EXCLUSIVE: Gold starts safe seating talks

EXCLUSIVE

By Hugh Southon

David Gold has started talks with manufacturers of safe seating systems which he wants to see introduced at the London Stadium.

In a major exclusive with ClaretandHugh this morning the co-chairman revealed: “I have been speaking with the people who put in the rail seating at Celtic Park. I have been an advocate of this for many years and it is something I am working on.

“It was absolutely right after the Hillsborough tragedy that the Taylor Report suggested all-seater stadiums but that was 30 years ago and technology has moved on so now – as was the case at Celtic – we need to look at these possibilities and hold talks. That’s what I am doing.”

Once a system is found to suit the London Stadium it can be assumed the club will have been in touch with every relevant body including the stadium operators, FA and PL and it could be that Celtic’s Ferco Seating system will be the one adopted.

Gold’s talks are the starting point in moves he hopes will calm the voice of discontened supporters who have contributed towards making this a burning issue following the move from the Boleyn.

He said: “We are working on it. I believe in it – we are in touch and we will do everything we can to resolve the issue.”

DG and his daughter Jacqui have both tweeted regularly that fans need to sit at the stadium in order to get the licence to increase the stadium capacity to 66k.

And DG said: “I’ve ben accused of making this about money which is crazy because I won’t profit personally – only the football club.

“For me it’s about pride. For as long as I can remember we have been London’s fourth club now we have a chance to become the biggest in terms of capacity.

“Arsenal have 60k, Chelsea and Tottenham will have 61k and we will have  66k. I want that. I want to be the biggest and I think the majority of our fans will too.”

In the video above the Ferco Seating system is featured in a BBC programme at the time of the Celtic moves towards safe seating in which DG’s support for safe seating is mentioned.