The away allocation of Glasgow Rangers stands for full 90 minutes at Aberdeen 's Pittodrie Stadium, as they do every time they play in Aberdeen .   The 28 Rangers fans who were banned from Ibrox have now had their season tickets handed back to them, after other members of their ultras group sat down for 2 games at home.

Stand Up Sit Down membership reaches 2600.

An article in the Times on the Bradford City fire contains quotes from FLA Chief Executive John de Quidt.

He is quoted as saying: “that his ‘gut feeling' is that standing dropped off in 1994 but, more recently there has been an upturn in people standing in seated areas. To curb such practices is the responsibility of the club. When clubs want to take a grip of it, particularly among home supporters, then they make a good fist of it. But there are a number of problems when the club is not so committed”.

Conscious of Mr de Quidt's reaction when our members commented on quotes attributed to him in the recent Guardian online article, Stand Up Sit Down send him an email asking him to confirm that he has not been misrepresented before we comment on the Times article.

Manchester City 's Centenary Supporters Association issues a Press Release asking the club to help Blues fans create a great atmosphere for Sunday's vital game by calling off heavy handed stewarding that has been witnessed during the past few home games.

Secretary for the CSA, Phill Gatenby commented:

'It was great to see Stuart Pearce in Friday's MEN ask fans to create the kind of cauldron that was evident at Anfield for the Champions League semi final against Chelsea - and I'm positive we will be doing our best to achieve that. However, whilst the media made much of that night at Anfield, very few made reference to the fact that fans on The Kop were stood up for the entire match.'

Gatenby added:

'Recently we have been contacted by our members who have complained about the heavy handedness of stewarding in the South Stand and a small number have been ejected for persistently standing. We want to follow Pearce's wish for a great atmosphere but the other side to that is that fans must be allowed to do so without fear of being ejected.'

Gatenby concluded:

'I appreciate that the club are following guidelines from the local authority and the Football Licensing Authority, but I would like to see more clubs becoming vocal in the setting up of designated standing areas to separate those fans who do wish to stand and those who do not want to or cannot stand up during a football game.'

Manchester City's Centenary Supporters Association  secretary Phill Gatenby reports on Man City v Middlesborough (the 'UEFA Cup' play off) – “City fans stood up throughout the game in the South Stand without any interference from stewards. For the previous five games stewards made great efforts to get fans to sit down throughout the games. However, manager Stuart Pearce had called for fans to 'create the cauldron' witnessed at the Liverpool v Chelsea Champions League semi final game on the eve of the 'Boro game.

Of course, the media - who were happy in 'lauding up' the atmosphere at Anfield that night - had side stepped the issue that The Kop was 100% standing up throughout the game!

It is time clubs realised they can't have it both ways. They cannot carry out instructions from the FLA and demand fans create a decent atmosphere at the same time.”

An article written by Stand Up Sit Down appears in the FSF magazine ‘Football Supporter', accompanied by a piece from the FSF backing our campaign.

Stand Up Sit Down receive a reply to our letter to Liberal Democrat Sports Spokesman Bob Russell with regard to funding for Colchester 's new ground. Mr Russell says he is not aware of any rule that prevents funding for grounds containing standing areas and has written to the Minister for Sport asking for him to advise on this.

Thousands of Norwich , Crystal Palace , Southampton and West Brom supporters stand throughout the Premiership relegation deciders.

Persistent standing at play off games continues with West Ham's entire allocation of 4,700 and 3,000 Ipswich supporters in the North Stand Lower standing throughout the semi final at Portman Road .

The only problems are at half time, with major congestion in the corridors and Block A toilet. Stand Up Sit Down email FLA Inspector Lou Elliston to advise her of the problems. She responds immediately saying ‘ As you say this is an old stand. It needs management strategies in place to cope with its design deficiencies and these appear to have been inadequate. The next Ipswich Safety Advisory Group meeting is the week after next. I will raise your concerns at that meeting and I can assure you there will be a full debate on this issue. Thank you for raising it with me. I will let you know the outcome.'

When we met with the FLA they said that they are working on reducing congestion and improving safety in concourse areas. Stand Up Sit Down welcome this, and the FLA 's response to our concerns at Ipswich .

Stand Up Sit Down are contacted by an Aston Villa supporter who wishes to report that Villa have stood at every away game and the entire Holte End stood for the Birmingham game. He said that last week at Liverpool again not one person sat down despite a PA message requesting them to do so.

Thousands of supporters stand throughout the FA Cup final between Arsenal & Man Utd.

Stand Up Sit Down have still not received a reply to our letter of 30 th April in which we offered to meet with him for an informal discussion as to how the standing issue may be resolved. Neither have we received a reply to our email of 11 th May, in which in light of his reaction to our members' comments on statements in the Guardian article (which he later denied), we ask him to confirm the quotes attributed to him in the Times, before we comment on them.

A Stand Up Sit Down member who applied under the Freedom of Information Act for details of correspondence between the FLA & DCMS and had her request refused by the FLA , is told that her appeal was unsuccessful.

Thousands of Liverpool supporters stand throughout the Champions League final in Istanbul Many reports praise their behaviour and none appear to mention that they stood, showing again that this is not seen us unusual or unacceptable.

Stand Up Sit Down receive a letter from Bob Russell MP, enclosing an acknowledgement from the DCMS, saying they will respond to his letter with regard to funding of grounds with standing areas within 20 working days.

FLA Chief Executive John De Quidt finally replies to our letter & emails, saying:

‘I certainly can't fault you for lack of persistence.  I had been waiting until we received the response from the Minister to your application.  However, to save you from having to keep writing, I offer the following two comments:

  I have learned from long and bitter experience never to engage in debate about the details of reports in newspapers.  You might wish to adopt that policy yourself one day.

Secondly, I am also very wary of informal meetings with campaigning groups, especially those that like to publish everything on their websites.  It can all too easily lead into an argument about who said or did not say what to whom.  That is not an accusation of bad faith, but I have been caught out this way in the past and it was not a pleasant experience.'

It appears that like Reading FC's Safety Officer, Mr De Quidt is unwilling to answer our question regarding the playing of music after goals which encourages supporters to jump around. ‘In the light of your concerns that a spectator straining to view the game could fall and cause a cascade effect even in areas of low gradient, do you consider that this playing of music causes a potential safety risk, particularly in steeper or upper tier areas?'

An article in The Times carries quotes from Tony Blair regarding the trend towards excessive regulation and risk aversion, which is very relevant to football's standing issue. The Prime Minister said:

‘ Britain was in danger of developing a disproportionate concern about risks, and fuelling a risk-averse culture.'

‘In the end, risk is inescapable. Government cannot eliminate all risk. But too often our reflex as a society is to regulate and to introduce new rules.'

‘If we start to believe that every possible problem must be avoided at all costs we end up with a mindset that says nothing good should happen in case it leads to something bad. Irrational decisions should not be made through fear of litigation. Rather, there should be a commonsense culture, not a compensation culture.'

Mr Blair announced measures to ease regulation and end risk-averse cultures in the science and business communities and the public sector.

An estimated 15,000 West Ham supporters in all three tiers stand throughout the play off final at Cardiff . Some children have to stand on seats in order to see. Other supporters say that they wanted to stand, but did not out of consideration for those behind them. Yet again separate standing & sitting areas would have improved enjoyment for all with no loss of safety.