New Facilities For Disabled Fans and Safe Standing in North Stand
Tuesday, 19th May 2026 10:49

Town are making significant improvements to the facilities available to disabled fans over the course of the summer, while safe standing is set to be introduced into the lower tier of the Sir Bobby Robson North Stand.

Work is under way on the new area for disabled supporters, who will move from Block DA at the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand end of the West Stand, close to the tunnel, to Block JJ at the Sir Bobby Robson North Stand end of the same stand. Block DA will become seating. A number of existing season ticket holders will be affected by the switch.

A new reception area and entry point for disabled fans off Sir Alf Ramsey Way leading straight to the new seating area are also part of the work.

In addition, there will also be dedicated accessible changing spaces, improved access to concourse and seating areas, new accessible toilets and increased capacity.

Disability liaison officer Lee Smith said: “We are pleased to be able to offer significant upgrades to the facilities available to our disabled supporters.

“An audit conducted during the 2024/25 Premier League season highlighted areas where we could make improvements and we have been committed to investing in these at the earliest opportunity.

“The new facilities will make a real difference to so many disabled supporters attending games at Portman Road.”

Further improvements are also being made to toilet facilities for all fans in the West Stand as well as additional work outside the stadium bowl itself which are set to be announced in due course.

Town are also adding safe standing to the lower tier of the Sir Bobby Robson North Stand, increasing the capacity, while seating for disabled supporters will be introduced at the front of the stand, which will result in some existing season ticket holders having to move.

As was the case in the previous Premier League season, the increased visiting supporters section will move across towards the middle of the Cobbold Stand with Block E becoming Block VU3. There are no season ticket holders in that section.

Fans whose current seats will be impacted by the work will be contacted directly by the ticket office this week. Disabled supporters will be contacted directly and invited to a drop-in session to hear further details on the changes from disability liaison officer Smith.

Photo: Matchday Images

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Gogs added 10:54 - May 19 Wonder if they're going to replace any of the seating in lower Sir Alf Ramsey Stand?, a lot of the framework is very rusty and some of the seats are damaged/broken
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Edmundo added 11:00 - May 19 This is good news for anyone with disabled family. Changing spaces are desperately needed at the ground, and it makes sense to have all disabled areas in close proximity to a dedicated entrance. Loving the safe standing coming into the SBR after 34 years of unused seats!
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Linkboy13 added 11:12 - May 19 Although i no longer wish to stand anymore there should be a freedom of choice. Is it going to increase the capacity i wonder and in the future are people going to be charged the same for their season tickets.
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Bazza8564 added 11:26 - May 19 Edmundo, yes, my thoughts exactly
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Gforce added 11:28 - May 19 Good to hear,they are finally improving the toilet facilities in the West Stand. The queues are so long at half time,by the time you reach the urinals,there's no time left to purchase a drink,where you come across another huge queue.
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JustBeingSivell added 11:30 - May 19 Why aren’t there disabled facilities in all the stands? Not all disabilities are visible. I have had a colostomy due to cancer and sit in the Cobbold Stand.
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Paulc added 11:39 - May 19 Having attended Southampton away last month in a safe standing area, I can confirm this greatly adds to the atmosphere and let's be honest here, that can do no harm at PR. I know standing isn't for everyone but I don't think it is unreasonable to have 1 stand designated safe standing.
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grow_our_own added 13:38 - May 19 Ludicrous that we have to give the same size away allocation as clubs with 60k+ stadiums. Welcome back to the big boy bias league.
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Steelmonkey added 13:50 - May 19

I’m in my early ‘70’s I have a season ticket seat in the lower north stand as do two of my friends of similar age and we sit together.
Our seats are in the front row directly behind the disabled section in block 4, we have had between us hip and knee replacements so standing for 90+ mins can be a bit much.
Will we be back to being squashed in like sardines like in the seventies?
Even now it’s sometimes awkward with more people standing in the seating area then is catered for with friends obviously joining their mates, at times I’ve struggled to get to my seat with overcrowding.
If safe standing becomes a thing are individuals guaranteed a standing spot as we have with our season ticket seats or will it be first come first served.
Not many sit in the lower north anyway that’s why we got the front seats and nine times out of ten it works well.
If I’m paying for a season ticket then I want my personal space.

blues1 added 13:53 - May 19 Paulc. How willit make the atmosphere any better having rails in front of the seats. The lower north stand up the whole game anyway., so will make no difference
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blues1 added 13:53 - May 19 Paulc. How willit make the atmosphere any better having rails in front of the seats. The lower north stand up the whole game anyway., so will make no difference
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Sydneycity added 14:01 - May 19 I recently. attended a few games in sbr lower r and obviously was standing my problem was I could not see very well as my View was blocked and I couldn't see any of the goals so I'm not sure about the safe standing
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SuffPunch added 14:13 - May 19 I believe in the premier league, the away supporters are given an availability of approximately 10% of maximum capacity?
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grow_our_own added 15:01 - May 19 SuffPunch, nope. 10%, or if your stadium is over 30k, just 3k. Hence big clubs get fewer away fans as a proportion of their capacity, more partisan atmosphere at home, and more team/ref influence.
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tetchris added 15:28 - May 19 I’ve seen some pics of the work, they are taking walls out etc
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runningout added 17:50 - May 19 quite a few seats with ropey views. To be honest, there shouldn’t be any whatsoever - heyho
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Lennie added 01:37 - May 20

Some season ticket holders are to be moved … I hope they get treated better than those forced to move for press box expansion and to give more prime seats to visitors two years ago … those fans were treated very poorly given much inferior seats, groups of supporters were split up and some not only had poorer views of pitch … some were given restricted views…with a take it or leave it attitude from Ashton… hope he has learnt from that episode … good luck to those affected.

Steelmonkey added 08:24 - May 20

No thoughts gone into thinking about the older fans who have supported this club through thick and thin times, let’s just cram in a few more hundred to make more money as if the £200m figure that being bandied about isn’t enough.
I suggest you have just the one the one bottle of wine with your meals Mr Ashton and save the club money that way instead of upsetting us fans because I bet you don’t put your hands in your pocket and pay your way.
Friends I sit next to don’t even have a smart phone so are anxious about the digital season ticket you are introducing and now we are expected to stand for the entire time we are in the ground for.
If we object to the standing option what happens do they split us up and shove us in seats willy nilly
elsewhere?

StowTractor added 13:31 - May 20

Makes sense to have the standing behind the goals rather than in an Upper Tier of the Cobbold. Used to stand in the Churchman's back in the day but sadly now cant manage to stand for 90 minutes with my aged legs. Which is why I sit in the upper tier of Sir Alf. But great that the youngsters can experience football properly now, just like we did in the 70s 80s & 90s.