Season › 2013-14 › News ESA calls on Arsenal to honour Cup allocation guidelines Lyndon Lloyd , 20 February, 0comments | Jump to most recent The Everton FC Shareholders Association has publicly called on Arsenal to provide an away ticket allocation for next month's FA Cup quarter final that is in keeping with both the traditions of the competition and Football Association rules. FA rules state that the visiting club for an FA Cup tie is entitled to claim up to 15% of the host stadium's capacity, the equivalent of 9,000 seats at The Emirates Stadium which is the total allocation offered to Coventry City in the Fourth Round. After offering both Tottenham and Liverpool similarly reduced allocations in the Third and Fifth Rounds respectively, Arsenal have made just 5,186 tickets available for Everton and the ESA have asked "if Arsenal are acting in the cherished traditions of the FA Cup." They have also questioned the rationale put forward by Arsenal's Safety Advisory Group for their decision — specifically concerns over "persistent standing" and the use of pyrotechnics and smoke bombs by visiting supporters — and why those fears do not apply to home fans or those from lower-division opposition. The ESA asks: If this tier of the stadium is considered safe for home fans why is it considered unsafe for selected away fans? If this tier of the stadium is considered safe for Coventry City fans why is it not considered safe for Spurs, Liverpool and Everton Fans? Does the upper tier above the away end have a corporate section in the middle? Does the Emirates stadium stage concerts where people in the upper tier are allowed to consume alcohol and dance? Is the occasional use of smoke bombs — of which the ESA completely disapproves — just a smokescreen for Arsenal to reduce the number of away fans from Premier League opposition? Why is the large and modern Emirates Stadium — and its partner authorities — able to maintain a safety certificate when it is apparently unable to safely manage 15% of seats being taken up by visitors? Will the Arsenal Safety Advisory Group be making public the detail that supports their decision? The Everton FC Shareholders' Association calls upon Arsenal Football Club and its partner authorities to urgently reconsider their decision and to allocate the full allocation of 15% to Everton supporters. Article continues below video content Source: EFSCA About these ads © ToffeeWeb