Safe Standing - Premier League Review
Arsenal
Arsenal are currently keeping their options open around safe standing, they do not have any plans currently to install it but open source information states a consultation process with fans is ongoing. Initial surveys stated there was less fan based uptake on wanting safe standing at the Emirates (2022). Further surveys by theFootball Supporters Association has come out with an opposing stance stating that fans are interested in installing safe
standing though this is older data from 2017.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa have been less open to developing a safe-standing section in parts of the ground and hadn't really released news associated with this. Though it would appear in line with their upcoming European campaign, they have installed Safe Standing in the upper section of the Doug Ellis stand and Lower Holte End very recently (this season), with further plans to also install in areas of the Upper Holte end going forwards.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth introduced safe standing in their ground this year on the 24-02-24 prior to their game against Manchester City. This was installed in the home and away ends.
Article (04-jan-24)
This was again installed by Stadia (GL Events) www.gleventsstadia.co.uk
AFC Bournemouth to introduce safe standing at Vitality Stadium
The move has been in the pipeline for a while,but it will come as a surprise to many to learn the change will happen as early as next month.
From the home game against Manchester City on Saturday, February 24, supporters in the away end and some in the north stand will now have access to standing areas.
A statement from the club read: "Following consultation with the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA), AFC Bournemouth will be introducing safe standing at Vitality Stadium later this season.
"Safe standing locations will be found in away end seating and in all north stand blocks (10-15) in rows J-R.
"The club has been in dialogue with the SGSA to introduce safe standing in order to maintain the full seating capacity at Vitality Stadium, whilst adhering to all safety rules.
"AFC Bournemouth are working closely with the SGSA and wider Safety Advisory Group (SAG) stake holders to ensure a safe and successful launch in February.
"Safe standing areas permit supporters to stand for the duration of a match. Standing is not required in these areas, however, supporters risk restricted pitch views if they are sat when surrounded by standing supporters.
"These areas are introduced to help keep supporters safe while standing."
The club go on to say fans who own season tickets in those areas and wish to move can complete an online form, by 12pm on January 10. A relocation opportunity will then be offered in the north or south stands.
Brentford
Brentford installed safe standing in their stadium some time ago now with works around their home and away end installed as early as 27 May 2022.
Article 22-Feb-22
Club News
22 Feb '22
BRENTFORD PROCEED WITH PLANS FOR SAFE STANDING
Barriers to be installed for next season as licensing application process begins.
Brentford FC has confirmed plans to install barrier seating at Brentford Community Stadium for the start of next season with a view to converting the entire West Stand and a section in the away end to licensed safe standing areas.
Barriers will be installed across the West Stand and Block S100 in the South Stand. Block S100 has been included to avoid those seated in this area having their sight lines impacted by those in the West Stand. A section of around 1,700 barrier seats will also be created in the away end to satisfy the expected licensing criteria.
The decision to proceed follows the most recent fan survey which was conducted in December last year. 89 percent of fans who responded indicated their support for the installation of safe standing in the West Stand. Taking this on board, the project was given the green light to proceed.
Last year, the Government announced that they are taking the first steps to create safe standing areas at Premier League and Championship clubs, with a number of trials of barrier seating taking place from January 2022. Brentford will now liaise with the local authorities and Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) to submit an application to secure a safe standing licence for the 2022/23 season, subject to the outcome of those national trials.
Alan Walsh, Brentford FC’s Operations Director, said, “It has always been our preferred option, since the move to the new stadium, to convert the West Stand to safe standing if the legislation changed. The feedback we received from our fans in our recent survey endorsed that position, so we are pleased to confirm that we have made the decision to proceed. We thank everyone who contributed to that consultation process.
We are already preparing for the barrier installation programme which will take place in the summer and our safe standing licence application will be submitted following discussions with the local authorities. That application will be subject to the ongoing national trials being successful. But in any case, the barriers will enhance spectator safety in the West Stand given the persistent standing in that part of the ground.”
This news has been confirmed ahead of Season Tickets for 2022/23 going on sale later this week. Any Season Ticket Holders currently situated in the West Stand or in Block S100 in the South Stand who do not want to stand will be given the opportunity to relocate to another part of the stadium over the coming weeks. “We will endeavour to move fans in the groups that they are currently sitting although we can’t guarantee that very large groups will be able to sit together.”
Any fans who want to stand but are currently located elsewhere are strongly encouraged to move to the West Stand, subject to availability, as standing in any other part of the stadium will be strictly prohibited in line with our safety certificate.
