The new Anfield Road Stand is operating at reduced capacity, but persistent standing has led to concerns within the club, with supporters sent a message ahead of Newcastle‘s visit.
For much of the season, the new stand operated with only the lower tier open, but the last three home games have seen an extra 7,000 take their seat in the upper tier.
It is a monumental step for Anfield with over 57,000 now in attendance, with more still to come, but there has been multiple messages from the club regarding fans standing during the match.
Only sections of the Kop and the lower Anfield Road are designated safe standing zones, and as per the Echo, there are “concerns from inside the club” that the issue will force Anfield to “operate at a reduced capacity” if it continues.
This is due to safety risks and possible sanctions should persistent standing continue, which has seen the club place flyers in seats in the upper tier, plus send emails to supporters with tickets.
The latest message from the club ahead of Newcastle‘s visit on New Year’s Day reads:
We are excited to welcome to you to Anfield on Monday, and to our newly opened Upper Tier of the Anfield Road stand. As the stand is new, we wanted to remind you of some important safety information in advance of you taking your seat.
Anfield Stadium remains an all seater stadium with the exception of certain areas which have been licensed for safe standing.
Your seat is in an area which is not licensed for safe standing and does not have seats with rails. Standing in these areas presents a safety risk and can adversely affect the matchday experience of other supporters.
Please remain seated during the match.
Please remain in or in front of your allocated seat whilst watching the match, your ticket is for your space only.
Please do not stand in the vomitories or on the steps to watch the match.
You maybe asked to show your ticket to a steward.
Please always follow the instructions of stewards, as failure to do so may lead to you being removed from the ground and being subject to further sanctions.
Thank you for your support and co-operation.
It is an issue that will be heavily debated, as fans are trying to create an atmosphere, which Jurgen Klopp has readily called for, but for Liverpool, it’s not in line with the regulations they must adhere to.
Lads getting kicked out for standing in Upper Annie is the reason why the atmosphere is dying #LFC #LFCSpares pic.twitter.com/34T0JX9uhK
— LFC SPARES (@LFCSPARES96) December 23, 2023
There are few winners in that respect, and all the club can do is reiterate the message and subsequently find a way to cultivate an environment that contributes to Anfield’s atmosphere.
As for the remaining seats in the upper tier, the hope has been for some time now that full capacity will be reached by the end of January, which would be in time for Chelsea‘s league visit on the final day of the month.
