Premier League stadiums to have standing areas for first time since ban following Hillsborough

The Football Supporters' Association, which has campaigned in favour of safe standing for more than 30 years, described it as a "huge day" for match-going fans. Credit: PA

Football stadiums in England's two top leagues will have licenced standing areas for the first time in more than 25 years this season, after a sports minister said trials should begin in January.

It will be the first time standing areas will be allowed in Premier League and Championship stadiums since a ban was brought in following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which killed 97 people.

It is not clear which clubs will sign up to take part in an "early adopter" programme this season, however top clubs including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea have already installed rail seating areas that could be used for standing.

Liverpool said in June they were keen to trial temporary rail seating and then review it at the end of the campaign.

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Championship club Cardiff said following the announcement of safe standing trials that they were installing seats with independent barriers in one area of their ground with a view to offering supporters a standing option this season.

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said "now is the right time to make progress" on the 2019 manifesto commitment to “work with fans and clubs towards introducing safe standing”.

Evidence shows that "installing seating with barriers would have a positive impact on crowd safety", the minister said, reducing the safety risks related to persistent standing.

He added: "With independent research now complete, and capacity crowds back at grounds across the country, now is the right time to make progress.

"I look forward to hearing from clubs who wish to be part of our early adopters programme during the second half of this season."

Wolves began trialing a safe standing area at its stadium in 2019. Credit: PA

The Football Supporters' Association, which has campaigned in favour of safe standing for more than 30 years, described it as a "huge day" for match-going fans.

Pete Daykin, the co-ordinator of the FSA's Safe Standing campaign, described the news as "an outbreak of common sense", and added: "It brings to an end a farcical situation in which fans at every ground continue to stand in their thousands - often to the detriment of those who can't or don't want to stand behind them - but that clubs can't officially recognise or tackle in a constructive, proactive way.

"It also rights a historical wrong, breaking once and for all any suggestion of a link between ordinary football fans who prefer to stand and criminals, troublemakers and hooligans."

A ban on standing areas was brought in in 1994 in response to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster in which dozens of Liverpool fans were crushed against barriers in the stands.

Margaret Aspinall, whose son James died in the Hillsborough disaster and is the former chair of the disbanded Hillsborough Family Support Group, gave the news a cautious welcome.

"My opinion has completely changed from what it was a few years ago," she told the PA news agency.

"Safety is paramount, and I hope lessons have been learned. Fans will not be treated, and are not being treated now, like they were in the 1970s and 1980s, herded like cattle. "Things have changed and we have got to move on with the times.

Clubs outside the football pyramid's top two flights are already allowed standing areas.

Standing areas are already allowed at lower league stadiums, such as League Two Carlisle. Credit: PA

The Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) said clubs will need meet a number of criteria in order to receive approval to have licensed standing area.

The criteria includes:

  • Having the necessary infrastructure in place – such as seats with barriers/independent barriers – which must be in both home and away sections

  • Fans must be able to sit or stand in the licensed area – the seats cannot be locked in the ‘up’ or ‘down’ position. 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

Martyn Henderson, Chief Executive of the SGSA, said: “The focus of the SGSA is the safety and enjoyment of all fans at sports grounds.

"We know many fans want the choice to stand and, with the advent of new engineering solutions, our research has shown how this can be managed safely.

"Today’s announcement will enable us to properly test and evaluate licensed standing areas before the government decides its next steps.”