It is important to reiterate that the stadium remains all-seater until the Club secures a revised licence for safe standing. Fans are also required to remain in their allocated Season Ticket location and stairways and exits must be kept clear at all times to ensure that all areas remain safe.
Walsh concluded by stressing his ambition to make the atmosphere at Brentford Community Stadium even better. “Like everything we do at the stadium, the key to this being a success will be the co-operation between the fans, the authorities and the safety team here at Brentford. The migration options during the Season Ticket renewal process will help to ensure that fans find the best spot available depending on their preferences and that we can continue to create an atmosphere to be proud of.
Brighton
Brighton do not look to have installed any form of Safe Standing, though the club appear to have canvassed their fans with a survey around April 2023.
https://www.wearebrighton.com/newsopinion/59-percent-ot-brighton-tans-would-like-safe-standing-at-the-amex/ - we are Brighton’s article following survey (14-Apr-23)
The first article notes improvement of the ground in the 2024-2025 period at the earliest.
https://www.dogmabrighton.com/articles/safe-standing - fan lead debate/article around views on safe standing (26-Jun-23)
Safe standing: a view from the North
Articles
26 Jun
Written by NSK
Is safe standing the answer to any atmosphere-related woes?
To first consider this question, let’s start by taking a look back. Standing in view of football was outlawed at stadia within the top two tiers of English and Welsh football through the Football Spectators Act 1998, introduced following ‘Lord’ Justice Taylor’s inquiry into the deaths of 97 Liverpool supporters in the Hillsborough disaster (JF97).
The years that followed saw football fandom gentrified with one of the key drivers being clubs’ ability to charge more for a seat than the equivalent place on a terrace.
Between 1989 and 1999, top-flight football tickets increased by 312%, in a period when the retail price index increased by 54.8%*. By 2014, there were reports that some like-for-like ticket prices had risen by 1,150%.
Fast forward to October 2016 and safe standing was high on the football media agenda. But despite some positive sounding pronouncements, football clubs remained on the fence (it was stated at one point that safe standing could become a ghetto that alienates people).
The Albion disclosed that they didn’t want to upset the local Safety Advisory Group (who grants safety licences for sporting stadia). They were concerned that a strong show of Albion support for the issue might affect their relationships with the various authorities and government departments. They saw Brighton’s active fans getting organised and highlighting the wider issues as an unhelpful protest, and whilst communication remained open, it felt more like a one-way correspondence.
In the spirit of cooperation, a North Stand tifo (note, not protesting) on safe standing was pulled at the last minute.
A safe standing forum was organised by the club for later in the same month, although the turnout was lower than expected. Even the temptations and delights of a South Stand lounge bar didn’t boost attendance. Most people there were in favour, although you might expect that, considering the people attending had given up their time on a Thursday night to discuss the issue.
It was all sounding too good to be true and so it proved.
We were quickly brought back to reality as we learnt that the ‘safe’ standing model the club were examining was one-space-per-ticket. Very much like how the current informal standing-by-your-designated-seat system works. It’s standing, yes, and there’s a bar in front of you, but it’s nothing like the terraces you find in European stadiums.
Many people quote Germany as being the ideal template, and in fact, our very own CEO Paul Barber OBE (PB) travelled there to see how it’s done. But it’s very different in Germany. There’s proper terracing, not what safe standing looks like here in the UK. The terrace has its own rules around who goes where. Spectators can drink in full view of the pitch (including during the game, if they want) and are generally treated like adult citizens of their state. People generally get to the ground very early to secure their spot and prepare their tifos, and enjoy themselves as much as you might at a gig or festival.
But the atmosphere can be better in stadiums in Germany primarily due to the fact that the fans are organised. They’re listening to each other, working together, with many of them dedicating as much time to organising and leading the atmosphere as they are to watching the game, many taking their lead from an organised ultras group.
The club have also suggested in the past that introducing safe standing just at the back few rows of the North Stand might be an option, which would have minimal to no impact on the atmosphere.
In 2018, a nationwide petition on safe standing received 112,000 supporting signatures, triggering a discussion in Parliament. Police chiefs at the time warned that a return to standing could lead to missiles being thrown, hate chanting, and that families (for families read ‘women’, and feel free to check the police’s record of looking after women) wouldn’t want to go into those areas of the ground. Ridiculous and out of touch would be many people’s first thoughts.
Club surveys on safe standing have offered fans the option of suggesting the best areas. They have also introduced the question of where the money for converting existing seats into safe standing might come from, which was a sign of where some of the club’s concerns lay. Crowdfunding was suggested… a bit like the concept of asking working people to pay for austerity.
