Home fans only ? Yes or no

[darren gregory]

Until it can be sorted for sure yeah, especially with this clusterfuck of a government running the show, half expecting Nessie the monster to make an appearance!

But what happens if you’re a fan who doesn’t live so close but travels to the games? They're a few of us on here like that

I think it is a non starter Adam, just too many pitfalls.

 

[Trapdoor]

I live too far away from Exeter to attend many home games but I'm still in favour of this. Its a reliable way of re-establishing human contact without excessively mixing the UK population more than necessary.

I'd support it if this was the way EFL decides to go although, things like iFollow and streaming services make it easier to cope with these days anyway.

 

[AdamStag]

I live too far away from Exeter to attend many home games but I'm still in favour of this. Its a reliable way of re-establishing human contact without excessively mixing the UK population more than necessary.

I'd support it if this was the way EFL decides to go although, things like iFollow and streaming services make it easier to cope with these days anyway.

I think there’s a lot of re-establishing human contact that’s necessary, I moved away 18 years ago and never went more than 3 weeks without going home for footy (even was back to watch Nottinghamshire in the cricket) so not seeing friends and family for 3 months has been hard - (obviously know plenty of people here!) but obviously it’s been hard for all and there are those out there who’ve had it much tougher than myself. Still, it’s important all round to do things responsibly and if it means waiting a while longer so be it.

 

[BlackHaddock]

Just hope our first set of fixtures are Crawley, Colchester, Southend, Cambridge ,Grimsby and Newport
Save Bolton, Tranmere, Walsall, Orient, Bradford until all fans allowed

Do Orient bring more to Vale Park than Grimsby? Very surprised by that.

 

[darren gregory]

Do Orient bring more to Vale Park than Grimsby? Very surprised by that.

No i didn't word it properly as usual. I was meaning home and away, always like a day in the smoke myself .
Although the season just ended they brought loads more than you

 

[The Terminator]

For the home fans only argument, I would imagine that games would be all ticket with no pay on the day and the clubs would only sell tickets to season ticket holders and to supporters on their databases - So any home fan who wants to travel can do so.

I fully understand the argument that could apply to away fans as well - especially in terms of the travel - But you've then got to ensure they're properly policed as well and it would mean large groups of people travelling up and down the country together.............

I don't know, it would be the easy way out for football though - home fans only for x amount of games.

 

[Boz]

If it means access to live football again, I’d be inclined to go with home fans only initially.

 

[Indian Dan]

Minister for Sport, Media, Fudge Nudging says government is working towards some fans being able to attend at the start of the new season.

 

[Valeite]

If social distabcing measures are going to be in place which seems inevitable I would imagine all capacity would be taken up by home fans, making away support impossible until we are back to normal.

 

[Indian Dan]

Yeah. No away fans for a while.

 

[valefan16]

If social distabcing measures are going to be in place which seems inevitable I would imagine all capacity would be taken up by home fans, making away support impossible until we are back to normal.

Bear in mind it will almost certainly be 1 metre also probably in the next 2-3 weeks time which will help.

 

[Valeite]

Bear in mind it will almost certainly be 1 metre also probably in the next 2-3 weeks time which will help.

Even with that you could only operate on about 1/4 capacity at most, I would estimate, which would make our ground about the right size if we use all four ends but too small if away fans have a portion.

 

[valefan16]

Even with that you could only operate on about 1/4 capacity at most, I would estimate, which would make our ground about the right size if we use all four ends but too small if away fans have a portion.

Assume 1 in every 2 rows would be closed off. A gaps between households see one or two seats between? So probably 1/4 capacity is about right, 4-5000 at VP (maybe allow us use of the new Lorne Street area)

 

[AdamStag]

It’s not the seating that would be the issue, it’d be things like the loos and concourses.

Stairs aren’t big enough for 2 to pass for instance, what happened when someone who sits in the middle needs something halfway through the half.

For that to happen they’d be so many things to think about, what about the end of the game? Not everyone could be let out at the same time.

