Safe standing to be trialled across the Premier League and Championship

Supporters have been unable to legally stand in football stadia for over 25-years after the law in England was changed following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

But according to reports from The Times following the successful implementation of safe standing areas in leagues across Europe including the Bundesliga and with Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, The Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) is to invite expressions of interest from clubs in the top two divisions of English football to have pilots events this season.

The report suggests Championship sides Cardiff City and Bristol City are among two of the clubs in the second tier whose stadiums would be able to accommodate safe standing areas with the criteria to hold a pilot event expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.

The news will be welcome to many supporters including Middlesbrough fans who have, in recent years, made adjustments to where certain fan groups are housed in the Riverside Stadium in order to generate more of an atmosphere.

An EFL survey in 2018 revealed an overwhelming response from spectators with two thirds of those who took part expressing a desire to be given the option of safe standing when attending matches.

And now following years of negotiations it appears as though supporters will be granted their wish with officials set to actively explore safe standing options across English football’s top two tiers.

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