For additional context, standing on terraces was not banned in stadiums hosting other top-level sporting fixtures—rugby league being one example—attracting significant crowds, who have continued to stand on terraces to this day.
Is safe standing ever likely at the Albion?
PB has stated that if we were to implement safe standing, it would reduce the capacity, and therefore would increase costs without increasing revenue “without any obvious return” (Barber’s own words, our quotation marks).
Club owners and boards see this issue in terms of costs vs benefits. And Brighton appear to see this as a potentially risky investment, supposedly benefiting only a small number of fans and coming at the cost and detriment to other more “inclusive” initiatives.
PB confirmed that the club’s authorities “tolerate” (Barber’s own word, and his quotation marks) standing in the back rows of the North Stand. He went on to state that a ‘pizza slice’ solution—safe standing in the NW corner—was not a possibility as it would impede sightlines for fans sitting either side of this area. Clearly, anyone with a functioning protractor could (as the kids say) “literally” dismiss this as untrue.
The underlying message from the club appears to remain that atmosphere and noise can be created with little or no change to the configuration of the stadium, and they cite the atmosphere at games such as the Man City and Man U home victories, and the Euro 2022 fixtures, as evidence
Another theme in the discussions on safe standing is inclusion. Let’s just agree, our stadium is for all, and both club and fans should do everything we can to make sure that anyone who wants in, gets in.
But within the ‘one club’ happy family, it can’t be denied that we are all different, with fans enjoying the game in markedly different ways. This difference should also be catered for, so if you prefer to stand, you should be able to, as long as it doesn’t impede others’ enjoyment.
According to some commentators, “families” (for families read women and children) can’t possibly be expected to stand. The insinuation being that women and children don’t enjoy being in rowdy and passionate sporting crowds. Which is just such obvious bollocks that it doesn’t merit any further comment.
An argument for:
While it’s great that the atmosphere is being discussed and options being considered, we can’t just look at German football culture and hand-pick the bits we like, hoping they’ll be a panacea. On their own, those elements won’t have the desired impact.
Singers being spread across the back of the North Stand in three main groups (under the screen, behind the goal, and in the NW corner) demonstrates clearly the problems of having active singing fans spread thinly across one large stand. Take a look at any fan group in the football world and 99% have a block (occupying back to front of that block) from where noise and singing starts. Whilst Brightonians (and Hovians, Sussexons) actively love to do our own thing—we won’t be druv—when it comes to crowd dynamics and the laws of sound waves spreading, we’re pretty sure we need to look to the 99%.
Our view is that the biggest impact of implementing safe standing would be the movement of like-minded people into one single area. At the moment, the club’s initial tolerance of standing on the back rows has spread our singing element out across a long thin line. Queue several different songs happening at once, or the same song happening at different speeds.
The recent revelation that there’s “no interest in safe standing” (mentioned by an FAB member on a We Are Brighton blog post) feels like PB is hiding behind his CP Company goggles. On top of this, the suggestion that safe standing will impact the player budget feels at odds with the club’s decision to spend money on a wine & cheese pitch-side wank tunnel. Investments for the corporates: just vote yes. Investments to benefit fan culture and people in the North Stand: just say no. Just remember, dear fans, how much this is going to cost you because you can’t afford it… a tactic straight out of the Tories’ election playbook.
Safe standing might not be for all, but if you look beyond your own goggles and disregard the government-esque electioneering tactics and police posturing, you’ll see a number of positive benefits if we’re ever given a whole block of safe standing. Front to back.
Yes, it’s not a cure-all, but introduced with proper support from the club, and with full consultation, despite its limitations, the introduction of safe standing will bring three main benefits.
It’ll help to reintegrate our disparate groups of singers currently spread across the back of the North Stand. It will reduce unnecessary conflict (wishful thinking) with the stewards, so their time and energy can be better spent elsewhere assisting those in actual need.
And it would create a space for people who want to stand (your fellow Albion fans and friends, let’s remember) and to build atmosphere and coordinate from.
@nskbha
This article was originally published in Dogma Issue 9, April 2023, and has been amended slightly for publication here.
Chelsea
Chelsea were one of the first top-flight teams to install safe standing as part of a trial basis.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59848850 Article 02-01-22
The installation of this has remained in the ground in areas of the home and away ends since the 2022 season.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59848850 Article 02-01-22
Chelsea v Liverpool: Safe standing used for the first time in Premier League
Stamford Bridge has become the first English Premier League stadium to use safe standing, 27 years after standing was banned in the top flight. Home and away fans used the new safe-standing areas in Sunday’s game between Chelsea and Liverpool.
