been sat in our seats, nor have I witnessed fans telling old fans to feck off , but that’s my own experience.

[Rowls]

My personal experience is that it's become a problem in the past few years in line with visible drug use inside grounds.

No doubt it happened beforehand but it wasn't a problem when we had real terracing and you could stand anywhere.

[dougcollins]

My personal experience is that it's become a problem in the past few years in line with visible drug use inside grounds.

No doubt it happened beforehand but it wasn't a problem when we had real terracing and you could stand anywhere.

More than a few years in my experience.

Far worse if you're sat up near the back, and you get to your row and there's 12 idiots packed into the 6 seats that are yours.

[Wembley09]

Pompey stewards were good in leading us to our seats/ good directions etc.

Got there for our 93 and 92 seats, but that row including our seats were taken by lads stood up or standing/sitting. Thankfully 90 and 91 seats were free or else something would have been said.

Pointless starting a unwinnable argument against coke'd up lads unless you have to.

Don't get why they do that sh!t though. It's like 2 reasonable lads with tickets just say to their free loading pals, just come here next to us.

[ClaretTony]

Portsmouth's away end is meant to be half standing, halg seated. Unfortunately the club couldn't be bothered to tell fans that at point of sale.

Not the only occasion this season either

[durhamclaret]

For the reasons mentioned on this thread, I’m going to give up going to away games which I’m disappointed at. I’ll do my best to get home end tickets and keep my gob shut!

[Leisure]

For the reasons mentioned on this thread, I’m going to give up going to away games which I’m disappointed at. I’ll do my best to get home end tickets and keep my gob shut!

That's disappointing! If you get a seat at the front to the middle you should be fine. It seems to only be the rear seats where this issue mainly occurs.

[Woodleyclaret]

Fao Leisure unfortunately we have stopped going to away games as despite getting front or near front tickets some selfish "fans"insist on standing up blocking our view arms out like some religious convert. Lots of abuse when challenged and stewards as much use as a chocolate fireguard to stop them

[fidelcastro]

That's disappointing! If you get a seat at the front to the middle you should be fine. It seems to only be the rear seats where this issue mainly occurs.

Yes, from the selfish twunts amongst our fan base!

[Leisure]

Fao Leisure unfortunately we have stopped going to away games as despite getting front or near front tickets some selfish "fans"insist on standing up blocking our view arms out like some religious convert. Lots of abuse when challenged and stewards as much use as a chocolate fireguard to stop them

As I replied to Durham, that's disappointing. Maybe you've been unfortunate. Certainly for the next 2 games at Southampton and Cardiff (where we won't be anywhere near to selling out) you shouldn't have a problem. Hate to see someone stop attending our away games because of some idiots!

[IanMcL]

I've had similar problem at Reading
We asked for front row and got about 20 rows back spoke to stewards who didn't want to know so we ignored them and found seats with a clear view.At Stoke had front row tickets and some guys with young kids insisted on standing despite they obstructed the view of fans behind then
Eventually we persuaded stewards to shift us to other seats .This is a similar pattern at away games and this has prevented us attending due to these issues.These selfish ones are usually aled up and don't listen to 15yrold "security" asking them to sit down.

I have minimised away matches attendances owing to the 'standing up' no matter where you are. 90 mins on feet now painful. Why stand up and make your view worse, when the tall fans arrive and stand in front of you?

[Buxtonclaret]

It's not just a Burnley problem.
A couple of Stoke fans I've known for many years have stopped going to away games because of 'coked-up' younger supporters sitting where they want and constantly standing up.

[Dyched]

Sad reading this. We’re going to Preston (girlfriend 5 months pregnant). Don’t think we’ll bother now reading this.

[fidelcastro]

Sad reading this. We’re going to Preston (girlfriend 5 months pregnant). Don’t think we’ll bother now reading this.

That's really sad if you're considering not going when you've presumably already got tickets.

Don't let the buggers win! Just inform a steward if people are sat in your seats!

[Dyched]

That's really sad if you're considering not going when you've presumably already got tickets.

Don't let the buggers win! Just inform a steward if people are sat in your seats!

We were wondering if it’d be a good idea to begin with. But we decided we’d get there early (we live locally), and stay until the crowd dies down.

Then again saying that if we do get there early, out seats will still be free.

[deanothedino]

It's not just a Burnley problem.
A couple of Stoke fans I've known for many years have stopped going to away games because of 'coked-up' younger supporters sitting where they want and constantly standing up.

Which is it? Are they constantly standing or sitting where they want?!

[Cardclaret]

I had similar at Sunderland 2 years ago, I wasn't in the mood for gentle persuasion, so just stood in front of them at my seat number. They soon moved after a couple of minutes with my 6 foot 3 and 20 stone frame leaning back on a couple of them.

[Buxtonclaret]

Which is it? Are they constantly standing or sitting where they want?!

I'm not sure, but can ask next time l come across either.
But not sure, maybe it's possible to do both?

[deanothedino]

I'm not sure, but can ask next time l come across either.
But not sure, maybe it's possible to do both?

I don’t know… if they’re constantly standing are they not standing where they want?!

[Buxtonclaret]

I don’t know… if they’re constantly standing are they not standing where they want?!

Perhaps there could be more than one group?

[ArmchairDetective]

Portsmouth was a strange one. Our tickets had in clear writing 'seating, strictly no standing' on them. We then arrived to our seats which were in what looked like a safe standing section (metal bars in front and behind just like the safe standing in the CFS at the Turf) 5 rows from the front. No wonder everyone in front and subsequently behind us was stood up.

Clubs should be more organised and clear in offering seating and standing at point of sale.