The club wants the noisiest fans in the North Stand. Would it be best to have unreserved seating in the North Stand? Then the noisiest fans can get together. The rest of the stands could be reserved seating for people who prefer that. It's not a Premier League/FA rule to have reserved seats is it?
The best way would be to focus on the quiet areas, the noisy ones will sort themselves out eventually. Moving the noisy area was a ridiculous idea. The problem with the north stand is that the different groups will compete. The couple of dozen 'ulltras' have a sing song amongst themselves, and others try to get their own songs going. It needs an alternative singing area somewhere like E4 to resolve it. The club got really crap advice on the stand move.
There was never that problem on Bunkers or Kempton. I think there's less reason to compete if they can all get close together.
Bunkers and Kempton grew organically in a very different environment. Fans don't mix anything like they used to. Away games lacked the 'I sit and watch' types that have appeared over recent years, so the bulk traveled up together inventing songs and singing them in the same groups in the ground. I'm basing my opinion on standing near to the different groups of supporters at home and away games, as well as talking to people from each. Even IF this problem is overcome, it still means well over 75% of the ground will still be sat silent watching the performing seals in the north. Surely, accommodating the different groups is simple enough and would help spread the atmosphere around the ground?
With Pete on this. Only problem I see is the ridiculous decision to have a varying capacity in the North Stand. Meaning, if there's a smaller away following then a block(s) of the North Stand will be given back to home fans. The tickets for these extra blocks will be available for tourists and occasional attenders. Surely that's not what you would want sandwiched between the 'singing end' and the away support, and likewise for most of those buying these extra tickets, it's surely the last place in the ground they'd want to be placed. The whole of the North Stand should have been given to us. Stupid in my opinion (unless I'm missing something?)
No rule on reserved seats as far as I know. But ground safety regulations state that in areas with unreserved seating 10% must remain unsold. That is a regulation which has nothing to do with the PL, Football League or clubs as it applies to rugby league and rugby union games as well.
I think we need to get one good area noisy before we try to spread it. I would have thought it would make more sense to have the away fans at the opposite end of the ground to the noisiest home fans but that's not possible with the present transport arrangements. When I started watching City I spent half a season in North Stand seats, one season in West Stand seats and then I stood on South Stand before we went into Kempton. After more than 10 years at the KC it wont happen overnight but with some thought the club could encourage an intimidating atmosphere as well as make it more of an occasion for everybody.
We had a noisy section that was spreading along the stand. The 'transport' arrangements are a red herring due to the unnecessary fence. Away fans could have gone out of the camera eye into the NW corner, leaving N5 -N7 available as an extension of the east. Effort could then have been put into encouraging the quiet areas to provide vocal support rather than effectively encouraging a vacuum.
You can have unreserved seating in the Premier League, it often happens if there's a low take-up of away fans allocation and at least one club offers an area of season tickets which are unreserved. As for the North Stand debate, it's been done to death. The season starts shortly, so we'll find out then if it was a good idea or not.
It's been largely ignored, despite fans walking away from the club naming it as a significant factor, so it's high handed to try to dismiss discussion. The fans group attitude has been revealing and shameful in my opinion. Also, IF it works, it will be despite the ill-informed advice rather than any sign it was right. With not a lot of effort, the whole thing could have been done so much better, but there's too many egos and agendas involved.
We could just have the Benny Hill theme tune on loop for the full 90 minutes. Would certainly keep the pace of the game up.
I hope the Ultras have a real party in the North Stand. I don't like the idea of smoke and flares, but a strong organised section, has to be the way to go and having it behind our gals has to be better. The way to get an atmosphere in the KC is to have something to cheer.
Wouldn't it better to have a more all-inclusive discussion than just talking to a number of people (if the number was relatively low)?