Six Clubs Apply To Take Part In Safe Standing Trial

Six Premier League and Championship clubs have applied to take part in a safe standing trial which is due to start on 1st January. The programme, which will allow those clubs with successful applications to offer a licensed safe standing area, was announced last month.

The pilot scheme, organised by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) will run until the end of the season.

Since 1994, all first- and second-tier grounds in England and Wales have been required to be all-seated by law. Following recommendations made in the Taylor Report into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which resulted in the death of 97 Liverpool fans, standing in English football's top two divisions was outlawed.

The SGSA, the body in charge of ground safety, has not name the six clubs, with the approval process now ongoing. The list of approved clubs is expected to be announced early next month.

A spokesperson for the SGSA said: "Applications to become early adopters of licensed standing in seated areas for the 2021-22 season are now closed.

"The SGSA is now reviewing the applications and will provide advice and recommendations to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for a final decision."

In recent seasons, campaigners have called for standing to be allowed in grounds again. Barrier seating has been developed to provide seats that can also be converted to standing areas. Over the summer, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City have all installed safe standing rail seating to their stadia. in the expectation of the legislation change, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur have previously installed safe seating too.

Photo credit: Celtic F.C.