Campaigner says standing at football is 'rite of passage'

Norwich City fans will be able to watch matches from a new safe standing area next season

A campaigner for safe standing in football stadiums wants fans to have the same matchday experience that he had as a child.

Jon Darch, of Ferco, a company that installs safe standing areas, said it was a "rite of passage" to stand at games and it helped give younger fans independence.

Norwich City is installing a safe standing area at Carrow Road in the summer, nearly 32 years after it became an all-seater stadium.

"You can't sing your hearts out for the boys if you're sitting on your backside," Mr Darch said.

Ferco, which will carry out the Carrow Road project, has installed safe standing at Celtic's and Queens Park Rangers' grounds.

The design includes a waist-high rail to stop fans falling forward and causing a "domino effect".

Mr Darch stood to watch matches as a child with his father, and then as a teenager with friends, and said it was a "rite of passage".

"[Standing,] it's the natural position for singing and cheering."

Norwich City fan Terri Westgate said she had not sat down during a match for "many seasons" and that, for many, standing was part of the "excitement".

"What the fans have always wanted is an area which is allocated as a standing area... so people who want to stand can go to one part of the ground and people who want to sit can go somewhere else," she said.

"It's part of the excitement when you get up on your feet, and if you want to clap and sing and get involved in that part of being a football fan then it's something you do standing up."