[Albion] Football crowds could return in September, says FA chief executive

[lawros left foot]

The size of the Amex concourse would make this possible, actually at the ground, however, grounds even in the PL with smaller concourses,( off the top of my head, Bournemouth, Palace, Villa, even Chelsea) will surely struggle to have any sort of meaningful social distancing.
I imagine if crowds come back, it would have to be all clubs in that division,

 

[LamieRobertson]

September is a huge ask IMHO, and bordering on wishful thinking. 30,000 at the Amex, most crammed onto public transport and maybe one punter in a hundred washing their hands in the gents loos. Second spike just waiting to happen, if not in the Amex then in some other similar sporting stadium. Far too soon

Who knows ..the idea of being where we are now in mid April would have been considered fanciful ..having said that it would be great if we were allowed back inside stadiums by November...my concern remains over the future of clubs lower down the leagues (as another poster has mentioned)

 

[nicko31]

Been thinking this for a while. Lockdown easing doesn't appear to be having any negative impact so far, the outdoor transmission risk appears to be small, SD likely to be further relaxed etc. Issues won't be watching the game so much but more the transport to/from the ground and the concourses. With continued easing of lockdown measures could easily see first games of the season in September having something like ST holders only allowed in with some seat reallocations to spread the crowd out and reduce concourse density (including away end - no away fans) and turnstiles open earlier to reduce congestion. Having 23k in the whole ground rather than 30k would significantly ease crowding at pinchpoints, pressure and congestion on the transport etc.

So you think with a 23k gate there won't be a queue at Falmer station? The reality is travelling to the fro to Amex won't be safe. let alone when you're in the ground

 

[studio150]

This is 3 months away- think we will be possibly ready for spectators by then.

Lucky we already have staggered exit from the stadium from 80 mins onwards..

But to keep the social distance won't they need to stay in their seats for the whole game, no getting up and walking past others in the same row

 

[Bozza]

September is a huge ask IMHO, and bordering on wishful thinking. 30,000 at the Amex, most crammed onto public transport and maybe one punter in a hundred washing their hands in the gents loos. Second spike just waiting to happen, if not in the Amex then in some other similar sporting stadium. Far too soon

Not sure they're thinking about full capacity crowds for the obvious reasons I've posted about a lot, and you also mention. The article says:

"I would really hope that by the return of the new season we might be in a position whereby some fans could start to return to stadiums..."

 

[dazzer6666]

So you think with a 23k gate there won't be a queue at Falmer station? The reality is travelling to the fro to Amex won't be safe. let alone when you're in the ground

Where did I say that ? Of course there will be a queue - which bit of this did you not understand ? Issues won't be watching the game so much but more the transport to/from the ground There was a queue at Primark on Monday. What will the SD rules be in September ? This is all speculation....................................I'm just giving a view.

 

[1066familyman]

I know this might sound like crying over spilt milk, and back then is likely to be different to September. However, Radio 4's, File on 4 programme - Game Changer: How the UK played on during coronavirus - is worth a listen before we get too eager to rush back to 'normality' I reckon.

It deals mainly with the potential consequences of going ahead with The Cheltenham Festival and that Liverpool Champions League game, among other events. We dodged a massive bullet it seems in having our game with Arsenal postponed.

 

[Bozza]

I'm pretty sure I posted about this point before too, but the club's sustainable transport policy, and our reliance on trains and buses could actually count against us in our ability to return to some form of normality, even with reduced crowds.

Urban stadium where crowds disperse in all directions, often on foot for some of their journey, are better-suited for social distancing to be more easily observed.

 

[oldboyroy]

I think we'll see supporters back in time for next season which is September isn't it?. It will be greatly reduced capacity say a 1/4 at first spread evenly around stadiums. But who knows if the infection rate is down to under 100 by then, then in theory it'll be nigh on very rare to catch it. The only worry then would be if there was a so called 2nd wave due to autumn/winter cooler temperatures.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

But to keep the social distance won't they need to stay in their seats for the whole game, no getting up and walking past others in the same row

That would suit me as I'm at the end of a row. I'm tired of all the lightweights walking past at crucial moments. Although it was quite amusing that loads missed Andone's amazing palace goal a couple of seasons back.

