It’s time for a common sense approach to safe standing
4 min read
The campaign for safe standing at football is not about a return to the terraces of the 1980s. It’s about ensuring all fans can enjoy a better, more inclusive experience, writes Shadow Sports Minister Rosena Allin-Khan
Over the last few months, it has been a privilege as the Shadow Minister for Sport, to meet with so many football fans, clubs and the safety authorities to discuss Safe Standing.
Over 5,000 people completed my survey online, with fewer than a hundred opposing Safe Standing. Perhaps most striking about the data, which has also been reflected in other surveys, is that the greatest supporters of Safe Standing are those who want to sit.
The data and extent of the surveys provided by the English Football League (EFL) and fans’ groups, clearly show that fans want Safe Standing introduced. Over 50 representatives from supporters’ groups joined me at my Parliamentary roundtable, where we discussed the issue in detail. I heard a fantastic example of Safe Standing being used in Orlando, in the form of an inclusive area that also put wheelchair users at the heart of the action. It is an excellent example of how Safe Standing can make football more inclusive for all.
When discussing Safe Standing and how to implement it, it is crucial that everyone understands this is not a step back for football. This is the opposite – this is football moving forward, becoming safer, more inclusive and giving fans the choice.
Safety is at the heart of this debate, and I will not compromise on it. The safety of fans at football matches is the first and foremost factor we looked at when evaluating the case for Safe Standing.
The current system is not working. Week-in, week-out, fans are standing in steep seated areas where it isn’t safe. It is dangerous; I have seen videos and spoken to people who have experienced the tumbling effect of having three or four people fall on top of them. Stewards are powerless, clubs do not want to get involved and the police will only intervene if an argument escalates.
As Shadow Sports Minister, I cannot stand by while fans are injured, or face the threat of injury – especially when we have ways to make it safer and minimise the risk to fans. This is why Labour supports the installation of specialised rail seating, or standing in current seated areas where it can be made safe to do so – through the addition of a bar or other means.
We want to give the power to fans, clubs and the safety authorities, to allow for a small area inside a stadium to be designated for Safe Standing. Clubs, fans and local authorities know their stadia far better than any politicians – the decision should rest with them.
This is not a return to the terraces of the 1980s. Not everybody wants to stand and, in reality, this is about converting a small section of a stadium to an area that can be designated for Safe Standing, where fans can enjoy the match safely. This is why we support the EFL’s upper limit of 7,500 Safe Standing places.
This would improve the matchday experience for those who want to sit but don’t want their view blocked by someone standing in front of them. This is about giving fans a proper say.
On a Saturday, you can go to a football game and be repeatedly asked to sit down if you stand up – with the threat of being ejected. A few days later you can go to a music concert at these same stadiums and a different set of rules apply. A different set of rules apply to football fans and it is not equitable. There needs to be a common sense approach here, where safety is paramount.
Last year, Labour pledged that sport must be run in the interest of those who participate in it and love it, not just for a privileged few, giving fans and supporters the opportunity to have a greater say in how their clubs are run. It is time for change. The time has come for us to back safe standing.
Rosena Allin-Khan is Labour MP for Tooting and Shadow Sports Minister. MPs will debate Safe Standing in Westminster Hall on Monday 25th June
PoliticsHome Newsletters
Get the inside track on what MPs and Peers are talking about. Sign up to The House's morning email for the latest insight and reaction from Parliamentarians, policy-makers and organisations.
