:00:07. > :00:15.A new series and the new line`up. Late Kick`Off will chart evdry
:00:16. > :00:32.chapter. Tonight, is it time to take a lead
:00:33. > :00:35.from Europe? The club cleanhng the campaign for a return to sed it
:00:36. > :00:41.standing urges opponents to give it a chance. I think will change their
:00:42. > :00:47.idea that it is a bad thing. Introducing the fans panel. Three
:00:48. > :00:53.fans from three clubs tell ht straight.
:00:54. > :00:56.We have the best of the acthon, including the performance of the
:00:57. > :01:00.week from Stevenage. We are on the road with the
:01:01. > :01:07.Colchester United fans in the big match against the league le`ders.
:01:08. > :01:13.He had better get used to that theists. It is our new chief and
:01:14. > :01:20.that, Paul McVeigh. Great to have you here. Kevin Watson, welcome
:01:21. > :01:26.What are you looking forward to It is unheard`of that every single team
:01:27. > :01:31.in the region has it in a play`off battle or relegation battle. It will
:01:32. > :01:38.be fascinating. My thoughts are I am looking forward to getting her
:01:39. > :01:44.wording edgeways! We started with one of the big
:01:45. > :01:47.issues in the ball, or to stand Peterborough United are at the
:01:48. > :01:50.forefront of the campaign to reintroduce standing areas. The
:01:51. > :02:01.football league have agreed to lobby the government to introduce
:02:02. > :02:07.so`called real seats. London Road, over 100 years old
:02:08. > :02:11.home to Peterborough United for 80 years. The stadium is undergoing
:02:12. > :02:16.redevelopment. It has taken years to get off the ground. Work on the main
:02:17. > :02:21.stand is well under way. We are looking to build an all`seater end.
:02:22. > :02:26.The hand that would be an education centre. With Peterborough looking
:02:27. > :02:28.for an instant return to Thd Championship, standing is not an
:02:29. > :02:34.option. They are leading thd campaign to bring an act, as long as
:02:35. > :02:37.it is safe. It was a couple of years ago that I introduced the
:02:38. > :02:46.proposition to The Championship where it was booted through. Last
:02:47. > :02:50.year, it was substantiated `t the Germans the league meeting. We have
:02:51. > :02:54.commissioned the board to go to the Minister of sport and ask what we
:02:55. > :03:01.can do about taking forward and introducing trial period. R`il
:03:02. > :03:09.seating can be put into grotnds where people can come and h`ve a
:03:10. > :03:14.look, try yet, captured, Felix. I think it will change their hdea that
:03:15. > :03:21.it is a bad thing. It reallx isn't. Which is mastic `` it is much safer.
:03:22. > :03:26.How would it work? You would have your own allocated space with the
:03:27. > :03:31.barrier in front and behind. He would also have a retractable seat
:03:32. > :03:40.which can be locked or unlocked and there would be no danger of
:03:41. > :03:44.overcrowding. So, the seeds give a standing or seated option. The first
:03:45. > :03:52.on trial at Bristol city. Installed last month. It can't be used, only
:03:53. > :03:57.four run the. Rail seeds ard popular in Europe, especially in sole of
:03:58. > :04:05.Germany's biggest grounds. Tp for a league games, Lord for a le`gue
:04:06. > :04:11.ties. `` lowered. All`seater stadiums have been compulsory since
:04:12. > :04:21.the Hillsborough Disaster 24 years ago. The trouble is away to our
:04:22. > :04:34.left. The crash came the lives of 96 Liverpool fans. We feel likd this is
:04:35. > :04:39.another battle. Why bring it up at this time when we have not had any
:04:40. > :04:44.accountability? If they do bring standing back, we had warnings
:04:45. > :04:52.before 1989. They have plenty of warnings and they didn't listen It
:04:53. > :04:58.cost 96 lives. It brought all`seater stadiums. We respect what h`ppened
:04:59. > :05:04.to the 96 and their families. That will never go away. In the longer
:05:05. > :05:11.term, we have learnt that w`s game management, not them standing. We
:05:12. > :05:15.don't want to go there again. We are not going back to all standhng
:05:16. > :05:20.studio in any shape or form. This will just be there for people who
:05:21. > :05:25.wish to stand at matches who are currently standing in seated areas.
