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Standing at top English football matches could be brought back if a trial in Scotland is successful, the Sports Minister has revealed.

Tracey Crouch is ready to "reassess" the ban on standing sections - introduced after the deaths of 96 Liverpool supporters in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster - based on "the Scottish experience".

If it is judged to have worked well, then discussions would take place with any clubs in England wishing to carry out a similar trial, a source said.

Until now, ministers have consistently rejected calls by many fans for football grounds in England to adopt the safer "rail seating" pioneered in Germany and elsewhere.

But, in Scotland - which is not covered by England's all-seater rules - Celtic have been given permission to test out the design, which allows the seats to be unlocked and tipped up to create standing room.

(Image: Getty)

Ms Crouch said the Government was not "at present, persuaded by the case put forward to re-introduce standing accommodation in grounds covered by the all-seater requirement".

But she added: "We will, however, monitor its introduction in Scotland closely and reassess this position once evidence from the Scottish experience is available."

The Celtic trial, to start in August - for up to 2,600 supporters initially, but likely to be expanded - is expected to be followed by other Scottish clubs, if it proves popular.

In England, some lower league clubs have lobbied the Government about bringing back standing and most Premiership clubs are thought to be open to trials.

Ms Crouch's move was welcomed by the Football Supporters' Federation, which said 90 per cent of fans wanted the choice whether to sit or stand at games.

(Image: Ian MacNicol)

But a support group for families who lost loved ones in the Hillsborough disaster said it would never change its view that standing is dangerous.

Ministers had already said they would take into account any recommendations on stadium safety made by the coroner for the fresh Hillsborough Inquests, which are near to completion.

Ms Crouch revealed she also plans to examine the Celtic trial in a parliamentary answer to MPs.

It marks a shift from the statement by Helen Grant, the last sports minister, two years ago, that "all-seater stadia is the best way to ensure the safety, security and comfort of spectators at football grounds".

A spokesman said for the Football Supporters' Federation said: "We welcome the sports minister's commitment to look at the evidence for safe standing.

(Image: Reuters / Phil Noble)

"Standing can be managed safely and 90 per cent of football fans welcome the choice to sit or stand - 10,000s stand every week in areas not designed for it and the law needs to catch up with that."

But Margaret Aspinall, who chairs the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said: "We are not going to change our opinion, because we believe there is no such thing as safe standing at football matches.

"There have been no disasters since all-seater stadiums were introduced, so we cannot understand why people would want to go back to the 1980s."

At present, standing sections are outlawed at Premiership and Championship grounds, but allowed at League and League Two matches.

However, any clubs promoted to the Championship - and, therefore, switching to all-seater - are not allowed to bring back standing it they are later relegated.