Chelsea are one of five clubs who were approved to trial safe-standing areas during the second half of this season. Laws came into force in 1994 stipulating stadiums in England’s top two tiers must be all-seater. Fulham were given brief dispensation to have standing on Craven Cottage’s old terraces when they were promoted to the Premier League in 2001.
More than 12,000 safe-standing spaces have been created at Stamford Bridge. The sections, which will be in place for home and away fans at the trial venues, give fans the option to sit or stand, with a seat as well as a barrier running between rows. Fans were using spaces in the Shed End and the lower tier of the Matthew Harding Stand.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Championship side Cardiff are the other clubs taking part in the trial. Standing in English football’s top two divisions was outlawed following recommendations made in the Taylor Report into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which led to the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans.
The clubs involved must adhere to strict conditions, including enhanced use of CCTV, improved steward training, and fans strictly limited to their designated space. Before the game, Margaret Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son and Liverpool fan James was killed in the crush at Hillsborough, said her “opinion has completely changed” on safe standing.
“Those who want to stand should be allowed to stand,” she said. “Fans are treated completely differently now to what they were in the 1970s and 1980s. They are really monitored. They are more careful. They’ve learned lessons because of Hillsborough.”
Crystal Palace
Palace do not currently have a safe standing block, though the Holmesdale Fanatics are known for their support in the main stand and will likely campaign for this to be installed.
https://palacetrust.org.uk/2022/12/13/cpst-meetings-with-cpfc-march-2023/ (Palace Supporters Trust Mar23)
Rail seating had been installed in row 35 at the back of the Lower Holmesdale for a trial period to the end of the season. The question was raised as to how this was to be assessed as one row left the back row as before. It was recognized that ideally, more than one row would have been preferable.
Everton
With Everton soon to move into their new stadium, there is more scope for them to encourage “safe standing” in their stadium plans and development. Their FAQs have indicated that there will be a safe standing section that will incorporate rail seats in the lower section of the South Stand. I believe the attached photos show the proposed installation.
https://youtu.be/qPMbPDENXPA?si=7hEGsvPO2i9augQV - Shows stadium installation update around the safe standing block - 18 May 2024
Fulham
Fulham do not currently have safe standing in their ground. There has been some debate concerning this from their fans, but there is not much information concerning this online at this time.
Ipswich
Ipswich have installed safe standing in areas of their ground already, including the home and away end. There is a lack of images around where other areas of safe standing are in the stadium. They have also proposed more safe standing developments for the upper part of their ground, as there were a range of safety concerns following the incident in January when a fan fell from the upper tier. As their stadium is older, there will be some investment and redevelopment now that they have attained Premier League status.
Liverpool
Liverpool had an initial trial of safe standing in the 2021/2022 season with an initial installation of 7,800 “rail seats” in the Kop end, and 2,500 in the away end. Further developments include the installation of safe standing across the entire Kop, and Liverpool were granted a safe standing license for the 2024 season (16-08-23).
Article (08-04-24)
https://youtu.be/eBk8UJNthKs?si=7mewR9n6dasNqaJ_ (07-08-21)
Article (08-04-24) https://www.thisisanfield.com/2024/04/liverpool-announce-safe-standing-expansion-for-entire-kop/
Liverpool announce safe standing expansion for the entire Kop
The club first introduced rail seating ahead of the 2021/22 season and currently, there are more than 12,000 rail seats across the Kop and the lower Anfield Road End. After three phases of installation, the final phase for the Kop will now see all remaining seats replaced to allow for safe standing in a part of the ground that is always on its feet.
Work will begin after the conclusion of the season, and the club states it is expected to continue into the first home games of the new campaign. Access to seats will not be affected during the installation, and supporters whose seats will be changed to rail seating will be contacted directly by the club. Liverpool were granted a safe standing license at the start of this season, and it means supporters are permitted to stand throughout matches, and not just for significant moments, such as goal celebrations.
The club’s initial trial saw 7,800 rail seats installed on the Kop and the lower tier of the Anfield Road Stand, with a second phase adding a further 2,500 rail seats to the Kop. The latest installation phase took place last summer and saw another 3,000 rail seats added to the famous stand.
