Safe standing to be debated in House of Commons after fans meet MPs

The meeting comes a week after the FSF launched a joint initiative with the EFL to survey clubs on the issue of safe standing

Wednesday 02 May 2018 08:14 BST
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Pressure is growing for safe standing to be implemented in the Premier League and Football League
Pressure is growing for safe standing to be implemented in the Premier League and Football League (Getty)

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Parliament will discuss the possible introduction of safe standing in the Premier League and Football League on June 25.

The decision comes after over 100,000 people signed a petition in favour of having the matter discussed last week.

Members of the Football Supporters Federation also met a group of MPs on Tuesday.

Peter Daykin, an FSF board member, gave a presentation and took questions at a meeting involving around 20 members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Football Supporters.

Premier League weekend round-up

Ronnie Hawthorn, the head of safety, security and operations at Celtic, was also in attendance to provide information on the success of the club's rail seating at their Parkhead stadium.

Daykin feels the latest meeting was a positive step.

Daykin said: "This isn't something that is going to happen quickly. It is something that deserves proper attention and requires robust debate.

"We had about 20 MPs and the level of debate was really interesting. It is absolutely right MPs ask all these questions and we have a safe environment to explore these issues.

"It feels like from within the people who work in football - safety officers, stewards, police - there is a coalescence of opinion that something has to change from here and the current legislation isn't working.

"Once we get football talking with one voice then DCMS (the Department for Culture, Media and Sport) and the Government really need to start listening to that debate, and it certainly felt like that is what other people felt tonight."

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