All very pedantic but there will be issues to deal with that are so alien to “normal life” that folk won’t have even thought of them

 

[Indian Dan]

The clubs still with terracing would be fucked. They would only be able to use 25% of their seated capacity.

 

[Valeite]

I suppose also, long journeys together are not a good idea either and the risk of spreading the disease from one area to another, so no away fans seems a certainty

 

[shoddycollins]

Can't see away fans allowed into grounds where most won't have space to accommodate all the home fans who want entry.

Quickly worked out revised capacities as follows

 

[Indian Dan]

Probably needs adjusting a bit if away fans are not allowed and dispensing with segregation would increase things a bit.

 

[Chris FGR]

What happens if a fan that's been to a game tests positive for Covid? Will the stadium need to be shut for 2 weeks?

 

[shoddycollins]

Probably needs adjusting a bit if away fans are not allowed and dispensing with segregation would increase things a bit.

Yeah I wanted to, but there's no easy to find list of numbers of away fans at each stadium. I think some capacities are the maximum theoretical capacity of the stadium and others are the usable capacity once things like segregation and closed off areas are taken into account, but no way of knowing which is which.

 

[AdamStag]

Ours would be lower than that also as FM doesn’t hold 10,000 it’s somewhere between 8900 and 9100 (obviously I know you’re just going off whatever is online7”)

 

[TimeyWimey]

The way lockdown and social distancing measures are being eased at a much faster rate than many thought, it would not surprise me if it was eased enough for football to resume near normal by September or October. “Outdoor” events are going to get going quicker than indoor ones. No away fans, one way systems round concourses and perhaps outdoor food vans / bars / toilets (if possible) would probably still be needed. Postponements or behind closed door games based on local outbreaks and lockdowns I see being the biggest impact beyond this.

 

[AdamStag]

The way lockdown and social distancing measures are being eased at a much faster rate than many thought, it would not surprise me if it was eased enough for football to resume near normal by September or October. “Outdoor” events are going to get going quicker than indoor ones. No away fans, one way systems round concourses and perhaps outdoor food vans / bars / toilets (if possible) would probably still be needed. Postponements or behind closed door games based on local outbreaks and lockdowns I see being the biggest impact beyond this.

Indeed, and whereas I’m excited of the easing I can’t help but feel it’s too early, especially as it’s against the advice of their own medical team.

Given the governments extraordinarily bad shitshow of handling things to date I’m not massively optimistic on things just yet, but I hope I’m wrong

 

[northstandexile]

Why should away fans be banned if home fans can attend.

 

[shoddycollins]

Why should away fans be banned if home fans can attend.

because they're a lower priority.

If, for example, Cheltenham can only allow 275 in, then I can't see them being keen to give over some of those for away fans.

 

[northstandexile]

because they're a lower priority.

If, for example, Cheltenham can only allow 275 in, then I can't see them being keen to give over some of those for away fans.

why 25% limit, when in effect the stands are outside and not indoors. The issue is concourses and toilets. It will not be economical to run at 25% capacity. It will be 100% or nothing by September.

 

[Indian Dan]

The 25% limit has been touted in government circles - increasing in line with how the virus behaves. I think now the 2m rule has been replaced with 1m then the 25% attendance may well be increased.

As it stands you’d have to have an empty seat either side of you plus the seat in front of you and the one behind - so, in effect, 1 fan per 5 seats. Going to 1m would do away with the empty seats in front and behind so 1 fan per 3 seats = 33% capacity.

 

[AdamStag]

How do you police it though?

If I’m a season ticket holder coming back from Manchester (bore off it anyone mentions I’m saying it too many times) either I can’t come back or away fans can’t.

And trust me, if I’ve got a season ticket and I can attend the first game no-ones telling me I can’t come back to see my mates I’ve not seen for 3 months or the football team for longer than that.

It’s not going to be easy to police

 

[shoddycollins]

why 25% limit, when in effect the stands are outside and not indoors. The issue is concourses and toilets. It will not be economical to run at 25% capacity. It will be 100% or nothing by September.

I don't know, it's not my limit.

 

[AdamStag]

I don't know, it's not my limit.

It’ll be 50pc or lore by the time they come back.