Safe standing areas are licensed by the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA), and fans must be able to sit or stand—the seats cannot be locked in the ‘up’ or ‘down’ position. There must also be one seat/space per person, and licensed standing areas must not impact the viewing standards of other fans, including disabled supporters.
Manchester City
Man City were also quick to be open to installing safe standing into their ground. https://www.mancity.com/news/club/etihad-stadium-rail-seating Article 23-03-21
Work began in the summer of the 2021 season adapting areas of the home and away end; these were kept following the trial. https://www.mancity.com/news/club/etihad-stadium-rail-seating Article 23-03-21
City to install rail seating at the Etihad Stadium
Manchester City is announcing that work will begin this summer to install 5,620 rail seats in the lower tier of the Etihad Stadium’s South Stand—including the South East and South West corners—to enhance supporter safety, replacing the current seats.
The installation of the rail seating area, which will be one of the largest of its kind in the Premier League, follows the conclusion of extensive research and consultation undertaken by the Club.
As part of this, the Club has worked closely with stakeholders including the Local Authority and the Sports Ground Safety Authority to bring forward a proposal which will enhance safety in an area where persistent standing occurs.
The Club has also continued to listen to the views of a wide range of supporters and has engaged with official groups, including City Matters—the Club’s elected supporter network.
Manchester City is pleased that this installation will also ensure the Etihad Stadium is ready and prepared for any future change in legislation brought forward by the government to introduce safe standing in Premier League stadia. The support for which was furthered by the overwhelmingly positive response the Club received from Season card holders who were asked for their views on the matter in 2018, as part of a wider survey regarding the future development of the Etihad Stadium.
Whilst there is no indication as to when a change in legislation may occur, the Club has taken the decision to install these seats over the summer to minimize disruption to the matchday operation when supporters return to the Etihad Stadium for the 2021/22 season.
Commenting on the installation of rail seating at the Etihad Stadium, Danny Wilson, Managing Director - Manchester City Operations, said:
“The development and installation of a bespoke rail seating system at the Etihad Stadium will not only improve supporter safety but also ensure that until there is a change in legislation which permits safe standing, the matchday experience of supporters and Season card holders in the lower tier of the South Stand will remain unaffected.
“Whilst we will continue to remind supporters that they should remain seated during matches, we are also pleased to inform them that the installation of a rail seating area means the Etihad Stadium will be ready and prepared should the government bring forward legislation to introduce safe standing in the Premier League.”
Manchester United
Manchester United installed safe standing following selection for an initial trial in January 2022, which installed 1,500 rail seats in the home end and 2,500 in the away end. This has continued following the success of the trial and even expanded to other areas of the home end to 6,000 total “seats.
Article 10-07-23 https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-increase-safe-standing-options-for-fans-at-old-trafford-summer-2023
United increases safe-standing options
Manchester United’s successful adoption of ‘safe-standing’ areas in Old Trafford will be extended by a further 2,100 seats for the upcoming 2023/24 season. The additional rail seats will be in the south-west quadrant of the stadium, adjoining the Stretford End and home of the club’s vocal Red Army fan group. Installation is due to be completed ahead of our first home Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday 14 August.
United has been expanding safe standing around Old Trafford since January 2022, when the stadium was one of five around England chosen for an initial trial, which began with 1,500 rail seats within the north-east quadrant and 2,500 in the away section.
The latest installation will bring the total number of rail seats in the Theatre of Dreams to more than 6,000. Following the successful trial, the club was granted a licence by the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) to continue offering safe standing and expand it to other parts of the stadium. Six other Premier League clubs are also applying for licences to expand their rail-seating sections.
Rick McGagh, Manchester United head of fan engagement, said: “We believe safe-standing areas give fans choice about how they watch the game, and increase safety in areas where persistent standing has historically occurred. It is something our fans have long campaigned for and we are delighted with the overwhelmingly positive feedback from supporters who have stood in the areas we have operated for the past 18 months.
“We are committed to improving the matchday experience for all our fans,” McGagh added. “And we will continue to review the potential to install it in other areas of the stadium where appropriate.”
The introduction of licensed standing areas follows research which found that rail seats help reduce the safety risks for fans, compared with standing in normal seated areas.
Newcastle United
Newcastle had proposed a licensed trial in March of last year; the trial is set to begin at the start of the 23/24 season. It is unclear from open sources which specific areas of the home end of the ground safe standing was installed or trialed, though it does appear it was in the upper sections. Safe standing was completely implemented in the away end of the ground in the upper tier. This was installed by Stadia (GL Events) gleventsstadia.co.uk
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest are introducing safe standing at The City Ground. Article 16-APR-24:
Nottingham Forest is pleased to announce plans to introduce sections of safe standing within The City Ground, with work set to commence in the summer months in time for the start of the 2024/25 season.
