The return of terracing - where do you stand?

Sports minister Hugh Robertson says the government will consider allowing the return of terracing at football matches in the Premier League and Championship.

It is nearly 22 years since the Hillsborough disaster, which cost 96 Liverpool fans their lives, led to the Taylor Report, recommending the outlawing of terracing.

Robertson made his admission this week during a meeting with the Football Supporters Federation, police, Football Licensing Authority and football authorities called by LibDem sports spokesman Don Foster.

He has tabled a private member’s bill calling for safe standing areas to be allowed at top flight clubs.

Here, MirrorSport presents the case for and against in the emotive argument over terracing.

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AGAINST - Margaret Aspinall (Hillsborough Family Support Group. Margaret lost son James, 18, in the disaster)

“I will always oppose standing at football grounds, and so will our group. Why take a backward step, when football grounds are now so much more safer places than they used to be? If you go to a match these days, you’re 99.9 per cent certain of going home safe to your family. My son James, and the other 95 victims, didn’t have that. I just wish they had.

“It took the death of my son and 95 others to make football grounds safe for everybody else, for future generations and those who go to games today. I care passionately about the safety of supporters. Wherever they are from, whatever team they support, their safety is paramount.

“I think it’s totally disrespectful to the 96 who died, and the legacy of safe football stadia that they left behind, to start trying to change things back to how they were. I feel as if I’m on rewind because I’m saying the same thing every year - we don’t ever want to see standing in grounds again.

“There is no such thing as ‘safe standing’. What a stupid thing to say. Where there is standing, there is fencing. You can’t have one without the other. And where there is fencing, that’s where it becomes dangerous. Why go back to the 1980s? If you go backwards and introduce standing at grounds, you risk bringing back all the problems of the past, like hooliganism. It’s just not worth it.

“Every time you go into a football ground these days and look at all the seats, the question must be - at what cost? The cost was the deaths of 96 innocent people that brought about change, in terms of all-seater stadiums, so why anyone would want to go back to the past is beyond me.

“Supporters of standing at grounds in this country say it’s been a success in Germany. Well, we can’t help what Germany does, but have they had a disaster in which 96 people lost their lives? No. We have, and we must make sure nothing like that can ever be allowed to happen again.

“Fans still enjoy games with all-seater stadia. The atmosphere at games is still there. I wish my son was still alive to go to games, to enjoy the atmosphere, but he’s not.

"It’s also very insensitive at this time of year, with the anniversary of Hillsborough coming up, for the whole issue of standing at football grounds to be brought up.”

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FOR - Malcolm Clarke (chair of the Football Supports Federation)

Every week, thousands of fans stand in front of their seats while watching Premier League and Championship games.

Attempts to end this practice have all ended in abject failure - make no mistake, the vast majority of fans want the choice to sit or stand.

The last Football Supporters’ Federation national fans’ survey was absolutely resounding - nine out of 10 fans backed the choice to sit or stand and 88 per cent of fans felt atmospheres would improve if safe standing areas were introduced.

The FSF’s Safe Standing Campaign is not just about those who prefer to stand.

By giving supporters the choice, everyone benefits.

Those who wish to stand can do so, while those who prefer to sit no longer have to worry about having their view blocked.

Of course, the shadow of Hillsborough looms large and is often cited as a reason to oppose safe-standing areas. It’s an entirely understandable, but mistaken, response.

That tragic event must never be allowed to happen again. The family and friends of Hillsborough victims will forever have our deepest sympathies and respect.

But the Taylor Report confirmed that standing is not inherently unsafe. If it was, it wouldn’t be allowed at grounds below the top two divisions and at other sports.

Lord Taylor’s damning verdict blamed police negligence, poor stadium design (which left no control over the numbers of fans in individual pens), bad management and fences.

The FSF does not propose that the stringent safety standards laid down in the Government’s Green Guide be abolished or weakened.

This campaign isn’t about a return to crumbling terraces, but rather an introduction of the modern safe-standing model which is common in Europe.

Eventually, reality must intrude.

We should adopt systems which allows people to choose how to watch the game in safety, and gives clubs the freedom to decide what’s best for their own ground.

It’s time they listened to the fans.

What do you think? Should terraces remain a part of football's history or does the fact so many fans stand anyway mean it is time to bring them back? Comment below to let us know...