FOOTBALL club bosses and local MPs have given their support to the bid for safe standing at football grounds.

Blackburn Rovers chief executive Steve Waggott attended the club’s supporters consultation meeting on safe standing on Thursday night and gave his backing to the scheme.

He said he has written to local MPs appealing for their support on the issue ahead of a debate in parliament.

Burnley FC club staff said they remain supportive of introducing safe standing at Turf Moor, but at the moment say legislation prohibits it happening and changing that is the first hurdle.

Standing in English football’s top two divisions was outlawed by the Football Spectators’ Act in 1989, following recommendations made in the Taylor Report on the Hillsborough disaster, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans.

But, after more than 100,000 people signed a petition which called for Premier League and Championship clubs to allow safe standing, the issue will be discussed in parliament on Monday.

Rover chief executive Mr Waggott said: “The Football League has done a huge survey on it and 94 per cent of fans say they want the choice of being able to stand.

“Shaun Harvey, the Football League chief executive, is going into parliament on Monday and we have written to the local MPs to say that we are behind it and would like to have that option.

“My view is that you have choices in other sports and other entertainment arenas, so providing that the word safe is applied, then I am not against it all.

“We should have the option as a club to take it on.”

Blackburn MP Kate Hollern said providing the standing is safe she would be in favour of it.

She said: “The fans obviously like it but we need to make sure it’s safe.

“Football matches I find are much better when there is standing, it helps the atmosphere.

“Commonsense needs to be used to make sure all the correct safety measures are taken," the MP said.

“Providing everything is in order I would support it.”

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said he was in favour of safe standing, pointing out the success it has at clubs such as Accrington Stanley.

He said: "There’s definitely a place for safe standing.

“I’m a season ticket holder at Stanley and I stand behind the goal every week, there’s no problem with it at all, it’s great.

“Just last year Rovers were in the same division where Stanley are now.

“It’s inconceivable to be against safe standing from my perspective.

“I think I’m in favour of it, there’s no problem with it.”

A Burnley club spokesman said: “We’ve always been in favour of safe standing but the legislation has been the damning factor.”