Nice Touch - 96 Empty Seats

[kurtangle01]

Nice one, still think a row would be better. It would be hard to notice the empty seats when the ground is full.

I agree. It would be easier to notice and to maintain the memorial if it was in a single row.

No one would have any excuse for accidentaly sitting on the seats.

Having the names of each person on the seats is a great idea aswell.

[paulcooper4]

I agree. It would be easier to notice and to maintain the memorial if it was in a single row.

No one would have any excuse for accidentaly sitting on the seats.

Having the names of each person on the seats is a great idea aswell.

This would be my favourite idea to be honest, especially with the names of the 96 on.

I fully understand the lads views that it would be uncomfortable to see, but that is precisely why I think it would be a good idea. If a bit of uncomfortableness means these people are never forgotten then its something I can put up with.

[Assassin]

The more I think about the more impracticle it is. If some sits in one by mistake all hell would break loose.

A mural of 96 empty seats with names on and messages from their family right at the back of the Kop would be the best option in my opinion.

[alunevans]

This would be my favourite idea to be honest, especially with the names of the 96 on.

I fully understand the lads views that it would be uncomfortable to see, but that is precisely why I think it would be a good idea. If a bit of uncomfortableness means these people are never forgotten then its something I can put up with.

I'd be happy with the front row being permanently empty with the names on.

I just think having it in the shape of 96 would be pretty eerie. Imagine being one of the few sat in the inside of the circle of the 9 or the 6 on your own. Its unworkable unless on a single row.

[RedJedi]

I'd be happy with the front row being permanently empty with the names on.

I just think having it in the shape of 96 would be pretty eerie. Imagine being one of the few sat in the inside of the circle of the 9 or the 6 on your own. Its unworkable unless on a single row.

Ha Ha i never thought about that seat in the middle. That would not be a good seat to have.

Defo gota be a row at the front

[paulcooper4]

I'd be happy with the front row being permanently empty with the names on.

I just think having it in the shape of 96 would be pretty eerie. Imagine being one of the few sat in the inside of the circle of the 9 or the 6 on your own. Its unworkable unless on a single row.

Yeah, sorry fella, its the front row of empty seats idea that im going with. The other one just could not work

Also, in the front row, even armchair fans will see the permanent row of empty seats and ask questions, this can only be good.

[Morph]

Don't like the idea to be honest, there have been a few decent ideas so far in this thread tho. Not sure where Merseyside got this from, I do remember Parry referencing the idea a few months ago but don't remember hearing anything about it since. I'd be very surprised if it happens, i'll be interested to see what they do with the hillsbrough memorial tho, they seem to be getting everything else spot on so i'm sure they'll do a good job with it

[Dirk07]

would any of the 96 want to have 96 seats empty for a big game, stopping supporters supporting their team?

I feel 96 free seats to kids is a wonderful idea

[redblood]

They could make the seats a different colour and have a little rope on either side so no one walks through

I think this is a very respectful gesture and I would personally agree with it, I think a combination of ideas could be used for this maybe as silverfox said, (use in place of the seats) 96 eternal enclosed flames in the shape of a 96, it would be an area closed off and people could still leave memorabilia and personal effects to honour the lost.

[Sir Bob]

I take your points on board.

I do think leaving 96 empty seats is a terrific gesture, but one that would cost the club revenue as you rightly point out. The concern I have with it, aside from enforceability issues, is not so much the revenue that club would be deprived of as a result (and only the club can really determine whether this is significant enough to make the idea untenable), it's more the fact that every home game we'd be depriving 96 fans fans watching the game live at the stadium. It's bad enough that so many people are deprived the opportunity of watching Liverpool live because of Anfield's inadequate capacity, I think it would be bordering on calamity to lock fans out when we have the capacity to accommodate them. Bad enough 96 of our fellow reds are deprived the opportunity of ever watching the team again, precluding 96 fans from watching the reds live from every home game when we have there's room to seat neither seems equitable nor a fitting gesture to the 96.

