MKM Stadium re-design

Hope others agree that this important topic deserves it's own thread.
I know it's under active re-consideration as we speak. It really is important to get this one right.
Having away fans take up the whole North Stand has been crazy. So, yes, something has to change, especially given Acun's aim to significantly improve attendances. I'm sure he also wants to see a better atmosphere too; meaning 'hostile' but in a positive way.
IMO, moving away fans to the NE corner would be a HUGE mistake. It will definitely annoy a raft of our support, it's been tried before & it didn't really work, it splits the more 'hostile' support, etc.
Moving away fans to take say half of the West Upper is unfortunately not a viable option; the stadium design simply does not support that as an option.
Surely the best option by far is to firstly restrict the away support to nearer the minimum allowed (is it 10% which would be c; 2-2.5k, which is more than enough for most games anyway) then to move them to the NW corner. This would give the home support something like 3/4 (or minimum 2/3's) of the North Stand running around without a break into the East Stand. This whole run of North & East Stand is then the '(positively) hostile' support, SS remains family focussed, WS remains 'best' stand.
It would surely only take relatively minor structural and match day segregation changes to allow this move, and the issue would be finally solved once and for all. There would need to be moving / installation of a gate(s) and maybe a wall, behind North Stand to segregate from home support, and likely installation of additional away support facilities on the concourse - all relatively minor. Inside there would be only a few rows of segregation between away support and West / North Stand home support, properly stewarded / policed as they do at most other grounds.
Surely this is the obvious and best answer.
The club has to get it right this time.

 

I think the problem with your proposal is that the club will want to (maybe even have to) be able to accommodate larger away crowds when the demand is there. You could say away fans only get one end of the North stand normally and the rest of it is City fans most of the time except for when there's a big away following, but then it would mean we can only sell matchday tickets in there rather than memberships, which would make it unlikely to be consistently full, and probably won't get many vocal fans in there.

 

This seems the easiest and quickest way to do it, and this is the arrangement for the forthcoming game v Barsley on Tuesday so we’ll see how it works (that’s assuming we sell out E1, N7 & N6, which isn’t happening as yet)… negatives – away fans are still located behind the goal that they’ll be attacking in the 2nd half.

Another option that would need more work would be for us to have the whole North Stand, and to locate away fans in E1 up to to say E5 down the side,…..and longer term get the TV cameras moved over to the East Stand so away fans are not seen, nor are they behind the goal. If done right this option could be flexible whereby smaller away followings got say E1 to E3, with E4 & E5 being made available to us for sale – negatives; we’d all have to move again !! – the concourse behind would need work, we’d be giving up even more of what has always been the ‘popular’ side, plus dwellers of E6 would have to work on their hand gestures, as they’d become the new hoolies next to the away fans.

 

I think the club only needs to provide 10% to away fans. A NW arrangement would accommodate that .... and without them being anywhere near behind the goal.
Of course, correct me if I'm wrong.
It just seems so obvious and straightforward to me. I fear the club may otherwise make a massive error, again.

 

nothing will happen until the ground is close to capacity on a regular basis - if we can't fill our allocation why would the club want to limit the away support to a maximum of 10%

 

Questionnaires and consultations are already underway. It is happening. I expect decisions will be made in coming weeks, ready for implementation ahead of next season. Just one element of the new era, but such an important one to finally get right once and for all

 

pity they didn't ask the fans who might have to move again - somethings haven't changed then

 

They're polling supporter groups

 

I'm a life member of supporters trust and no one has contacted me - have members been contacted or have the board taken the decision all by themselves

 

Are they?

 

Sorry, technically incorrect wording Supporter groups are polling members, ahead of submissions to the club. I suspect the club have asked for input.
I got an email earlier today (from HCST) Charon. If u r a member u should have or be getting one too. They invite non member input too

 

Oh, that’s news to me!

 

Got my survey today too...

 

thanks - just dug mine out of spam - was 10 questions asking about age / gender / and match day experience one question related to where the away fans should be located - seems like 10 have responded so far of which 90% would prefer to move back to the North Stand

 

The MKM is our home so anything to make it louder and more intimidating gets my support. Away supporters should be treated as such and if possible OFF Camara like at a few other grounds so if possible put them in N1 N2 & N3 with City fans right next to them.

Not sure plod will be keen like…

 

If its not a daft question. Why is having the away fans off camera so important?

 

Filled it in. Twice. My results aren’t showing when I’ve finished.

 

Might be just me, but I think away fans shouldn’t have an entire kop to themselves i.e. the entire north stand. Like others said, give them the minimum allocation and stick them in the NW corner. Stadiums should be a fortress, for the home team. The away fans shouldn’t have such a dominant and visible presence at the MKM.

Away fans shouldn’t be behind either goal.

 

That I agree with. Just don't see the significance of not having them visible on TV

 

Optics, maybe? Looks better for the club’s reputation if home fans are behind both goals.