The return of fans to stadiums cannot come some enough, but travelling supporters are expected to be forced to wait until next season amid a number of obstacles.
Football has been a shell of its former self without its lifeblood scattered across seats and stands in stadiums around the world, but the end is in sight in the UK.
From May 17, fans will be allowed to walk through the turnstiles once more in their thousands with Liverpool’s final home game against Crystal Palace to host 10,000.
The league schedule was then shifted back to allow every club to host fans before season’s end, meaning the trip to Burnley on May 18/19 will also be played in front of supporters.
It was also to signal the return of 500 away fans after the government drafted plans to relax the ban for the final two games of the season.
However, while in theory the move would be widely celebrated as a small step back to normal the logistics are to prove too great for many and the Times now report away fans will not return until next season.
Policing costs and what is deemed “unnecessary travel” are two of the issues as well as the capacity for those clubs that cannot host 10,000 fans due to the size of their stadium.
The report states that a “decision has now been reached” and that the return of away supporters will be postponed until next season, with the Premier League expected to confirm the decision in the coming week.
It’ll prove disappointing for many but with social-distancing measures expected to end in stadiums by June 21, the hope will be full capacity grounds are not too far away.
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