Oakwell planning for return of some supporters

BARNSLEY chief executive officer Dane Murphy is hopeful that supporters could be allowed back into stadiums this autumn.

Discussions are underway as to when fans will be able to return to football grounds following the game’s threemonth coronavirus shutdown.

Reports have suggested that the Government is considering holding test events in July in order to pilot the return of supporters back into grounds, with football authorities increasingly confident that some could attend games by October.

Earlier this month, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden MP said he was hopeful “some fans” could return to grounds by the start of the 20120-21 season – expected to be in mid-September.

Meanwhile, the Rugby Football Union has claimed that a reduction in social distancing rules to one metre would increase the potential capacity at Twickenham for the autumn Tests from 9,000 to 35,000.

Murphy, who revealed to The Yorkshire Post recently that the Reds will lose between £600,000 and £700,000 in match-day revenue from home games played behind closed doors this season, is keeping his fingers crossed that football can find a safe and effective solution to enable fans to be permitted back into matches in 2020-21.

He said: “I don’t know if an individual club and a group of stakeholders in a club can do so, but I believe so – if we are able to speak to the Government and get a sign-off from the EFL, Premier League and the Government in allowing fans back in and we are able to put in the protocols to keep people safe.

“It is an element of keeping people at a safe distance and making sure they wear masks, but feel comfortable.

“It will be with gloves and disinfecting areas in which any supporter or member of the match that takes place comes into contact with. There are a lot of elements and variables in getting it across to be a sustained plan, but I think it can get done in the time that is needed to get fans back in.

“It is what we have been lobbying for. The working group we have at the club have been adhering to Government and EFL protocols and have come up with their own ideas and set forth some things in among ourselves in terms of what it could look like.

“We would love the fans to come back, but we are not going to champion things out in public until we know until it is safe and secure to do so and the Government allows fans back in.”