'It's a major concern' — Neil Harris fears Bluebirds fans will not be allowed into Cardiff City Stadium until next year
Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has said it is 'difficult to be optimistic' about a swift return of crowds to sporting events
By Glen Williams
Thursday 24th September 2020
Neil Harris fears Cardiff City fans will not be allowed back into the stadium until the New Year, and believes that could carry on for the rest of the 2020/21 season if a coronavirus vaccine is not found.
This week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the UK Government were pulling the plug on the planned October return of spectators to sports venues in England, which could be on hold for six months due to fears over a second wave of coronavirus infections.
While allowing fans to return to Welsh sports events is a matter for the Welsh Government to decide, First Minister Mark Drakeford had previously indicated they would be monitoring the return of sports fans at differing events across the Severn Bridge in England before making a decision.
Mr Drakeford said on Wednesday it is "difficult to be optimistic about a swift return of crowds to sporting events" both locally and at a professional level.
He said there were three modest pilots held here in Wales, and that he had hoped to be able to announced a further set of pilots with slightly larger crowds 10 days ago, but added it was not sensible at that time and since then things have "gotten more difficult".
And Bluebirds boss Harris, while mindful of course of wider health implications, believes that not allowing fans back into stadiums for the foreseeable future will have an "absolutely massive" financial impact on football below the Premier League.
"If I’m being honest, it’s a major concern for the EFL and non League," he said.
"I fully understand we are in difficult times, unprecedented times and how dangerous the pandemic is in society and that leans into the sporting world as well.
"We are not immune to that in the sporting world, we saw this week the Leyton Orient-Spurs game and then the incidents with the two lads and David Moyes at West Ham. We hope everyone in connection with those clubs are OK.
"It goes to show the dangers that are there, people coming back into stadiums and being in close quarters.
"The knock-on effect, financially, is huge, absolutely massive. Premier League might not feel the hit because of just the TV revenues.
"The Championship will, football clubs are fortunate enough to have wealthy owners, but owners’ pockets only run so deep when they are running other businesses.
"Below that, Leagues One and Two, a lot of the clubs really rely on match-day revenues, social networks within the bar areas and facilities. All that is gone.
"I, for one, don’t see fans back in before Christmas, that’s for sure. Are we going to get them back this season? Until we find a vaccine it is going to be very difficult."
It is certainly a major concern for those in the second tier of the English football pyramid and below, given the sheer amount of cash each club is missing out on with each passing home match.
It is estimated that the Bluebirds are missing out on close to £400,000 for every fixture which is played behind closed doors at Cardiff City Stadium, which now appears likely to carry on until after the New Year.
The Bluebirds welcome Reading to Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday for their third Championship fixture of the season.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.