Clubs preparing for a return to action in front of their own fans are also braced to make a loss on the matches they are about to stage.
And they are urging the government to set out a clear plan for them to follow to increase attendances in the next two months.
The government gave clubs the green light to host fans for the first time in almost nine months, as part of the new tier system, which will come into force when the national lockdown is lifted on December 2.
Supporters had to wear masks at the Amex during a test even in August, except in their seats
Under the new rules, elite sport held in tier one areas will be allowed to admit up to 4,000 fans, those in tier two can accommodate 2,000 , while no supporters can attend matches in tier three zones.
Boris Johnson is set to reveal which area will be in which tier on Thursday.
One of the first clubs expected to benefit is Brighton and Hove Albion, which could be in a tier one or two area. Brighton are due to host local rivals Southampton on Saturday December 5.
“The reality is we are going to be losing more money by bringing 2,000 or even 4,000 fans back than probably having an empty stadium, but psychologically it’s really important for us to take the first step,’ said Paul Barber, chief executive at Brighton, which would need around 8,000 in the stadium to break even.
Brighton hosted fans at a test event in August when Chelsea visited the Amex Stadium
“Even though most Premier League clubs will probably lose money, all of us would want to do it for the psychological reasons of the boost it provides staff, for the small reward it gives for some supporters.’
While welcoming the first step towards a return to fans in stadiums, football clubs have urged government to explain exactly how they can progress from the 4,000-fan limit to larger attendances.
‘It’s only sustainable in the very short term for clubs of our size or stadiums of our size,’ said Barber.
‘We will already be adding to substantial losses that we are making. For clubs lower down the pyramid, this is potentially a financial lifeline and a really important one for those clubs, so this is really good news for them.
‘We are looking forward to proving to government that we can bring fans back safely,’ he added.
The visitors to the Amex on Saturday December 5 are local rivals Southampton
No audiences have been allowed to attend events during the national lockdown in England
‘We’re grateful that this is a first step and I think what we’d love to see at some point from the Government is a road map to help us understand their logic and to help us to scale up our crowds.
‘Our aim is to get to a place where we can scale up the number of fans coming back to the stadium safely as quickly as we can,’ added Barber.
‘And, if we can do that, that returns football to a much more viable position that we have been in for some time now.’
Fans have been largely banned from elite sport since the first coronavirus pandemic swept the country in March.
However, Brighton, along with nine clubs in the EFL ran successful test events in August and September, with a view to supporters beginning to return from October 1.
Brighton’s chief executive Paul Barber has created a system for fans to return safely
That deadline was put back as infection rates rose and now clubs, where infection rates are low will be able to host some fans from December 2.
Brighton hosted 2,500 fans in a preseason friendly with Chelsea in August and learning from the event has been widely shared and will now form the basis of other clubs’ return plans.
Barber is looking forward to hosting fans, but he doesn’t think they will provide a huge advantage when the Saints visit next week.
‘In terms of competition fairness, I don’t think that 2,000 or 4,000 fans is going to be the difference, massively, between winning or losing games. I think we all accept that it’s going to add to the atmosphere, which is good for all of us.
‘When Chelsea played here in the summer, Frank Lampard made the remark that his own players just enjoyed being in front of fans again. It didn’t matter that they were Brighton fans.’
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