SouthStand: Standing Vs Seating Round 2 and 3! : Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:01 pm
Pre Round Scores: SouthStand Standing 0 - Seated 1
Stadiums visited: Wigan
Well with the in favour of standing feckwitts hoping for a a few points, I visited the Stade Gilbert Brutus in round 1 and Hull KR's Craven Park, Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium and Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium in round 2, plenty of scores to be had here in this edition.
So to the south of France it was, to the mainly standing Stade Gilbert Brutus. A traditional loud welcome awaited the players and the all seated Guasch stand was in full voice. The main (Bonzom) stand was also clapping away with the songs eminating from the Guasch. Despite the scoreline and seeing their team defeated, the Dragons fans never failed to support their team, and even applauded Huddersfield from the field.
Standing 0 - Seated 2
So to Hull KR, and the stadium is majority standing and awaiting repair, and as such is exempt from the scoring system. However, their supporters were vocal and did not require the use of a band to get going. Those in the seats were not subjected to a band and feckwitted songs that include the lines "he used to be $h1te, but now he's alright" so I'm tempted to give a point, but will resist this once!
Standing 0 - Seated 2
So onto the new Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington! The seated areas give a great view and have good leg room, the padded seats add comfort. The standing areas appeared to be filled with wire-witts, a close relative to the southstand feckwitts. Booing their teams inadequacies at not being able to hold onto a lead. The Warrington fans seated around me seemed to offer a well educated, balanced and more rounded view, chosing not to boo their coach and demand for his sacking, more mention and offer other valid points as to what could be the problems at their club!
Friends of mine chose to stand at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, and were subsequently hit by a near full beer can, point to be deducted for standing areas for thuggish behaviour.
Standing -1, Seated 3
So to the home of the Giants. An all seated stadium, traditionally only filled to a quarter of capacity on rugby days, but Sunday was one of the rare occasions that it was just under half filled. Despite a poor following, the away supporters still managed to make themselves heard, and respected other stadium users by remaining sat down for the majority of the game. Huddersfield supporters offered some foolish points of view at times, blaming the referee for their teams' inadequacies, but on the whole, they appreciated that Saints were the better team and attacked with depth and pace. The refreshment areas were spot on and this is a blueprint that IMO Leeds should follow with the new South Stand. Mr McAlpine was on the ball when designing and building this stadium.
Standing -1, Seated 4
Hull FC's KC Stadium comes under scrutiny next week.
