UK football police chief told safe standing views are '30 years behind'

The UK's football policing chief has come in for criticism after claiming that the imminent introduction of safe standing to stadiums is the result of a "headlong rush".

Chief constable Mark Roberts suggested that the changes could lead to dangerous overcrowding, the creation of no-go areas on the terraces, and make it more difficult to identify fans engaging in racist behaviour.

But the Football Supporters Association (FSA) have responded by describing his views as "30 years behind else's".

And the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA), whose extensive research into safe standing has informed government policy on the matter, have insisted their approach has been "the model of good practice".

Roberts' comments come ahead of Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Cardiff and Chelsea permitting standing in designated rail-seating areas from January 1.

Further clubs are expected to follow suit next season having already had the seating installed, a move Peter Daykin, the FSA's standing campaign lead, welcomes enthusiastically.

He told us: "Unless your views are 30 years behind everybody else's three decades of campaigning, evidence gathering and discussion with stakeholders hardly amounts to a 'headlong rush' into safe standing.

"Mr Roberts is an isolated voice in this debate - fans, leagues, the Sports Ground Safety Authority and the government all believe standing can be managed perfectly safely within football grounds.

"Fans only ever wanted choice in how they watch football and thanks to their efforts, finally, they will soon have that choice."

SGSA chief executive Martyn Henderson echoed those sentiments, rejecting the idea that his organisation's recommendations were too hastily accepted.

He said: "I think this has been the model of good practice in terms of making what is a historic change.

"We carried out a year-long research project over the 19-20 season and it was only after that that the government made a manifesto commitment.

"So I think the suggestion that this is a headlong rush to deliver that commitment is not right."

Henderson also insisted that Roberts' views and the voices of other relevant police figures were considered, and that the SGSA will continue to monitor feedback from the upcoming trial.

He added: "We were very explicit with the researchers - who were independent of us - that we wanted to get police perspectives on this.

"We know that crowd behaviour can be challenging and it's obviously really important that those perspectives are taken into account.

"We'll continue to look at that and if we need to adjust the criteria in any way to raise standards or deal with particular issues then we will absolutely do that.

"It's not that we feel we've got the monopoly on wisdom and that we're right and everyone else is wrong. That's absolutely not our approach."