Teams in the Premier League and Championship have been permitted to introduce safe standing areas at stadiums next season.
Following safe standing pilots undertaken in the second half of last season by the city’s two local teams, Manchester United and Manchester City, as well as Cardiff, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur, the UK government has now announced that the top two tiers of English football will be allowed to offer safe standing.
Brentford, Wolves, and QPR have already confirmed they will join the aforementioned clubs in offering designated standing areas for both home and away supporters from the start of the 2022-23 season.
The success of the pilot scheme has lead to a reversal of the 30-year rule, which required all supporters to be seated at stadiums.
Stadiums in England’s top two leagues have been required to be all-seated since laws were introduced following the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
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Sky Sports News says it understands that Liverpool FC are not considering introducing the options for safe standing next season, but the club may decide to extend or increase their existing rail seating provision after having run a separate pilot for it last season.
BREAKING: Premier League and Championship clubs will be allowed to introduce licensed safe standing areas from the start of the season. pic.twitter.com/AZDLmM5ig1
It’s not just domestic football that’s been given the green light either either, as it’s also been confirmed that Wembley Stadium will also offer limited safe standing for fans from both sets of clubs at domestic matches later in the season, with the Football Association (FA) set to trial safety rails at England’s Nations League match against Germany in September – but at that stage, supporters must remain seated.
The green light given for safe standing comes after research was undertaken by CFE Research, which found that, despite there being a rise in anti-social behaviour and disorder at some football matches during last season, this was not related to the pilot of safe standing areas.
The research also found no evidence that the safe standing pilot areas led to an increase in standing in other parts of the stadium, and more than half of fans surveyed (52%) said they felt safer with the introduction of safe standing areas.
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Only 5% of fans surveyed said they felt less safe.
Manchester United and Manchester City were two of the teams to take part in safe standing pilots / Credit: Alex Motoc (via Unsplash)
“We’re confident now that we can roll out safe standing,” explained Sports Minister, Nigel Huddleston.
“Based upon what I have experienced and we have learnt through the pilot programme, safe standing is set to deliver an electric atmosphere at our football stadiums. Fans have long campaigned for its introduction and we have worked carefully with supporters groups, including the families affected by the tragic Hillsborough football disaster.
“I am proud of the work that has gone into this rigorous process, and that we have delivered on our manifesto commitment to get fans back on their feet in stadiums.”
Martyn Henderson OBE – chief executive of Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) – added: “This is an historic moment for football – and, most importantly, for the fans who have campaigned for this change and will be safer as a result of today’s decision.”
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Middleton to receive a cinema and Metrolink as part of regeneration plans
Thomas Melia
Greater Manchester town Middleton is about to undergo a huge facelift thanks to a new regeneration project, including a new cinema and Metrolink tram station.
Middleton is one of many bustling communities that make up the borough of Rochdale, and with these new plans, the town might receive a fair few new visitors who want to know what it’s all about.
The Greater Manchester town is undergoing a huge transformation with regeneration plans confirming that Middleton will receive a brand new cinema complex along with an extended Metrolink line as part of the Bee Network expansion covering this area.
This is all thanks to Middleton teaming up with the Mayor to launch the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which pushes forward regeneration plans for the town and future ideas.
Middleton Shopping Centre right in the heart of the town centre.Middleton Town Centre bustling as the markets take place.Credit: Steven Haslington (via Geograph)/@Rept0n1x (via Flickr)
The MDC considers lots of aspects of the town and even aims to create new homes and improve surrounding public spaces.
Middleton regeneration plans have been floated previously, but complications arose due to a lack of land and available funding, which ultimately brought these foundations to a halt.
Now it seems the green light has been lifted and Middleton is about to get a whole new facelift, which will not only improve the town economically but aesthetically too, along with the wider Rochdale region.
For many Middletonians, the idea of a cinema may have felt like a distant memory, with their last big screen location shutting down just over a decade ago.
This all-new high street regeneration will not only bring an array of shopping favourites back to the town centre but also the long-awaited return of a local cinema. Most importantly, the plans also include a slate of new housing, with an estimated 300 apartments set to be created in one building alone.
Early CGIs of the proposed Middleton regeneration plans.Grade II-listed Warwick Mill looks set to be turned into flats.Credit: Publicity Picture (supplied)
This all falls in line with the ‘Atom Valley scheme‘, which has been commissioned in order to generate over 20,000 job opportunities for people in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.
The scheme also mentions how it aims to bring a combined economic boost of around £1 billion to these previously mentioned areas.
Rochdale Borough Council leader, Neil Emmott, said: “The development of 1.2 million square metres of employment space around the junction 19 area will help to generate 20,000 high-quality jobs and bring a £1 billion economic boost.”
Featured Image — Publicity Pictures (supplied via Rochdale Borough Council)
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Scouting For Girls announce stacked UK tour with Manchester date
Thomas Melia
British boyband Scouting For Girls are heading out on an extensive UK tour with dates up and down the country, including right here in Manchester.
If the first thing that pops into your mind when you read this headline is “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know how we’ll make it through this”, then you’re on the right side of history.
Nearly 20 years since their single ‘She’s So Lovely’ reached catastrophic heights and had everyone putting on their best Roy Stride accent, Scouting For Girls are heading back on the road.
This UK tour announcement comes two years after their last project, The Place We Used To Meet, reached our ears and was coined by the band as “Our best work since our debut”.
It’s been 18 years since this Brit trio captivated our hearts with their eponymous debut album, which sold over one million copies and went number one on the UK official charts for two weeks.
Whether you know them for ‘Heartbeat’ or ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’, it’s clear to say this band had their fair share of smash hit singles throughout the noughties.
This tour, however, celebrates the sophomore follow-up: Everybody Wants To Be On TV, which went on to continue their legacy and secure them their only number one, ‘This Ain’t A Love Song’, back in 2010.
Now, the boys are treating UK fans to an array of live performances, and if you can’t make one date, fear not because there are 20 different locations for you to choose from.
The group will also be playing the likes of Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and a whole host of other Northern cities, so you have plenty of chances to catch them.
If you can’t wait all the way until March 2026 for your next Scouting For Girls fix, lead singer Stride has his own cameo account where you can get the star to read out a message or even sing you a song: “‘Michaela Strachan’ in full, please?…”
Scouting For Girls are coming to O2 Apollo in Manchester on 21 March 2026, with tickets going on sale next Friday, 2 May at 10am HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
5th July 2022 
