Quote Originally Posted by Canton Kev View Post
But other clubs have shown that a safe stadium is still possible with opposing fans next to each other. Unless you think Cardiff City would be the exception?

Back when our hooligan element was at its worst we were getting ~4k at games. Now we get 20k. Our club has (thankfully) become much more accessible to families and younger fans and our hooligan element is all but gone. Not only that, the idiots that used to enjoy getting into fights and running riot with the police are in their 50’s and 60’s now. I’d imagine they’re all bark and no bite these days.

I would argue any trouble from our fans is more likely to happen at away games than home games as that’s the more hardcore support and they’re more drunk and drugged up. How many away games in the past decade have had trouble? Bristol last year, Man City in 2014 and a bit further back, Chelsea in 2010. That’s all I can recall at the moment, perhaps there’s others.

These days fans drink in the same pubs and walk down the same streets after games and mingle. I don’t expect simply switching the ends would change that.
The reason that there is a lot less trouble at home games nowadays is almost entirely down to the layout and management of the new stadium, which was purpose built to provide a safe/secure and easily ‘policed’ environment for fans. Putting opposing fans right next to each other would drive a horse and cart through the whole system. There is evidence of bad behaviour by some City fans but especially other teams fans, in recent years as well, usually fuelled by alcohol. What about when someone scores at the Grange end and celebrates in front of their own fans - right next to the opposition fans !! Why anyone would want to change a system that works and encourage fan confrontation, is beyond me. Perhaps the people now complaining the loudest are part of the original problem and miss ‘the good old days’ ?