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Post by rugbytoffee on Sept 22, 2021 14:22:16 GMT
Safe standing is set to be trialled in football grounds, with Premier League and Championship clubs asked to express an interest in a pilot scheme.
Clubs have been offered the chance to submit an application to the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) by October 6. If approved, stadiums will be licenced to host safe standing areas from January 1, 2022.
In 1994 the law was changed to ban standing inside football grounds, after the Hillsborough tragedy that saw 96 Liverpool fans lose their lives after the disaster in 1989. A 97th victim was recently confirmed, with Andrew Devine, 55, unlawfully killed by the effects of the crush.
Barrier seating has been developed to enhance the safety of standing within football grounds, combining seats with the opportunity to stand safely when installed.
The SGSA, the body in charge of ground safety, permitted the use of safe standing in 2018. The Conservative government included the regulation of safe standing in their 2019 general election manifesto. If successful, safe standing could be permitted within UK grounds in the next three seasons.
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Post by rugbytoffee on Nov 8, 2021 13:30:59 GMT
Chelsea's Premier League game against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on 2 January will mark the return of standing to the English top flight after nearly 30 years.
Premier League clubs Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea and Championship side Cardiff have all had their applications to be part of a safe standing trial approved.
Since 1994, grounds in the first and second tiers of the English football pyramid have been required by law to be all-seaters.
"I'm pleased to approve these five clubs as early adopters of licensed safe standing areas for the second half of the season," said sports minister Nigel Huddleston.
"The time is now right to properly trial safe standing in the Premier League and EFL Championship ahead of a decision on a widespread roll-out.
"Safety is absolutely paramount and the SGSA [Sports Grounds Safety Authority] is working hand-in-glove with the clubs on this.
"Fans deserve different options on how they can enjoy a live match and I will be watching the progress of these trials with interest."
Standing in English football's top two divisions was outlawed following recommendations made in the Taylor Report into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which cost 97 Liverpool fans their lives.
In recent seasons, campaigners have called for standing to be reintroduced. Barrier or rail seating has been developed to provide seats that can be converted to standing areas when desired.
In 2016, Scottish Premiership side Celtic became the first British side to open a rail seating section - Scotland was not bound by the law that banned standing areas in the top two divisions in England but its top flight had required all-seater stadiums from 1998 until it relaxed the rule in 2011.
In 2018, new guidance from the SGSA, the body in charge of ground safety, allowed the use of rail seats.
The Conservatives promised to work towards the introduction of safe standing areas in their 2019 general election manifesto and, if the initial trials prove successful, legislation could be introduced for all stadiums in England's top two divisions within the next few years.
The pilot will be monitored by the independent firm CFE Research, and its findings will be provided to the government for a decision on a possible wider roll-out of safe standing for next season.
Premier League clubs Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Wolves have all had rail seating installed at their grounds.
The criteria for clubs
Clubs had to meet the following criteria before their application for standing areas was approved:
Seats with barriers/independent barriers - which must be in both home and away sections - had to be in place before 1 January 2022.
The seats cannot be locked in the 'up' or 'down' position, allowing fans the option of being able to sit (for example, during breaks in play).
There must also be one seat/space per person.
The licensed standing areas must not impact the viewing standards or other fans, including disabled fans.
There must be a code of conduct in place for fans in the licensed standing area.
Briefing and training must be in place for staff and stewards to ensure only relevant ticketholders are admitted to the licensed standing areas.
CCTV must be in place and offer full coverage of the licensed standing areas.
The ground must consult with its safety advisory group about plans for the licensed standing areas.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said the club were "delighted" after having been approved as an early adopter of the standing areas.
"We are extremely proud of our 'safe seating' design, which ensures both comfort and safety, whether standing or seated, while maintaining the same aesthetics as in all other areas of the stadium," said Levy.
Manchester United said the development "can create choice and increase safety for fans in areas where persistent standing has historically occurred".
