Norwich City have announced the results of their recent fan survey and I think it’s fair to say that the results aren’t really a surprise, at least to me anyway.
The survey was available to season ticket holders and members online, via email and also through hard copies, with just under 2,500 fans responding.
The main highlights are that those who responded are overwhelmingly supportive of safe standing and think that this, coupled with a singing section/area would help improve the atmosphere inside Carrow Road.
There’s talk of flexibility regarding ticketing to allow buying tickets in the singing section but bizarrely, there wasn’t a huge interest in moving to a singing section.
The big video screen was also a big hit amongst respondents as was a general feeling of safety inside the ground.
To be fair, if you’ve only been going regularly for the last 20 years or so, then that’s all you will have known and felt.
Looking back to the bad old days of the 70’s and 80’s, things were very different regarding football attendance in England and you needed your wits about you, especially when leaving the ground which was a feeling I remember well as a youngster in the 80’s.
Now though, things are a world away from that and the match day experience is immeasurably better for it. In terms of safe standing then for me, it’s a no brainer and needs to happen as soon as possible.
There will always be those who want to sit but in areas like the Barclay and Snake Pit, where traditionally our most vociferous fans go, it should happen as soon as possible.
I understand that there are legislation issues to overcome but the club have put on record their support for safe standing and there is a building drive to get that installed at many clubs around the country.
You can read the full survey results here.
OTBC