BLACKBURN Rovers managing director Derek Shaw will back a return to standing areas at football matches – provided it is safe and passed by football authorities.

Football League clubs have called for the Government to review the rule that means stadiums in the Championship must be all-seater but face opposition from Hillsborough campaigners.

A majority of the 72 clubs have voted for League chiefs to approach the sports minister to ask for a review and that rail seating - where there is a safety barrier on every row and seats can be locked in an upright position – be permitted.

Rovers chief Shaw believes a move would help solve the issue facing most clubs where sections of fans stand in seating areas.

He said: “If the option is there and the circumstances are right and everybody agrees it is safe, and passed by the authorities, then I think standing areas are absolutely fine.”

All-seater stadiums in the Championship and Premier League became law after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, and Margaret Aspinall of the Hillsborough Family Support Group said they still opposed any reversion to standing areas.

She said: “We have listened carefully to the arguments but as far as the Hillsborough Family Support Group is concerned we had a vote on this and it was a unanimous vote that there is no such thing as safe standing.”