Adam Davies in behind closed doors friendly action against Mold Alexandra (Photo by John Pickles)
Since Christmas fixtures have been on hold in Wales after Mark Drakeford stated that from Boxing Day there will be only be 50 spectators which would be allowed at games.
The clubs in the Cymru Leagues voted that it would not be financially viable to keep on going and so that is why we are in the current situation.
If Drakeford would have gone down the route that Nicola Sturgeon has gone down with 500 fans allowed at games in Scotland, then it would be financially viable for the top domestic leagues in Wales to keep on going.
Financially, if there would have been 500 allowed in the Cymru Leagues it would have been more than enough to keep the matches going as the regular attendance in the Premier, North and South is around 250-300. Boxing Day is a big pull for clubs with a lot of families at home, so unfortunately the big pay day has got to wait for another year.
Clubs like Airbus are still very diligent when matches are on by taking down people’s contact details on entry. So there are still measures being taken by clubs in case there are outbreaks that take place to protect the families that are still vulnerable.
When it comes down to being a spectator at a match it is ultimately down to a choice, if those that feel that they are at risk don’t have to go.
As watching a match outdoors is a lot safer to do than going to the pub indoors where you are most likely to catch Covid-19, the rules are a slap in the face to the beautiful game.
What this has done with clubs voting to delay the start until the first weekend in February is a clog up in fixtures. This is potentially going to lead to injuries, and this could really affect clubs if they don’t have squad depth.
Pubs have also been affected during this period as they are not collecting money from fans and the communities on match days, even though matches will be back on in the near future the Christmas period has been massively affected for businesses.
Since the lockdown has been enforced in Wales, since new lockdown rules were enforced on the 26th of December cases have soared and have risen three times faster than in England. Drakeford then has clicked on something with tightening restrictions. Although people may have reacted to be more willing to get a test as there is less to do.
The booster rollout has also meant that fans have had more protection from the virus which should help those that are most vulnerable from catching the disease. For example, a press release published by the UK Government gives 90% protection against symptomatic Covid-19 in adults over 50.
In Wales, there are still entertainment venues like Cinemas and Bowling Allies still allowed to open where you are in an indoor environment. In a cinema you have to show a Covid passport to be allowed entry, I see no reason why this couldn’t have been made a rule when entering a ground as it would have made everyone feel more safe.
To conclude, fans should be let back into stadiums with clubs at the point where they have to make back their lost earnings. As the booster rollout has been well underway for now over three months we are at the stage where it is safe to do so. I believe it is time to move on and look to at a world post-covid.
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