I would have thought the point of a memorial is to give fellow fans the opportunity to go and show their respects to their brothers who were stricken down, and remember the tragedy that happened. I don't really see how having 96 empty seats achieves that. The lad's idea of having a little section where the kids are invited to watch the game free seems to be far more fitting. Not only do the kids get to see the match for free, but they know they are there in tribute to the 96 who died. And so a new generation of Liverpool fans will be made aware of the tragedy.

Just my two pence worth but I also accept that the wishes of the families are key and if they consider it the best tribute to the victims then by all means it's something the club should consider.

I understand fully were you're coming from as i don't have a season ticket and i am constantly scratching around for tickets, often without success. For big games in particular it would be a bit galling not getting in when there are 96 empty seats.

however, some things are more important. Its not just about remembering the 96 now, its in 30 years time. Future generations of fans around the world will not be aware of that fateful day, and a memorial outside anfield won't inform them. Everyone who watches a game with the 96 empty seats, anywhere around the world, whether they are an LFC fan or not, will want to know what those seats represent. I think without such an obvious and high profile reminder, in time the 96 will be slowly forgotten.

[reddragon]

Yeah, sorry fella, its the front row of empty seats idea that im going with. The other one just could not work

Also, in the front row, even armchair fans will see the permanent row of empty seats and ask questions, this can only be good.

this is probably the best way forward imo

[Dhav]

I understand fully were you're coming from as i don't have a season ticket and i am constantly scratching around for tickets, often without success. For big games in particular it would be a bit galling not getting in when there are 96 empty seats.

however, some things are more important. Its not just about remembering the 96 now, its in 30 years time. Future generations of fans around the world will not be aware of that fateful day, and a memorial outside anfield won't inform them. Everyone who watches a game with the 96 empty seats, anywhere around the world, whether they are an LFC fan or not, will want to know what those seats represent. I think without such an obvious and high profile reminder, in time the 96 will be slowly forgotten.

Yeah, absolutely. If it is the best way of educating fans in the future about the tragedy then it is well worth considering. But if we're considering having the seats empty, or having them filled by local kids for free in memory of the 96, I feel the latter is the more fitting tribute to the fans that died.

At the end of the day it depends on what you feel this memorial should achieve. If it is more about educating as many people as you want, then keeping the seats empty will more likely achieve that.

However, if it is about having a tribute to the 96 that allows people to pay their respects, but also gives something back to the fans I think the idea of having an enclosure for kids for free is better.

[Farside]

Not so sure about it. Will it not just look like more empty seats in say, a league cup game. I think Rushian idea is a good one. At least the club is being positive about this.

YNWA 96

[Red Chilli]

I'm not sure about the "kids" charity/schools idea for a few reasons:

1) Will they all be Reds? I don't want a bunch of bitters getting tickets to the game
2) Will all the seats be taken by them? If you don't get 96 then what's the point?
3) Do we really want 96 little kids in the ground during a match against the SCUM? Firstly you've got the lack of atmosphere that kids generate and secondly you've got them all listening to how Gary Neville shags his ma etc. all presumably unaccompanied by their parents.
4) Who's going to supervise/lookafter these 96 kids? I know I wouldn't want that job especially with some of the scumbags you get at matches.
5) Aren't these tickets just going to get touted? I imagine a large percentage of them will.
6) What about midweek games, you don't want little kids away from their parents at that time of night.

All in all I think there are far too many potential problems to have these 96 seats given away for every home game and I don't think it will have the desired effect of remembering the 96.
There are problems with the empty seats too.
The intentions are good but I'm not sure it'll work.

[nobbylad]

Not sure how workable 96 empty seats would be, for all the reasons above.

96 spaces where seats should be, might be an idea and would solve the issue of the one seat in the middle of the 9, it would just be an empty space.

That said, if there was space there, someone would undoubtedly stand there.

Maybe something would be workable if the seats around the 96 spaces/seats were ST holders, but I'm not sure how feasible that is either.

As has been said before, whatever the club do should be in consultation with the families and whatever they come up with, I'll be more than happy to support.

YNWA