Fans return could be huge
Lee Johnson says Sunderland will look to maximise the impact if supporters are able to return to the Stadium of Light for the play-off semifinals.
The EFL are hoping that the government will move ahead with the next stage of the roadmap for leaving lockdown as planned, allowing attendances of up to 10,000.
Sunderland are therefore at this stage still unsure whether they will be able to admit fans, but the indications are positive.
Johnson said it would be 'absolutely huge' to manage the club in front of their supporters for the first time.
Though there will of course be strict protocols in place should supporters return, the Black Cats head coach wants to ensure their presence is felt as much as possible.
"That could be absolutely huge and to be honest it's the thing that probably excites me most about the play-offs, having that buzz again," he said.
"I think I'd literally cry if someone said that we can't have fans in for the playoffs.
"The fanbase here is something that was a big part of my decision to come to the football club.
"When I came here as Bristol City manager I probably didn't see it. Cold, windy, we won 2-1.
"One of the big things I wanted really was to come to Sunderland and experience that atmosphere I'd heard about.
"I think that will be a consideration as well as to where we place fans.
"I'm just talking offhand here, obviously, but I wouldn't want people spread all over the gaff in their normal seats.
"You'd want to try and condense it so you can feel that passion and that power as close to the pitch as possible.
"Any ideas that can help us, I'm open to.
"That almost becomes part of the tactical thinking, depending on what is allowed and, of course, we want to make sure that the fans who do come in, they're super-vocal.
"I'm sure they've had enough time off to warm up those vocal chords to really get us going."
Sunderland are looking to take three points against Northampton Town on Sunday, thus strengthening their chances of securing a home tie for the second leg of the semi-final.
Johnson says even away from home, though, the return of fans would be a positive.
"Even going to the away game, where we potentially won't have any of our fans, that feeling of the gladiator's arena, us against the world, let's go and do the business," he said.
"You've got to embrace that.
"We've all got one goal and that's to go and drive
the club forward."
Johnson hopes to have defensive pair Conor McLaughlin and Tom Flanagan fit for the semi-finals, but admits he is closely
monitoring their progress on a daily basis.
"Those two are the ones I'm probably studying more than anyone else” he said.
“The way they hinge
in their movement, their sharpness, their footwork, lung capacity.
“It's definitely something that I'm looking at and watching day by day.”