The architect responsible for designing several of England's most prestigious stadiums, including the new Wembley, has said that standing is safe and that he would be happy to incorporate such areas in top clubs' grounds if the law was changed to allow it.
John Barrow, principal of Populous and formerly a senior architect at HOK Sport, said that modern, safe standing areas could help solve the dilemmas of clubs currently looking to expand their capacity, which now include Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.
"I love standing," Barrow said at the International Football Arena conference in Zurich, "and it is coming back. We as designers have no problem with standing at all. It would clearly need to be legislated for, managed and safely stewarded, but in terms of safety, it can be done."
Barrow, whose company designed Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, London's Olympic 2012 stadium in Stratford, Soccer City in Johannesburg for the 2010 World Cup and many other prestigious modern venues, said the technology is there, as used in Germany's Bundesliga football grounds, to ensure standing is now safe.
He said his preference would be for small standing areas, for around 1,500 supporters at a time, similar to ones at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. That, he said, is to ensure the crowd is manageable for stewards, rather than to avoid a physical crush, which is not now a risk because fans, as in the German stadiums, stand between barriers in rows which have room for only one or two people.
"It is great to have standing areas," Barrow said. "They increase excitement in stadiums, particularly behind the goals. If the legislation is there to allow the top clubs to have standing areas again, it could help the clubs who are looking to expand capacity and allow more young people in."
Barrow's analysis was welcomed by the Football Supporters' Federation which, with the Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster, is campaigning for the introduction of safe standing areas in the top two divisions. The FSF argues that standing can self-evidently be made safe, that many fans want to and indeed do currently stand at matches even in seating areas, and that such areas should allow clubs to sell tickets at more affordable prices, and help to improve the atmosphere.
The organisation is currently gathering evidence and support to present to the government, whose sports minister, Hugh Robertson, has said he will listen to the arguments, but remains opposed unless the case is compelling. The FSF's campaign includes touring a sample of German-style safe standing areas around the country to gather support from fans and senior executives working in football.
"We agree with John Barrow that standing is safe and welcome his comments, which are in line with the advice we have received from various architects and the German experience," said Malcolm Clarke, the FSF chairman. "Many people in English football do accept that now."
Standing has been banned at English football grounds in the top two divisions following Lord Justice Taylor's recommendation after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans were killed in a crush on the Leppings Lane terrace. Supporters' groups argued against the ban then, saying that the disaster was caused by seriously deficient safety management, not terracing. They predicted that all-seater stadiums would lead to increased ticket prices, and since then ticket prices in the Premier League have risen up to 1,000% against a general inflation rise of 77%.
Clarke said the FSF hopes to present a persuasive case to Robertson "within the next few months". Although Robertson has said he will listen, he and others in government fear that standing is associated in the public mind with Hillsborough, while the police argue it is a public order risk. Robertson is extremely unlikely to sanction the introduction of safe standing areas, unless the police, clubs and all authorities agree.