SAME OLD STORY

Officials from all local authorities who house Premier League clubs will gather in Birmingham on Wednesday to thrash out a united strategy aimed at dealing with supporters who refuse to sit down.

The meeting will discuss a report compiled by the Football Licensing Authority, which will suggest what measures should be introduced to solve the problem.

Yet representatives from Standing Areas For England (SAFE) have had their request to attend denied, with meeting organisers claiming there is not enough room inside the meeting venue, the precise location of which has been kept secret from the organisation.

"Once again we see a meeting taking place discussing the issue of football fans without actually consulting fans themselves," blasted Malcolm Clarke, joint chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation.

SAFE argue that there are inconsistencies within current legislation which allow fans to stand at some matches and not others and where clubs such as Fulham were permitted standing areas in their grounds for a specific period of time after their promotion to the higher echelons of the domestic game.

"How many of the local authorities attending Wednesday's meeting also issue licenses for rugby league, rugby union, speedway or horseracing that allow fans to stand up in their stadiums, or for concert venues to allow rock fans to remain standing, yet somehow appear to issue draconian measures to ensure football fans in the top two divisions stay glued to their seats?

"In some local authority districts, fans can remain standing, as long as they are not in the top two divisions - surely it is either safe to stand or it isn't. They can't have it both ways.

"The response I received from the organisers of the meeting was very ironic. I was informed the meeting room was very small and all the seats had been taken up.

"I was disappointed to say the least - I wouldn't have objected to standing up at the back of the room."