The EFL has upped the ante in the continuing debate over safe standing, insisting it can work with the government to "bring it to fruition".
The Football League has long supported sections of stadiums being converted to allow fans to stand throughout matches. But a new survey of supporters, to be compiled before the end of the season, aims to build on a mandate already provided by Football League clubs. While the Premier League has described the topic as “complex and nuanced” the EFL's chief executive, Shaun Harvey, is now calling on the government to change its position on safe standing.
“The EFL would like to see current legislation reviewed by the government and ultimately amended,” Harvey said in announcing the League’s new approach. “We would like clubs to have the opportunity to provide standing accommodation to their supporters at all matches played in the Championship, League One and League Two, should they wish to.”
The EFL’s new emphasis on giving clubs the choice is an attempt to win the approval of Tracey Crouch, the sports minister. Crouch recently rejected a request by West Bromwich Albion to test safe standing and called the clamour for its introduction the opinion of a “vocal minority”.
While polling suggests that only 15% of fans would want to stand themselves, Harvey believes a clear majority are in favour of having the option available to their club. The new survey, conducted in association with the Football Supporters’ Federation, will look to substantiate this point. Harvey’s instinct, however, appears to be supported by the success of a parliamentary petition in favour of safe standing which this week passed 100,000 signatures and will now be debated in the House of Commons.
Premiere league clubs bid to bring safe standing back to stadia
"We appreciate the pressure the sports minister is under and caution is natural," Harvey said. “We need to establish an alliance, otherwise a disproportionate amount of the responsibility will fall on her. A partnership approach will commence with our survey, to demonstrate that those who attend fixtures want to see the change and be offered a choice, even if they still choose to be seated.
“It's not a new message, but it’s about structuring our approach to safe standing; putting us at the front door with evidence that this is what the majority of fans want delivered. What we’re actually doing is starting the campaign to bring it to fruition.”
Stadia with safe standing
Under current legislation, clubs in League One and Two that do not have fully seated stadia are allowed to let supporters stand. But since the Taylor report, clubs in the top two divisions must have all-seated stadiums. An exception to this rule is that a club promoted to the Championship for the first time is granted a three-year grace period in which to convert the facilities.
This means that, for example, Burton Albion currently have a standing terrace in the Championship.
Harvey represents the 72 League clubs beneath the Premier League and says he has had their mandate to pursue safe standing since 2014. He also acknowledges that there is more flexibility to make such adaptations in the Football League, where average attendance hovers at around 60% of stadium capacity. In the Premier League this figure is more than 90% and some top-flight clubs are understood to be unwilling to sacrifice current revenue in order to create a standing section.
Other concerns over the implementation of safe standing include whether the allocation should be made available for away as well as home fans and what to do about persistent standing in areas that would remain designated as being seated. The survey launches online on 27 April and will run until 10 May.
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