 

[The Wizard]

Realistically. Probably unlikely, however I would also be very surprised if by September there is no significantly effective treatment, science is fast evolving and so is the understanding of the virus.

For the vast majority we know this is an extremely mild illness, and so if an effective treatment is found, I think it’s likely football will return with crowds this side of next year but it’s about risk factors, if we are in double digit new infections by then it would be madness to ban all crowds.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

On talkshite an "expert" proposed if you had a 25,000 seater stadium realistically you could have 4,000 - 5,000 spectators safely distancing.

That would look very, very odd, especially when we score imagine what fools we would look like dancing about, high fiving thin air....

 

[Palacefinder General]

Priestfield season ticket holders get first priority?

 

[N17]

You probably saw this from the Sunday Times but just in case



Apparently being discussed by a leading club in the northwest and one of London's biggest sides (said to be Spurs & Man U).

- Fans would go to a testing station at the stadium from 72 hours before a game for a pinprick test, which would give a result in 20 mins;
- If it's negative you'd be given a green laminated pass for match day;
- On match day your temperature would be checked and you'd be given PPE equipment (presumably just a mask and possibly gloves) then pass through a disinfecting mist into the stadium where F&B would be available since everyone in the stadium should be low risk;
- Cost would be around £30 per match per person and it is unclear if the club, sponsor or fans would have to pay this.

 

[Baker lite]

Priestfield season ticket holders get first priority?

I do hope so, really looking forward to meeting up with old friends and new.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Napper]

sounds good. Even if all cant make it in then the pubs will be open

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

You probably saw this from the Sunday Times but just in case



Apparently being discussed by a leading club in the northwest and one of London's biggest sides (said to be Spurs & Man U).

- Fans would go to a testing station at the stadium from 72 hours before a game for a pinprick test, which would give a result in 20 mins;
- If it's negative you'd be given a green laminated pass for match day;
- On match day your temperature would be checked and you'd be given PPE equipment (presumably just a mask and possibly gloves) then pass through a disinfecting mist into the stadium where F&B would be available since everyone in the stadium should be low risk;
- Cost would be around £30 per match per person and it is unclear if the club, sponsor or fans would have to pay this.

No, thank you. Not for me.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Priestfield season ticket holders get first priority?

Yes, indeed. We were socially distanced in the opposite stand to the main stand every week so have the necessary pandemic like experience.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Sounds fairly positive - could tie in with Melvin Benn's of Festival Republic's (Reading/Leeds, Latitude, Download, Wireless, V Festival) ideas for getting music festivals going again.

I previously heard noises that they were hoping to possibly trial a reduced capacity for the FA Cup final on 1st August if infection rates allowed, not sure if that's too soon. I guess we'll see.

Again there's a question of fairness (i.e. teams possibility disadvantaged by changing capacities throughout a season?), also part of me likes the idea of not going back until it is full capacity, so perhaps first half of season either behind closed doors or reduced capacity, then an extended winter break to allow the players a rest, to prepare for full opening at start of 2021?

Yes l agree with that final paragraph, I'd happily wait until the beginning of next year if it meant watching games in front of full capacity crowds again. Watching a match where every othe seat is left free creates a totall false atmosphere for me.

But that's the probelm we have with the Amex really, great when every seat is taken but when we slip down to League 1, (which will happen one day), the place will be soulless.

 

[highflyer]

Too many if's and but's to be sure of course. If there is anything we have learnt to predict in the last few months it is that the future is unpredictable.

Any kind of significant second wave and we won't be back in the stadium this side of 2021.

But I can also see more than one scenario where we could be back by September.

If we've seen continued decrease in infections, but not yet seen significant medical breakthroughs or managed a near-elimination of the virus, then I'd assume it would be with reduced crowd sizes, new arrangements for transport, closed concourses and possibly some kind of advanced testing arrangements.

But I can also envisage being in a situation where we go back to near enough normal before the end of the year. Through medical advances, and/or having brought overall infection numbers down close to zero and having really good systems to manage local outbreaks in place.

Any of these three scenerios seem equally likely to me right now. Plus the added possibility of other 'white swan' futures that I can't even guess at. So four possibile futures and I'll put them at 25% each. Then I'll get on and live for today!