Safe-standing under spotlight as the government looks for answers

• Research to be done into current practice of standing regardless
• Hillsborough support group remains opposed to reversal of ban

The government’s review of the legal ban on standing at Premier League and Championship football matches will consider new research into all aspects of the prohibition, including the safety of modern standing areas and whether their introduction really will lead to clubs lowering their ticket prices. Research will also be conducted into the widespread practice of many supporters standing for long periods in areas with ordinary seats and how safe this is.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has issued a tender document inviting companies to bid for the project of thoroughly researching all the implications of reversing the standing ban, following the announcement in June by the sports minister, Tracey Crouch, of a review. The DCMS tender document records that the ban was imposed following the recommendation of Lord Justice Taylor in his second, final report into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 people were killed at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

Continue reading...