The new chairman of the Football Association was on Saturday night planning to lobby the Government to authorise the return of standing at the highest levels of the English game.

Greg Clarke revealed he would seek talks with ministers about allowing so-called safe standing to be installed in stadia and used during football matches.

Grounds in the Premier League and Championship were converted to ­all-seaters following the Hillsborough disaster, but the development of rail seating – advocates of which claim allows fans to stand safely – has sparked a clamour for the current rules to be relaxed.