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Stadiums - Teachers Notes
If a football time-line has been created in the classroom (see Football History) add to it the important dates in this module.
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The development of early football grounds took place in stages:
- a rented field near a pub.
- field fenced off with gates. Advertisements on the fences.
- mounds of ash and rubble to give spectators a better view of the pitch.
- steps cut into the mounds of ash and rubble. Tent or shed in the corner of the field for a players' ‘changing room’.
- a simple wooden stand near the halfway line for businessmen.
Children are asked to compare five drawings and list the differences.
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Worksheet 1 - How Football Grounds Evolved
At the centre of every ground lies what is known as ‘the field of play’. This is often called ‘the park’. Like so many football words this dates from the very early days of the game when most matches were played on a marked-out section of a public park. This was a long time before large crowds started to watch football.
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Picture 1
Q. List five things you can see in the picture.
Explain to the children that this is the back view of the pub. The front would be facing the lane. Players would come out of the back door after changing in the pub.
A.
- Football pitch
- Goalposts
- Pub
- Gate leading from the lane into the field
- Trees
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Picture 2 .
Q. Are the five things in picture 1 still there? List any that are not.
A. They are all there.
Q. List the things which have been added
A.
- Pitch Markings
- Pitch fencing
- Outer Fencing
- Gate at front for spectators
- The original gate into the lane has been made part of the outer fencing. It is now the players entrance. It is the only way they can get to the pitch.
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Picture 3
Q. Are the five things in picture 1 still there? List any that are not.
A. They are all there.
Q. List the changes between pictures 2 and 3.
A.
- Two pitch markings have been added
- Pitch fencing has gone
- Mounds of ash and rubble have been placed around the pitch for spectators to stand on
- The entrance gate has been replaced by four turnstiles
- The advertisement has changed
- A new gate for spectators to leave the ground has been added to the left of the advertisement.
- A new house has been built in the lane.
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Picture 4
Q. Are the five things in picture 1 still there? List any that are not.
A. They are all there.
Q. List the changes between pictures 3 and 4
A.
- Pitch markings have changed
- Terraces have been cut into the ash and rubble mounds making it easier for the spectators to see the pitch
- The advertisement has changed
- A small building has been placed in the outer fence - round the corner from the turnstiles.
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Picture 5
Q. Are the five things in picture 1 still there? List any that are not.
A. They are all there.
Q. List the changes between pictures 4 and 5
A.
- Pitch markings have changed
- The advertisement has changed
- Parts of the ground have been covered
- The small building next to the players entrance could be a new changing room for players
- Many houses have been built around the football ground. It has now become part of the tow
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Task 2
Using plasticine, paper, cardboard, balsa wood, and string a series of models could be made from the drawings to show the development of early football grounds. The class could work in groups, with each group making a different model, ensure they all start with the same size pitch (suggest 30 X 20cm). This will help to create the effect of the same ground developing over a period of time; the historical concept being that time produces change.
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Task 3
Alternatively instead of models, larger drawings of the five football grounds could be made, coloured and joined together to make a frieze. They should all be the same size - perhaps 8 x 11 cm - landscape A4
Note: For both tasks 2 and 3 remember to check the pitch markings (see Pitches and Posts). They would not look like they do today.
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Task 4
Each group could enhance their work by producing a plan of their ground. All the plans should be to the same scale. For example:
The plan (birds eye view) of a football ground might look something like this.
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The introduction of floodlights was an important development for modern football. Explain to the children why.
Worksheet 2 asks them to write sentences about the importance of floodlights and to draw some pylon patterns.
Explain they are not asked to draw a pylon but to draw patterns based on a pylon structure. The use of rulers and set squares may have to be taught.
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Task 6 - Crowd behaviour
Discuss with the children their experiences in the playground or in a crowd anywhere.
- What is it like to be pushed from the back?
- What is it like to try to move ‘against the tide’ on a staircase or corridor? Why is it sensible not to do this?
