100,000 signatures push safe standing issue into English parliament for debate

May 2 – Safe standing areas in the top two divisions in English football is to be debated in Parliament on June 25 after a petition to have the matter discussed reached 100,000 signatures last week.

No English top-flight or second-tier team currently has standing within their stadium after it was abolished in 1989 as a result of the Hillsborough disaster which claimed 96 lives.

Britain’s Minister for Sport Tracey Crouch recently rejected a proposal from Premier League side West Brom to introduce safe standing, claiming the change was only wanted by a “vocal minority”.

But the matter is now going to Parliament.

England’s Football Supporters’ Federation would like to see a change in legislation to allow clubs to have the option of creating safe standing areas, with a spokesman commenting; “This isn’t something that is going to happen quickly. It is something that deserves proper attention and requires robust debate.

“It is absolutely right MPs ask all these questions and we have a safe environment to explore these issues.”

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