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Post by rugbytoffee on Jan 3, 2022 9:22:48 GMT
History-making' is an all too often overused term when it comes to the Premier League. But yesterday was indeed something of a red letter day in English football. For Liverpool's away game at Chelsea marked the first time fans could watch from standing areas for nearly 30 years, since the Taylor Report in the aftermath of the Hillsborough tragedy. For football-lovers now have the option to sit or stand in certain grounds, with a seat as well as a barrier running between rows. Each attendee in the section is given a designated space. But despite months of planning, years of lobbying and widespread demand from fans and football bosses alike, not all are happy at the return of safe standing. Up popped Cheshire Police Chief Constable Mark Roberts on BBC Breakfast yesterday to sound the alarm: “ Some of the concerns we've got are particularly if crowds are stood up it's easier to throw missiles, engage in hate chanting, racism, sneak alcohol in. Take cocaine, which is a growing issue and a problem. And also, with many of the modern stadiums, the bowls, you can actually migrate all the way around the stadium. So the concern is that they get over-loaded. You then get crushing issues. And actually it becomes an exclusionary crowd because families may not want to go in there, different groups might want to go in there. 'If people stand up they'll take cocaine!' is certainly an, er, original take for the new year. Famously, British dealers refuse to sell to people who sit down to watch football. Mr S isn't exactly au fait with the ins and outs of coke culture but is led to believe that users tend to take it in the toilets – regardless of the ground's seating arrangements. Certainly, the introduction of rail seating at Wolverhampton Wanderers' stadium in 2019 didn't result in a flood of terrace Escobars snorting the stuff off each other's shoulders. As for racism and alcohol, the checks on the doors are to remain the same – while it hardly seems likely that a flex of the knees is all that currently stops football lovers from degenerating into mindless bigots. Roberts' comments predictably led to a social media pile-on, with indignant fans earnestly protesting their innocence and pointing to how the game has changed since the 1980s. While some suggested that the police chief viewed Danny Dyer's Football Factory as a documentary, others pointed to his previous record at Greater Manchester Police. Back in 2012 Roberts was the face of GMP's decision to confiscate 1,600 copies of Manchester United fanzine Red Issue being sold outside Old Trafford. The reason? A spoof Ku Klux Klan mask with the legends 'LFC' and 'Suárez is innocent' on it – a reference to the Liverpool striker banned for racially abusing Man Utd defender Patrice Evra. The message, was, as the magazine's solicitor put it 'plainly anti-racist, and satirical and incapable of falling within the definition of "racial hatred" under section 17 of the Public Order Act 1986' – the grounds on which GMP apparently seized the magazines in the first place. Unsurprisingly, the farcical episode led to no charges being pressed by the Crown Prosecution Service, with an unrepentant Roberts claiming it 'was certainly capable of causing offence.' Nine years on and the bobby has been booted upwards to now being Chief Constable for the whole of Cheshire. Let's hope that Roberts gets some better lines the next time he's wheeled out on national TV. www.spectator.co.uk/a |
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Post by rugbytoffee on May 24, 2022 13:07:40 GMT
Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston says he is "minded" to allow stadiums to have licensed standing areas next season.
Five Premier League and Championship clubs took part in a government-commissioned pilot study during the second half of this campaign.
Rails in some seated areas allowed fans to stand while their safety was independently assessed.
There is currently an all-seater policy at grounds in the top two divisions.
In April, an interim report by CFE Research - commissioned by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) - said safe standing at grounds has had "a positive impact on spectator safety" and improved the matchday experience.
Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Cardiff City were part of the 'early adopters' programme set up by the SGSA.
On 2 January, Stamford Bridge became the first top-flight ground to allow licensed standing in almost 30 years when Chelsea and Liverpool met in a 2-2 Premier League draw.
Huddleston said: "Alongside the SGSA, we have carefully considered the findings of the interim report, and with this robust evidence in hand, I am 'minded to' change the existing all-seater policy to allow all clubs currently subject to this requirement to introduce licensed standing areas for the start of the 2022-23 season, provided they have met certain strict criteria."
Huddleston said a final decision is subject to the CFE Research Final Evaluation Report confirming the findings of the interim report.
"The government's approach has been driven by safety considerations throughout and this will continue to be our priority," he said.
"We are not complacent about spectator safety, nor are we complacent about the safety policies that have served spectators well for many years."
Crowd management and safety is under the spotlight after recent pitch invasions by fans.
Designated standing areas had not been seen at Premier League grounds since the adoption of all-seater stadiums in the early 1990s - a recommendation of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 when 97 fans died following a crush.
Spectators at many grounds have continued to stand in seated areas, most commonly behind the goals, despite regular warnings from local authorities and police that it is dangerous.
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Post by rugbytoffee on Jul 4, 2022 14:13:25 GMT
Premier League and Championship clubs will be allowed to introduce safe standing areas from the start of the 2022-23 season. Five clubs - Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Cardiff City - took part in a government-commissioned 'early adopters' pilot study during the second half of 2021-22. Brentford, QPR and Wolves will be the next clubs to join them in offering licensed standing in designated seated areas for home and away fans. Other clubs are expected to follow suit during the new season. Wembley Stadium will also offer a small licensed standing area for fans at domestic matches later in the season. The stadiums were selected following an application process and strict conditions have been met, including enhanced use of CCTV, improved steward training and fans being strictly limited to 'one person, one space'. The necessary legislative amendments to the Football Spectators Act were tabled in Parliament on Monday. "Thanks to a robust trial, thorough evidence and modern engineering, we are now ready to allow standing once again in our grounds," said Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries. "We are not reintroducing terraces and only clubs which meet strict safety criteria will be permitted." Rails in seated areas allowed fans to stand while their safety was independently assessed and in April an interim report by CFE Research, commissioned by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA), said that safe standing had "a positive impact on spectator safety" and improved the matchday experience. hen in May, Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said he was "minded" to allow stadiums to have licensed standing areas next season. On 2 January, Stamford Bridge became the first top-flight ground to allow licensed standing in almost 30 years when Chelsea and Liverpool met in a 2-2 Premier League draw. Designated standing areas had not been seen at Premier League grounds since the adoption of all-seater stadiums in the early 1990s - a recommendation of the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 when 97 fans died following a crush. Spectators at many grounds have continued to stand in seated areas, most commonly behind the goals, despite regular warnings from local authorities and police that it is dangerous. "Based upon what I have experienced and we have learnt through the pilot programme, safe standing is set to deliver an electric atmosphere at our football stadiums," said Huddleston on Monday. "Fans have long campaigned for its introduction and we have worked carefully with supporters' groups, including the families affected by the tragic Hillsborough disaster." Standing areas are commonplace in Germany's Bundesliga and there are similar examples across the rest of Europe, the United States and Australia. www.bbc.co.uk/ |
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