The Queen of the South thread

[Fae_the_'briggs]

3 minutes ago, Greenacres said:

AJ last interview before the Arbroath game says they are on similar wages to Queens .

This is why we should be part time get better more experienced players.

All we can sign just now is young players hoping to make it.

 

 

Arbroath are having a good season up to now, and did well last season also, but I would say, statistically, part time teams don't normally survive in the Championship for any length of time. We could take that risk I suppose but imo should either stay full time or go for a hybrid model. 

[Mustafa_sheet]

12 hours ago, Distant Doonhamer said:

Yep we'd never do that in similar circumstance. 

Been a while since we were in that position…… well, at home anyway!

[Mustafa_sheet]

15 minutes ago, Fae_the_'briggs said:

Yes, I saw a group of  4 youngsters who wanted to come into the terracing to join their mates but weren't allowed through and also couple of grown ups wanting to go in the opposite direction were also stopped. The Stewards were obviously "only doing their job" but it seems a bit ott considering neither area was near capacity and there is no requirement to socially distance and no-one was encroaching on Red Zones. If it had been an all ticket match its understandable but it in games like Saturday's it looked like enforcing a silly rule for the sake of it. 

I witnessed one father trying to get behind the goals at half time who was attempting to join his young son after he was let through by the same steward only 10 minutes earlier! 
Rules are rules but surely there must be some consistency here to prevent confusion?! 

[Skyline Drifter]

12 hours ago, queenslad said:

Alot of talk about red zones at palmerston and the restricted access. Who were all the people in the old stand yesterday - I could see subs, hospitality, directors, press at back but who were all the others - back left?

Some of them are club staff and Scouts from other clubs. There were maybe a dozen or so members of players families also.

12 hours ago, 19QOS19 said:

On a similar note - who's decision is it to have so much of the new stand closed off? On Saturday and against Broomhill the away fans were housed just below the camera stand resulting in the home support being bunched together. Would it not make more sense in these circumstances to put the away fans in the furthest away corner and spreading everyone else out?

I assume it's what the club have been told to do. If not it's absolutely mental. Even more so when the stewards are again stopping people going behind the goal from that stand.

 

2 hours ago, Fae_the_'briggs said:

From my view from the Oakbank Terrace it looked quite cramped in the area that the away support occupied although there were still quite a few empty seats for home fans to occupy in their sections. As you say at least one section could be opened for away support at the Terreges St end of the stand without encroaching on "Red Zones". I think it was more a staffing issue, saving on stewarding, catering, opening toilets, etc, than a safety issue. There didn't seem to be a problem using that area when Kilmarnock visited. 

 

2 hours ago, 19QOS19 said:

I did think it could have been a staffing issue but then there seemed to be loads of stewards. I'm not sure how big the away support needs to be for them to open another food kiosk but I've seen away fans using the 'home' food kiosk on lots of occasions and surely the staffing and costs for that would land at the caterers anyway?

It's not something worth getting upset over I was just a bit curious as to why we're packed in rather than spread out. The only thing that really annoyed me was them shutting off the terrace from the stand again. I've no idea why they do that when there's always plenty of room behind the goal.

 

It was a practicality decision. With the Red Zone meaning there's no access between the two halves of the BDS Stand internally or externally, if we open the Away side there's not only a need for half a dozen additional stewards but also opening the separate catering area for away fans and a separate Away Ticket office. You also have Away fans having to walk all the way around the Ice Bowl if they need to come to the home side either to use the bar or to pick up Complimentaries. It was felt the away supports for Broomhill and Arbroath would be sufficiently low not to require that. In hindsight we possibly should have opened it for Arbroath who appeared to just about have three figures of supporters there.  I think you can safely say it won't happen again until at least the ICT game in November if we're still operating under these conditions.

That said, whilst the Away fans appeared to be relatively close together, there were still hundreds of seats in the home sections, mostly towards the Oakbank side obviously. You could have almost got the whole crowd in that half of the stand.

As regards catering I don't think you're appreciating that there's no access internally across the stand currently. Section 6 remains a Red Zone from about noon until the away side departs the ground. Away fans can't get to the home food kiosk if sat in the away end. The staffing costs for food kiosk would "land at the caterers" but fundamentally they are a commercial concern. If it costs more to open the kiosk than it can take in profits they won't open it and then you get complaints about that. It's still got to be taken into consideration.

