Premier League clubs agree to further talks on safe standing
Thursday 17 November 2016 16:29, UK
Premier League clubs have agreed to further talks on safe standing areas in stadiums after meeting in London on Thursday.
Scottish champions Celtic have introduced it to a section of their ground this season while a number of clubs in Germany have had designated standing areas for several years.
The Celtic Park trial has been looked on as a great success with a number of Premier League clubs having been impressed on visits to the stadium during matchdays.
Clubs discussed issue for first time collectively on Thursday and although the talks were described to Sky Sports News HQ as "cautious" and "complex", the idea has not been dismissed and they have agreed to a wider study.
A decision is then expected to be made on whether to make a formal recommendation to change the law following a report into the Hillsborough Disaster.
A Premier League spokesman said: "Clubs today held initial discussions on safe standing. Given that fan safety is of paramount concern clubs are understandably cautious and there was no overall consensus on the matter.
"This is a complex and emotive topic with a number of issues, varying from club to club, which need to be considered carefully before clubs can decide if they wish to pursue any changes, including legislative, that are required to allow them the option of safe standing areas in their grounds.
"The clubs have tasked the Premier League with scoping out the safety, supporter, technical and legislative issues surrounding safe standing before any further discussions, based on the facts, can take place."
However, Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore says there is little prospect of the government changing their stance on all-seater stadia in the near future.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, he said: "Clearly there is a legal position at the moment and we are required by law to have all-seater stadia and there is no prospect with the government of that changing at the moment.
"But of course we're not immune to the fact that this is a topic and it is in discussion with our clubs, all of whom are looking at the issue.
Live Premier League
"At some point it will come round our table and we will see if there is a point at which we might open up discussions with the government to see what their view is on it.
"But it's very much individual clubs discussing it and sensing for themselves where they are with it and we may or may not facilitate that discussion in the weeks and months to come."
All-seater regulations were introduced in England in 1989, following an inquiry into the Hillsborough disaster, and the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) remains opposed to a return to standing areas of any kind.
"We believe there is no such thing as safe standing," HFSG chairwoman Margaret Aspinall told Sky Sports News HQ.
"We are really, really disappointed that this is going on after all of these years, and the only thing I can say to it is that we have not had any disasters since Hillsborough, thank God.
"There have been no near-misses, or none we have heard of, and it is important that families can go to a game, young children as well and, relatively, they will come home 99.9 per cent certain in safety. To me, to the families and to our group, that is paramount over atmosphere."
