Baggies disappointed at standing rejection

THE British government’s decision to reject Premier League strugglers West Browmwich Albion’s proposal to have a safe standing area is “surprising” and “disappointing” said a club director.

West Brom staff had visited both Scottish champions Celtic and German outfit Hoffenheim who both have safe standing areas – “rail seats”, which can be locked in an upright position with safety barriers separating each row.

West Brom’s plan had been to install 3,600 rail seats in one end of the Hawthorns ground.

However, Br it i s h Spor t s Minister Tracey Crouch says there are no plans to change t he a l l-seater polic y at footb a l l s t a d i u ms t h a t w a s brought in as a result of t he 1989 Hi l lsboroug h disaster, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans.

West Brom’s director of operations Mark Miles, who has led the proposal, described the decision as “surprising” and “disappointing”.

“I think the minister has taken a shortsighted view and is preventing the club from creating a safer environment for supporters,” he said.

“The all-seater policy was developed over 25 years ago and football is a very different place now.”

Miles said the safe standing deployed by Celtic and Hoffenheim had worked well.

“The system we proposed is well tested across Europe and has a lso worked successfully at Celt ic, who a re gover ned by dif ferent leg islat ion t han i n Eng la nd a nd Wales,” he said.

“We were prepared to run a pilot which would enable the club to gather data and feedback to further inform us in the issue of crowd safety.

“But I have become convinced that rail seating would enha nce sa fet y. The club is extremely disappointed with t h is decision a nd we have w r it ten back request i ng a rev iew.”

The thorny issue of standing areas appeared to get a boost last year when Liverpool fans overwhelmingly supported it.

In a week-long poll run by the club’s biggest independent supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly, 88 percent of the nearly 18,000 fans who took part voted in favour of rail seating.