Edited September 20, 2021 by Skyline Drifter

[Steeplechat]

On a similar note - who's decision is it to have so much of the new stand closed off? On Saturday and against Broomhill the away fans were housed just below the camera stand resulting in the home support being bunched together. Would it not make more sense in these circumstances to put the away fans in the furthest away corner and spreading everyone else out?

I assume it's what the club have been told to do. If not it's absolutely mental. Even more so when the stewards are again stopping people going behind the goal from that stand.

The gate between the BDS Stand and the terracing is causing more bother than what’s it worth.

If you can have away supporters sitting directly next to the home fans than let them walk freely between stand and the terrace.

Football grounds should be a welcoming place but recently it’s feeling quite the opposite.

[Manwithnoball]

7 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Tbf I think we will pay as much or more than 3/4 other clubs in this league. Very good source

Garbage

[Monkey Tennis]

4 hours ago, Steeplechat said:

Football grounds should be a welcoming place but recently it’s feeling quite the opposite.

 

Totally agree on this.

Fans seem like something of an inconvenience right now.  

 

I'm thoroughly fed up waiting for the Main Stand to open.

[1320Lichtie]

29 minutes ago, Manwithnoball said:

Garbage

Straight from the horses mouth, but seriously why would you think that? Part time costs and average crowds will be 1300-1500 this season. 

[Manwithnoball]

Watched the highlights back and we created a decent amount of chances. 

Debayo got schooled by big Nouble. 

Cochrane really disappointed me with his application for the second goal. No desire to match Low run and cross. Is Liddle the answer. How long is Todd out? 

Can AJ just not set us up to play to our strengths. 

[Greenacres]

Good that the club has explained why things are not  back to normal at home games .

I can put up with anything if it means I can get into Palmerston.

 

Edited September 24, 2021 by Greenacres

[Monkey Tennis]

29 minutes ago, Greenacres said:

Good that the club has explained why things are not  back to normal at home games .

I can put up with anything if it means I can get into Palmerston.

 

Yes, it's clear that the club's hands are tied by what looks like a silly degree of regulation, but that can't be helped.

I'm still a bit intrigued by the bit about the main stand though:

"The closure of the main stand?
 The main stand is currently closed to spectators due to red zone areas occupying over 100 seats in the stand. This to cater for the 2m distancing of substitutes and unstripped players. Players must adhere to 2m distancing to avoid becoming close contacts should a player pick up COVID-19. This is the reason we are unable to sit the subs on the bench at this present time. It is also a significant reason why we cannot fill the remaining available spaces with fans."

Obviously, the new dugouts will make a difference and supply issues are behind the delay.  If only 100 seats are needed for the Red Zone, it does beg questions about why much of the stand still isn't available.  The requirement is described only as a "significant reason" for the closure of the entire stand to the public.  That would imply that there are others.  Perhaps they're logistical or financial.  It would be interesting to know.

[Skyline Drifter]

4 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Yes, it's clear that the club's hands are tied by what looks like a silly degree of regulation, but that can't be helped.

I'm still a bit intrigued by the bit about the main stand though:

"The closure of the main stand?
 The main stand is currently closed to spectators due to red zone areas occupying over 100 seats in the stand. This to cater for the 2m distancing of substitutes and unstripped players. Players must adhere to 2m distancing to avoid becoming close contacts should a player pick up COVID-19. This is the reason we are unable to sit the subs on the bench at this present time. It is also a significant reason why we cannot fill the remaining available spaces with fans."

Obviously, the new dugouts will make a difference and supply issues are behind the delay.  If only 100 seats are needed for the Red Zone, it does beg questions about why much of the stand still isn't available.  The requirement is described only as a "significant reason" for the closure of the entire stand to the public.  That would imply that there are others.  Perhaps they're logistical or financial.  It would be interesting to know.

Because all of the exits and entrances to the stand are either in those red zone areas or very close to them (within 2 or 3 feet) so that its not practical to have public access with people swarming past to toilets and catering areas. Its not like in the BDS Stand where its easy to create a sterile zone leaving a decent gap to where players enter and exit. 

