The campaign takes off today with the support of Arsenal and England football legend Ian Wright.
Banning fans from football grounds has already cost the London economy close to £1 billion in lost spending and threatens the future of scores of local businesses. London clubs in all divisions are suffering, with Spurs fearing that it will cost them £200 million this year while Millwall is losing £1 million a month.
At this rate, it is feared that supporters may be prevented from watching live sporting events in England until the end of March, after new coronavirus restrictions were recently implemented across England.
Many are arguing that with increased hygiene checks and technological solutions, fans can return to grounds safely.
The Evening Standard is asking fans to sign a petition ‘Allow football fans to attend matches at all levels’. Today the petition has been signed by just over 190,000 people, which is already passed the threshold needed to trigger a debate in parliament.
Wright warned: “How many more clubs and small businesses in our local communities have to go under before they are even given a chance to show that they can put in place the necessary protocols and get fans in safely? We are running out of time”.
In an articlewritten by Wright and published today, he reflects on his personal experience and the current state of the game, stating “I can tell you as a player that football without fans just isn’t the same.”
