SPORTS chiefs have launched a fresh review into safe standing at English football grounds, which could pave the way for it to be introduced at St Mary’s Stadium.

Sports minister Tracey Crouch told ministers that her “mind is open” on the debate, after previously slapping down proposals to amend the current laws.

The MP, speaking at a parliamentary debate, expects findings of the initial research to be completed before the end of the year. Clubs in English football’s top two tiers had to have all-seater stadiums by law since the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which left 96 Liverpool fans dead.

Speaking at the committee meeting, Southampton Itchen MP – and lifelong Saints fan – Royston Smith said: “There are laws that are meant for good reasons, and goodness knows this law was meant for a good reason. No one denies that.

“But in their implementation, they do not always work in the way in which they were intended.

“Safe standing has been trialled and is now accepted as being safe. In 2011, the Scottish Premiership relaxed its requirements for all-seater stadiums and Celtic now has a safe standing space for 3,000 supporters. Next season League One team Shrewsbury Town will join Celtic and have its own safe standing area.

“The stunning St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton has a capacity of over 32,000. The Saints moved from the iconic Dell in 2000. We used to stand on the terraces until the move to the new stadium, and many fans want to return to standing.

“All too often, fans in the Northam Stand still stand although, by law, they should not. But that presents the club with a very difficult decision about how they police that and thus far they have not been able to do it.

“What it does do, though, is it proves safe standing, even in the environment where they are standing in between seats, has been safe for some 18 years now at Southampton Football Club.”

The Conservative MP added: “Personally, I prefer to sit but not everyone does and thousands would prefer to stand.”

““That said, if safe standing can be introduced, we must not lose sight of those who want to sit. “With safety as the top priority, of course, I hope that a compromise can be reached to accommodate everyone.”The debate was triggered after 112,000 people signed a petition backing the introduction of safe standing.

Large numbers of fans have continued to stand during games and calls for a scrapping of the all-seater requirement have grown in recent years, particularly after an independent review in 2012 confirmed standing was not the cause of the Hillsborough tragedy.

Last month, the EFL and Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) commissioned a survey which revealed more than nine in 10 supporters want the option to stand at football matches.

Despite this, in April, Crouch rejected a request from West Brom to pilot a safe-standing section next season, when there will be some 22 EFL clubs, in all three divisions, with legal standing areas.

Michael Brunskill, a spokesman for the FSF, was encouraged by Monday’s debate and welcomed Crouch’s announcement of a review.

“The overwhelming number of MPs who were in the room were so supportive of the case. I think it’s fair to say that fans, clubs, leagues, MPs, we’re all on the same side here making the same arguments and hopefully that aligns with government in due course,” he said.

“The devil’s in the detail in this. We want to see more about the review that they are proposing.

“We’ve got to make sure that whatever the government is planning, that the fans’ case is argued and our voice isn’t lost because I think in the past it has been. “Fans love football for the spectacle, the atmosphere, not just what goes on on the pitch and standing is a huge contributing factor for that. That’s why we want to see it done safely – and it can be done safely.” Steve Morgan, Labour MP for Portsmouth, said safe standing was “already there” within the EFL, with “fully licensed” sections in the lower divisions. “Not every fans wants to stand, but nearly every fan I have spoken to wants to have the choice. Government should trust fans – they know their clubs best,” he said. “I must admit, I am puzzled as to why the Government thinks the standard becomes safer as the quality of football gets worse.”CONTACT ME