New fans’ poll shows concerns over returning
A survey of fans of non-league clubs in England could provide Scottish football with some guidance over the return of crowds to football grounds.
More than three-quarters of those polled are ready to make an instant return to the terraces when coronavirus restrictions are eased.
But health and financial concerns will see others stay away for longer.
It was announced on Friday that selected sporting events in England – the World Snooker Championship, the Glorious Goodwood horse racing festival and two county cricket friendlies – will pilot the return of spectators, with a view to crowds coming back more widely on a socially-distanced basis from the autumn.
The same day, Celtic chief executive, Peter Lawwell, released a statement, calling for a phased return of fans to Scottish football.
The survey of almost 7,000 supporters found that 77.2% would be happy to return from their club’s first game back under a hypothetical October start date.
A further 18% expect to be back within three months, but 4.8% say it will take more than six months for them to venture to a match – or that they potentially will not return at all.
Socially distanced queuing systems (81.6%) and the availability of hand sanitiser (80.2%) rank highly among safety measures fans, who are not intending to return immediately, would like to see adopted at grounds.
Nearly one in five fans (18.9%) delaying their return have health concerns, such as having been shielding from Covid-19, while 9.1% will hold off because they regularly attend with someone who has health issues.
Almost a quarter of all respondents (22.2%) are apprehensive about the return of football.
One in 20 fans (5.3%) said they would not be returning to games immediately because their financial situation has changed for the worse since the pandemic.
An overwhelming 81.7% believe nonleague football should only return with supporters in stadiums.
Two-thirds of those who are delaying their return by at least a month want to see things managed safely before they come back.
But the overall picture is a positive one for non-league sides, with 88% trusting their club to ensure the safety of fans.