Returning to your stadium

[Boletus Edulis]

What is your club’s policy from Monday 19th?

Argo have explained how a lot of their focus will be on the safety of their staff, for instance they will be expected to wear masks, they have some enhanced queueing and one way systems Etc. They want people to wear masks in enclosed areas such as the concourse, turnstiles etc, but it is not a requirement of entry to wear a mask.

On a personal basis I shall probably wear a mask even in my seat. Though I am double shotted, I am conscious I have very elderly and young relatives.

What is your view about mask wearing and other safety measures at football stadia?

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Still under review but given how fluid things are absolutely no idea what we will face come the first game

 

[PuB]

Who knows what the actual requirements will be by the time the new season starts, although it looks like it’ll be down to local authorities and CCG’s (or clubs themselves), given the current shirking of responsibility from the govt.

I’ve no problem wearing a mask anywhere in the ground including at my seat, but I can foresee there being issues between those who think you definitely should and those who think it’s all going to be over on the 19th. But that’s going to be the case everywhere and not just in football stadia.

 

[Laker]

The club haven’t said anything about the new season yet but for our two home friendlies they’ve said that “supporters will be encouraged - but not required - to wear face coverings inside the stadium.” Also “Supporters will also be asked to respect one another’s personal space wherever possible and to use the hand-sanitizing stations that are located around the Abbey Stadium.”

So yeah, nothing formal and all down to supporter choice which basically means a load of people won’t bother and it’ll probably be uncomfortable for those who are still concerned by it.

I think if you’re double jabbed then you should be able to take comfort in the vaccines (otherwise what’s the point in having them). For the rest of us, I think having some respect for yourself and others is a good starting point.

 

[Luke Imp]

Nothing our end yet either. I suspect we'll not hear anything until a week or so before the season kicks off.

I'm getting my second jab the weekend the season starts so I'll probably wear a mask if required to initially, but that's more for others than me. I'd rather not wear a mask at the footy but if someone close by feels more comfortable with me wearing one then I'm happy to do so albeit I'd not want to be doing it all season.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Interesting from what you have said that your clubs have not got an official line yet that Argo have put out it’s policy already. We do have two home pre-seasons next week, but it does feel a bit premature to me.

 

[Luke Imp]

We don't have any home friendlies this pre-season so that probably explains the lack of guidelines so far from our end.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

I think everyone is waiting to see what happens after Monday, we could be back in a lockdown in a fortnight given the rate at which it’s rising

 

[Boletus Edulis]

I think everyone is waiting to see what happens after Monday, we could be back in a lockdown in a fortnight given the rate at which it’s rising

Not sure BoJo would be able to get enough of his backbenchers on board to do that. I also doubt if he wants to.
What I think is more likely, however, is that with the rising number of self isolating people many parts of our lives will grind to a halt. Too many will be off work.

I also suspect there may be more games called off this year than last. Does anyone know if any club has insisted players get vaccinated? Home Park is being used as a vaccination centre, so I‘d guess it has been easy for our players to get a jab, but I have no idea what the Club policy is.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

I agree Boris doesn’t want it but the virus may give him no choice, depends how much it mutates once we are fully mixing again

 

[Boletus Edulis]

I got the sense that the unsaid strategy is to get herd immunity before late autumn. So it feels like infecting as many as possible as soon as possible is what they want to happen. Bit like an old fashioned chicken-pox party.

I agree Boris doesn’t want it but the virus may give him no choice, depends how much it mutates once we are fully mixing again

 

[PuB]

Herd immunity is a huge public health risk, if we get a strain that’s immune to vaccines we really will be back at square one. A comparison with chicken pox parties for kids doesn’t really work (unfortunately).

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Herd immunity is a huge public health risk, if we get a strain that’s immune to vaccines we really will be back at square one. A comparison with chicken pox parties for kids doesn’t really work (unfortunately).

I completely agree, it strikes me as a tad risky, to say the least (or in my own view incompetent). And my use of chicken pox parties was deliberately inappropriate. The point I am making is that this is what it feels like Government policy is now, and quite frankly it worries the hell out of me.

 

[PuB]

I completely agree, it strikes me as a tad risky, to say the least (or in my own view incompetent). And my use of chicken pox parties was deliberately inappropriate. The point I am making is that this is what it feels like Government policy is now, and quite frankly it worries the hell out of me.

Agree with you 100%.

 

[Bartonyellow]

I am not sure how distancing could work work for those of us with terracing if it was applied. We have 3 sides standing and invariably people stand where they want especially behind the goal where people squeeze together for an atmosphere and to sing.
if it’s down to each club it could be a mess as it means the rules would change every other week as you went away with your team.
I can see nothing but a total relaxing of the rules to make it work.
We have Leicester on Saturday - will see how that works as we have given Leicester 1700 tickets which they will sell and we should shift 3000 which will be 4500-5000 in a ground holding 7000.