Blues and Reds fans suffer blow in ‘standing’ plea
BID FOR ‘RAIL SEATING’ TRIAL IS REJECTED BY GOVERNMENT MINISTER
UNITED and City fans’ hopes of safe-standing being introduced at Old Trafford and the Etihad have been dealt a major blow.
Supporter groups from both clubs have been lobbying for standing sections for years, arguing it will improve the atmosphere and drive down the price of tickets.
The law currently states stadiums in England’s top two divisions have to be all-seaters.
The rules were introduced after the Hillsborough disaster, which saw 96 Liverpool fans killed in a crush on a terrace at the Sheffield ground in 1989.
Premier League club West Brom offered to carry out a trial, introducing a 3,600-capacity area of ‘rail seating,’ for both home and away fans, in one stand of their ground, The Hawthorns. But their plan has been rejected – despite support from the club’s local safety advisory group, consisting of members including the local authority, police and other emergency services.
The application was blocked by Sports Minister Tracy Crouch.
A spokesman for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: “We have no plans to change our position and introduce standing accommodation at grounds in the top two divisions covered by the allseater policy.
“Alongside the sports ground safety authority we will continue to monitor the issue of spectator accommodation and the use of safe standing where it is permitted.”
‘Rail seats’ can be locked in an upright position allowing spectators to stand with rail support. The seats are common at many grounds on the continent. They have been successfully piloted at Celtic Park in Scotland, where legislation differs.
Campaigners argue that fans continue to stand in seated areas, which is unsafe. The Manchester United Supporters Trust (M.U.S.T.) and City’s fan collective, the 1894 Group, have both publicly called for safe standing areas at their stadia. And it had been suggested that both clubs privately supported exploring the idea if a change of legislation was on the horizon.
Speaking in a personal capacity, Duncan Drasdo, chief executive of M.U.S.T., said: “Every survey conducted shows a huge majority of fans want choice over rail seating – and ultimately standing – and that is reflected with support from a majority of the clubs themselves too.”