English Championship football club Brighton & Hove Albion is to consider introducing safe-standing sections at its Amex Stadium.
The second-tier team will discuss the change with fans and other interested parties in the coming week, with chief executive Paul Barber having made fact-finding missions to both Borussia Dortmund and Celtic during the past 12 months
The English Football League first confirmed it was open to discussions on the topic in February 2014, and Albion's move follows the Football Association's confirmation that it will soon commence discussions with the government about the possibility of a change in legislation.
Barber said: "The Amex is currently one of the best and most modern all-seater stadia in Europe with an outstanding record for crowd behaviour and safety.
“Safe standing has not been high on our agenda simply because of the government legislation ruling against it, but there now appears to be more of an appetite for change and, if this proves to be the case, we want to fully understand the implications for our club and stadium as early as possible.”
He added: "Having personally experienced rail seating for a game at Borussia Dortmund, it is a very different experience to the terracing of old, but it does offer a safe alternative to those who wish to stand at football.
“Celtic's system is slightly different – it's one standing place replacing one seat – but it's something we want to look at further and, as a progressive club which puts the match day experience very high on our list of priorities for fans, we want to be well prepared for any changes which may come. An important part of this preparation and process is that we want to hear what our fans think.”
Barber added that while standing areas would increase the Amex's capacity, the cost of redevelopment would mean that ticket prices could not be reduced.
He said: “From an economic point of view, the capital cost of a safe standing installation is substantial, and particularly so in a new stadium which already has seen considerable investment in state of the art, very comfortable, seating. How we might fund such a project is one of the very important considerations we must debate."
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