Supporters' representatives from Portsmouth, Brighton and Bournemouth have backed Rupert Lowe's calls for the introduction of safe standing areas.

Saints chairman Lowe stated that he was in favour of an intellectual debate on the issues surrounding safe standing areas last week.

Eleven days ago, Labour MP Roger Godsiff's Football Spectators' Bill was blocked in the House of Commons, to the chagrin of those fans who want the choice of whether to stand or sit.

The controversy is unlikely to go away before Godsiff's Private Members' Bill is presented to the House for a third time on April 12 - three days before the 13th anniversary of Hilllsborough.

Tomorrow night, the Southampton Independent Supporters Association will meet to debate the arguments for and against the introduction of safe standing areas at the Maple Leaf club, Polygon. All fans are welcome at the 7.30pm meeting.

And those supporting the introduction of German-style safe standing areas have received the support of fans from south coast neighbours Pompey, Brighton and Bournemouth.

Second Division Bournemouth are still waiting for the funds to build the fourth and final stand at the new Fitness First stadium.

Andy Smith, chairman of AFC Bournemouth's Independent Supporters' Association, said: "We're very much in favour of safe standing and would like the fourth stand to be a standing area.

"There's no chance of much happening in the short term and if we were to do well in the next couple of years and go close to promotion to the First Division that would reduce our chances.

"The board would want to cater for First Division football, although that seems a long way off at the moment!"

Smith was a regular on the terraces at Dean Court and during the groundshare at Dorchester's Avenue stadium earlier this month.

Now he has to be content with sitting at Bournemouth's three-sided new home. "It's the ability to move around and mingle that I miss," he added. "You don't get the chance to talk to people as much.

"I used to be able to change my position at half- time or during a game but you lose that when you're seated.

"The atmosphere is definitely worse than when we were at Dean Court. Saying that, the ground only has three sides and there was a definite improvement during the second half of the Huddersfield game."

Down the road at Pompey, fans are similarly in favour.

Barry Dewing, of Portsmouth Independent Supporters' Association, said: "While we may not often agree with our neighbours from along the M27 we stand alongside those who wish for safe standing areas in modern stadiums. Rupert Lowe seems to be taking an interest in the matter which sadly does not seem to be the case in the Portsmouth boardroom.

"We would hope that Roger Godsiff's bill would have been implemented by the time a new stadium is built, and we're glad to say that we've got the backing of Portsmouth's two MPs, namely Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat, Portsmouth South) and Syd Rapson (Labour, Portsmouth North)."

Bournemouth's Second Division rivals Brighton are challenging for promotion while based at Withdean, where they look likely to remain for a minimum of another two seasons.

Planning permission has been submitted for 25,000 all-seater stadium at nearby Falmer.

But in the meantime the Seagulls are playing in front of 7,000 capacity crowds, which are segregated into 'singing areas' for those that want to chant.

Brighton fan Ian Hart, the founder of the Gulls Eye fanzine, now working for BBC Southern Counties radio, said: "There's certainly an argument for standing areas to return.

"I don't think that the singing areas work because everybody sings at some point. I'm based in the press box now, but from what I can tell the main problem with all-seater stadiums is that you can be stuck next to one person for the whole season.

"It's a problem if you don't get on because you're virtually married to them."

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