Stand Up Sit Down write a short article outlining the case for standing areas for the Guardian Debate section, alongside a piece opposing standing by the Minister for Sport Richard Caborn.

Both articles can be read through the following link:

http://football.guardian.co.uk/blueprint/story/0,16454,1606707,00.html

Our article is also shown on the ‘Campaign' section of this site.

Mr Caborn stated that the Premier League's fan surveys indicate that fans see safety as a hugely important part of going to a game, and that they are happy with the current all-seater arrangements.

Stand Up Sit Down would comment that of course fans want to be safe, and any survey will say this, but this does not justify all seating. The issue is whether standing is safe, not whether fans think safety is important.

Stand Up Sit Down agree that the majority of fans want to sit, but believe that a significant proportion want to stand, and that many who want to sit would be happy for others to have the choice. If supporters are happy with the current all seater arrangement why does our petition have over 5000 signatures, and why do many thousands stand up in front of their seats every week?

Mr Caborn also said that all-seat stadiums are more welcoming places for women and families.

Stand Up Sit Down have received comments from a number of female supporters who are very offended at this statement. Many of our members are female and the majority of these say they prefer to stand. In any case, no one is proposing all standing stadiums, simply choice, so why should limited standing areas make grounds less welcoming for women and children? By separating those who wish to stand from those who prefer to sit, our proposals would actually help families, by stopping views being blocked by standing supporters.

Following Tony Blair's appearance on football Focus Stand Up Sit Down write to the BBC to complain about the unprofessional way in which a question about standing was put to the Prime Minister. Rather than putting a direct question, which would have required Mr Blair to give a justified answer the presenter simply said ‘return to terraces, that's not going to happen is it?' allowing Mr Blair to simply shake his head.

Stand Up Sit Down had submitted a question in relation to both terraces and our proposals for designated areas where supporters may stand in front of seats, but this was not put to Mr Blair.

Many thousands of supporters stand throughout the game at Old Trafford as Man United beat Chelsea .

Hull City supporters are incensed at West Yorkshire Police announcing that only 1,700 tickets will be available for December's game at Leeds, and that all fans will have to travel on official coaches from Hull .

Stand Up Sit Down believe that it is time for supporters to make a stand against the way we are treated by the authorities and applaud Hull City's action in refusing to take any tickets under these draconian and unnecessary conditions.

This month's edition of When Saturday Comes contains an article by Stand Up Sit Down , outlining our case for designated standing areas.

Thousands of England fans stand in Geneva as Argentina are beaten 3 - 2. There are no apparent efforts made to get supporters to sit.

An article in the Telegraph by Henry Winter highlights poor treatment of England fans in Geneva .

The article entitled ‘ England fans need treating properly, not herding like animals', starts:

‘Crushes were narrowly avoided outside Stade de Geneve on Saturday only by the quick thinking of a group of England fans beforehand, and by the general good mood of supporters afterwards. These potentially alarming incidents highlight the need for Switzerland to look at safety and security before co-hosting Euro 2008.'

Winter then explains how hundreds of fans were hemmed in by a fenced corridor as they funnelled towards one particular security check for the usual searches. The supporters, all members of the FA's official England fans set-up, eventually pushed over a waist-high metal barrier to prevent the build-up of bodies in this confined space. They then waited for the dangerous bottleneck to subside before showing their tickets and entering the stadium for the UN-backed friendly with Argentina .

He concludes:

‘ England fans need treating properly, not herding into unsafe corridors like animals. Otherwise, some will get hurt, or others will fight back.'

Stand Up Sit Down would suggest that working to prevent the repeated instances of English supporters being treated badly and put at risk by foreign police, should be a greater priority for the authorities than stopping the harmless standing of supporters, which appears to occupy so much of their efforts.

A survey rates West Ham supporters as the best behaved in the Premier League. West Ham supporters are also known to stand more than most clubs, so this report suggests that despite what certain authorities would like us to believe, there is no obvious link between standing and bad behaviour .

