| Away fans seating 13:11 - Jan 1 with 3040 views | nrb1985 |
Firstly HNY to all. May ‘25 bring health, happiness and a 25pt haul second half of the season.
Secondly, had some family who were in the away end the other night. They sent me a pic and had those block 16/17 seats that were literally on the half way line opposite directors box - basically the best seats in the house.
I know what happened with seat moves in summer to accommodate extra away fans, but was it ever explained why they don’t just have half the Churchman’s?
Seems a bit mad to give the away fans such prime seating. |  | | |  |
| Away fans seating on 13:15 - Jan 1 with 2964 views | urbanpenguin |
It's not as simple as just counting a block of seats. It's about access, egress, security and separation between fans. The current situation means away fans can all have their own secure entrance exit and not share any service areas or exit with home fans, basic security requirements. I would imagine this is all being looked at with regards to any new developments to either side stand.
Regardless, other clubs at the moment are looking to reconfigur so away fans are not behind a goal - as would be the case if they were in 'Churchmans' - so that home fans have both main ends. |  | | |
| Away fans seating on 13:18 - Jan 1 with 2945 views | LA_Tractor_Boy |
Nothing was ever explained, but I think it's what the police/safety advisory group wanted re. access to/from the stadium. Plus I'm not sure how easy it would be segregate fans in the SAR stand. | | | |
| Away fans seating on 13:40 - Jan 1 with 2794 views | nrb1985 |
| Away fans seating on 13:15 - Jan 1 by urbanpenguin |
It's not as simple as just counting a block of seats. It's about access, egress, security and separation between fans. The current situation means away fans can all have their own secure entrance exit and not share any service areas or exit with home fans, basic security requirements. I would imagine this is all being looked at with regards to any new developments to either side stand.
Regardless, other clubs at the moment are looking to reconfigur so away fans are not behind a goal - as would be the case if they were in 'Churchmans' - so that home fans have both main ends. |
Not saying you're wrong of course, because I don't know the answer, but surely all of the points in your first paragraph apply equally to the current set up? We are after all talking about a stand that is 20 meters away from where they currently sit.
And, all for not having them behind the goal necessarily, just seems a bit bananas that you're selling a ticket to an away fan for £30, that for a game like Chelsea you could sell for 10-15x that if it came with access to Burley's for example. [Post edited 1 Jan 13:45]
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| Away fans seating on 13:43 - Jan 1 with 2784 views | nrb1985 |
| Away fans seating on 13:18 - Jan 1 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
Nothing was ever explained, but I think it's what the police/safety advisory group wanted re. access to/from the stadium. Plus I'm not sure how easy it would be segregate fans in the SAR stand. |
Segregation point couldn't be that insurmountable surely. Man City and Chelsea to name but two have that exact same set up.
The crux of it is probably around that access point but as per my other reply, I can't see how the access is any better or worse given the two stands are literally next to each other and you have to walk along the same road to get to them from the station. | | | |
| Away fans seating on 13:45 - Jan 1 with 2759 views | Pendejo |
| Away fans seating on 13:15 - Jan 1 by urbanpenguin |
It's not as simple as just counting a block of seats. It's about access, egress, security and separation between fans. The current situation means away fans can all have their own secure entrance exit and not share any service areas or exit with home fans, basic security requirements. I would imagine this is all being looked at with regards to any new developments to either side stand.
Regardless, other clubs at the moment are looking to reconfigur so away fans are not behind a goal - as would be the case if they were in 'Churchmans' - so that home fans have both main ends. |
Given comments 're separate entrance / exit SAR lower or upper would seem ideal for away fans
But
Clearly there's a trend in football to position away fans out of the way of most TV camera angles, I believe Brighton are planning to move away fans from behind the goal. Southampton have already moved away fans out of main camera view.
At PR they're mainly in upper tier but still in a visible position. |  |
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| Away fans seating on 13:49 - Jan 1 with 2728 views | nrb1985 |
| Away fans seating on 13:45 - Jan 1 by Pendejo |
Given comments 're separate entrance / exit SAR lower or upper would seem ideal for away fans
But
Clearly there's a trend in football to position away fans out of the way of most TV camera angles, I believe Brighton are planning to move away fans from behind the goal. Southampton have already moved away fans out of main camera view.
At PR they're mainly in upper tier but still in a visible position. |
Yes, sounds like that's a trend I was unaware of, however, hard to think of any clubs that give them the best seats in the house either.
Commercially it just doesn't make any sense to sell prime seating to away fans for £30 a pop.
Maybe the answer is to give them top of SAR. | | | |
| Away fans seating on 13:50 - Jan 1 with 2712 views | gainsboroughblue |
| Away fans seating on 13:45 - Jan 1 by Pendejo |
Given comments 're separate entrance / exit SAR lower or upper would seem ideal for away fans
But
Clearly there's a trend in football to position away fans out of the way of most TV camera angles, I believe Brighton are planning to move away fans from behind the goal. Southampton have already moved away fans out of main camera view.
