Overcrowding in Leppings Lane end, Hillsborough

[Poynton ram]

Apparently some issues with the away fans and overcrowding at Hillsborough on Saturday. Anyone else see this? Didn’t look full to me on the telly but suspect Newcastle would have sold out their allocation.

[Mucker1884]

The pics I've seen appear to suggest that, c10mins before kick off, the majority of fans entering the lower tier are not only doing so via the central tunnel, but also appear to then congregate with their mates immediately in and around the mouth of the tunnel, including the stairs/gangways etc.  This way, they can stand at the back of the stand, central, and immediately behind the goal, and look really cool on TV.

For clarity, the further you look away from the central aisle (in either direction), the more space and empty seats are evident.

Now, of course, the sensible thing would be to spread out, and perhaps even consider aiming for whatever seat has been allocated to your ticket, but not all football fans are sensible!

 

There's also some hints as to the lack of stewards, but I'd be amazed if there aren't signs guiding adults and children alike  left/right/centre in the first instance, then almost certainly some sort of block/row/seat numbering system, but again, that would entail firstly checking the ticket details and secondly following such signage to head in the right direction, but let's face it, that can be a real pain, when it's so much easier to just go and stand where you want, and to hell with blocking entrances etc, for those trying to follow you in!  

 

[Mucker1884]

The mysterious case of the disappearing central gangway...

 

Do we really need stewards to tell us to keep gangways clear?

 

[Day]

So many people, so few brain cells. 

[walkleyowl]

[Crewton]

If 5 Bellies was in the middle of the central gangway, it's possible that his huge mass drew less heavy (but equally dense) bodies into his gravitational pull, like a Geordie "Black Hurl". 

It could be, therefore, that those fans involved were helpless to avoid the situation. Or it could be that they were f****g thick. 

[walkleyowl]

It's a nothing story that Kelly Cates jumped on for obvious reasons.

 

[Day]

4 minutes ago, walkleyowl said:

It's a nothing story that Kelly Cates jumped on for obvious reasons.

Can understand why you wouldn't want any negative media attention towards the club, to say it's a nothing story is brushing over a serious issue you have at that end of the ground though.

Plenty of Newcastle fans have been speaking out in the press feeling unsafe and crammed in. 

Really needs some money spent on redesigning the stand with safety in mind.

[walkleyowl]

The stand should have gone in 89 but the FA refused to pay for it as they would be seen as taking the blame, remember the ground was basically hired to them for the game.

The stand was 66% capacity on both tiers so not a chance of overcrowding, the issue was idiots blocking the entrance. 

The stadium is dated but the concourse is less of an issue than say at QPR. The corner end of your place gets a tad snug I'd full on the concourse.

[Ghost of Clough]

I wonder which direction most people would go...

[Day]

2 minutes ago, walkleyowl said:

The stand should have gone in 89 but the FA refused to pay for it as they would be seen as taking the blame, remember the ground was basically hired to them for the game.

The stand was 66% capacity on both tiers so not a chance of overcrowding, the issue was idiots blocking the entrance. 

The stadium is dated but the concourse is less of an issue than say at QPR. The corner end of your place gets a tad snug I'd full on the concourse.

You can see it wasn't overcrowded, plenty of empty seats at either end, fans just chose to congregate behind the goal. 

Given the history of what happened down there, anything like this will be highlighted.

FA will probably charge you with something with regards to the stewarding, but the stand itself just needs to knock a couple more entry/exit points in.

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

54 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

I wonder which direction most people would go...

Being a fat barsteward. The one pointing to refreshments.

[Mucker1884]

6 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

I wonder which direction most people would go...

Even totally disregarding the history of this specific stand, the sensible ones would follow the clear signage for the seat number on the ticket. 
I guess this is what happens when the authorities turn a blind eye to away fans standing, standing where they like, and standing in aisles etc. 

It’s been a hot topic on here just lately. Perhaps it really is time for a clampdown on the rules?  

