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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.”
Featured Image –
News
Netflix drops the first trailer for upcoming Peaky Blinders film
Danny Jones
It looks like Christmas has come early for TV drama fans and cinephiles, because Netflix has officially dropped the first trailer for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie.
Popcorn at the ready – even the teaser alone has got us fired up.
ln just 70 seconds, they’ve managed to pull us right back in, and we cannot wait to see Cillian Murphy back in full-on Tommy Shelby mode.
Not exaggerating when we say we have LITERAL chills.
As you can see, they certainly haven’t scrimped on the budget with the first-ever feature-length Peaky Blinders film, neither in terms of production value nor the cast.
Then again, having already hosted the likes of Sam Neill, Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody, Anya Taylor-Joy and others in the series itself, as well as going on to become one of the most successful BBC shows of all time, they were never going to.
We’re sure you spotted plenty of them for yourselves, but the debut trailer for The Immortal Man gives us not only our first glimpses of now Oscar-winning Murphy, 49, back in the saddle (both figuratively and literally) but also fellow blockbuster Irish actor, Barry Keoghan.
Other big names set to appear in the movie – set for a limited release in theatres before launching exclusively on Netflix – include Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth. It still remains unclear, however, as to how any of these characters will knit into the new season.
It’s also worth noting that the trailer shares a little snippet of the historical context, this continuation of the Shelby story is playing into, as we see what looks to be Nazi figures meeting on screen.
Creator Steven Knight has already confirmed that the plot will fast-forward some years to meet back up with Tommy at the outset of WWII and his ancestral home of Birmingham during the Blitz.
Having already confirmed 6 March as the theatrical release date ahead of it going live on Netflix a fortnight later, the anticipation was seriously starting to ramp; this latest look has only added to the tinderbox of excitement.
What do you make of the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man trailer, and will you be watching it?
Appeal to find two individuals after man is left with ‘serious head and face injuries’ in Altrincham attack
Danny Jones
Trafford Police are trying to find two men following an attack outside a takeaway in Altrincham earlier this year.
The incident, which took place outside Canada Grill on Railway Street a couple of months ago, has left one individual with serious.
Reported to have occurred at around 2am on Sunday, 19 October, the identity of the pair who have since been revealed on CCTV footage is still unknown.
You can see both male suspects pictured below.
#APPEAL | Can you help us identify these men as we believe they can help with our investigation of an assault at Canada Grill, #Altrincham on 19/10/25 at 2am?
The victim has serious injuries to their head and face
Since shared by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at large on social media, officers investigating the case are appealing for anyone who recognises them to come forward.
While the exact extent of the damage done and the condition of the other person involved in the altercation has not been fully disclosed, they are believed to have been left with significant “head and facial injuries”.
Emily Sergeant -
5th July 2022 
