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Why Germany still has terraces at Football grounds

Interesting piece produced by the German FA, on why football grounds in the Bundersliga should have terracing.

3 and 7 are the most interesting and important parts

…..In the recent period, many people with an interest in football have been asking the DFB to lend their support to the concept of standing areas of a particular size for home and away fans in our stadia: in total no more than 20% [of the ground capacity], with variable capacities for home and away fans. After carefully considering all the relevant issues and the DFB’s own concept and holding numerous meetings with representatives of clubs and councils, senior police offices and stewards, representatives of supporters clubs and fan projects, and sociologists and educationalists, we have come to the conclusion that a certain number of standing places should be retained for the following reasons:

1. Safety inside grounds is already guaranteed for the most part by a variety of structural and organisational measures.

2. Violent incidents in standing areas can mainly be attributed to the particular idiosyncrasies and the composition of the spectators there rather than the physical configuration of these areas. The majority of these spectators will not behave any differently in an all-seater stadium.

3. In the long run, abolishing standing areas would make it considerably more difficult, if not impossible, for socially disadvantaged football supporters to attend their team’s matches. Football, being a people’s sport, should not banish the socially disadvantaged from its stadia, and it should not place its social function in doubt itself.

4. For several years now, self-regulating processes have been in evidence amongst fans in standing areas. These processes seldom render it necessary for the police or stewards to intervene.

5. The climatic conditions in northern, eastern and western Europe are different to those in southern Europe; spectators are much less willing to use uncovered seating when it is raining or snowing than they are to stand in wintry weather conditions. For economic reasons it will not be possible in many countries to furnish grounds with roofed accommodation in the foreseeable future.

6. Football is culture. It involves not only the spirit of fair play but also the solidarity inspired by a sense of community. For young people, fan culture is an important factor in the development of their personality on the path to gaining independence in an increasingly complex society. From the socio-pedagogic point of view, it is essential that areas where young people can interact are maintained and safeguarded. These include standing areas in football grounds.

7. The young fans on the terraces embody the vibrant world of football. It is here where the atmosphere that attracts millions of people all over the world to our sport is created. It is here where the fans who are the first to cheer their team on and the last to whistle are to be found. Young people live with the emphasis on the physical. They seek and require direct (and physical) contact with their like-minded peers. The terrace is their own miniature world, a place where people from all sections of society meet. Those who do away with standing areas take away a part of these people’s lives.

8. In the unanimous opinion of many experts the rigorous removal of all standing areas will lead to many ‘adventure-seeking’ young people joining the hooligan scene, with the consequence that the violent clashes outside grounds will continue to increase in both number and brutality. The success of our varied efforts to contribute to a positive change of consciousness in the long term by improving the way in which we look after fans will be placed in serious doubt by this unjustified (from the fans’ point of view) intervention in their world.

9. We are now witnessing more and more cases of spectators ignoring seats, which were installed at great expense, and simply standing on them. This is a very dangerous practice, especially in view of the steepness of the terracing often encountered in the bigger grounds.

Based on these considerations the DFB has concluded that for its domestic competitions standing areas for both home and away fans may be retained in the grounds used by professional clubs in the capacity recommended by the DFB Safety Committee in each particular case.

The DFB will continue to pursue and lend its support to this aim.

Comments

  • Bring back standing any day please
  • When I go and watch Freiburg, even when they were in the first division of the Bundesliga a standing ticket costs just €10.
  • who'd have thought a modern football governing body could talk such sense. pity the a*$eholes who run our game couldn't, or wouldn't, give this type of assessment the time of day.
  • Terrace was one of the main reasons i went Chesterfield!Its about time something was done!
  • Can't see it happening for a very very long time.

    Certainly not in the Premiership where we have happy clappy supporters happy to pay over the odds for seated tickets.

    3. In the long run, abolishing standing areas would make it considerably more difficult, if not impossible, for socially disadvantaged football supporters to attend their team’s matches. Football, being a people’s sport, should not banish the socially disadvantaged from its stadia, and it should not place its social function in doubt itself.

    This only applys to lower leagues now, certainly not the Premier or even the Championship.

    It would do lower league clubs the world of good when having to upgrade their grounds to still be able to have 'safe standing' area.
  • The silly thing is, that when Rugby League clubs move or upgrade, there allowed to have safe standing areas, it's one of those ridculous double standards.
  • standing whilst having a beer or three

    what a ridiculous idea ;-)

    having said that, we are paying for past misdemeanours, and it will take some years before anything will change. i have never encountered real aggression from an opposing RL supporter even when in their own pubs or sitting amongst them wearing an opposing shirt, but i think we may see a different side of RL when Hull City play HKR next season!!!!

    Football may not wake up until crowds disappear completely..............which really could happen!
  • I've been to a few Saints v Pies games, and it's kicked off.

    Hull FC v HKR is going to be messy
  • [cite]Posted By: Rothko[/cite]I've been to a few Saints v Pies games, and it's kicked off.

    Hull FC v HKR is going to be messy

    really............must be your face ;-)

    I know a few Leeds fans who always have run ins with Hull City supporters but it never gets really out of hand or reported for that matter!
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