Exile 1976 wrote:

Jonesy3 wrote:

Exile 1976 wrote:I genuinely believe you could get 1000 fans in (and out) safely watching a game at Rodney Parade. Close the bars, ensure sensible toilet system with hand sanitizer provided around the ground and compulsory face masks.

I think you're right, but I'd also guess staging matches for 1,000 fans (additional stewarding, temperature testing at turnstiles etc etc) without any additional match day income (season ticket holders only allowed in and they've already bought their tickets) would mean the club making a substantial loss on every match.

Pretty sure I saw another L2 club chairman on the tele recently saying 30% capacity was the break-even point for them - and that included being able to sell merchandise at the game.

Other than as a one-off to prove safety protocols work, I can't see how 1,000 fans would work at our level (except maybe for Forest Green!)

We don't sell any merchandise at the ground now anyway and we make very little from sales of food/drink.
We could probably hold 2000 home fans safely around the ground.

Agree re beer etc but we do sell merchandise at the ground. There was a pop-up shop in the marquee all last season. I guess using all four side of the ground (no way away fans will be allowed this season) we could get closer to 3000 in. I'm thinking that would also make sense financially. I'd wager we'd be better off financially with no fans in the ground than 1000.

I've been to a number of non-league games since fans were allowed back in, where I think 600 was the maximum allowed in. Looking at some of the facilities available to them, if they're able to fit 600 safely, we'd be able to fit in at least 2,000 without any problem.

Think ultimately that the reintroduction of fans comes down to having a zero tolerance approach to breaches.

ST holders should have an allocated seat, and if they're on camera shouting, singing, not wearing a mask, or breaking social distancing, then game bans/loss of the ST for repeat offences should deter.

Maybe some will consider that too draconian but we all know clubs need match day income some time soon in order to stay afloat. Seems the only way the gov't will consider it is if we make stadia as covid-secure as possible.

It all boils down to policing Covid restrictions
We are heading for an Orwellian period of time unless every individual complies
How many fines have been dished out on public transport e g?
Am at present in my sports bar in Godalming
Folks being pretty sensible but Manager and his missus walking around mask less..... Bizarre

[quote="Percy plunkett"]
So you recommend walking around in shorts and T shirt in October do you.You May find that this leads to hypothermia which reduces the immune system and confusion and the inability to realise how silly it is to do it.

Did you catch the game this afternoon Percy?

Sure all the County players, running around in shorts in the p!ssing down rain in October.

Jaysus, our season is over, our entire first team squad will be dead of a chill by this time next week.

Brendan,you have an unhealthy,slimy interest in me.You are embarrassing yourself,wife and any friends you may still have.You read all my posts and ignore anyone else with the same views and cling to my every world,you need to let go.Go on County chat,many fans,Rob Sant to name just one,feel that it is time to let fans back in grounds,contact them with your views,don’t just stalk me.

[quote="Percy plunkett"]Brendan,you have an unhealthy,slimy interest in me.You are embarrassing yourself,wife and any friends you may still have.You read all my posts and ignore anyone else with the same views and cling to my every world,you need to let go.Go on County chat,many fans,Rob Sant to name just one,feel that it is time to let fans back in grounds,contact them with your views,don’t just stalk me.[/quot

Percy,

'Our friend in Ireland' 'Brendan' 'Halligan'. Read the thread. I've disagreed strongly with Pemb' s and UTP and Caradoc.
You have called me slimy and creepy, and criticise me calling Caradoc an idiot.
Finally Jonesy3 has called your views dangerous, GSB, hardly my closest friend on here, has exposed your Barrington Group for the fools they are and numerous people have pointed out you can't catch a cold wearing shorts in October.

Oh and don't ever bring my wife into our discussion again. That makes you a total sh!t. As well as a dangerous fool.

Given our weather is it feasible to factor in our uncovered areas when assessing how many we can safely accommodate? I think that could lead to problems as spectators seek to shelter from the rain.

JonD wrote:Given our weather is it feasible to factor in our uncovered areas when assessing how many we can safely accommodate? I think that could lead to problems as spectators seek to shelter from the rain.

Hazell Stand has 1,996 seats .... Bisley has 2526 seats and also the Hazell Terrace has a large, undercover, capacity for standing too so we wouldn't have to worry about using the uncovered north and south terraces

The photos I saw of Brighton's physically distanced spectators seemed to show 10 spectators occupying 60 seats.

Edit: that's wrong. 10 occupying 40 seats. Figures below adjusted.

Assuming (I know, I know) we replicate that, then we could achieve circa 450 in Hazel and 550 in Bisley.

Not sure about Hazel Terrace.

mad norm wrote:It all boils down to policing Covid restrictions
We are heading for an Orwellian period of time unless every individual complies
How many fines have been dished out on public transport e g?
Am at present in my sports bar in Godalming
Folks being pretty sensible but Manager and his missus walking around mask less..... Bizarre

That's the point isn't it. Sometimes Government has to be draconian because fools won't comply.

Whilst it is true that for the majority of people who are about to die lonely isolated deaths would have died in fairly short order, nonetheless all life, even the final days of life are precious.

This morning I had breakfast and watched a magnificent sunrise over the green fields of Leitrim. Shortly I will go into my days work at a residential unit for people with acquired brain injuries. Later I will enjoy an evening meal with a glass of Merlot. I shall read the papers and perhaps listen to a Brahms symphony. If I am to die tonight all of the above would be denied me if my life were to be foreshortend by just one day.

