H-© Introduction. Over the years “Safe standing” has been an extremely divisive subject, especially for football fans of the two Clubs of our great City, however 2016 has been quite an important year in the debate around the introduction of standing sections in major British football stadia which has culminated in the successful introduction of rail seating at Celtic Park. Over the last couple of months a number of Premier League Clubs have also spoken about introducing standing sections with Manchester United recently canvassing their supporters. and asking them their opinions on the possible introduction at Old Trafford. Liverpool Supporters Union have also begun a process of openly discussing the pro’s and con’s of rail seating at Anfield with a number of consultations and debates due to take place in the coming weeks and months. In September 2015 at the Trust launch event it was agreed that at that time Everton Supporters Trust would not formerly adopt an aim or objective on whether to support or oppose “safe standing”, rather we would adopt a stance of encouraging an open and transparent debate on the subject. Towards the end of 2016 the Trust committee decided that with the current debate beginning to pick up pace nationally it would be the perfect time to canvas our own support base. So In November, Everton Supporters Trust took the decision to survey our members and the wider Evertonian fanbase on their opinions around “Safe standing”. The survey lasted for 4 weeks and encompassed the home fixtures against Swansea and Manchester United. The aim of the survey was to accurately capture as best we could the thoughts and opinions of Evertonians in relation to “Safe Standing”, to see if that opinion was ‘strong enough to give the Trust a mandate to actively campaign on the issue and to provide the Club evidence that there is sufficient demand from within the fanbase. The survey was created on survey monkey and uses “skip logic” which is a tool that changes what question the respondent sees depending on an answer previously given. The Trust was absolutely delighted with the response that we received with the survey being completed by over 1400 supporters, which thoroughly exceeding our expectations. The ‘survey was conducted both online and on a 1-2-1 basis by engaging with supporters at our match day stall in St Luke's. Please continue to see the results of our survey. Everton Supporters TrustDemographics. Sex @ Male: 94.61% m Female: 4.827% @ Prefer notto say: 0.57% Age ™ Under 18: 5.25% H 18 to 30: 26.74% @ 31 fo 40: 25.53% @ 41 to 50: 17.45% @ 51 to 60: 17.52% @ 61 and over: 6.67% lm Prefer not fo say: 0.85% Everton Supporters Trust H-©Demographics. Where do you travel to Goodison Park from? ™ Merseyside: 52.03% @ North Wales: 3.77% @ Cheshire: 9.327% @ Lancashire: 7.54% @ Midlands: 3.917% © North East England: 1.71% 1m South East England: 7.12% '& South West England: 2.06% @ Other (please specify): 12.53% ™ None: 2.7% @ Between 1 and 5: 24.61% ™@ Between 6 and 10: 12.13% @ Between 11 and 15: 6.1% @ Between 15 and 20: 10% ® More than 20/All Matches: 44.47% Everton Supporters TrustDemographics. How many away matches did you attend? ™ None: 2.7% @ Between 1 and 5: 24.61% ™@ Between 6 and 10: 12.13% @ Between 11 and 15: 6.1% @ Between 15 and 20: 10% ® More than 20/ All Matches: 44.47% Safe Standing, Do you prefer to sit or stand at games? @ I prefer to stand: 52.13% I I prefer to sit: 24.047 @ Itdepends on the game: 23.83% Everton Supporters TrustH-© Safe Standing. Why do you prefer to stand? §§ The atmosphere is better: 95.41% @ The fickets are generally cheaper. 22.95% @ I can choose who fo stand with: 32.41% @ Other 3.2% What are the reasons that you prefer to sit? I I's safer: 13.06% @ I can'tstand for health reasons: 3.827% @ Ican'tsee the match when standing: 13.69% Everton Supporters TrustSafe Standing_ Why. do you feel that standing areas should, be allowed in grounds? § Itwould allow for cheaper fickets: 49.52% lf Itwould improve the atmosphere at games: 87.1% | Itwould stop standing in seated areas: 63.147% § Itwould reduce conflict with stewards/police: 47.05% 1 Itwould be safer: 35.03% & [just think everyone should have the choice: 65.76% @ Other. 