Barnet FC employ ‘bouncer type' security men in an attempt to get Torquay's 500 supporters in a crowd of under 3,000 to sit. Despite frequent requests and threats of ejection by stewards and security, many simply wave back and stand throughout the game.

Stand Up Sit Down write to Barnet, expressing disappointment that the club feel it necessary to take such measures for a low key 2 nd division match, and suggest that if the end section of terracing was allocated to away fans (it was almost empty and on occasions is used for visiting supporters), those who wished to stand could have used this area.

Sheffield United stewards direct those Millwall supporters who wish to stand to the back. We understand that this has happened at several recent Millwall games.

Stand Up Sit Down are pleased to see some common sense, which allows supporters to stand without blocking the views of others. Whilst this is possible if allocations are not sold out, we would like to see a more formal system where supporters can request seats for standing or sitting sections.

Around 100 of Stockport County 's 250 fans at Orient sit in the front tiers with the remainder standing.  In contrast to other grounds, no attempt was made to ask them to sit.

Stand Up Sit Down fail to understand why standing is made into such an issue at some grounds and largely ignored at others. If it is really a serious safety issue, surely all clubs would take measures to stop standing.

A steward is injured as Man Utd supporters celebrate a goal at Charlton. Charlton later say they want to ban Man Utd fans, saying that they insist on standing.

Stand Up Sit Down will await the outcome of the report into this incident before commenting. We would however point out that as it occurred during a goal celebration, which is a time that supporters are permitted to stand, the fact that they stood throughout the game may well not be relevant to this incident.

We would also point out that Man Utd's allocation at Charlton was reduced, but supporters still stood, showing once again that the authorities are unable to prevent supporters from standing. It is time that the authorities accepted this and managed the situation by providing designated standing areas.

Stand Up Sit Down receive a reply from the BBC to our letter complaining about the way in which a question about standing was put to Tony Blair on Football Focus.

The BBC concur with our observation that the question was rhetorical and the Prime Minister was able to answer it merely by nodding. They say that there was only limited time and many other subjects to follow. The BBC apologise if we continue to feel unhappy about this.

As around 8,000 West Ham and 2,800 Man Utd supporters stand throughout the match at Upton Park, trouble is sparked in the Bobby Moore Lower Tier by ‘bouncer type' stewards attempting to remove a young West Ham supporter in a head lock, for standing in the gangway. Other fans come to his support, punches are thrown, and the stewards eventually back off. Supporters are very angry at the behaviour of these ‘stewards' and with the club for employing them, and many predict that problems will escalate if they continue to act in this provocative and heavy handed manner.

This is yet another example of the conflict that Stand Up Sit Down have warned about if heavy handed stewarded methods are used to deal with standing spectators.

Stand Up Sit Down are sent photos of various terrace and convertible seat / terrace areas at grounds across Europe . Also an official sign from the Crew Stadium, Columbus Ohio , saying:

‘The North End. This is a standing section. If you prefer not to stand please see a guest services representative for an alternative seating section. Standing and cheering encouraged. No profanity please.'

If other countries can have standing areas, why not the UK ?

Following Sunday's problems between nightclub bouncer types in red stewards coats at Upton Park, Stand Up Sit Down contact the club proposing a non-confrontational approach to deal with the problem of supporters standing in aisles. We ask permission to put leaflets on seats, explaining that the club have to act if aisles are blocked and that in doing so supporters are likely to cause a clamp down on standing, and are also damaging campaigns for designated standing areas. We also suggest that members of Stand Up Sit Down would be in the area, in order to explain the situation and urge supporters to keep gangways clear.

West Ham thank us for our offer but say they cannot accept.

Stand Up Sit Down are disappointed that the club feel unable to accept a supporter lead, non-confrontational approach to dealing with this problem, particularly in light of the incident between stewards and supports at the Man Utd fixture.