At PR they're mainly in upper tier but still in a visible position. |
Even in the pre-all seater days, the away fans weren't particularly visible at PR. The North Stand was way more set back from the pitch than the Churchmans. You only really got to see the first dozen rows of the home supporters surging forward when a goal was scored. |  |
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| Away fans seating on 13:51 - Jan 1 with 2718 views | textbackup |
If I were the man to make the decisions at ITFC, which thankfully I’m not, I’d have the away fans spread across the upper/lower end tiers in the churchmans (the side opposite where the tunnel is)
- They access via the same (secure) brick turnstiles on Portman Road.
- give them the lower tier concourse
- segregation is as easy as it is in the cobbold upper (take away a row of seats, stick in barriers and stewards)
- the small number of corporate seats at the back could be designated away fans posh seats) |  |
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| Away fans seating on 13:54 - Jan 1 with 2669 views | nrb1985 |
| Away fans seating on 13:51 - Jan 1 by textbackup |
If I were the man to make the decisions at ITFC, which thankfully I’m not, I’d have the away fans spread across the upper/lower end tiers in the churchmans (the side opposite where the tunnel is)
- They access via the same (secure) brick turnstiles on Portman Road.
- give them the lower tier concourse
- segregation is as easy as it is in the cobbold upper (take away a row of seats, stick in barriers and stewards)
- the small number of corporate seats at the back could be designated away fans posh seats) |
This would be my take, it's the same at City and Chelsea for example. Access as you say is from the same place.
Luckily though for our club and supporters, I'm not the person making the decisions either. [Post edited 1 Jan 15:57]
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| Away fans seating on 13:56 - Jan 1 with 2651 views | gainsboroughblue |
| Away fans seating on 13:51 - Jan 1 by textbackup |
If I were the man to make the decisions at ITFC, which thankfully I’m not, I’d have the away fans spread across the upper/lower end tiers in the churchmans (the side opposite where the tunnel is)
- They access via the same (secure) brick turnstiles on Portman Road.
- give them the lower tier concourse
- segregation is as easy as it is in the cobbold upper (take away a row of seats, stick in barriers and stewards)
- the small number of corporate seats at the back could be designated away fans posh seats) |
Could make sense. Any police escort could bring them from the station with the coaches on Commercial Road, down Russell Road and in through the main gates (if that is what it's still used for). | |
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| No. End. (n/t) on 13:56 - Jan 1 with 2643 views | Bloots |
| Away fans seating on 13:51 - Jan 1 by textbackup |
If I were the man to make the decisions at ITFC, which thankfully I’m not, I’d have the away fans spread across the upper/lower end tiers in the churchmans (the side opposite where the tunnel is)
- They access via the same (secure) brick turnstiles on Portman Road.
- give them the lower tier concourse
- segregation is as easy as it is in the cobbold upper (take away a row of seats, stick in barriers and stewards)
- the small number of corporate seats at the back could be designated away fans posh seats) |
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| "He's been a really positive influence on my life, I think he's a great man" - TWTD User (May 2025) |
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| Away fans seating on 14:02 - Jan 1 with 2560 views | LA_Tractor_Boy |
| Away fans seating on 13:49 - Jan 1 by nrb1985 |
Yes, sounds like that's a trend I was unaware of, however, hard to think of any clubs that give them the best seats in the house either.
Commercially it just doesn't make any sense to sell prime seating to away fans for £30 a pop.
Maybe the answer is to give them top of SAR. |
Unless the police say otherwise, PL rules state that a percentage of away tickets have to be offered in the lower tier. | | | |
| Away fans seating on 14:04 - Jan 1 with 2543 views | Pendejo |
| Away fans seating on 13:43 - Jan 1 by nrb1985 |
Segregation point couldn't be that insurmountable surely. Man City and Chelsea to name but two have that exact same set up.
The crux of it is probably around that access point but as per my other reply, I can't see how the access is any better or worse given the two stands are literally next to each other and you have to walk along the same road to get to them from the station. |
Put them in SAR you remove them from Portman Road itself
But
This is not the 1980s, I'll example Etihad where I stood an arms length from Citeh fans with no stewards alongside or behind with no issues. Not around ground before it after. Whereas Maine Road often saw trouble around ground. | |
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| Away fans seating on 14:08 - Jan 1 with 2504 views | Pendejo |
| Away fans seating on 14:02 - Jan 1 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
Unless the police say otherwise, PL rules state that a percentage of away tickets have to be offered in the lower tier. |
Newcastle? Yanited?
