All thanks to Boris, it’s Hawks 0, Pompey 1,200
That’s the difference in fans allowed in to the SAME stadium ...
The first competitive games on Hawks’ new artificial pitch at Westleigh Park take place this weekend.
They include youth games, a women’s match, a Portsmouth Sunday League game and a fixture in the sixth tier of English football.
Thanks to the government’s farcical policy regarding crowds at ‘elite’ level stadiums, spectators are welcome to watch all the games - apart of course from the biggest one, Hawks’ National League South clash with Maidstone United.
In line with current Covid19 regulations, that must take place behind closed doors.
Elsewhere, there are differing limits of spectators allowed depending on what level football is being played.
Portsmouth Women are restricted to a maximum crowd of 600 for this Sunday’s FA Women’s South Division game with Plymouth Argyle.
But, from then on, they will be allowed crowds of up to 1,200 for home matches.
Yes, that’s right - while Hawks (sixth tier of English men’s football) aren’t allowed a single fan to watch them at home, Portsmouth (third tier of English women’s football) can soon welcome up to 1,200 ...
… to the same ground, and over the same weekend, lest we forget.
There might be a logical reason behind that decisionmaking, but excuse me for not being able to see it.
Prior to Boris Johnson’s recent pressing of the pause button regarding the return of crowds to ‘elite’ stadia, Hawks were anticipating being allowed a maximum of 1,411 f ans into home games under socially distanced guidelines. That is due to their ground grading, which means Portsmouth Women will be allowed more fans at home games than other clubs in their division.
Chichester & Selsey, for example, will have crowds capped at 300.
The following weekend, Clanfield host Paulsgrove in their first Hampshire Premier League home game
since agreeing a ground-sharing agreement with the Hawks.
Their attendances will be capped at 300, even though Portsmouth Women can have four times as many at the same ground.
Two Portsmouth Sunday League clubs are also due to start playing all their home games at Westleigh Park.
AFC Trades are first up this Sunday, with Jubilee FC playing their first game on October 18.
At present, there is no maximum crowd limit set for their matches.
Portsmouth Women and Clanfield will be able to use the dressing rooms at Westleigh Park, but the Sunday League clubs won’t be able to - though an exception is being made for Trades’ first game this weekend.
All admission monies will be kept by the clubs, though they are obviously paying a hiring fee to use the facilities.
Hawks will keep all the cash raised via the refreshment huts which will be open at all the games.
Bearwood Panthers Under-14s have the honour of hosting the first competitive game on the 3G surface.
They take on Eastney in a MidSolent League game at 9.20am on Saturday, followed by the Panthers’ Under-15s hosting AFC Southbourne at 10.50am.
Parents and spectators will be welcome for those games, but only officials of Hawks and Maidstone - plus a handful of media - can watch the afternoon’s entertainment.
In addition to playing games on the 3G, Portsmouth Women and Clanfield will also be training on it in midweek.
Moneyfields, Bognor Regis Town, Chichester City and AFC Portchester will all train on a Thursday evening - taking up half a pitch as they do so.
Facilities manager Gary Pratt told The News the aim is to have every group of football lovers playing on the 3G.
Havant’s over-50s walking team - named Fifty Shades of Grey - have started training there, and next on the tick list will be trying to bring in a disability squad to use the facilities.
‘We were to make this a centre point for the whole community,’ said Pratt, well known in grassroots football for his previous job at the Hampshire FA.
‘So far it’s gone really well.
I didn’t think we would have the uptake we’ve had - there’s only seven slots left available in any week.’
AFC Trades will be charging £1 entry to their games - starting with the one against Shepherd’s Crook this Sunday - with all monies raised going to a local branch of the Samaritans.
‘It would be nice to get some people along supporting us and also supporting mental health as well,’ said Trades manager Alfie Morgan.
Trades, a newly-formed team for 2020/21, are top of Division 5 of the Portsmouth Sunday League having won all their games so far. They have big hopes.
Morgan said the ambition is to progress to the Mid-Solent Saturday League with a view to reaching the Hampshire Premier League in five years.