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West Bromwich Albion have
told the Premier League they are willing to act as a pilot scheme for safe
standing.
The Premier League has
written to its 20 clubs asking if they would be interested in taking part in a
trial to reintroduce standing sections in their grounds.
And Albion’s Director of
Operations Mark Miles, who has led the Club’s study of the prospects of
safe-standing becoming a feature at The Hawthorns, says he has responded in the
affirmative.
“I have written back to
the Premier League and told them our position remains that we would be very
keen to be involved in a pilot,” said Miles.
“It is the same message I
have delivered verbally at previous meetings.”
The issue has been a
regular topic of debate and query at Albion Assembly meetings where Miles has
indicated that the home and away sections at the Smethwick End would be the
most likely site were the Baggies to go ahead with a pilot.
But he has also made it
clear that before any scheme can be considered, the case has to be made for
legislative change on the grounds of safety.
Before Baggies fans keen
to see the return of a standing section get too excited, it is thought that the
government remains opposed to the idea and many senior police officers are
unsure about the safety implications.
A Department of Culture,
Media and Sport spokesperson said: "The government currently has no plans
to change its position and introduce standing accommodation at grounds covered
by the all-seater requirement."
Clubs in England's top two
divisions have been legally required to have all-seater grounds since the
measure was recommended by the 1990 Taylor Report into the Hillsborough
disaster.
Miles visited Celtic’s
Parkhead, where a 2,600 safe-standing section is now a feature, at the end of
last year to see for himself how the system worked.
He added: “As I have made
clear from the outset, this is something football will not be able to introduce
without a change of legislation - and that can’t happen unless it is proven to
provide a safer option for fans to watch games.
“But as my visit to Celtic
demonstrated, there is little doubt that it was clearly welcomed by the
supporters as well as creating a unique atmosphere.”
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