Chesterfield would give '˜serious consideration' to safe standing at the Proact

The Spireites will be closely monitoring the situation at League One Shrewsbury, who this week confirmed they have applied to introduce safe standing at their Greenhous Meadow ground.

Inspired by what they saw in action north of the border at Celtic, the Shrews became the first English club to apply for permission to introduce rail seats.

Celtic established a standing section last year after being granted a license by Glasgow City Council, and 2,900 fans can be accommodated within it.

The Shrews’ CEO Brian Caldwell said: “More people are encouraged to sing and get behind the team but also it’s a safer environment.”

Shrewsbury’s hope is that they will have the rail seats fitted and in use by supporters in a section of one stand before next season is finished.

Crowdfunding will help generate between £50,000 and £75,000 to pay for around 500 rail seats in the Salop Leisure Stand.

Greenhous Meadow is a decade old and was opened just two years before the Proact stadium, so legislation covering grounds with terracing that pre-dates 1994 does not apply.

Safe standing is an idea that evidently appeals to many Spireites supporters.

In a Derbyshire Times poll, 79 per cent of those who responded said they would like to see it at the Proact.

Chesterfield as a club are very interested, but for now will maintain a watching brief as schemes unfold elsewhere.

A club spokesman said: “We will be keeping an eye on developments and see how safe standing areas operate at other clubs.

“Some fans prefer to stand when they’re watching a game so we would seriously consider incorporating a safe standing area at the Proact Stadium in the future, if that is possible.”

Clubs in England’s top two divisions have been legally required to have all-seater stadiums since the 1990 Taylor Report into the Hillsborough disaster.