:05:26. > :05:30.Late Kick`Off seating will be better for them, and people who want to
:05:31. > :05:34.stand in the law divisions, rail seating will be safer for them as
:05:35. > :05:44.well. Championship grounds lust be all`seater if they have plaxed in
:05:45. > :05:50.the league for two seasons. I understand around 70% of thd elite
:05:51. > :05:56.clubs voted in favour of safe standing in a recent survey. The
:05:57. > :06:00.first English professional club to go all`seater after Hillsborough was
:06:01. > :06:06.Ipswich Town. At Portman Ro`d, some supporters refuse to sit. It is
:06:07. > :06:12.against the regulations, but we only have one area which persistdntly
:06:13. > :06:18.stand. Do you have to turn ` blind eye? I wouldn't say that. Wd have to
:06:19. > :06:24.manage it. We have to keep the exit and stairways clear. We do warn
:06:25. > :06:29.people, but how do you make a couple of thousand people set down? Clubs
:06:30. > :06:33.are encouraged to do their best to get fans to sit down before the
:06:34. > :06:40.authorities take more robust actions. For existing grounds,
:06:41. > :06:45.rather than new buildings, rail seeds are at Spencer. You c`n see
:06:46. > :06:51.the seats. They are ?20 a sdat. If you are going to take those sites,
:06:52. > :06:55.it is ?100 to put in an attdmpt to seat. The weight of the rail seed is
:06:56. > :07:02.considerably more than the plastic seat. Grounds may have to do
:07:03. > :07:07.structural alterations. It hs not a simple thing. The practicalhties are
:07:08. > :07:13.quite prohibitive. Yes, I think they are. If you think about a fdw rows
:07:14. > :07:16.of seats at the back, maybe take them out and put another locked in,
:07:17. > :07:21.that could be the cost of the player. There is no simple solution.
:07:22. > :07:33.It remains a contentious issue, divisive and emotive. Tom Whlliams
:07:34. > :07:38.reporting. Let's start with the pros and cons. Argue for or against?
:07:39. > :07:42.Against. I can see why you would want to go back to standing. You
:07:43. > :07:46.need to learn from Hillsborough There are some money reasons why
:07:47. > :07:50.fans want to do it. That wotld love to be able to stand, but I don't
:07:51. > :07:54.think it is the right thing. They would love to smoke, but thdy can't
:07:55. > :07:59.do that. The fans need to rdalise that it is safety first. I said
:08:00. > :08:08.somewhere in between. I plaxed at Colchester and experienced that The
:08:09. > :08:15.noise they made was unbelievable. There was another standing `rea in
:08:16. > :08:20.the ground. They give the tdam a massive lift. I can see the argument
:08:21. > :08:25.for. On the against, I would have to say the higher you go up thd league
:08:26. > :08:33.that from, the more people through the gates. It becomes more difficult
:08:34. > :08:38.to manage. The cost issue as well. The legacy of Hillsborough still
:08:39. > :08:48.looms large. Will that be the major block? Can you imagine, God forbid,
:08:49. > :08:55.but something happens again in the safe standing area? You want the
:08:56. > :09:04.fans to almost police themsdlves. One seat, one fan. The fans get so
:09:05. > :09:11.boisterous. They will not always stand in the same spot. Can the
:09:12. > :09:15.clubs afford this? They will have to replace ?20 seats with 100 point
:09:16. > :09:21.rail seats. People will want to stand up, other people to sht down.
:09:22. > :09:27.The higher you go up in the leagues, could you have stayed here of 4 ,000
:09:28. > :09:32.people with 10,000 people w`nted to stand up? It has to be agredd by the
:09:33. > :09:38.government and the governing bodies of the old. You think time hs a big
:09:39. > :09:44.issue. If you look back 25 xears, this seems little step backwards. If
:09:45. > :09:51.there is anyway we can make it safe 100%, but you can guarantee that. It
:09:52. > :09:58.is fascinating. The fans panel will refer to it later in the programme.
:09:59. > :10:03.To get in touch with us on twitter. `` do get in touch.
:10:04. > :10:04.On with the action and reaction to the games at the weekend. Plenty to
:10:05. > :10:18.play for a good sense of thd table. Leyton Orient against Colchdster
:10:19. > :10:23.United. Leyton Orient are shtting on top of the league. Colchestdr in
:10:24. > :10:29.17th position. It will be a very tough game for Colchester. This is
:10:30. > :10:38.their local derby this season in league one. Today is the turning
:10:39. > :10:52.point. Three points! We havd to park the bus!
:10:53. > :11:01.Sure enough, it was a Colchdster old boy, David Mooney, who opendd the
:11:02. > :11:09.score with a terrific vollex past Sam Walker, giving him the chance.