The few people who are accessing the back of that stand (press, scouts, and home players families) are in place before the players enter the stand and are guided to seats. There is no catering open in it currently either obviously. 

I wouldnt read all that much into the 100 seats comment either. I dont think anybody will have actually counted how many seats are marked off. I'd have thought it was nearer 200 to be honest. With Directors Box, Press Box and Hospitality Boxes in use too there are probably about 500 seats left, the majority of which would be the blue backless ones in Section 4. 

[Monkey Tennis]

52 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Because all of the exits and entrances to the stand are either in those red zone areas or very close to them (within 2 or 3 feet) so that its not practical to have public access with people swarming past to toilets and catering areas. Its not like in the BDS Stand where its easy to create a sterile zone leaving a decent gap to where players enter and exit. 

The few people who are accessing the back of that stand (press, scouts, and home players families) are in place before the players enter the stand and are guided to seats. There is no catering open in it currently either obviously. 

I wouldnt read all that much into the 100 seats comment either. I dont think anybody will have actually counted how many seats are marked off. I'd have thought it was nearer 200 to be honest. With Directors Box, Press Box and Hospitality Boxes in use too there are probably about 500 seats left, the majority of which would be the blue backless ones in Section 4. 

Logistical then?

As I said, interesting to know.  Thanks.

[SUPERSOUTH]

3 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Because all of the exits and entrances to the stand are either in those red zone areas or very close to them (within 2 or 3 feet) so that its not practical to have public access with people swarming past to toilets and catering areas. Its not like in the BDS Stand where its easy to create a sterile zone leaving a decent gap to where players enter and exit. 

The few people who are accessing the back of that stand (press, scouts, and home players families) are in place before the players enter the stand and are guided to seats. There is no catering open in it currently either obviously. 

I wouldnt read all that much into the 100 seats comment either. I dont think anybody will have actually counted how many seats are marked off. I'd have thought it was nearer 200 to be honest. With Directors Box, Press Box and Hospitality Boxes in use too there are probably about 500 seats left, the majority of which would be the blue backless ones in Section 4. 

Didn't seem much of a red zone at Arbroath tonight?? Diff rules for them? 

[Skyline Drifter]

3 hours ago, SUPERSOUTH said:

Didn't seem much of a red zone at Arbroath tonight?? Diff rules for them? 

I didnt see the game. What was different?

[Otis Blue]

1 hour ago, Skyline Drifter said:

I didnt see the game. What was different?

Looked like one half of the stand was packed with supporters with the other half set aside for subs etc. Probably all to do with the layout of exits etc there.

[Skyline Drifter]

2 hours ago, Otis Blue said:

Looked like one half of the stand was packed with supporters with the other half set aside for subs etc. Probably all to do with the layout of exits etc there.

Very much so. You cant possibly compare the stand at Arbroath, which starts at ground level and has entrances directly to the pitch, to the old Main Stand at Palmerston. Surely that's not what Supersouth meant?

[the_palmy_pie]

An interesting read regarding last weekend’s queries but I must urge those responsible to please reconsider the decision to keep that gate closed and let supporters move freely between terracing and the stand. 
 

we’ve all lived under enough restitutions over the last 18 months and don’t need anymore. 
 

If the club safety officer thinks it’s acceptable to have away supporters sitting directly next to the Queens fans AND use the same facilities below the stand then allowing  us move freely whilst doing absolutely no harm whatsoever shouldn’t  be an issue. 
 

 

Edited September 25, 2021 by the_palmy_pie

[the_palmy_pie]

2 hours ago, Skyline Drifter said:

Very much so. You cant possibly compare the stand at Arbroath, which starts at ground level and has entrances directly to the pitch, to the old Main Stand at Palmerston. Surely that's not what Supersouth meant?

Match officials and both teams entering and exiting the pitch using the same tunnel. 

[Skyline Drifter]

20 minutes ago, the_palmy_pie said:

Match officials and both teams entering and exiting the pitch using the same tunnel. 

There's no issue with that. They are all tested and its transient contact. They could all use the same tunnel at Palmerston. They dont because they all change in different parts of the stadium. I think Arbroath have portacabin additional dressing rooms accessed through the Main Stand.