Why it’s time for government to allow safe standing at football

When the government rejected a request from West Bromwich Albion to introduce a safe-standing section at The Hawthorns in April, it's unlikely they anticipated the response they received.

More than 110,000 people signed a petition calling for the safe-standing rules to be relaxed, triggering a debate in Parliament scheduled for 25 June and now, according to reports, a review of the issue.

It's time for MPs to understand the context of the debate and give it the energy it deserves. The football community is eager for change.

Read more: Trevor Steven: Time for English football to allow safe standing

Since 1989, standing in English football's top two divisions has been outlawed by the Football Spectators Act. Given the event that triggered such law – the Hillsborough disaster which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans – the prohibition was regarded as the right move.

Since then, the stance of successive governments has been largely unchanged, and in response to the recent petition, the current administration claimed that all-seater stadia are "the best means to ensure the safety and security of fans". But does this really remain true?

Borussia Dortmund and its famous "Yellow Wall" – a section with standing capacity of 25,000 – is one of the best examples of safe-standing done exceptionally well. Several other Bundesliga clubs and teams in Holland, Sweden and Russia also have safe-standing sections.

Closer to home, Celtic successfully introduced a standing section in 2017 with a capacity of 2,900. Few question the safety of such stands when visiting, while the enhanced atmosphere they provide has been widely noted.

Borussia Dortmund's ground contains a large standing area known as the Yellow Wall (Source: Getty)

In England, a host of clubs are actively seeking safe-standing sections in their grounds. Brentford's new 17,250-capacity stadium, to be completed next year, has a safe-standing design option built in, while many others are also open to the idea.

This all makes common sense in planning and design terms. Safe-standing is exactly that: standing that is safe.

So, if safety isnt the issue and clubs are supportive, what has made the government reluctant to embrace change?

Is it the fans? Recent surveys showed 96 per cent of 7,239 Arsenal fans and 88 per cent of 18,000 Liverpool fans are in favour – not at all just a "vocal minority" as the Minister for Sport and Civil Society suggests.

What about the families of those tragically killed at Hillsborough? The Hillsborough Family Support Group has long been opposed but, more recently, some families have been lending support and calling for a "full and objective debate". The government can no longer use an awful event in football's history as a reason not to engage.

The English Football League has also come out in strong support. At its annual general meeting in June 2013, more than two thirds of clubs voted in favour of exploring safe standing trials.

More recently, the EFL's chief executive, Shaun Harvey, called on the government to review the legislation and stated the EFL would work with them to "bring it to fruition".

The Premier League has been more hesitant. In 2016, it stated there was "no overall consensus on the matter" and called for more research to be undertaken. Nevertheless, it can only be a matter of time before their view aligns with that of the clubs they represent.

Those of us who go to watch professional football are likely to have seen en masse standing in an all seater stadium. That is uncontrolled and not safe at all.

The government's argument that all-seated stadia remain the best means to ensure safety is simply no longer credible. Clubs support it, the fans support it, and the regulations are there to facilitate it. Why should the government stand in the way?

Bill Shankly, the late Liverpool FC manager between 1959 and 1974, said: “Football is a simple game made complicated by people who should know better.”

We agree Bill. The government should know better, and give both clubs and fans the commercial and match-day choice of seating or safe standing. Theyre best placed to decide – so let them.

Alistair Watson is head of planning and environment at Taylor Wessing. David Clarke is a trainee solicitor at Taylor Wessing.

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