Dons give nod to safe standing at rail seats

Kingsmeadow, 18th September 2012. Very much the epitome of a groundbreaking club, AFC Wimbledon are always thinking several steps ahead. It was therefore no surprise to us when we got a call from the FSF saying that the club had been in touch and would like to know more about rail seats. So off we went to the Kingsmeadow Stadium…

AFC Wimbledon have played at the stadium since 2002. It currently has a capacity for 4,850, over half of which is provided by conventional terracing. Some development work is required by 2014 to meet Football League requirements. The club also has long-term aspirations to one day move back to a stadium in Wimbledon. So it was with both of these future developments in mind that the management team wanted to get a better understanding of what rail seats might offer.

Afterwards chief executive Erik Samuelson said:

“It was very interesting and useful to see the rail seat demonstration. I think we are a few years away from needing any just yet, but the concept is now registered in our minds! We certainly support the calls from the Football Supporters Federation for the government to permit trials of safe standing, so that the fans of clubs with all-seater grounds can have the same choice of sitting or standing to watch the game as our supporters have here. We never want to have to deny our fans that choice.”

Pictured are Chief executive Erik Samuelson (right) and stadium advisors outside the Kingsmeadow Stadium