The UK Football Policing Unit has urged caution over proposals to let football fans drink alcohol in view of the pitch, citing safety legislation introduced after the Taylor Report. The Football Supporters’ Association criticised the reference to Hillsborough, arguing the 1989 disaster was caused by policing and emergency-service failings, not alcohol.

The debate follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s claim that the current ban unfairly singles out football supporters and should potentially be removed or trialled. The 1985 law applies to England and Wales’s top five men’s leagues; police say alcohol can contribute to violence, while the FSA believes clubs and supporters should decide locally whether drinking in stands is appropriate.