![]() Minor recommendations were made relating to the overall matchday experience.” Part of the Sheffield Wednesday and City council statement from February read: “A review at Hillsborough Stadium over concerns about crowd movements has concluded, stating that all aspects of safety at the stadium complied fully with the club’s Safety Certificate. ![]() Howe, though, refused to comment on the fact Sheffield Wednesday were challenging the stadium capacity reduction order. ![]() Absolutely, especially with the history attached to the stadium. “Anything that can help the long-term success and safety of match day experiences of the supporters is crucial, so we need to gather those findings and try to implement the changes that improve it. “With those eye witness accounts, they should be encouraged to listen to that feedback because it is only the supporters that are living that experience. “It’s hugely important ,” said Howe, ahead of Friday night’s trip to Nottingham Forest. Howe has praised Newcastle United and its supporters for refusing to accept there were no problems or mistakes made. The SAG meeting considered 50 accounts of supporters, which included testimony of "fans being directed through wrong turnstiles", "overcrowding leading to distress amongst children", "a lack of direction from stewards", "tickets sold in areas that were netted off" and "police and stewards being unresponsive to requests for information". The club is now seeking to have the capacity increased again, arguing there is no need for it to remain in place as all the other changes recommended by the safety review have been implemented. Telegraph Sport understands that Newcastle were told on Monday that the capacity of the Leppings Lane stand would be permanently reduced, but Wednesday were not told until the following day. ![]() The minutes of a public meeting were shared, as they would have been with anyone else, with Newcastle United upon request.” There has been no attempt to keep anything secret. That reduction has now been enforced permanently by Sheffield City Council, but the League One club are challenging the decision and believe they were cleared of any wrongdoing in the review and have adopted all the other recommendations made by the Safety Advisory Group (SAG).Īfter Sheffield City Council moved to deny a Freedom of Information Request had been made in order to release details of the meeting, a club source also insisted there had been no attempt to keep anything secret, with the minutes of a public meeting passed on to Newcastle United as they would have been for anyone else who had requested them.Ī senior source at Sheffield Wednesday told Telegraph Sport: “The Council have already denied there was a Freedom of Information Request from Newcastle and we can confirm that was not the case. Wednesday voluntarily reduced the capacity for away fans from 4,700 to 3,700 in the Leppings Lane End - the scene of the 1989 tragedy that resulted in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans - during a review into events surrounding Newcastle’s FA Cup third round defeat back in January. Sheffield Wednesday have denied they failed to reveal the full recommendations of a safety review after Newcastle United supporters complained of overcrowding and the risk of injury during an FA Cup tie at Hillsborough in accounts manager Eddie Howe described as “distressing.”
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