- Why is it necessary to have school rules about running, walking, lining up and keeping to the left or right when moving about school?
- Are the school rules ’enforceable’ or ‘advisory’? Explain why and by whom.
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Follow up the safety at football grounds section by checking to see how safe your school is:
- Is it built of combustible or non-combustible materials or a mixture of both? Make a list of all combustible and non combustible materials you can see in your classroom.
- Do exit doors open outwards? Why should they?
- What does everyone do in the case of fire? Find out how long it takes to evacuate the building and complete roll call outside.
- Are there notices warning of hazards: places where someone might fall, trip, slip or climb on a fence or wall? If not, and the children think it sensible that there should be they can design some and display them around your school. For example:
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Worksheet 3 shows an architect’s plan for a football stadium of the future. It is very grand. It may be too grand for some smaller football clubs. The task, which is more suitable for group work, is to try and design a football stadium of the future for a favourite football team.
List the most important recommendations for the safety of the crowds at football grounds and discuss these with the children. Remind them to include these when they try and design their football stadium.
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Task 9
Crowd Safety - Notes for Information and discussion
In recent years there have been some major attempts to improve safety at sports stadiums. The most important changes are:
1973 - The government produced a set of guidelines called Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds. This advisory document is known as The Green Guide. It draws attention to the main areas of concern:
- hazards to individuals which might cause falling, tripping or slipping.
Preventive measures to include well maintained floor surfaces, gangways and hand rails, and precautions to stop spectators climbing on structures such as lighting pylons.
- evacuation procedures, in case of fire or other emergency situations, must enable spectators to leave quickly by adequate gangways and sufficient exits. For example all exit doors should open outwards.
- to minimise the risk of serious disorder rival fans should be segregated.
- crowd pressure on terraces, exit routes and stairways. Adequate crush barriers must be provided and crowd capacities reduced.
1975 - The Safety at Sports Grounds Act was passed. The Act introduced a system of compulsory licensing. Grounds which hold more than 10,000 spectators may be ‘designated’ A designated ground must have a safety certificate issued by the local authority specifying standards such as:
- the ground’s total capacity, including the maximum number permitted in each section.
- the number, size and situation of all entrances and exits. These must be properly maintained.
- the number of crush barriers necessary and their location.
Failure to comply with this Act may result in prosecution.
Note: The 1975 Act has since been amended with regard to football grounds. The spectator figure has been reduced from 10,000 to 5,000.
1985 - The Popplewell Report investigated the cause of the Bradford fire and recommended, among many other things, that no new stands be built of combustible materials and the installation of closed circuit television in football grounds.
1989 - The Right Honourable Lord Justice Taylor was appointed to inquire into the events at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield. His most significant recommendations were:
- First (Premier) and Second (First) Division League Clubs, and Wembley Stadium should convert their spectator areas to all-seater accommodation from the start of the 1994/95 season.
- Standing accommodation should be reduced annually by 20% of the present capacity from August 1990.
- All other grounds should convert their spectator areas to all-seater accommodation from the start of the 1999/2000 season. Standing accommodation should be reduced annually by 10% of the present capacity from August 1990.
- An Advisory Design Council to be established to conduct research into the improvement and design of football stadiums and to disseminate information regularly to the Football Leagues and football clubs.
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Task10
Explain why CCTV is helpful to the police and the safety officer at the club. Some people might object to CCTV at football grounds even though they are law-abiding citizens. Think of reasons why this might be so.
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Task 11
Imagine you own a small local newspaper and you are looking for ways to increase your sales. Give reasons why it might be a good idea to buy some advertising space around the pitch at the football ground.
Design your advertisement. It must be rectangular, plan it about 15cm high X 30cm long. Think carefully what it is you want your advertisement to tell people about your newspaper.
At the stadium your design will be about 90cm high X 180cm long. It cannot be any taller. Explain why?
Think which side of the pitch would be best for your advertisement, i.e. behind the goal, along the touch line, near the half way line, the team benches or the corner flag or wherever. Explain why.
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