:11:10. > :11:15.`` no chance. Colchester fotght back with a lovely ball into the box
:11:16. > :11:25.Things were turning for the Essex side. Once again, Gavin Massey with
:11:26. > :11:34.an attempt on goal. David Wright did well to keep the ball in. Couldn't
:11:35. > :11:39.quite find the back of the net. However, Ryan Beck 's who dhd too
:11:40. > :11:54.rigidly well all afternoon, but a lovely ball into the back post. The
:11:55. > :12:00.equaliser was scored. It was up contest that header. Colchester for
:12:01. > :12:15.me, were worth a point. In the last minutes of the match, Leyton Orient
:12:16. > :12:23.pushing for the finishing goal, 2`1 was tough on Colchester United. I
:12:24. > :12:28.thought we were excellent. We really went for it. Even when we scored the
:12:29. > :12:32.equaliser we went for the whn. When we went down, we went for the draw.
:12:33. > :12:41.We just need a bit of luck `t the moment. Looking forward, thd next
:12:42. > :12:50.five out of six games are at home. Our away form is better! Whx is
:12:51. > :12:53.that? It is difficult somethmes playing at home in an empty
:12:54. > :13:03.stadium, or two thirds emptx stadium. That is one for yotr
:13:04. > :13:11.outtakes, isn't it? Good job I have a white top on. That is the luck I
:13:12. > :13:19.was looking for! Not even the birds flying for him the moment!
:13:20. > :13:27.The timing could not have bden better. And they were unlucky.
:13:28. > :13:34.Leyton Orient top of the le`gue Colchester 17th. They should have
:13:35. > :13:40.got more out of the game. What is going wrong for Joe Dunne? He is a
:13:41. > :13:47.believer in youth. But at the wrong end of the table. It was grdat to
:13:48. > :13:52.see him smiling. His team played really well and there is another
:13:53. > :13:58.massive game coming up against Rotherham tomorrow. I do not think
:13:59. > :14:05.there is an awful lot wrong they are a decent act. Let's take a look at
:14:06. > :14:09.the size of their challenge. Just above Bristol. And looking `t the
:14:10. > :14:12.points, it is going to be scary for the fans. The good thing about
:14:13. > :14:21.Colchester is they have a good goal difference. That keeps them out of
:14:22. > :14:27.the bottom four at the moment. And he is a chairman who backs his
:14:28. > :14:32.manager 's? Absolutely. I know him personally and he is a great guy, he
:14:33. > :14:38.backs whoever is in charge. He will be 100% behind them. That is enough
:14:39. > :14:41.for now. Plenty still to cole. The very best of the weekend's `ction
:14:42. > :14:47.featuring the region's teams, including one of the perforlances of
:14:48. > :14:56.the week. The Luke Freeman super`show. A stunning double
:14:57. > :15:02.strike. And we start of the fans Forum with the hot topic of safe
:15:03. > :15:08.standing. You can move and lingled together, it works for me.
:15:09. > :15:11.Well, it's rare that every team in the region is still fighting for
:15:12. > :15:20.something in March. Not least Ipswich. Let's start at Portman
:15:21. > :15:25.Road. That win against Birmhngham. Not pretty for the McCarthy side but
:15:26. > :15:30.it is effective. I do not think he cares that it is not pretty. He has
:15:31. > :15:36.got that solidity in the te`m. Look at the difference from when he take
:15:37. > :15:42.over. Look at this goal, a terrific ball to the back post. A grdat
:15:43. > :15:48.finish by Daryl Murphy. Exactly what they need to do, just keep getting
:15:49. > :15:55.those little scores. But thdy had 20 of chances. That was just whde of
:15:56. > :16:04.the post. The next one, long ball forward, not great defending. That
:16:05. > :16:12.terrible backpass. It could have been more convincing. Looking at the
:16:13. > :16:15.top of the Championship table. There are some big teams at the top of the
:16:16. > :16:22.Championship. The problem whth Ipswich is that at the moment
:16:23. > :16:27.they're not in a good run of form. It is a big ask for them. Especially
:16:28. > :16:34.this stage of the season. You need to be on a better run of form. The
:16:35. > :16:40.battle for promotion to get to the Championship. Peters wrap ask wildly
:16:41. > :16:47.off base at the moment. That's defeat against Crawley. Thex were
:16:48. > :16:52.unlucky on Saturday. And whdn you have that, this defines the whole
:16:53. > :16:58.game. Jack Baldwin, I do not know what he is doing, such a bl`tant
:16:59. > :17:04.handball. It could not be any further above his head. And a
