Should York's new stadium include a standing section?
- York City FC and York City Knights will soon move into a new stadium.
- The Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF) are assisting with the funding of the stadium in the form of grant funding provided to York City FC.
- The terms of the agreement between the FSIF and York City FC say that the new stadium should be 'all seater.'
We ask the FSIF to consider the following points:
- The seating element of the Football Spectators Act requires only those clubs who have spent three seasons in the top two divisions since 1990 to replace standing areas with seats.
- York City FC are not bound by the seating element requirementof the Football Spectators Act because they have not played three seasons in the top two divisions. (ever!) ..... (just the 2 in fact and that was 40 years ago)
- Clubs who have not played three seasons since 1990 in the top two tiers are allowed to install standing areas (Recent examples include Burton Albion and Morecambe)
- The Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) are the government body responsible for approving standing areas at new and existing stadiums
- The SGSA approved the standing sections at Burton and Morecambe.
- The FSIF provided grant support towards the construction of the Pirelli Stadium, Burton and the Leigh Sports Village, both of which allow fans the option to stand.
- The SGSA has recently confirmed that a club not subject to the all-seater requirement of the Football Spectators Act can install 'rail seats' for use as barriers for safe standing, subject to local authority approval.
https://www.change.org/p/the-football-stadia-improvement-fund-fsif-allow-york-city-fc-and-york-city-knights-fans-the-option-to-stand