Nice To Have A Choice

If standing at a football match was as unsafe as the Football Licensing Authority would have you believe,then most of Ninian Park would be closed, Colchester United would never have been allowed into the Championship nor Hereford and Accrington into the Football League and Nuneaton Borough's capacity at Manor Park would be 350.

Host a gig at your ground and not only can you stand in front of your seat, you can dance away to your hearts content as those who attended the Bon Jovi or RHCP gigs at the Arena during the summer have confirmed.

It is the same Football Licensing Authority who let these concerts take place, but insists that for a football match you have to sit down in the same venue.

Despite the efforts of supporter organisations like the Football Supporters Federation and the Stand Up/Sit Down campaign group, the battle to give supporters the option to sit or stand at matches looks unlikely ever to be won.

The main reason is that over the years, seat manufacturing companies and others with vested interests have had too much of an influence on the Government of the day. It's a scandal as big as the alleged match fixing in Italy , but as we all know, when it comes to the interests of influential businesses against those of ordinary supporters, we are on a loser every time.

Whilst The Football Licensing Authority continues to be Government backed to the tune of £800k a year with tax payers money, the subject of a choice that will allow every one to be able to watch the match in safety with an unblocked view (something that may encourage bigger crowds and thus generate more money for clubs who had to pay for seating that they did not really need), will be kept firmly off the political agenda.

So enjoy the choice of being able to sit or stand whilst you still can.