Wolves' South Bank rail seating should be ready for Chelsea

Wolves are the first Premier League club to introduce rail seats – a step closer to safe standing – and the stand is set to be fully transformed for the Chelsea clash.

The renovation was originally supposed to be completed for the start of the season, but there was a delay with some of the building materials.

The vast majority of the stand had been done for Wolves’ last home game – when they reached the Europa League group stage by beating Italian side Torino – and the finishing touches should be made over this international break.

The club announced in May that all seats in the South Bank – officially known as the Sir Jack Hayward Stand – were to be replaced with rail seats, and all seats in the North Bank quadrant fitted with ‘an independent barrier’.

Safe standing is not allowed in the top two tiers of English football.

But a recent change in legislation means that seats incorporating rails in between are permitted.

Wolves made the ‘progressive and innovative’ move after 97 per cent of South Bank season-ticket holders were in favour of it.

The plan was approved by the local safety advisory group and the Sports Grounds Safety Authority.

West Midlands firm Alderdale Stadia Seating began the work earlier this summer, with a total of 5,434 rail seats to be installed.

Meanwhile, Wolves defender Willy Boly is hoping to make his Ivory Coast debut this evening after his first call-up.

Boly had featured at youth level for France – the country of his birth – in previous years, but has not registered a single senior appearance. Ivory Coast face Benin at 6pm.