Before I started doing a little research for this article, I had made the assumption that in the coming season we would be on our feet more often than recent times, or least have the choice of terraces or seating. This assumption has largely been found to be incorrect.
Since we were last in the lowest tier of the Football League, the Taylor Report has impacted on the stadiums we became used to visiting in the Championship and on clubs that have fell out of that division into League One. Although there has never been legislation that committed the bottom two division clubs to all-seater stadia, over the years several have built new homes and naturally enough these are mostly terrace-free.
I guess those of us that are getting that little bit older will look back fondly at our days on the terraces, but these days prefer the comfort of a seat with a largely unhindered view. The old black and white footage of the swaying, surging masses on the Kop or the Stretford End makes for misty-eyed viewing and the atmosphere that was generated on these huge banks was something that has never been recreated by the all-seated latter day version.
Of course, the old Rainham End was never a Kop, but in its time it also generated a wall of sound. Those iconic pictures of jubilant Gills fans, up on the wall, and subsequently clambouring over it, to celebrate the great escape against Halifax, might not have looked quite the same with people sat in their seats.
There has been a campaign mounted by the Stand Up, Sit Down group to return terracing to the upper Divisions of English football. It even has its supporters in Parliament with Motions being laid down, but it is mostly low key and a look at their website forum shows rather dated entries, suggesting that mostly the football supporter has accepted his lot and his seat.
For this coming season, if the elements are unkind we are going go get wet at Accrington, Dagenham, Exeter and Macclesfield. A few seats are made available at Aldershot and Chesterfield but the standing is uncovered. We will be on our feet at Barnet and Morecambe, but at least we will not be open to a soaking. Remember our last time at Brentford, well it seems away fans have now switched ends and we have the Brook Road End with both covered seating and standing.
From there on it is seating all the way. We would all rather be on our feet than crammed into the miniscule leg room at Kenilworth Road and it is reported that your legs don't get too much space at the new Darlington stadium.
The layout for Rotherham's temporary home at the Don Valley Stadium is unknown at present. There is a covered stand that holds 12,000 people, so it seems a little pointless sticking 500 away supporters out in the rain and seemingly with a distant viewpoint that makes the Withdean seem up close and personal.
In August we will be starting in the relative comfort of Dean Court, but let's hope that during the coming season we will be on our feet quite a lot, celebrating Gills goals and Gills wins.