Thousands stand at Lords, normally the most sedate of cricket grounds, as the England v Australia match reaches an exciting climax.

250,000 stand for 8 hours in Hyde Park at the Live 8 concert. Thousands more stand for similar concerts around the world.

The Oasis gig at City of Manchester Stadium is delayed for 25 minutes as the one safety barrier at the front collapsed. Noel Gallagher had to come on stage and plead with everyone to move back 2 spaces and remain there, so they could fix it.

Everyone was dancing in all seats including the top tier for entire the nights. Beer and urine were launched continuously into the crowd from all around the ground. On one occasion a missile hit someone who then started brawl, but there were no stewards on the pitch to stop it. Smoking was permitted in the same seats where it is banned for Manchester City matches and the smell of cannabis was everywhere.

When asked why standing is allowed at gigs in football grounds, the FLA have repeatedly said that standing at concerts is safer than at football matches, because the ‘profile' of those attending is different, and because the action is at a fixed point, rather than moving around the pitch. The Oasis gig has provided yet more evidence of the absurdity of this argument.

A steward who was working at the Oasis gig and who normally covers Manchester City matches tells one of our members that the gig was ‘far worse than a derby match for aggro'. He says that Stewards were told to try to keep the aisles clear, but not to stop people standing.

This contrasts with Manchester City supporters being ejected and even banned for standing at football matches last season.

Thousands stand on the pitch and in seated areas at the REM concert at Hull City 's ground.

There are reports of heavy handed stewarding, with some ejections when people in the lower tier tried to get onto pitch area.

The ground was very wet with rain, beer was on sale everywhere, including a bar on the pitch & people were falling over all over the place. Some were treated by St Johns Ambulance personnel.

Stand Up Sit Down write to the FLA , asking when we can expect a response from the Minister to our dossier submitted following our meeting in January.

One year after launching, Stand Up Sit Down has 2750 members and 4930 signatures on our on line petition.

We have shown that there is considerable support for our proposals of designated areas where supporters would be permitted to stand in front of seats, both from supporters and football clubs, including safety officers. We have however found that there is reluctance from many within football to make this support public, although we are grateful to those who have done so.

With the help of our members we have compiled a 300 page dossier outlining our proposals, which was submitted to the Minister for Sport, and a report outlining the safety benefits of our proposals.

Our campaign has the full backing of the Football Supporters Federation and we will continue to work together to restore choice for all supporters.

We receive a letter from Reading FC in response to our letter & report, saying:

‘Thank you for your correspondence which we read with great interest. We as a club believe that our facilities being only some seven years old are purpose built and ideal for spectators to remain seated during a football event. We have also found that these facilities have attracted new support from children and women which was not present or likely to be present at our previous ground. We have in addition found that spectator behaviour has improved dramatically which in turn has substantially reduced our police cost. This has occurred since we have had an all seater stadia thus we would not at the Madejski Stadium support a change to the present regulations or to the spectator facilities.'

Stand Up Sit Down would comment that we are aware that some of Reading's ‘traditional support' are far from happy with aspects of the way the club has changed in recent years, and as a result some no longer watch the club. We have also been told by some of our members who support Reading , that they are unhappy about the methods used by stewards to stop people from standing.

With regard to supporter behaviour, we would comment that this improvement has occurred across the country, both at clubs with all seated stadia (including those where many stand in these areas) and those with designated standing areas.

Stand Up Sit Down receive a letter from Lord Mawhinney, the Football League Chairman, in response to our letter and report, saying:

‘Thank you for your recent letter and the proposals regarding the issue of standing in seated areas.

This matter was discussed by the Football League's Board of Directors at a meeting last week. I should say at the outset that the League is very much aware that this issue is highly emotive to supporters and is involved in regular discussions on the issue with the FLA and individual clubs.

At their meeting, the Board agreed that your proposals should be referred to the Football Association in view of the fact that this issue covers the whole of professional football'

FLA Chief Executive John de Quidt replies to our letter, saying that the Minister has now responded to our proposals that supporters should be allowed to stand in seated areas as set out in our dossier which he forwarded to the DCMS. He recognises that we will be disappointed by his reply.

Stand Up Sit Down receive a letter from Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport, in reply to our letter of 25 th March questioning the role of the FLA, and to our proposals contained in the dossier presented to the FLA in January and forwarded to him by the FLA.

