TheGuv

I’ve clearly misunderstood the offside rule my entire live then. Utter horseshit

Queens Road in Whitley?

It’s some bloke sitting a few rows in front. Can never work out who it is Least he pipes up tbf to him!

?? It’s literally around 10-20 blokes. I think there was 6 of us singing it for 2 minutes trying to keep it going. If 10-20 of us can get the East Stand/Leazes going I’d love for us to have 1000-2000 in the Leazes safe standing please

There was 3 of us taking turns smashing the hoardings on the back of the NE corner.

Sing when we’re winning ??

Aye a pie, aye?

Kicking off on this thread

A display doesn’t = atmosphere though. Those displays are create by 20-30 lads every week. That’s it. Imagine 20 lads singing all game, it would barely make a h’appeth’s difference. We’ve become a fan base that pats ourselves on the back for waving a flag and deciding that’s enough for the rest of the game. The same volunteers that put the flags out and do all the work are now basically a free marketing arm for the club who take a photo and post it on social media for other fans to see - again recreating a myth on ‘atmosphere’. Matt Ritchie came out and had a go at the WF lads for not having a display against Bournemouth ffs! I’m paraphrasing here but it was something like “I never want to see this ground without flags ever again!”. Clearly the fan base thinks this too, as their Twitter DMs were full of abuse after the game. We’re now in a position where the WF lads are effectively beholden to doing some form of display every week otherwise there isn’t even a pre match atmosphere for us to pat each other on the back with. What happens if WF decided to jack it in overnight? Or they can’t be arsed to continue devoting hundreds of hours a season when other fans can’t be arsed to help them out by moving a seat to allow safe standing? Or others who sit on their hands, or others who moan and boo continue to not contribute positively in any way other than being happy to sit there every week? Like it or not, we’re on a precipice here. We’re in uncharted territory. If we get this wrong now, as the club heads into unknown highs, and we become a global brand - everything we’ve moaned about in here will feel like child’s play compared to what’s about to come. I think it’s a conversation we need to have and it’s one that’s been going on since the Toon Ultras. A tiny pocket of the Strawberry Corner singing (ex Level 7ers may I add) isn’t enough, and it’s beginning to show. I’ll leave it there for now and I’m intrigued to see what Sunday brings…

Howay then. There’s enough of us on here that want to make a difference. Wor Flags have made a difference with just 20 lads. What could we achieve by following suit and trying to bring back the atmosphere properly? I really like @NUFC91’s idea of trying to get things going each week at a pub. I know the WF lot has done things previously from the North Terrace. Perhaps a good starting point to get like minded individuals and get a pub bouncing and work our way down to the ground. Fuck Wonderbar and stuff like that - it plays its role I suppose…I dunno.

Quite glad they came back with that tbh. Means I could drive that view home. Wouldn’t be surprised if plenty of them just rate it out of 5 and leave it there. I’m sure @Heronand the WF lot in attendance will do the same. Really hope we can force this change like. Had a good discussion with Heron and the lads last night about bringing back a bit of a weekly pub/March to the stadium again. Bring that away style atmosphere to the ground that @NUFC91has mentioned too.

Just received an email for a review on the night. I’ve added more feedback on what has been discussed in here. Predominantly, catering to as many fans that want to safe stand. Not just using an arbitrary figure of 1500

If we start poorly, I can see people getting on their backs straight away.

This is what you’re dealing with man ^

@Big Riveryou are right like. We’re an echo chamber on here, but my god plenty of posters know their stuff about the club. I do get surprised how little people know about the club. Especially for those who’ve been going since 19XX. I had to give a bit of a history lesson to some of them why the Strawberry Corner became the de facto singing section. It was because we all got booted out of the L7 singing section and that’s where people moved to! I also made the point, and I know @Herondid on his table, that none of us were compensated and we actually had to pay more money to move out of there. I believe another table made a point about the Milburn Paddock/Platinum Club. So people wanting loyalty points for being moved does seem mental. It’s not some whimsical fantasy that the Starwberry Corner was always magnificent (pre Gallowgate roof it was of course but I’m talking modern history), but it’s clearly going to be easiest for the club to put safe standing there. Bear in mind however, a large proportion do not stand in there - but I bet they won’t move seats…Imagine after all of this, you see people sitting in the safe standing section and the Strawberry Corner is exactly the same as it is now except with rail seating?

It felt like it was a starting point… But imagine the upheaval of increasing it every year? Especially if you start it in the Stawberry Corner. Where do you expand to? Unless they did get rid of the middle Gallowgate - but I just can’t see that ever happening.