:17:05. > :17:11.beautiful penalty just chipping it in. It is not the best timing going
:17:12. > :17:16.into this stage of the season. Similar to Ipswich, not on ` great
:17:17. > :17:23.run either. Not 1 million mhles away, MK Dons, they have had a
:17:24. > :17:30.consistency problem. Karl Robinson is always colourful, he criticised
:17:31. > :17:40.the dry pitch but he also is not shy of criticising his players. When the
:17:41. > :17:46.manager is blaming the pitch, it just gives the players an excuse to
:17:47. > :17:55.do it. This cross and header in at the end, that should have bden the
:17:56. > :17:58.one. Those missed opportunities almost divine the season. They
:17:59. > :18:03.needed to get something out of the game. Your thoughts at the bottom of
:18:04. > :18:09.the table? Stevenage on Sattrday were on fire and Luke Freem`n in
:18:10. > :18:14.particular. He got a couple of wonderful goals and had a h`nd in
:18:15. > :18:23.the other one. Bradford havd not been the best at home. They have
:18:24. > :18:27.come from behind. Graham dods get his team is playing. He has a system
:18:28. > :18:34.that he plays too. He is involved in that with Luke Freeman. For me the
:18:35. > :18:40.difference is that bit of composure in front of goal. There in ` good
:18:41. > :18:48.run of form and that is what they need to get off the bottom of the
:18:49. > :18:56.table. The difference is, the reason why Stevenage has a great chance is
:18:57. > :19:00.because of this man. Freeman. He will catch the eye of one of the
:19:01. > :19:07.higher teams above them. Thhs one has been clearly worked on hn the
:19:08. > :19:15.training ground. And it is such a fantastic feeling to pull that off.
:19:16. > :19:22.Graham looks completely unf`zed He always does. These teams ard big and
:19:23. > :19:27.organised. He knows what thdy can produce. They have gone to Bradford
:19:28. > :19:32.and got a fantastic result. The league one table is a fascinating
:19:33. > :19:38.one. Peter Browne, there ard still there. But they really have to
:19:39. > :19:44.score. It is close and they have a few games in hand. But therd is a
:19:45. > :19:50.nine point back to fifth pl`ce. And still five points before Swhndon.
:19:51. > :20:03.Peter Browne do have the pl`yers and the right manager. `` Peterborough.
:20:04. > :20:11.It is getting tight. They wdre bottom and had that seven points
:20:12. > :20:16.available. It must be psychologically a massive hdlp. A
:20:17. > :20:21.busy week for many of the tdams in league one this week. Particularly
:20:22. > :20:27.the likes of Colchester, Stdvenage. Commentary on BBC local radho. In
:20:28. > :20:30.League Two, there are two tdams at either ends of the league. The award
:20:31. > :20:39.for the unluckiest player goes to Southend's Daniel Bentley. Nine
:20:40. > :20:49.games without a win. He will have to try to instil some confidence in the
:20:50. > :20:57.team. They went one goal up. But look at this shot. It deserved a
:20:58. > :21:05.goal. There's nothing else xou can do. Bentley has already madd the
:21:06. > :21:10.dive. There's really he can do. And going very nicely for North`mpton.
:21:11. > :21:16.And they are beginning to l`unch their own comeback. This wonderful
:21:17. > :21:24.run of form. Four points from safety. And creating a bit of magic.
:21:25. > :21:28.He is. They have gone in and got the team playing very well. I h`ve seen
:21:29. > :21:34.them over the last couple of weeks a couple of times. Said Claird is on
:21:35. > :21:48.loan and that could be the difference between them staxing up
:21:49. > :21:54.and dropping out of the league. They could have got three points and been
:21:55. > :22:02.even further up the league. Southend just in the play`off places, in
:22:03. > :22:06.seventh spot in the league to table. Northampton at the other end, of
:22:07. > :22:12.course, have everything going for them now. They are above Torquay.
:22:13. > :22:17.Accrington Stanley must be looking over their shoulder. With
:22:18. > :22:25.Northampton, they have got ` couple of wins. And that will be scary for
:22:26. > :22:28.the teams around them. So to the Fans Panel where clubs from the
:22:29. > :22:30.Championship, League One and Two are represented courtesy of Ipswich
:22:31. > :22:34.Colchester and Southend. We kick off with their thoughts on the prospect
:22:35. > :22:42.of a return to safe standing. Good idea or bad?
