1,000 FANS WILL BE ALLOWED BACK IN AS PART OF PILOT PROJECT
Crewe’s game away at Hull is one of ten to be selected
THE EFL have confirmed that several fixtures will be staged this weekend as part of the pilot programme that will see fans return to stadiums.
Stoke City and Port Vale supporters will have to wait but Crewe’s game away at Hull is one of those selected but away fans will not be allowed into any of the trial games.
Spectators have not been allowed inside football grounds since March in England due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the first phase of fans returning will begin this weekend.
After receiving guidance, the maximum number of spectators allowed inside stadiums will be capped at 1,000, with discussions set to continue with the government about return for supporters in greater numbers in October onwards.
It has been confirmed that three matches in the Championship, four in League One and three in League Two will take part in the pilot programme. Stoke had been hoping to hold a test event at the bet365 Stadium against Bristol City, which has now been moved to Sunday (2pm), but although this is not happening, there is hope fans could still be back next month.
EFL chairman Rick Parry hopes this weekend’s pilot programme will allow fans to gradually return to stadiums across the county, securely and safely. “It’s encouraging that we are in a position to move forward with the next phase of the pilot programme and give a small number of our clubs the opportunity to welcome back up to a 1,000 fans this week,” said Parry.
“The health and well-being of supporters and their wider communities remains the priority, but as we showed at Cambridge, social distancing can be applied safely. By extending across more EFL clubs we hope to further demonstrate that the measures developed can allow fans to return in greater numbers from as early as next month.
“The requirement to welcome spectators back through turnstiles has not diminished in any way, the financial challenges facing EFL clubs have been explained on numerous occasions, they are substantial and a problem that requires immediate solutions.”
Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, echoed Parry’s views in wanting fans back inside stadiums.
“I know that many fans are eager to return to football and that jobs depend on this too, so fans will welcome news that the EFL will be running number capped, covid secure, and socially distanced pilots this weekend,” said Dowden. “This will help us build the evidence base to see how we can return fans safely in greater numbers as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The full list of fixtures that will allow fans to attend this weekend are as follows:
Championship: Luton Town vs Derby County, Norwich City vs Preston North End, Middlesbrough vs Bournemouth.
League One: Charlton Athletic vs Doncaster Rovers, Blackpool vs Swindon Town, Shrewsbury Town vs Northampton Town, Hull City vs Crewe Alexandra.
League Two: Forest Green Rovers vs Bradford City, Carlisle United vs Southend United, Morecambe vs Cambridge United.