I manipulated (or should I say gently persuaded) my table to say this . They were bang into that opinion by the end mind you. Hmm where to begin. Thomas from the FSA did a brief presentation and then Sarah Medcalf from the club presented. She showed the above figures I posted previously along with a few other slides. There were around 10 tables, and each table had a representative from the club. We were given two questions: Do you think safe standing would be a positive change at SJP? Why? What do the club need to consider in relation to fans if safe standing was introduced? As @Heronhas said the vast majority were overwhelmingly in support. My table was unanimously in support of it for example. Most tables seemed to indicate it would be positive for atmosphere, not ruining the experience for those sitting down etc etc. I’m pretty sure the club want to do it anyway so this all just backed up the majority backing in the survey. The second question is where some of my concern comes in. The main reason being ‘where?’ I heard a lot of chat about the Strawberry Corner, particularly on my table. But as I mentioned, the vast majority of atmosphere comes from there already, so you’d effectively just be replacing one with the other (current de facto singing corner with a standing section). I know of one woman on another table who specifically wanted it known that not everyone in the Strawberry Corner currently stands - which is correct. I’d suggest it’s currently less than half. The vast majority in attendance would not want to move seats to accommodate standing but if they did have to move some form of compensation was mentioned on every table (reduced ST price, loyalty points!, an extra seat!, free cup games etc). There were some canny people on my table, but the room was overwhelmingly middle aged and (much) older. I was rather happy when I saw @Heronand a few other lads my age spread around other tables, as all of the table notes will be reviewed by Eales and Co. However, the amount of people who had no idea about safe standing was staggering. Their general knowledge of SJP and the club was poor and it didn’t fill me with confidence of what the club will inevitably implement. I think the club already know what they want to do, and unfortunately it isn’t going to be what some of us on here want. E.g. a large safe standing area of 5,000+ or even two separate safe standing areas at opposite ends of the ground. My heart sank when they mentioned 1500-3000. They then mentioned that timings are tight and if they don’t implement for next season it’ll be the season after. A bit of a disaster if that’s the case imo. If they just plonk it in the Strawberry Corner, I think it’s a massively missed opportunity. I can’t see many from that corner moving to accommodate the singers/standers and will just want to be ‘part of it’ and keep their view. This will in turn not improve the atmosphere (the biggest positive mentioned by all of the tables) at all, as we already have it… Those who really want it would move to where it goes. Again Leazes Level 4 would really put the cat amongst the pigeons. If they build it, they will come springs to mind… I get the feeling the majority in attendance would never want to move their seat, so I can’t imagine that many wanting to move to the Leazes to sing and stand (just my opinion). I even said I’d pay more money to stand - much to the confusion of the rest of my table! However, one comment from a lady on my table was spot on - the club need to know how many want to stand - before implementing it. If 6,000 want to stand - there’s your answer (for the timing being). Otherwise, using that example you’re going to have 3000-4500 pissed off that they can’t stand. Will you then have to re-perform this rigmarole the season after and continue moving people around??? I also drilled home (as did another table fortunately) that there would need to be access to safe standing for general sale/membership. Fingers crossed that is listened to as well.

Will do a proper post tomorrow, or will answer any questions people have. Some key takeaways: 75% said they would like to see safe standing at SJP via online survey 70% preferred not to move seats 78% respondents were over 35 years of age Over 70% of survey wanted Gallowgate/Strawberry Corner Overwhelming majority in favour of safe standing introduction across those in attendance tonight. Club looking to implement safe standing between 1500 and 3000

100 here. 3000 applied. I’m probably the youngest here by a canny chunk… (I’m 29)

Judging by my tweet I’m massively in the minority on where it should go (Leazes Level 4 as a first choice). However, I’ll certainly be making it clear that Gallowgate Upper is also in a minority…I believe the club are trying to push this as their desired choice. Imo, that would be the worst of all worlds tbh.

There’s been a drop out so I can now attend. Can people come back with any views/thoughts on where and why they think the safe standing should be?!

Just said this: View this email online Newcastle United supporters were recently invited to share their views on the prospect of safe standing at St James’ Park via an online survey. This survey has provided us with important data to help us understand how much of a priority the implementation of safe standing is for Newcastle United fans. We would now like to invite you to participate in a Fan Working Group to discuss licensed standing in designated seated areas for home fans as we look to provide facilities most reflective of our fans’ needs. The format will be smaller discussion groups and is an opportunity for you to put forward your ideas and give feedback on this area. Thank you. Location: Four Corners, Level 2, St James’ Park, NE1 4ST When: Wednesday 8th March 2023. Arrival is 5.30pm, discussion groups start 6pm for 60 minutes followed by feedback. Finish time is 8pm Refreshments: Tea and Coffee is provided No of Attendees: Limited spaces available We will allocate places via a ballot and you will be notified by Tuesday 7th March at 12pm by email. Please regsiter your attendance via the link below. REGISTER HERE SHARE THIS EMAIL Unsubscribe from these emails

I didn’t get in on the ballot

26 Points man