Arsenal are set to take on Sheffield United at the end of June in the Quarter-Final of the FA Cup, with the semis and the Final expected to be played at Wembley.
The Final is due on the 1st August, two months from today, and they are already talking about allowing fans to return to games starting with the Final. And not just a few fans, they are talking about 20,000 fans, with half coming from each team.
According to a report in the Mirror, a football administrator said: “Fans will be allowed back to see sport at some stage – not just in football.
“We already know there’s no chance of grounds opening up and being filled to capacity.
“But discussions have taken place about a phased return of spectators when Government health advice allows.
“That will be in smaller, manageable numbers at first and Wembley would seem a good place to start as it’s the country’s biggest stadium.”
The theory is that this will be possible if the rate of infection is less than 0.5 by the time the two months is up, but all that tells me is that they fully expect the virus to carry on killing people for a long long time.
While many European countries are allowing their citizens to relax some restrictions because it looks like the virus is coming under control, the UK government has hardly stopped anyone from doing anything at all, as the massive crowds at beaches last weekend showed (and of course their reaction to the Dominic Cummings saga speaks volumes about their real intentions).
Now they are relaxing even more any advice that may stop the spread of the virus, despite the death toll continuing to be much much higher than other European countries.
Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy, president of the ADPH (Association of Directors of Public Health), told Radio 4’s Today programme there was a need to balance easing of restrictions with the risk of causing a resurgence in infections.
“A lot of people including local directors of public health across the country are increasingly concerned that the government is misjudging this balancing act and lifting too many of the restrictions too quickly,” she said.
“The five tests haven’t yet been met.
“In terms of the R (a measure of infections produced per person) it’s 0.7 to 0.9, in the latest government assessment it is below one, but it’s a very limited room for manoeuvre and we know how quickly this virus can spread.”
The UK already has by far the highest death toll in Europe at over 38,000, and with the restriction advice being relaxed, that is only going to keep on growing. Can you imagine in two months time going onto crowded trains and buses and visiting a packed football ground, if the infection rate is still as high as 0.5 then I fear how high the death toll will be by then…
OT.. A year ago today we lost Reyes….
Gone but never forgotten ❤
Not sure how UK plan goes but in Europe as France who is behind countries as Spain, Italy and Germany in unconfinement process; by end of june, trains will be running in full capacity in and out of country in EU zone.
For now, trains must allow distance, it is one seat out of 2 available, up to 50 % capacity.
Upon this and logic, it should not be an issue to have people in a open space as a stadium with masks on.
I personally think that football has not reacted fast enough, as in Germany where Dortmund had a DJ mix crowd sounds with booes and whistles, clap, noise as if public was present.
It defently added something, camera being focused on field & players, we almost forgot public was not present. Other teams will emulate… Possible if in your stadium…
If a a train can be packed with people, a stadium even more so; mask on. Not about how many, but distance between 2 people.
So, In open space as wembley, not 20000 but full stadium should be allowed.
1 or 60 000, should receive a mask, a small dose of lotion, tickets purchased in advance, clubs sending mask to fans and make it a must to enter or stay in stadium with strict rules. Not admit anyone seen without mask off, have fans oblige anyone not wearing it to do so. Get him kicked out of stadium and not allow to come back.
We can’t predict what will happen with Covid until a cure of vaccin confirmed. But a predicted possibilty is for it to come back as flue season next October.
Since we on Covid subject:
Trump and others (Boris) use chloroquine and are doing fine,but we can’t use it cuz not sure if it is safe, as masks at first, while millions are dying;
Meanwhile country made bunch of mask and now obliges to wear it.
African countries were predicted to be a chaos, but people ran to pharmacies buying chloroquine and allowed to do so… Cases are extremely low in comparison to elsewhere.
But we can’t use it, right; meanwhile people die, good for Trump or Boris but not for us?
Hundred of billions to create a vaccin or a cure already available that only they allowed to and use?
Sounds as big scam, even my 3 years old niece won’t fall for it.
Same making money and same paying for it; dying or paying fo r those hundreds millions!
Mogunna
Please get the drugs names correct and please don’t say millions are dying from Covid. Millions are not dying and Trump has stopped taking hydroxychloriquine because it is unsafe to take without proper medical advice. Why mention Boris?
I’m not happy with this article because I feel it has a political bias
Our “esteemed” government are playing ducks and drakes with our fellow citizens lives by foolishly rushing to open up far too many things too soon. This will affect future football games as fatalities are certain to occur that would not otherwise have done so had the football authorities and government put people before money.
But neither has done so, so further unnecessary deaths will now occur and then a further than necessary delay will be enforced by this disease still being virulent.
Had they been sensible and waited longer, crowds could have come back sooner than they will now be allowed. Because the infection rate or “R” would have fallen right down. But now it won’t and the government , football authorities , Prem league and all who are complicit are ENTIRELY the ones to blame.