Safe standing represents a significant step forward in enhancing the matchday experience for fans while ensuring safety remains paramount. The introduction of safe standing areas will provide supporters with the choice to stand during matches, fostering the famous atmosphere and passion of The City Ground support.
The plans will accommodate approximately 2,300 safe standing spaces for home supporters in the Upper Bridgford Stand, Blocks U1 and U2, and Lower Bridgford Stand Block Z. Safe standing for away supporters will be located in the Lower Bridgford Stand Block W.
Safe standing offers numerous benefits for both fans and the Club, including:
• Enhanced Atmosphere: Safe standing promotes a loud and passionate atmosphere within the stadium, allowing fans to stand together and support their team without compromising their safety or the safety of others.
• Improved Visibility: The design and location of the safe standing areas will ensure that all supporters have an unobstructed view of the pitch, enhancing the overall match day experience for all.
• Flexibility: Safe standing areas provide greater flexibility for fans, allowing them to choose between seated or standing positions during matches based on personal preference.
• Safety and Security: Safe standing incorporates rigorously tested safety features, including rail seating and crowd management protocols, enhancing the well-being and safety of all those attending our matches.
The decision to introduce safe standing reflects Nottingham Forest’s ongoing commitment to fan engagement. The topic was raised at the latest meeting of the recently-formed Fan Advisory Board, with the club and fan groups, including Forza Garibaldi, presenting their views on the subject and discussing the merits of its introduction.
Nottingham Forest Chairman Tom Cartledge said: “By embracing safe standing, the club aims not only to tackle the issue of persistent standing, which has presented the Club with serious safety concerns in recent years, but also to enhance the stadium environment to celebrate the passionate support and dedication of our fans.
“This initiative underscores our dedication to providing the best possible match day experience for our fans while prioritizing their safety and comfort. Safe standing represents an exciting development for Nottingham Forest, and we look forward to its introduction next season.”
The installation of safe standing at The City Ground is scheduled to commence during the summer, with the work completed ahead of the start of next season.
Southampton
Proposed development of a safe standing block in their Northam Stand (Last update 17th Jan)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-68006281
Southampton Football Club has announced plans to introduce a safe standing area at St Mary’s Stadium. The club aims to improve the matchday experience and create a “red and white wall” of home supporters in the Northam Stand. The proposal would involve relocating away fans to a different part of the ground.
The planned changes by the Championship side follow fan feedback and advice from acoustic experts. The club is also considering the best location for the family section, which is currently in the corner of the Chapel and Kingsland Stands, as part of the changes.
The changes would be the most dramatic to the 32,500-capacity stadium since it opened in August 2001, when the club moved from The Dell. Standing in the top two leagues of English football was banned in August 1994 following the Taylor Report, which was ordered after the Hillsborough disaster of April 1989.
In January 2022, five clubs in the Premier League and Championship participated in a trial of standing areas following a change in the law. From July that year, all clubs in England could apply for a license to allow standing at matches.
Southampton FC said it has been discussing the future of St Mary’s Stadium with its Fan Advisory Board and is also inviting season ticket holders to take part in focus groups regarding the proposals. Saints are currently third in the Championship and vying for an immediate return to the Premier League, following relegation from the top flight.
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs were among the first clubs to introduce safe standing, starting in January 2022. Safe standing areas have been installed in various parts of their stadium, including both the home and away ends.
Article (31-12-21): https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/2021/december/safe-standing-to-begin-at-tottenham-hotspur-stadium/
https://youtu.be/w3EXrgnLOZE?si=jP42g189rz3A0ecw (04-jul-22)
https://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/news/latest-news/spurs-set-to-make-rail-seat-history
Article (31-12-21): Safe standing to begin at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Following the Government’s announcement in November, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has received approval for licensed safe standing in seated areas from January 1, 2022. The club and its fans have long campaigned for the reintroduction of standing, and the first home game of the New Year against Morecambe on January 9 will be one of the first matches where standing will be allowed in nearly 30 years.
Spurs join Cardiff City, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United as the first clubs in the top two tiers of football in England and Wales to offer safe standing. The stadium, which was designed with future-proofed areas for safe standing, will include these areas in its South Stand and Away supporter section. The safe seating design provides the same comfort and legroom as other stadium areas, with a bar set at 900mm for clear sightlines.