[Mucker1884]

6 hours ago, David said:

You can see it wasn't overcrowded, plenty of empty seats at either end, fans just chose to congregate behind the goal. 

Given the history of what happened down there, anything like this will be highlighted.

FA will probably charge you with something with regards to the stewarding, but the stand itself just needs to knock a couple more entry/exit points in.

I’d imagine the stand has the necessary safety certificates with regards to numbers/access points etc?

The stewarding… or alleged lack thereof… is getting highlighted by those that were there, so you may be right on that score?

I’d still like to think that the majority of us could work out where to go, and how to get there, without the stewards though.  It seems most of them managed to get all the way from Newcastle to Sheffield ok, and even found the correct turnstiles on a rather large stadium with lots of turnstiles!  
 

 

[QuitYourJibbaJivin]

I remember being there a few years back when we only had the top tier, the concourse is tiny and was way too over crowded for my liking. 

[Mucker1884]

There's a few claiming to have been frightened out of their shitz last time they went... then adding that their gast is still flabbered that it's still just as bad now.

I wonder therefore, just how frightened they were last time, to have chosen to return? 
At least Google to see if the stand has been demolished and replaced, or that gangways have been widened and/or added to, or that you're now allowed to drop in by parachute once cleared by the Hillsborough watchtower.  Don't just return, if your shitz were stirred up last time... and certainly don't complain if it's no better.  Just stay the duck away, if you're that scared!  ?

 

 

*Our last trip to Wembley included a very uncomfortable and frustrating train journey for me, and a scary one for Muckerette (She almost jumped off at some mid-point station, due to a semi-panic attack!)

Yes, we may well go on a train again at some stage (We haven't thus far), but there's no way we'll do it to go and watch Derby at Wembley again (No jokes please!).  We'll use the car next time, and park on someone's drive!  

 

[alexxxxx]

Not been to Hillsborough since I was very young but more recently ive been unimpressed with the temporary away section at craven cottage.. seems very cramped.

Say what you like about old stadiums' character but the newer grounds tend to feel a bit less full.

[Crewton]

9 hours ago, walkleyowl said:

The stand should have gone in 89 but the FA refused to pay for it as they would be seen as taking the blame, remember the ground was basically hired to them for the game.

The stand was 66% capacity on both tiers so not a chance of overcrowding, the issue was idiots blocking the entrance. 

The stadium is dated but the concourse is less of an issue than say at QPR. The corner end of your place gets a tad snug I'd full on the concourse.

Unfortunately for SWFC it's not QPR's or DCFC's stadium that is under scrutiny again. It's true though that when enough people behave selfishly and without any common sense, even "modern" stadiums have the potential for problems, especially when crowd control measures are lacking. 

[Mucker1884]

10 minutes ago, Crewton said:

Unfortunately for SWFC it's not QPR's or DCFC's stadium that is under scrutiny again. It's true though that when enough people behave selfishly and without any common sense, even "modern" stadiums have the potential for problems, especially when crowd control measures are lacking. 

True.

And what about that ground where the plumbing is so knackered, the overflow from the upstairs urinals spews out all over the lower tier onto the away fans below.  Just how slippery must those stairs get, I wonder!  Frightening, really!   ?

[Ghost of Clough]

5 hours ago, Mucker1884 said:

Even totally disregarding the history of this specific stand, the sensible ones would follow the clear signage for the seat number on the ticket. 
I guess this is what happens when the authorities turn a blind eye to away fans standing, standing where they like, and standing in aisles etc. 

It’s been a hot topic on here just lately. Perhaps it really is time for a clampdown on the rules?  

How clear is the signage when you're in a large crowd?
I don't see the problem coming from people wanting to stand wherever they like. It seems quite obvious to me that the issue to poor design and layout of the stand and the approach to it.
Stewarding inside and outside the ground is also a problem. If I remember my last visit correctly (2020), our seats were much closer to the left corner flag than the goal, but the stewards ushered me towards the middle entrance "because it was too busy on the left". Totally ignoring the fact we then had to push our way through the crowds inside the concourse to get to our correct stairs.