Labour MP Luke Charters has sparked a national debate after suggesting holding trials to allow fans to drink in the stands at live football matches.

He said that “we need a modern approach to a modern game” in regards to drinking at football games.

Charters brought up the issue of drinking in the stands in the House of Commons during a debate on the Football Governance Bill along with an argument to expand the cap on away game tickets to the top five leagues, not only the Premier League.

The ban from 1985 restricts fans from drinking alcohol in view of the pitch in the top five leagues of the men’s game in the country. This was an attempt to reduce or entirely rid the game of hooliganism.

An argument was made by Charters that fans in other countries such as Italy and Germany are “still able to have a beer while they are cheering on their team.”

Though in the interest of many people complaining that it may set bad examples for children that attend, he did admit that it would not be acceptable for every circumstance. He explained that “we do need those family zones where it won’t be appropriate.”

There is more information on the matter here.

The MP does have many supporters for his case, including the Football Supporters Association. They confirmed that it “absolutely” would welcome trials in the men’s game.

Many individual clubs have requested this in the past for specific games. Additionally, a trial for allowing it in the women’s game has taken place as it is not covered by the ban.

Newcastle United, Bristol City, Southampton and Birmingham City have actually participated in the trial for specific matches and the Football Supporters Association’s head of women’s football stated that the trials presented an opportunity to “offer more choice to supporters.”

Charters proposed similar small trials for the men’s game as a way of telling what may work moving forward, starting in the lower leagues.

Although there has been no comment by the EFL as of yet, in 2018 former chief executive Shaun Harvey did call for the ban to be lifted as he thought it to be “disproportionate”.

There seems to have been far more positive reactions from members of the public and other members of Parliament than may have been predicted. Another Labour MP, Connor Naismith, who represents Crewe and Nantwich, agreed with Charters, taking to social media to say that “It isn’t right in my view that football is the only sport where fans are subject to these restrictions”. He then implied that these days, fans are encouraged to drink heavily prior to a game, rather than pace themselves.

Conversely, Football Policing lead of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Chief Constable Mark Roberts instead appeared to support the ban– “if you can’t go 45 minutes without having a drink, then you’ve probably got a bit of a problem.”