Fans want safe standing, reveals survey
22/11/02 | by Alex Walker

A survey of football fans has revealed that 90% of fans want to see safe standing areas reintroduced to grounds. The survey, carried out by The Football Fans Census, also showed only 1% of the 1,720 supporters who took part would attend less games were standing areas introduced to the country's top football stadia.

This is good news for the Safe Standing campiagn which LTLF has long supported. Terraced areas were removed from most grounds following the Hillsborough disaster, but many fans feel that standing areas would be of benefit to the game and the supporters. They would also remove the persistant problem of people standing in seated areas.

Just over half the fans surveyed believed that standing aresa would not effect crowd trouble or spectator safety, and 48% said that, given the choice, they would buy tickets for standing areas for every match.

80% said that they thought standing areas would make their match experience more enjoyable, and a resounding 90% said that they thought fans should be given the choice as to whether they sit or stand.

86% of those who took part said that the decision as to whether safe standing areas should be introduced shouldn't rest with the Government, with two thirds saying the clubs or local authorities should make the judgements on a case-by-case basis.

Alex Burmaster, Director of Development at Football Fans Census, said: “These results highlight how strongly fans feel about having the right to stand (in safe-standing areas) inside football grounds if they so wish. From the feedback we received, fans regard standing at football matches as part of the game’s richest traditions.”

The Safe Standing campaign have long been working to get properly managed standing areas in today's top grounds, not just at the lower league clubs.

Mr C Leach, who was a Stadium Duty Officer for St. John Ambulance at the Hillsborough disaster, took part in the survey and said: "I welcome the debate on safe standing areas. From a personal point of view I do feel that there were many many other factors on the fateful day in 1989 that contributed to the events.

"From a medical response point of view, I can only say that should an emergency occur in a standing area, our response time will most definitely be prolonged. This does concern me greatly. I do long for the days, however, that fathers and sons could enjoy the match as I did with my father, from a safe, responsible, and well behaved standing area."

The results of the survey will be sent out to Government bodies, the FA, the Football League and the Premier League.