In an unprecedented move 70% of The Football League clubs supported the idea of changing legislation and allowing standing places back to English stadiums.

Friday was a day for celebration among football supporters as the night before The Football League officially supported changing the law and removing 'all-seater' requirement for top two tiers of the league. It's the first time since the Taylor Report introduced this legislation that a football governing body expresses support.

The Football League first started to examine the issue when chief executive Shaun Harvey took over. Last year all 72 member clubs were sent surveys on the issue of standing at football games. In January the consultation process ended and on Thursday it turned out that 70% of clubs support lobbying to the sports minister to change the law.

The decision comes after intensive campaigns by the Football Supporters Federation, largest British organisation of fans. The FSF promotes a specific solution used commonly in Germany, nicknamed 'rail seating'. It sees folded seats installed into rails. This allows easy conversion from seating to standing and reverse.

Welcoming the news, the FSF’s safe-standing coordinator Peter Daykin told Telegraph Sport: “This sounds really encouraging and backs up the FSF’s position – a significant proportion of football supporters want to stand and many football clubs are happy to give them that choice”.