Football Stands Again

For more than 30 years, English football lost one of its main characteristics in terms of fan-generated atmosphere: the introduction of all-seater stadiums.

In April 1989, ninety-seven Liverpool supporters tragically lost their lives, leading to the publication of the Taylor Report, which recommended that all stadiums in the top tiers of football in the United Kingdom change towards a "sit down and support" type of venue.

The law followed the Report, and the famous terraces disappeared almost overnight. Now, after decades of campaigning by fan groups, standing is back. Well, technically, as it is classified as "safe standing", it adheres to strict legal supervision.

The change is governed by the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 and the Football Spectators Act 1989, both of which are supervised by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority. To bring back standing, clubs need to apply for a "safe standing licence," which requires rail seating, having one supporter per space, full CCTV coverage, and trained stewards.

The first trials began in the 2021/2022 season for some of the top clubs in the Premier League, and following its success, it was permitted across all remaining clubs in the Premier League and Championship.

The aim of safe standing can be simply linked to restoring the famous atmosphere in British stadiums without repeating history.

Supporters have long argued that standing creates a sense of community and identity; however, critics worry that introducing safe standing could slowly erode safety standards. This new system aims to bring back terraces in an improved, regulated manner, rather than the previous, unregulated, overcrowded system.

Linking this back to law, this shows that sometimes regulation is what leads to progress, not rebellion or shilly-shallying when it comes to public safety.