The lack of fans is a financial disaster, especially to teams that play outside of the Premier League.
The 2020/2021 English football season started in the strange and uncomfortable circumstances–without fans in the stands. There was some hope that it would be a temporary measure and that, come October, fans could gradually start to return, albeit in reduced numbers.
But this week the UK Government quashed all hope. It announced that fans would be banned from returning to sports stadiums for potentially the next six months. For thousands of football supporters (including me), this is a significant blow. The Government’s reasoning is understandable, but the impact on many lower league football clubs–and the future of the English game–could be devastating.
English football is unique. It is the only country globally with four thoroughly professional and highly competitive divisions. In total, 92 football league clubs start every season with hopes and dreams of success at their respective levels. And the lack of fans is a financial disaster, especially to the teams that play outside of the Premier League.
In Leagues One and Two, especially, clubs rely heavily on ticket sales and other matchday income. There are no major television or sponsorship deals for clubs in those leagues. To play a season with no fans means clubs still have all of their outgoing financial obligations, but no (or very little) income from supporters. Numerous club chairpersons have already raised the prospect of clubs going out of existence by year’s end–if the current situation continues–a fate that has already befallen Bury and Macclesfield Town during the past year.
Even if clubs can survive financially through Government bail-outs and/or loans from the Premier League, that money will only go so far. So what will happen to the competitive nature of the English game?
English football is famous for its great history of underdog triumphs, where teams from lower divisions with no international superstar players can beat the very best teams. Despite being only in the early days in the new season, we have already seen the impact of what the pandemic and lack of financial income have done at the lower end of the English game.
This past week in the EFL Cup, for example, we saw many potential giant-killing fixtures being far too easily overcome by the Premier League sides–even though those teams changed over half of their usual first-team squad. Liverpool beat Lincoln 7-2, Chelsea thumped Barnsley of the Championship 6-0, and Newcastle United squashed Morecambe 7-0. There were also comfortable wins for West Ham, Aston Villa, and Manchester United against lower league opposition.
The fear is that even if clubs survive financially, the competitive sporting gap created between the Premier League and the rest will have changed the English game forever.
What makes English football great is that, on any given day, any team can beat anyone. And despite past struggles, hope reigns supreme. A new season offers new hope of success. But we now stand at the precipice of all that changing. And if worst fears come true, the essence of what has made English football so great for so long could vanish.
That is why it is so important for fans to return to football grounds. That needs to happen as soon as possible — for the good of the game, clubs, and country.