I fear for their consciences, IF they have one. That seems unlikely to me! It is certain they cannot have both a conscience AND a brain!
I actually thought our Government had done a good job up until last week ,all necessary restrictions were put in place and the infection rate had dropped dramatically, but now seeing photos like it’s an ordinary weekend I’ve feel really let down by the new laws put in place last Monday
The Government gave an inch and the public took about 500 miles ,by all means slowly introduce all walks of life slowly back into society but having crowds at football matches is one thing we can all live without .
I will say ,you would think the British public would have a lot more sense than they have showed .
Dan kit
I fully understand your frustration and do struggle to understand how so many people could be so THICK.
I can only hope that the good weather cools down and those twits realise what they may have caused. The Government have tried to treat the great British public like adults but a lot of them are totally gormless
Sue @
We have been quite lucky here in the West Midlands , I say lucky ,luckier than most county’s infection rates .
But what I’ve been seeing is unbelievable TBH .
I suppose being from a market town me and family have been quite shielded the best we can be ,we can only hope people are taken this seriously regarding their personal space and safety ,but seeing pictures this last week I think there is a massive concern regarding this .
So basically Jon you were wrong about absolutely everything you predicted in regards to football returning (no chance this year and anyone who thought so lacked your superior thinking/rationality) and instead of admitting that you will now pretend it is lack brain/conscience rather than the actual scientific reality which you still refuse to educate yourself on despite myself and others telling you this was the reality from day 1. My prediction was may was possible but almost certainly by June unless something radically changed. Namely the virus mutating into a more deadly strain or some utterly crazy global thing such as war.
Leave you with a quote from Watfords Christian Kabasele (Team-mate of Deeney who has returned to training as well, having had his questions answered by a doctor.)
“Personally, I feel in total security. We’re tested every Tuesday and Friday. Over the past two weeks, it’s only been negative results. The situation at the club is therefore clean. We come in, we get our temperature taken. Before leaving our home, we have to fill out a questionnaire on an app to know if we’ve had symptoms.
“We’re not allowed at the training ground if we’ve had symptoms. I feel safer at the training complex than when I go do my shopping”.
Football returning poses less risk than anyone getting in the car before the virus hit. This is what annoys me most people spouting nonsense like 1 person is too many. If that is true ban cars as they kill a decent number yearly especially if you add in air pollution. Ban alcohol, fags, sugary foods all things with large death tolls. Ban various forms of work with larger risk of injury/death. Ban bacon for sure too or at least bacon that uses nitrates for preservation (the vast majority.) List is pretty endless of things that kill at a risk level higher than football returning. They are directly comparable in their levels of risk (well technically most of them are orders of magnitude higher than football returning) so its a DIRECT comparison not a disingenuous one or at least not disingenuous you others would try to claim (the opposite is true the comparison with those things is unfair on football returning.) The disingenuous argument is that the risk factor of football returning is somehow particular high and reckless. Its factually and indisputably not we have enough data on these things and not even close.
You’d think that Deeney returning training after being so outspoken with a newborn and plans being made for crowds in the not too distant future would have made rethink you stance as you are continually getting further and further from what experts are saying and what is actually being done in the real world. No double down everyone except you (and those who agree with everything you say of course) doesn’t have a conscience or a brain couldn’t possibly be that you were objectively wrong on the subject (including all the moral equivocation) and that the people telling you this have always had fully functioning consciences and brains.
Wow,a sensible comment,pretty rare amongst all the doom and gloom brigade at the moment,well done Angus.
I think you were rare in thinking football would return so quickly
I did wonder at the outbreak of the virus what would happen and genuinely couldn’t see a way forward for the human race let alone football.
Clearly, understanding the virus has changed Government thinking and football is tentatively returning.
Personally,I have been concerned that extending lockdown will actually damage mental health as well as missing other significant illnesses. I’m also prepared to throw in the economy too
My concern is that the virus is still out there and we cannot be too cavalier but at the same time can’t let the country fall into the abyss
Amen brother
That was at Angus I await Jon fox reply and I think he should apologize to the admin.
For what? having a view point? Jog on Jah son!!
Many things can happen before august….🙄
Yes admin an absolute crazy idea.
well…millions can die but football must go on…..
mask and other health products were bought massively so that football can go on instead of supporting the needs of the nurses and health care workers
John. I do think a bit of realism needs to be brought to bear here. Clearly, the infection rates are diminishing in Europe and with more and more people returning to a nearer normal life then football can return. If infection rates go up too much football and our returning freedoms will be shut down so it is in all of our interests to follow guidelines
The daily briefing announced a few days ago that many PPE contracts had been awarded for the health service. I could if I looked online make my own mask
There will not be any supporters at Wembley for the semis
Or final. Club Wembley sent me an e-mail today telling me that they are refunding me for the two England games that were cancelled in March and both semi finals and the final as they would be played behind closed doors.