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Scottish Premier League grounds must be all-seater

A group of football fans has launched a bid to overturn the ban on standing areas at Scottish Premier League football stadiums.

A petition, which was organised by fans of Dunfermline Athletic, is being considered in the Scottish Parliament.

They argue that the all-seater rule penalises clubs who are forced to build new stands for promotion to the SPL, but which are then never filled.

Dunfermline supporters have gathered 2,314 signatures on the petition.

Lack of atmosphere

The Fife club is in the First Division of the Scottish Football League but fans want to see standing areas allowed if they should win promotion.

Stephen Taylor, of the Pars Supporters Trust, is expected to appear before MSPs on the Public Petitions Committee.

He told BBC Scotland: "First and foremost we are coming from the point of view of the lack of atmosphere at grounds, something I think even the Old Firm fans would accept."

Mr Taylor said he was proposing "safe" standing areas along the model demonstrated by German clubs.

He said there was no desire to go back to the "old days" of cramped and unsafe terraces.

"We are looking at limited standing and clubs having the choice," he said.

"At the moment if you get to the SPL there is minimum 6,000 seats and no standing.

"You have got clubs in the First Division just now such as Queen of the South, Greenock Morton and Ross County who this time next year could be vying for promotion to the SPL.

"They would be faced with a major headache, having to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds putting new seats in and will it be worth it?"