A Government stadium safety watchdog inspector has said there is substantial evidence that safe standing sections are good for football and can resolve the chronic problem of fans standing up at all-seater grounds.

Sports Ground Safety Authority (SSGA) expert Rick Riding told a meeting of 200 Liverpool fans on Saturday that the problems caused by fans standing in all-seaters – including ‘progressive crowd collapse’ and access problems for emergency services seats – had become a ‘massive issue’ which was ‘impossible’ to police.

Celtic installed safe standing technology when their Parkhead ground was deemed unsafe by Glasgow city council because a failure to stop fans standing.

A safe standing section at Celtic's Parkhead features 'rail seats' which fans stand behind

Riding told Sportsmail that the SSGA’s report on Celtic’s safe-standing section had found it to be ‘excellently’ managed. ‘If it works well there, it should work well in other stadiums,’ he said.

‘The other benefit we’ve seen is one of customer care. People who want to and need to sit down throughout a match should not have their view obstructed by others standing up. This satisfies both requirements. How do you make 10,000 people sit down? It’s impossible.’

Improved supporter safety has emerged as one of the most powerful arguments in favour of ‘rail seats’ - in which fans stand behind a barrier – ahead of a keenly-awaited poll of Liverpool fans on the subject this week.

Thousands of fans are likely to come out in favour in a poll organised by the Spirit of Shankly (SoS) organisation. Voting started after a public meeting in Liverpool city centre on Saturday which revealed that many – though not all - families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy are in favour.

Liverpool fan group Spirit of Shankly are holding a vote on opinion over standing

The UK Football Policing Unit are currently against a return to safe-standing. But significantly, Merseyside Police have indicated it is ‘too early’ to provide an opinion.

‘We are, of course, alive to the sensitivities,’ the force said in a statement to the meeting. ‘We will continue to monitor the debate.’

The result of the online ballot - which will be revealed next Sunday - is keenly awaited because persuading ministers to introduce legislation needed for standing will be impossible without substantial Liverpool support.

Discussion of injuries caused when supporters stand up in all-seaters formed a significant part of Saturday’s two-hour debate.

A government inspector has said there is evidence safe standing sections are good for football

Several speakers described injuries incurred at Anfield when supporters are on their feet during moments of high excitement and others try to make their way past them. One said he had fractured his skull at PSV Eindhoven.

Celtic’s new section – which accommodates 3,000, with 2,000 more fans on a waiting list - has led to fewer fans obstructing others’ views elsewhere in the stadium. Its success has been a result of the club investing in more stewards to manage the standing section, Riding said.

Government and police want convincing that the desire for safe standing comes from more than traditional groups of male fans. ‘One of the [government] objectives is to improve diversity,’ said Riding. ‘That’s a government priority. We would advocate that [clubs pressing for safe standing] should facilitate that.’