UK Edition
Liverpool fans set to back safe standing in Premier League and Championship stadiums
Liverpool supporters are expected to back the introduction of safe standing areas into Premier League and Championship stadiums on Monday, with the move described as a “game changer” in how the country has watched football in the near three decades since the Hillsborough disaster. Fans have been canvassed via an online poll.
David Rose, of the Football Supporters’ Federation, which has long campaigned for the provision of safe standing in English grounds, said: “There has been a momentum around the idea for a while now. But for obvious reasons, the feelings of Liverpool supporters were central to the debate. This could be a game changer.”
The Taylor Report into the disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans were killed on the Leppings Lane terrace at an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest in April 1989, led to clubs being legally obliged to develop all-seater stadiums.
In his report, Lord Justice Taylor noted that fans used to standing up at matches would soon accept the idea of sitting down.
But while there have been massive changes in the standard of facilities at grounds across the country, fans still habitually stand up, often leading to conflict with those who prefer to remain seated.
To resolve such issues, campaigners believe the best solution is to introduce rail seating systems like those used in the German Bundesliga.
These consists of flip-down seats that can be screwed into an upright position, enabling fans to stand in front of them. It is not a return to old-style terracing, but a flexible procedure that provides safe accommodation for those wishing to stand.
However, on Merseyside, where many of the Hillsborough victims’ families considered the introduction of all-seater stadiums as the most tangible legacy of their loss, for years there was widespread resistance.
After the inquest verdict of April 2016, however, many Liverpool fans felt it was right to engage in debate on the issue. And following a meeting with representatives of the families last weekend, the Spirit of Shankly supporters group opened its poll on the subject online this week.
The result will be delivered on Monday.