1.75% | When sitfing at matches have you ever been forced fo. stand or been unable to see the match due to standing? m Yes: 80.77% @ No: 18.94% g I've never stood at an all seater stadium: 0.737% Everton Supporters TrustSafe Standing. Why.do you think fans shouldn't be given the choice. jostand? @ Standing encourages bad behaviour. 41.357 @ Standing areas discourages families: 51.92% @@ it's unsafe/dangerous: 74.04% @ Other (please specify): 11.54% © Doyou agree with the possible introduction of “Safe Standing” at Goodison Park or a potential new build stadium? @ Yes: 90.18% Ht No:7.16% @ Notsure: 2.66% Everton Supporters TrustSafe Standing_ Would you buy a ticket for a safe standing section at Goodison Park or a potential new build stadium? @ Yes, definitley: 55.57% @ Yes, probably: 17.56% @ Don'tknow/not sure: 6.94% No, unlikely: 10.7% No, definitely not: 9.37% De you think fans should be given the choice of whether to sit or stand, including areas specifically desighed for “Safe Standing”? @ Yes: 92.1% @NOo:7.9% Everton Supporters Trust 5-0Safe Standing. Would you be more or less likely to attend games if Everton had a ‘Safe standing” area? 1 More likely: 37.54% i Less likely: 2.367% @ Itwouldn't change/ Not sure: 60.17% | 9 | Everton Supporters Trust Aims and Objectives elected fan representative on the Board of Directors? @ Yes, very important: 57.95% @ Yes, somewhat important: 23.62% | Don't know/Not sure: 9.717% 1 No, notreally: 5.43% & No, not atall important: 3.297% Everton Supporters TrustEverton Supporters Trust Aims and Objectives Do you think that football clubs should be owned by their fans with an equal say on how the club should be run? (one member, one vote)? @ Yes: 37.66% @ No: 27.12% @ Notsure: 35.22% | Please indicate how important you believe these EST campaigns to be: Ms3a% W3257%7 M6% M4is% 353% Safe Standing Misi M23% M1s% Ml 061% 20's Plenty/Ticket Pricing 454% The Littlewoods Clock Misise% M4, 62% Mm 3n% Fans Supporting Foodbanks Mso% MI 3137% ME 2130% 605% = 436% Registering Gooison as an Asset of Community Value Everton Supporters TrustEi-© Conclusion. The opinions of the Evertonians who completed the survey are almost unanimous with the clear majority of supporters agreeing that they would like to see the introduction ofa “safe standing” section at Goodison or a potential new stadium (90%). Surveyed Evertonians also believe that supporters should be allowed a choice of whether to sit or stand when attending amatch (92%). Itis important to note that almost a quarter of supporters prefer to sit when watching a match (24%), however a large majority (80%) have been forced to stand due to other supporters standing which raises a number of health and safety concems for supporters who do attend matches. Health and safety is a major concem and of course is paramount for any club when it comes. to supporters watching a football match, however the large number of supporters who have been expected to stand in a seated area is an issue that needs to be addressed. Increasing the atmosphere at the match ranked the highest reason (87.1%) why people believe “safe standing" should be introduced, along with the belief that this would lead to cheaper match day tickets (49.52%). People also believe introducing a “safe standing” area would help to decrease persistent standing in designated seating areas (63.14%). We believe that EST have been given a clear mandate from the fanbase to promote the idea that supporters should have a choice between whether they should sit or stand when attending a football match. EST understands that this decision is largely out of Everton Football Club’s hands, as currently there is legislation restricting the introduction of standing at Premier League or Championship stadiums. ‘However we do ask the Club to take on board the opinions of the fanbase on this issue and to ensure that any potential future stadium is planned and designed and future proofed for the ability to incorporate a “Safe standing” section if and when legislation changes, and that when future discussions take place at Premier League meetings, Everton officials ensure that thoughts and opinions of those fans that took this survey are adequately represented and respected. Everton Supporters Trust