Roger has acted as primary sponsor for two Early Day Motions (EDM’s) relating to football. The first, EDM 572, draws attention to the new four-year £24million shirt sponsorship deal which Premiership club, Newcastle United, has concluded with Wonga, the payday loan company and reflects that this deal is typical of the attitude of the Premier League which exists to maximise profits for the owners, players and their agents. The second, EDM 573, asks the Government to allow the pilot basis the introduction of new standing technology in football stadia (see pictures below).
It asks the Government to recognise there is widespread support for such areas and that improvements in stadium design and technology

mean that, with rigorous safety specifications, standing areas can be safely introduced as they have been done in many other European countries including the German Bundesliga.
The trials would need a change in the Football Spectators Act 1989, brought in after the Hillsborough disaster.
Peter Daykin, Safe Standing Coordinator at the Football Supporters Federation(FSF) said: "For two decades since the Taylor Report, the overwhelming majority of football supporters have favoured a choice of standing and sitting at football, and fans continue to stand throughout all levels of the game today, even in the Premier League and Championship where it is against ground regulations and facilities are designed for sitting.
"Standing was outlawed on grounds of safety, and yet successive governments have agreed that standing is safe - it's hard not to when it is done perfectly safely every week at rugby grounds, lower league football grounds and in top football leagues all around the world."
The Premier League and successive governments have until now also opposed any change.
http://www.safestandingroadshow.co.uk/
EDM's Signed by Roger Godsiff MP

This article appeared in the November edition of Roger's newsletter 'Postcard from Parliament'