GOOD TO BE BACK!
Fans returned at Brighton as pilot passes with flying colours
THE masked ball is rolling and those at Brighton who helped supporters end their sixmonth exile from the Amex Stadium want to ensure the momentum is not lost.
They are keen to host more test events and scale up the operation after a crowd of 2,500 returned to watch Saturday’s pre- season friendly against Chelsea. Other clubs have told the Government that they, too, would like to be involved in the pilot schemes as live sports search for a safe and practical way to restore the live audience.
‘The important thing was getting this event on,’ said Brighton chief executive Paul Barber. ‘It wasn’t about Brighton. It was about football and the entire live events industry. We have to move through the gears and bring fans back safely. The whole football economy depends on it.
‘The biggest challenge was getting the confidence of the Government, convincing them that we were ready. We are very happy to continue to stage pilot events with progressively larger crowds, but other clubs would like to be involved.’
Gareth Davies, a Brighton season-ticket holder since the Amex opened, said: ‘ I was worried it might be sterile, and there was a nervousness about it. But it was enjoyable, like a big release for everyone.
‘It was a great atmosphere, to the ironic cheer when the linesman made a mistake and then singing, “Can you hear the Chelsea sing”. The TV have done a great job with the dubbed- on crowd noise but there are some things you just can’t replicate.
‘I went with three others. We sat in a line with four seats between each of us. Next time I would look for two seats behind the other two to be closer, but there was still interaction.
‘It didn’t feel uncomfortable. The club handled it all well. It felt like a privilege to be there and we all felt we were representing the football family.’
The Football Association are now trying to stage the finals of last season’s FA Trophy and FA Vase before a crowd of 10,000 at Wembley which has a capacity of 90,000. Both competitions are at the semi-final stage. Halesowen, Concord Rangers, Notts County and Harrogate Town are the teams left in the Trophy. Bitton, Consett, Corinthian and Hebburn Town still contest the Vase. First, the semi-finals would have to be settled behind closed doors.
‘Scaling up will be the biggest challenge,’ said Barber. ‘The guidelines worked well for 2,500. A greater number of spectators creates more complexities for transport and the concourse areas.’
Tottenham have made it clear that they are keen to use their 62,000- seater stadium for test events, though it is difficult to reach White Hart Lane without using public transport and the prospect of large crowds cramming on to trains and buses will be an issue to overcome, as it will be at Wembley.
Brighton encouraged fans to travel by car and made enough areas available for vehicles to be parked in every other space.
For seating, they used the East Stand, along one side of the pitch, and a small section of the South Stand behind one of the goals. It would not be difficult to extend the same protocol to incorporate all four stands and move the size of the crowd closer to 10,000.
There are snagging points to overcome, however, if live sporting events are to throw the doors open again. What happens at older venues where social
distancing is more difficult on the way in and out and in the concourse areas?
Here there were no Chelsea fans allowed. Tickets were available to Brighton seasonticket holders and members via a loyalty scheme. They all signed medical questionnaires and agreed to track and trace, observed social distancing and wore face coverings at all times except when they were in their seats. Singing was allowed.
The only hiccup concerned children who arrived without photo ID but it was a problem easily solved and Brighton will stage a formal debrief this week.
Government officials were at the Amex and Barber added: ‘We’re delighted, it went as well as it could. Our fans were fantastic. They realised a lot of people were watching, not only from a football point of view but also from an operational point of view. We are very grateful to them.’
After the 1- 1 draw, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard said: ‘It was good, the crowd made a noise which helped the atmosphere.
‘We want to get to that stage as soon as possible, in front of our own fans at Stamford Bridge but we have to be safe, first and foremost.’