Never knew that, maybe the "bench" is included for the above | |
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| Away fans seating on 14:16 - Jan 1 with 2440 views | PhilTWTD |
| Away fans seating on 13:18 - Jan 1 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
Nothing was ever explained, but I think it's what the police/safety advisory group wanted re. access to/from the stadium. Plus I'm not sure how easy it would be segregate fans in the SAR stand. |
Mark Ashton said at previous AGMs that he wanted the away fans in the SAR as a long-term plan but that was prior to promotion, and I would guess it would have been a mix of what was easiest to organise over a short summer and what fitted best into the SAG's requirements |  | | |
| Away fans seating on 14:17 - Jan 1 with 2416 views | SitfcB |
| Away fans seating on 13:51 - Jan 1 by textbackup |
If I were the man to make the decisions at ITFC, which thankfully I’m not, I’d have the away fans spread across the upper/lower end tiers in the churchmans (the side opposite where the tunnel is)
- They access via the same (secure) brick turnstiles on Portman Road.
- give them the lower tier concourse
- segregation is as easy as it is in the cobbold upper (take away a row of seats, stick in barriers and stewards)
- the small number of corporate seats at the back could be designated away fans posh seats) |
At the moment where they are is the best place for them and they should just stay there until a new stand is built.
Segregation in the stands is easy enough but within the concourses a fair bit would have to be spent to segregate.
Those brick turnstiles haven’t been there for 2 years by the way  |  |
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| Away fans seating on 14:18 - Jan 1 with 2378 views | nrb1985 |
| Away fans seating on 14:16 - Jan 1 by PhilTWTD |
Mark Ashton said at previous AGMs that he wanted the away fans in the SAR as a long-term plan but that was prior to promotion, and I would guess it would have been a mix of what was easiest to organise over a short summer and what fitted best into the SAG's requirements |
Thanks Phil, much appreciated.
Probably comes down to the fact it was easier and quicker to organise this way as you say, given all the other projects that were happening. | | | |
| Away fans seating on 14:45 - Jan 1 with 2168 views | stonojnr |
| Away fans seating on 14:16 - Jan 1 by PhilTWTD |
Mark Ashton said at previous AGMs that he wanted the away fans in the SAR as a long-term plan but that was prior to promotion, and I would guess it would have been a mix of what was easiest to organise over a short summer and what fitted best into the SAG's requirements |
exactly that, we had so many other building projects to sort out over the summer after promotion. It was much easier to just extend the away fan section where it is, than try to work out all the changes needed to fit some away fans in SAR.
Its a 7000 capacity stand, we only want max 3000 away fans, so working out how the 4000 Town fans fit in sitting next to them with the security, safety considerations. Or what we do with Legends, or the Sir Bobby Robson suite.
it wouldnt surprise me given the car park they want to build behind there now, its totally off the table anyway and the away fans will stay where they are till the Cobbold gets rebuilt.
and fwiw having sat there in the past, they arent the best seats in the stadium. | | | |
| Away fans seating on 14:49 - Jan 1 with 2147 views | algy |
Away fans should have the worst seats/places in the stadium. As long as we have restricted view seats in the ground we should keep as much of the unrestricted for our fans which rules out SAR for away fans. There's a photo on another thread taken in the Portman Stand the other night by an away fan. Perfect. | |
| I was there when McKenna's ITFC won in the Premier League at Home. Our only home win in a year. |
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| Away fans seating on 15:08 - Jan 1 with 2052 views | nrb1985 |
| Away fans seating on 14:45 - Jan 1 by stonojnr |
exactly that, we had so many other building projects to sort out over the summer after promotion. It was much easier to just extend the away fan section where it is, than try to work out all the changes needed to fit some away fans in SAR.
Its a 7000 capacity stand, we only want max 3000 away fans, so working out how the 4000 Town fans fit in sitting next to them with the security, safety considerations. Or what we do with Legends, or the Sir Bobby Robson suite.
it wouldnt surprise me given the car park they want to build behind there now, its totally off the table anyway and the away fans will stay where they are till the Cobbold gets rebuilt.
and fwiw having sat there in the past, they arent the best seats in the stadium. |
That all makes sense I agree.
Re your last sentence, curious as to why you don't think they are the best seats in the house, given they are the mirror image of the directors box?
The picture from said family seemed like they were on the half way line about 10-12 rows from the front of upper tier. Pretty sporting even if you don't think they're the "best". [Post edited 1 Jan 15:31]
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| Away fans seating on 17:35 - Jan 1 with 1681 views | football |
Wouldn't want away fans behind the goal as that gives them an added advantage. Want away players to feel as intimidated as possible, not shooting towards their fans. Also, there are safety issues if having away above or below home fans as well as other issues such as turnstiles, concourse etc | | | |
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