The designated safe standing areas in the South Stand include:
• Rows 1-29, Blocks 248-260
• Rows 71-82, Blocks 323, 324, 451-453
Chairman Daniel Levy stated, “The Club has led on lobbying the Government for safe standing at stadia and is delighted that this will now be possible. It delivers choice for fans attending the game—whether home or away supporters—and the vast majority of our fans are in favour of this scheme. We are extremely proud of our ‘safe seating’ design, which ensures both comfort and safety, whether standing or seated, while maintaining the same aesthetics as in all other areas of the stadium.”
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was selected following an application process, open to all grounds covered by the all-seater policy, led by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA). Research will be carried out over the remainder of the 2021/22 season by CFE Research to evaluate the implementation of the licensed standing areas. This research will inform the Government’s decisions about a potential wider roll-out of licensed standing from the start of the next season. The introduction of licensed standing areas follows research conducted during the 2019/20 season, which found that seats with barriers helped reduce safety risks related to standing in seated areas.
https://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/news/latest-news/spurs-set-to-make-rail-seat-history
Spurs Make Rail Seat History
Tottenham Hotspur became the first Premier League club to operate areas of rail seating in their stadium. The official opening of these areas was marked by their home match against Crystal Palace on April 3, 2019. This was the first use of rail seating in an English top-flight ground.
The introduction of rail seating followed a change in the official safety authority’s view on such seating. Since the launch of the new Green Guide in November, which is the safety ‘bible’ for stadia, the use of seats with barriers has been permitted in all-seater stadiums.
The Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) stated: “Our focus is on the safety and enjoyment of fans. Spurs have recognized the risk of persistent standing in seated areas and taken pre-emptive steps to address this with the introduction of seats incorporating safety bars. The seating and safety bar at the ground meet the requirements of the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide).”
The new stadium features two areas of seating with barriers: approximately 6,000 seats at the foot of the 17,000-capacity South Stand and around 1,500 seats in the away section. Although these areas are designed for safe standing, they will be operated as seated accommodation pending any changes in all-seater policy or ground regulations. The management of standing in these areas will align with existing practices in other all-seater grounds.
West Ham
Surprisingly, West Ham does not have any safe standing areas in their stadium, boasting one of the most modern, up-to-date facilities in the London Stadium. There has been campaigning from West Ham supporters to install safe standing and would like to have safe standing installed as soon as possible. It appears surveys and canvassing have been completed on the topic since the release of the fan article below.
Article 06-Sep-22
https://blowing-bubbles.co.uk/2022/09/06/west-ham-fans-deserve-safe-standing/#:~:text=The%20club% 20have%20committed%20to,to%20start%20this%20process%20off.
West Ham fans deserve safe standing
Nine out of ten West Ham fans support safe standing at the London Stadium, with the Bobby Moore lower and the Sir Trevor Brooking stands being the preferred locations. That is the categorical result of a fan survey conducted by the West Ham United Supporters’ Trust (WHUST).
More than 80% of fans strongly support safe standing, and a further 10% somewhat support it. Asked how important introducing safe standing was, the average response was nine out of ten, making it a top priority.
Favorite locations were the Bobby Moore lower (the home end) with more than 90% support, followed by the Sir Trevor Brooking lower (where a proportion is reserved for away fans) with nearly 70%. The Billy Bonds lower had 36% support and the West Stand lower 29%.
Asked if fans would move to a safe standing location, a third said they definitely would, 11% probably would, and 28% said they would if they could be sure to move with friends and family.
Sensible solution
WHUST chair Sue Watson said: “Watching West Ham is too exciting to stay in your seat. Standing has been shown to be safe. A sensible solution allows those who prefer to be seated, or who cannot stand, to have clear lines of sight but makes standing safely available to those who want it. Safe standing cannot come too soon to the London Stadium.”
The WHUST survey of Hammers fans follows the announcement in early July from sports minister Nigel Huddleston that clubs can introduce safe standing. Evidence collected from trials at Cardiff City, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur found controlled standing was safer than the current arrangement where fans stand among seating.
An interim report into the trial, published by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) in April, found that goal celebrations are more orderly with no opportunity for forwards and backwards movement of fans, reducing the risk of fans falling on those around them, and barriers offer stability for people moving up and down aisles and gangways.
Uniform exit
It also found that latecomers are able to access their seats in the middle of rows more quickly, as others are already standing and have barriers to lean against to allow them to pass, and pockets of overcrowding are easier to identify by security officials, as fans are lined up more clearly.
