Safety is the top priority, Fulham tell fans

Fulham today reassured supporters that Craven Cottage would be a safe stadium to visit next season after fears were raised by the Hillsborough Family Support Group.

The group claimed Jean Tigana's team should not be allowed to play in the Premiership at their home ground because 70 per cent of fans are accommodated on standing terraces.

The group includes members who are relatives of the 96 supporters who died in the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989 which led to football clubs being forced to make their grounds all-seater.

Fulham lead the First Division by 14 points and look certainties for promotion to the Premiership but they intend to play at Craven Cottage next campaign whatever division they are in.

Football Licensing Authority (FLA) rules allow them another season before their ground has to be all-seater and the club have planning permission to build a new 30,000-seat stadium on their home ground site.

Work is not due to start on that until summer 2002 and Fulham have plans to ground share while the £70 million development is completed.

Managing director Michael Fiddy said: "We are sympathetic to the views of the Hillsborough Family Support Group and will work with the FLA to make sure Craven Cottage is safe.

"A lot of the procedures have changed since the Hillsborough tragedy but we accept we need an all-seater stadium because those who have done the research say it is much safer."

Meanwhile, Fiddy said speculation linking Fulham with Barcelona's former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit and Leeds ex-Chelsea defender Michael Duberry was baseless.