Keep Scunthorpe Standing.

As a Darlington supporter, I really don't like Scunthorpe United, way too many bad things have happened there over the years, but a problem is arising for them that deserves more widespread attention and support, which I've only just found out about after reading about it here, at The Two Unfortunates blog.

After the Bradford and Hillsborough disasters in the 1980's, regulations were brought in to English football to make grounds safer, most notably the requirement for all seater stadia.  It was recognised that smaller clubs and grounds don't have the same overcrowding issues as the big clubs, so clubs in the lower leagues weren't forced to convert their grounds to all seater, until they'd been at the Championship level for three seasons and Scunthorpe are now about to fall under that designation.

Now, no disrespect intended to Scunthorpe United, but they're not a Championship team, right now they're over-acheiving.  Before the first of their recent promotions in 2007, it had been 40 years since they'd been at this level, with most of that time spent in the fourth tier.  They were imediately relegated, but after winning promotion back, they just avoided relegation last year to secure a third championship season.  They are currently one place ahead of the relegation spots, but if they do stay up again, they will have to put seats on the terrace, or completely rebuild the stand.

Glanford Park, opened in 1988, is more functional than pretty, but with a capacity of just over 9,000 is perfectly suited for a club of Scunthorpe's size, as opposed to the ridiculous 25,000 all seater white elephant that Darlington have been saddled with.  Even after the most successful few years in the club's history, attendances are usually around the 6,000 level, so there's plenty of seats available for whoever wants one, along with a bit of extra space if a big game happens, or a large group of travelling supporters needs to be accomodated.  More importantly, the stadium doesn't dwarf the regular crowd, and won't even if the attendance dwindles, if and when they slide back down to their usual level, and the terrace is a popular and safe feature of that.

As well as being unpopular, putting in seats is a move that would inhibit Scunthorpe's ability to compete at this level, and could well contribute to their return to the lower leagues, where ironically the terrace would be no problem at all.  Putting seats on the terrace, as well as providing a crappy view of the game, would cut capacity by a thousand or so, affecting ticket revenue, and for a team with one of if not the lowest payrolls in the division, that certainly won't help.  Another option being discussed would maintain the current capacity by bulding a new bigger stand with seats, but again that would be a very expensive option.

Scunthorpe supporters have joined with the Football Supporters Federation in an effort to bring publicity to the issue and hopefully win a positive resolution.  You can get more information on that campaign here, hopefully wiser heads will prevail and Scunthorpe won't be punished for having the most successful run of seasons in their existence.