I get the misery that the curtailment of our freedoms cause. Especially so for those whose livelihoods are threatened. But without either a vaccine or a coherent strategy to fight the virus I don't believe that watching a football match should come before the lives of the old or vulnerable.

Exile 1976 wrote:

JonD wrote:Given our weather is it feasible to factor in our uncovered areas when assessing how many we can safely accommodate? I think that could lead to problems as spectators seek to shelter from the rain.

Hazell Stand has 1,996 seats .... Bisley has 2526 seats and also the Hazell Terrace has a large, undercover, capacity for standing too so we wouldn't have to worry about using the uncovered north and south terraces

But that doesn't take into account that people drink before and after the game. That they use the toilets, have to pass through the same turnstiles etc. So you have the increased risk, not just to those who attend but to those with who those who attend will mix.

And for what?

Financially the cost of the precautions needed in excess of the normal match day costs for a crowd of a few hundred?

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

Exile 1976 wrote:

JonD wrote:Given our weather is it feasible to factor in our uncovered areas when assessing how many we can safely accommodate? I think that could lead to problems as spectators seek to shelter from the rain.

Hazell Stand has 1,996 seats .... Bisley has 2526 seats and also the Hazell Terrace has a large, undercover, capacity for standing too so we wouldn't have to worry about using the uncovered north and south terraces

But that doesn't take into account that people drink before and after the game. That they use the toilets, have to pass through the same turnstiles etc. So you have the increased risk, not just to those who attend but to those with who those who attend will mix.

And for what?

Financially the cost of the precautions needed in excess of the normal match day costs for a crowd of a few hundred?

How do people currently cope using toilets in shops, restaurants, pubs, office blocks etc etc?
They wouldn't have to use a turnstile, the gate could be opened and tickets scanned there.
Pubs are already open and people are drinking there anyway. With local lockdown it would only be people residing in Newport that would be able to attend too, gutted as I wouldn't be able to go anyway.

Edit: And of course, if the cost of the precautions outweighed the benefit, then the clubs wouldn't have to open to fans anyway.

Exile 1976 wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

Exile 1976 wrote:

JonD wrote:Given our weather is it feasible to factor in our uncovered areas when assessing how many we can safely accommodate? I think that could lead to problems as spectators seek to shelter from the rain.

Hazell Stand has 1,996 seats .... Bisley has 2526 seats and also the Hazell Terrace has a large, undercover, capacity for standing too so we wouldn't have to worry about using the uncovered north and south terraces

But that doesn't take into account that people drink before and after the game. That they use the toilets, have to pass through the same turnstiles etc. So you have the increased risk, not just to those who attend but to those with who those who attend will mix.

And for what?

Financially the cost of the precautions needed in excess of the normal match day costs for a crowd of a few hundred?

How do people currently cope using toilets in shops, restaurants, pubs, office blocks etc etc?
They wouldn't have to use a turnstile, the gate could be opened and tickets scanned there.
Pubs are already open and people are drinking there anyway. With local lockdown it would only be people residing in Newport that would be able to attend too, gutted as I wouldn't be able to go anyway

This I believe is the felonious argument that is being applied. The UK has as it's Prime Minister a dangerous populist idiot. He will employ measures which are popular. But being populist and being popular are not the same as being right.

Allowing spectators into football matches as things presently stand is crazy. It is not as crazy as allowing people into pubs and then turning them all out at 10-00 pm.

Sorry to shout

BUT ALLOWING SPECTATORS INTO FOOTBALL MATCHES IS STILL CRAZY. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO DO STILL MORE CRAZY THINGS DOESN'T MAKE ALLOWING SPECTATORS INTO FOOTBALL LESS CRAZY.

Once again my apologies for shouting.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

Exile 1976 wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

Exile 1976 wrote:

JonD wrote:Given our weather is it feasible to factor in our uncovered areas when assessing how many we can safely accommodate? I think that could lead to problems as spectators seek to shelter from the rain.

Hazell Stand has 1,996 seats .... Bisley has 2526 seats and also the Hazell Terrace has a large, undercover, capacity for standing too so we wouldn't have to worry about using the uncovered north and south terraces

But that doesn't take into account that people drink before and after the game. That they use the toilets, have to pass through the same turnstiles etc. So you have the increased risk, not just to those who attend but to those with who those who attend will mix.

And for what?

Financially the cost of the precautions needed in excess of the normal match day costs for a crowd of a few hundred?

How do people currently cope using toilets in shops, restaurants, pubs, office blocks etc etc?
They wouldn't have to use a turnstile, the gate could be opened and tickets scanned there.
Pubs are already open and people are drinking there anyway. With local lockdown it would only be people residing in Newport that would be able to attend too, gutted as I wouldn't be able to go anyway

This I believe is the felonious argument that is being applied. The UK has as it's Prime Minister a dangerous populist idiot. He will employ measures which are popular. But being populist and being popular are not the same as being right.

Allowing spectators into football matches as things presently stand is crazy. It is not as crazy as allowing people into pubs and then turning them all out at 10-00 pm.

Sorry to shout

BUT ALLOWING SPECTATORS INTO FOOTBALL MATCHES IS STILL CRAZY. JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO DO STILL MORE CRAZY THINGS DOESN'T MAKE ALLOWING SPECTATORS INTO FOOTBALL LESS CRAZY.

Once again my apologies for shouting.

I disagree. Brighton showed that it can certainly be done safely. That's the end of my say on the matter, so carry on shouting if you want you mad old git