Police and some Premier League clubs including Chelsea fear the introduction of safe standing may hinder attempts to identify supporters guilty of anti-social behaviour and racial abuse.
A survey of MPs this week suggested 62 per cent of Parliamentarians are in favour of standing but only 47 per cent of the general population responded favourably to the YouGov poll.
Standing areas are forbidden at Premier League and Championship stadiums since all-seater grounds were enshrined in law following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. However, there is an increasing movement to improve atmosphere by introducing safe standing sections following perceived success in Germany and Scotland.
Tottenham, for example, have ‘future-proofed’ their new stadium by building the infrastructure for safe standing but there are major concerns, particularly at Chelsea, and among the authorities.
This season has seen a surge in high-profile incidents of disorder, including the vitriolic abuse endured by Raheem Sterling during Manchester City’s defeat at Chelsea and the assault on Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish during the derby match against Birmingham City.
The concern for Chelsea and the police is that standing areas will see fans move away from their allocated seats, making identifying those guilty of disorder more difficult. There is also a fear that standing will embolden a testosterone-fuelled ‘lad culture’ that has taken roots on the terraces.
ACC Mark Roberts, National Police Chiefs Council lead officer for policing football said: “It’s really positive that a club is taking such a responsible stance and thinking about broader security issues and safety. I have serious reservations that a return to standing will fuel what we are already seeing, in terms of disorder, missile throwing and racist incidents. Regardless of CCTV, it’s hard to identify offenders when they are standing up.”
“People often cite Celtic as a positive example and while they gone to great lengths to make it work well, there have been incidents such as the pitch invasion at the recent derby, which came from the standing area. Inappropriate chanting and the display of inappropriate banners are more prevalent in that area.”
