EFL chairman Rick Parry warns Football League clubs are "haemorrhaging" cash without supporters in stadiums
EFL chairman Rick Parry has warned that Football League clubs are "haemorrhaging" cash without supporters in stadiums and has urged government to stick to their plan to allow fans back next month.
The initial proposals to have stadiums at 25-35 per cent capacity from October 1 are under review following fears of a second spike in coronavirus cases.
Leading figures across a number of sports bodies met with Oliver Dowden, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, on Wednesday in order to press home the importance of fans returning.
"Our point is that we need supporters back in stadiums because we are haemorrhaging around £25million a month", said Parry. "The cost across the season to us is £200m, which is not sustainable.
"We believe that all the work that has been done on safe return to stadiums with the government and FGSA, at reduced capacities, is a practical and workable solution going forward."
Macclesfield Town were yesterday wound up in the High Court just over a month after their relegation from the Football League and while Parry said that it was not inevitable that Football League clubs would follow over the coming months, the former Liverpool chief executive said the task facing clubs who cannot welcome fans was "enormous".
With more local lockdowns coming into force and the government giving police forces further powers to enforce their "rule of six", sports executives face a battle to justify the return of thousands of fans to stadiums.
However, Parry has argued that the plans laid out for supporters to return - which will be trialled again at eight EFL games this weekend with 1,000 in attendance - are in line with government restrictions on gatherings.
"It is entirely compatible with the rule of six," Parry told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme. "I think to government has a challenge in explaining all of the rules simply.
"We understand completely the rule on the gatherings with six but in terms of the distancing within stadiums it is entirely compatible with the rule of six. Given we're the most regulated industry in the country when it comes to managing large events that we can be an exemplar that, actually, when we look for positive solutions during the coronavirus crisis, we can set examples of how the return to a degree of normality [can be done] safely and with social distancing in place."
