As Safe Standing demands grow, Trust chair sets out our position

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Football fans are campaigning for safe standing to be offered at stadiums in England and Wales following its introduction at Celtic’s Parkhead Stadium in Glasgow.

Shrewsbury Town supporters have launched a crowdfunding campaign for the so-called rail seating to be installed. Bristol Rovers’  president has also said he is keen to install it when their ground is redeveloped while Liverpool fans voed overwhelmingly in favour of bringing rail seats to football stadiums in the EFL’s top two divisions.

Commenting on the developments, Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust chairman Keith Morgan said: “There is a growing demand from football fans for safe standing to be available in grounds across Wales and England.

“Cardiff City Supporters Trust has long been involved in the issue of safe standing at football. Several years ago we hosted a presentation in the old Ninian Park pub to local politicians , the media and senior management of the club to display and explain the rail seating system and this was very favourably received.

“The overriding problem with safe standing at grounds in the top two divisions is that it still requires a change of legislation in England and Wales before a start could be made on considering the practicalities of installing rail seating or similar.

“Shrewsbury’s stadium, although all-seater,  is not required to be so by law. So they can make use of  a process recently put in place by the Sports Ground Safety Authority to enable EFL clubs not subject to all-seater legislation to apply for consent to install rail seating.”

“As a Trust, we will be active and supportive of the principal of safe standing. When developments make this possible we will work with the club and supporters to help implement such a scheme. We believe that fans who want to stand should be allowed to do so in a designated area and that will improve the atmosphere in grounds on match-days.”