:22:43. > :22:48.I would love to see standing back again. It has been sadly missed
:22:49. > :22:56.Certainly from a personal rdspect to, it made for a good atmosphere.
:22:57. > :23:02.You go with a group of May `nd you want some atmosphere and colpassion.
:23:03. > :23:08.and mingled together and did works and mingled together and did works
:23:09. > :23:14.for me. It is inconsistent. You can stand at rugby and other sports And
:23:15. > :23:20.between the top two divisions, if you go up from League one, `ll of a
:23:21. > :23:26.sudden it is not safe in thd Championship. That is the
:23:27. > :23:32.inconsistency which infuriates me. The problem for me is taking
:23:33. > :23:38.standing away, it has lost so much of the ad is fear. Football clubs,
:23:39. > :23:45.even at top level, it is sthll tough. Once you have a group of
:23:46. > :23:55.people united, the songs and all that kind of stuff comes and build
:23:56. > :23:59.the atmosphere. I'm completdly in favour of the Hillsborough Justice
:24:00. > :24:06.component. But I would love to see the choice. The game has ch`nged so
:24:07. > :24:10.much since those days. It h`s gone too far the other way and almost
:24:11. > :24:18.become a little bit sterile. Some of the stewards are easing up. Maybe
:24:19. > :24:24.they have relaxed their control a little bit. But when I go whth the
:24:25. > :24:29.group of lads, I go with my mates and do what to go and enjoy the
:24:30. > :24:37.match. You have a couple of beers and watched the game, support your
:24:38. > :24:43.team. When away supporters hn particular are standing in the key
:24:44. > :24:48.areas of the ground, you have something which is more dangerous.
:24:49. > :24:55.If you have a seat and start jumping around, the amount of peopld I have
:24:56. > :24:59.seen going over the top. It is almost counter`productive in some
:25:00. > :25:04.respect. There seems to be so many systems have introduced which would
:25:05. > :25:11.be safe and 1 million miles away from ever letting anything like
:25:12. > :25:19.Hillsborough happening again. German foot all is well attended and they
:25:20. > :25:29.have seating. If you have one ticket per space, you cannot overcrowd at
:25:30. > :25:36.Terrace. Terrace. So the he`lth and safety aspect is not going to be
:25:37. > :25:49.compromised. The North bank, it is a great place to be, they knocked it
:25:50. > :25:58.down. It is just going towards that sterile, all`seater, soulless
:25:59. > :26:04.atmosphere which is a shame. So we are agreed on that one. Not often
:26:05. > :26:07.that we agree, but we all h`ve concluded that we would likd to see
:26:08. > :26:14.it back. Brought in safely, definitely. It is great for the fans
:26:15. > :26:21.and they should have a choice. Plenty more of that over thd next
:26:22. > :26:25.few weeks. But first we havd to reflect on the problems of Norwich
:26:26. > :26:28.in the Premier League. If you're a Norwich fan, these are nervous
:26:29. > :26:34.times. Chris Hughton admitthng the club's in trouble. For points clear
:26:35. > :26:45.of safety but they have verx tough matches. They just have such massive
:26:46. > :26:58.gains. It is because they wdre two Aston Villa against Paul Lalbert. ``
:26:59. > :27:08.went to. We were both at Sptrs with Chris Hughton. We learnt our trade
:27:09. > :27:14.in the reserves many years `go under Chris. I think he has done `
:27:15. > :27:20.terrific job at the club. They will need to get their points on the
:27:21. > :27:27.table. And the table makes grim reading. The bottom half of the
:27:28. > :27:32.Premier League table is so tight. They have the international break.
:27:33. > :27:37.But those other teams they need to be going against and taking the
:27:38. > :27:40.points. Before we go, a quick word about next week's programme when
:27:41. > :27:43.we'll be catching up with someone well known to Late Kick`Off. Striker
:27:44. > :27:46.Leon McKenzie will be revealing how a switch from football pitch to
:27:47. > :27:54.boxing ring is helping comb`t his fight against depression. Someone
:27:55. > :28:00.with depression stepping into the ring is probably quite a dangerous
:28:01. > :28:05.situation. More of that fascinating story next week. And we takd a look
:28:06. > :28:12.at the fight to stay in and indeed win promotion to the foot whll be.
:28:13. > :28:18.`` to the Football League. That is it for this week. My thanks to Paul
:28:19. > :28:28.McVeigh and Kevin Watson. And send us your thoughts, we do read all
:28:29. > :28:30.your comments. That is it, we will be back next Monday night. Goodbye
:28:31. > :28:36.for now.