Safe standing: Is football ready for the introduction of rail seats?Disasters, hooliganism, rushing the kop, throwing darts and penned in cages. These are just a few memories conjured up when standing at football grounds is mentioned to anyone who stood on the terraces during the 1970s and 80s.
But can people's perceptions change? The Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) believe so and with the support of the Safe Standing Roadshow and a growing number of football clubs they are pushing for trails of safe standing technology at grounds around the country. At a meeting of Championship clubs on Valentine's Day, 21 of the 22 chief executives present voted in favour of a motion that "aims to encourage and support the instigation of a rail seat/safe-standing trial period at any League club." This flies in the face of the Football Leagues own stance which stated in a letter to clubs "it was agreed that the League should not advocate rail seating/safe standing. The matter will not be progressed by the League but if a club wishes to pursue this initiative then that is a matter for them" |
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The League's ongoing opposition to the proposed trails could be challenged should a motion be included in next months meeting of all 72 Football League clubs in Portugal and if it is and it passes, then the League will be expected to change its stance and begin to lobby the government for a change in legislation.
But it is widely expected that the government will wait at least another year before any progress is made on the issue - out of respect for the Hillsborough families. Shadow sports minister Clive Efford told Press Association Sport: "It is too close to the time that the families of the Hillsborough victims have finally got justice.
"You can understand their reasons for that [opposing standing areas] and we are very respectful of that view.
"There are no plans under consideration by the Labour Party to review the policy at this stage."
Despite this, the Liberal Democrats made a party pledge in 2008 to explore the possibility of introducing safe standing although it remains to be seen if they would be willing to push forward with this pledge due to opposition from their coalition partners after Sports Minister Hugh Robertson has said there would have to be a 'very clear demand' for the government to consider changing the legislation.
Demand for safe standing areas has slowly been increasing and a growing number of clubs have publicly thrown their weight behind the FSF's campaign while a number of other clubs have confirmed their support in secret. This backing from clubs correlates with a plethora of surveys that have consistently shown that football supporters are in favour of having the choice to stand at football matches.
But it is widely expected that the government will wait at least another year before any progress is made on the issue - out of respect for the Hillsborough families. Shadow sports minister Clive Efford told Press Association Sport: "It is too close to the time that the families of the Hillsborough victims have finally got justice.
"You can understand their reasons for that [opposing standing areas] and we are very respectful of that view.
"There are no plans under consideration by the Labour Party to review the policy at this stage."
Despite this, the Liberal Democrats made a party pledge in 2008 to explore the possibility of introducing safe standing although it remains to be seen if they would be willing to push forward with this pledge due to opposition from their coalition partners after Sports Minister Hugh Robertson has said there would have to be a 'very clear demand' for the government to consider changing the legislation.
Demand for safe standing areas has slowly been increasing and a growing number of clubs have publicly thrown their weight behind the FSF's campaign while a number of other clubs have confirmed their support in secret. This backing from clubs correlates with a plethora of surveys that have consistently shown that football supporters are in favour of having the choice to stand at football matches.