EFL open to smaller crowds if Oct 1 date is met

English Football League clubs appear ready to accept smaller crowds during a “critical 48 hours” in which sporting chiefs seek government assurances that stadiums will reopen as planned on Oct 1.

Championship, League One and League Two clubs were last night warned of “catastrophic consequences” ahead of today’s crunch talks between sporting bodies and Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary.

A consensus is growing among the lower divisions that limits on numbers will need to be accepted in return for government promises that spectators will be back.

With Boris Johnson last week introducing restrictions on all pilots to just 1,000, hope is fading that the likes of Sunderland’s 49,000-capacity Stadium of Light will be a third full next month as previously planned.

EFL clubs yesterday sent to Whitehall a list of proposed 1,000-spectator pilots to take place this weekend as part of efforts to convince ministers to stick with the plan to get stadiums open. Such a position is at odds with the Premier League, which has ruled out involvement in pilots until spectator limits are eased again.

The EFL said the lists of pilots sent to the Government last night were an “important step” for fans’ safe return. In a letter to clubs yesterday, the EFL’S head of policy John Nagle said: “We cannot guarantee at this stage all clubs that would like to stage a pilot will be given permission to do so, as only a limited number will be approved.”