Mr Caborn says that the FLA ‘are acknowledged as leading experts in the filed of sports ground safety and are the Governments advisors on all matters of safety at football grounds.'

He adds ‘The fact that the FLA have been called upon for their expertise in countries such as Germany and South Africa to advise on forthcoming World Cups is a mark of the respect with which the organisation is held'.

Responding to our question as to whether the FLA has served its purpose and that its role could be carried out by Local Authorities, Mr Caborn says that ‘The Government continually monitors the effectiveness of all of its agencies and there is no evidence to suggest that the functions the FLA undertake are no longer needed'.

Stand Up Sit Down would like to put on record that we recognise that the FLA have carried out some excellent work for the benefit of football supporters, and is continuing to do so. However we question both whether some of its functions would be better carried out by elected Local Authorities, and whether there is unnecessary duplication in some areas. We accept that the FLA currently holds differing views on standing to SUSD, but are concerned that in refusing to show any flexibility on the issue, it is relying on a failing policy of attempting to stop standing in seated areas, rather than acknowledging that this will not succeed, and that safety can best be achieved by the more realistic approach of carefully managed standing areas. We remain open minded as the whether the FLA should continue to exist in its present form.

With regard do our dossier Mr Caborn says:

‘I was grateful for the opportunity to read your proposals and appreciate the considerable amount of thought and hard work that must have gone into producing it'

‘However, having had a chance to consider your proposal, I agree with the view of the FLA that seating should still be considered the safest option for the top two divisions of football where crowds are vastly larger than in the lower divisions.'

‘The most recent statistics on injuries at football grounds collected by the FLA show that the systems currently in place are working. In 2003/04 out of 35m visits to Premiership, Football League and international grounds there were only 1000 injuries – 90% of which were minor resulting from scalds from hot tea, and cuts and bruises from trips and falls.'

Stand Up Sit Down would comment that given the fact that in the Premiership & Championship there is widespread standing in seated areas, and standing areas are present at many lower division clubs, these low injury figures show that neither form of standing is resulting in injuries. Therefore, managed standing in the most suitable seated areas, would not be a safety risk.

Mr Caborn adds:

‘In particular, we are not persuaded that offering standing areas for some spectators would ensure that those in ‘seated' areas would necessarily remain seated.'

Stand Up Sit Down would comment providing standing areas of sufficient size to accommodate those who wish to stand, would allow choice and largely prevent standing in ‘seated' areas. We would also comment that by expressing concern that supporters would stand in ‘seated' areas even if many of those who wish to stand are given a standing area, he is suggesting that it will be very difficult to prevent all those who currently wish to stand from doing so. Surely the problem will be at least greatly reduced by providing areas for those who's preference is to stand.

Mr Caborn continues:

‘We also do not feel that we could justify introducing standing areas that do not satisfy the minimum safety requirements that are mandatory at the grounds of lower division football'.

‘The issue here is one of safety versus choice. While offering spectators a choice is desirable, ensuring their safety is essential and this must be our priority. The Government must work on the best advice, as provided by the FLA , and in view of past tragedies involving football stadia, we believe the current approach is the responsible one'.

Stand Up Sit Down would comment that in football, as in all areas of life, there must be a balance between safety and choice. It is our belief, and that of many others within football, including many safety officers, that standing in lower tiers and areas of low gradient does not cause a real safety hazard, therefore it is reasonable to allow supporters a choice. If the safety argument is pursued, the FLA 's own figures suggest that the ale of hot drinks should be banned in football grounds.

Mr Caborn ends by saying:

‘We will, however, continue to keep this under review and are willing to look at new evidence as it arises, but will not deviate from the principle of putting safety first.'

Stand Up Sit Down receive a letter from David Sheepshanks, Chairman of Ipswich FC, in reply to our letter outlining the safety benefits of our proposals. Mr Sheepshanks says:

‘Many people in the game feel some sympathy for your view point although it is the practical aspects and implications surrounding any change that make it such a conundrum for the authorities. It was discussed at a recent Football League Board meeting and the matter has now been referred to the FA.'

Liverpool receive a reduction of 500 in their ticket allocation for the opening premiership fixture at Middlesboro, as a result of persistent standing at previous games.