The final report concluded that the exit of fans from the stadium is more uniform because the barriers limit spectators’ ability to climb over seats to exit more quickly, and spectators are lined up more clearly, allowing any risk of overcrowding to be identified, particularly using CCTV.
It also concluded that stewards can be positioned in more locations without impacting sightlines, and there is no evidence to date that the introduction of licensed standing areas has led to an increase in standing elsewhere in stadia.
WHUST raised this survey with the club through the official fan umbrella body, the Independent Supporters’ Committee (ISC), which met the club on April 24. The club has committed to working with ISC/Trust and all stakeholders to have safe standing in place for the 2023/24 season. A meeting will be arranged between LS185 (the stadium owners), the club, WHUST, and the rest of the ISC to start this process.
Newham Council’s Stadium Safety Advisory Group meeting in April confirmed that the rail seating in the upper tier was proving effective as a safety feature. The outcomes from the trust survey, as well as ongoing work, will feed into the stakeholders’ planning as we move this exciting development forward.
Individual comments from West Ham fans in the WHUST survey included:
• Fans who do not want to stand—elderly, young, short, disabled—support safe standing for others but believe standing should be more effectively policed in seating areas, and seated fans must have clear lines of sight over the heads of, beside, or in front of standing fans.
• People stand anyway, always have and always will, so making certain areas standing makes sense.
• Widespread criticism that the UK is behind Europe on safe standing and that clubs with standing have a better atmosphere.
• The proportion of safe standing supported varied from 50% of all seats in all lower tier stands or a focus on the lower tier stands at both ends.
• Standing would improve the atmosphere.
• It would be good if there were standing options across multiple season ticket bands, so more people had the opportunity to afford a standing season ticket.
• There was slight concern about access (e.g., to the toilet) especially past larger supporters, though it was accepted this was already a problem in seated areas.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves were granted a ‘safe standing license’ for season open 04/03/24 (news article 21st Feb 2023)
Wolves will officially operate licensed safe standing areas at Molineux for the first time from Saturday, March 4th March against Tottenham Hotspur. The game marks a landmark moment for a club that have been at the forefront of the campaign to introduce areas of safe standing at all-seater stadiums for many years.
‘In the summer of 2019, Wolves became the first Premier League side to install barrier seating into an existing stadium, after the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) confirmed that it could be licensed as compliant with the government’s all-seater policy. Now, the SGSA have granted Wolves the license to operate safe standing, which will see legal standing return to Molineux for the first time since 1993.
The license was granted earlier this month, after the club installed 585 barrier seats in the Steve Bull Stand. These seats had to be installed to get the license, which stipulates that areas for licensed standing must be available to both home and visiting supporters.
Wolves now offer 5,553 seats in the Sir Jack Hayward Stand, 2,115 seats in the Stan Cullis Stand, and 585 seats in the Steve Bull Lower Stand, providing a total capacity of 8,253 licensed standing seats across the stadium, and become the fifth Premier League club to receive the license.
Wolves’ facilities, safety and security director Steve Sutton said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to have been granted this license after many, many years of hard work by a number of people. We have listened to feedback from our fans and played an active role in supporting the process, including taking part in the research, that has led to this historic change in policy.’
As part of the introduction of licensed safe standing at Molineux, a number of new measures have been introduced already, including updated ground regulations, which contain conditions relating to the standing areas, and a code of conduct for anyone who purchases a ticket in the areas.”
This was also installed by Stadia by GL events gleventsstadia.co.uk
Wembley
Wembley have an allocated 867 safe standing spots behind either goal at each end of the ground.
Article-
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/carabao-cup-final-safe-standing-wembley-b2274384.html 02-02-2023
EFL announces safe standing at Wembley final for first time in 35 years
Football fans will be permitted to stand at a major men’s domestic cup final for the first time in almost 35 years when Manchester United face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley later this month.
The English Football League have announced that both teams will receive an allocation of 867 seats within new safe standing areas behind each goal at Wembley Stadium.
Some Premier League and EFL clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea, and Manchester City, were permitted to introduce rail seating for both home and away fans at the start of this season, following a trial period during the previous campaign.
The new Wembley was also granted a safe standing license after the government approved safe standing areas following the successful trial. It will be the first time the new Wembley has offered safe standing for a domestic cup final, but the national stadium featured a safe standing area for the UEFA Nations League match between England and Germany in September.
Other website of note:
https://www.standunited.uk/tracker - tracker of stadiums with safe standingur paragraph here.
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