UNITED FANS TARGETED YET AGAIN

Red Issue has learnt that a meeting of the PL stadium safety officers and club representatives was held in Birmingham recently, at which visiting supporters were graded on their "behaviour". Needless to say United fans "faired really, really badly" according to our source. Apparently we stood "all the time" regardless of what was happening.

RI is led to believe that this is going to be used against United fans this season with many sides drastically cutting our allocation and possibly banning United fans altogether.

All this despite a highly successful Euro2004 where fans clearly stood non-stop and UEFA did nothing to stop this, nor was any criticism of this forthcoming.

All this despite the only independent research* into standing in seated areas clearly showing that persistent standing is safer than merely standing at "moments of high excitement". (*As carried out by Trafford Borough Council, hushed up by United for almost two years and finally revealed in RI last season.)

All this despite there being no clear definition what "persistent standing" entails. Whilst most United fans stand during the game, they sit at half time whereas other fans do the opposite. Is standing for 15 minutes during half time not "persistent"?

IMUSA are believed to be taking up the fight but United fans need to get on to the club themselves. Despite David Gill assuring RI that United fought the fans' corner over our reduced allocation for FA Cup semi-final they failed to make any public pronouncement to that effect or indeed point to TBC's research showing that persistent standing is safe.

Reds should demand that the club refuses to accept any reduced allocation from any club and, in the light of TBC's survey and the lack of a clear definition of "persistent standing" that they mount a legal challenge should any clubs attempt to do so.