In addition to the football club dealing with emergencies within the ground, the emergency services have a joint emergency plan to ensure that all emergencies are dealt with in an expeditious and controlled manner. The safety committee can impose restrictions on a club if the safety requirements aren't met, such as restricting the capacity of the crowd if suitable numbers of stewards cannot be supplied. Happily, these are very rare occurrences. In recent seasons clubs have had to take more responsibility for safety at their grounds. This has included employing better trained stewards in place of police officers.
Training is organised by the clubs with police having an input.
It is still too early to assess the effects of these changes, although a steward assessment system is being developed. The Football Licensing Authority was formed as part of the Football Spectator Act, 1989. They are now fully operational and clubs are not allowed to play matches in front of a crowd unless they have been granted an FLA licence. Over recent years crowd control within the stadia has been made easier with the improvements undertaken by most clubs. These include double barriers, walkways, family enclosures and seated areas.