Celtic a step closer to standing areas in Parkhead

CELTIC are set to become the first major club in Britain to allow designated safe standing areas in stadiums.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, centre, has been driving proposals to introduce safe standing areas to Parkhead. Picture: Robert Perry

According to reports, the club has been given cautious backing by police chiefs for the proposals, who are understood to have softened their stance towards the plans. Glasgow City Council are also thought to have given Celtic the green light for the standing zones.

Chief executive Peter Lawwell has been campaigning for the introduction of standing areas at Parkhead since last year, and is keen to emulate successful deployments of safe standing areas in the Bundesliga.

The Scottish Premier League relaxed rules on all-seater stadia in 2011, allowing clubs to introduce standing areas like those seen in Germany.

Discussing the standing options in September, Lawwell said: “We think that some of the systems that are now deployed in Germany and other countries, it’s now time to give them a try.

“We feel there is a new vibrancy in football that has come from Europe and is now in the UK.

“It’s an energy and youthfulness and the safest way of being able to manage that is through safe standing. These are new systems that have come in that are extremely safe and we are very keen to explore further implementing that at Celtic Park.”