Blackpool Supporters' Liaison Officer's column: It's like wartime football with modern technology

A new campaign is always a time for optimism, but with the current set up at Bloomfield Road, maybe there’s room for more than the usual degree of hope this year.

Simon Sadler seems greatly encouraged by the support fans have been showing for the club in these most difficult times and he’s backed his new head coach with funds to build a strong squad.

We’ve followed pre-season events with a growing sense of excitement as Neil Critchley has added quality to his pool of players and has set about getting them to play the attractive, attacking brand of football that Blackpool likes to be known for.

We’ve loved the new kit and we’ve enjoyed how the team has acquitted itself, particularly in the first half of friendly games against Everton and Liverpool.

We have great expectations of the coming campaign and comparisons are being made with the spirit and style of the squad of 2009.

Yet it does feel a bit like wartime, with so many necessary restrictions in place and every aspect of the economy on the back foot and fighting for survival in face of the hidden coronavirus enemy.

The limiting of season ticket sales to just 4,150 in the first instance is tangible proof of that.

The difference between 1940 and 2020 is the internet and thank goodness for that.

For as games kick-off behind closed doors at 3pm tomorrow afternoon, at least we can all be there, albeit virtually.

In normal circumstances I’d be in Plymouth this weekend visiting my brother, who lives down there, and hoping to see the Seasiders continue their good run of away results against the Pilgrims.

Instead I’ll be sitting at home with my laptop wired into the TV, cheering the lads on via iFollow.

I’m sure many of you will be doing the same – and that’s the weird way it’s going to stay for quite a few games, though Boris says I can at least have five other people round to enjoy it with me.

The club has a roadmap for how fans will be able to come back once the green light is given.

Judging from information provided at last week’s structured dialogue meeting with representatives of fans’ groups, step one will be a ‘test’ game, similar to those already conducted at Brighton and Cambridge United, where a limited number of season ticket holders are allowed in to watch a league game at Bloomfield Road to test out all the new Covid-compliant routines that must be in place on match days.

Depending on how well that goes, step two will be to allow all season ticket holders back inside the stadium.

The expectation is that clubs will be allowed to fill to 25 per cent capacity, which is why Blackpool has set its season ticket allocation initially at 4,150.

The club is in the process of ensuring all of those fans can be seated with due regard to bubbles and social distancing. It will require use of all four stands to achieve this, so no away fans at this stage.

Quite when those two steps will be possible is still unclear, especially in light of this week’s additional measures to curb a recent rise in Covid cases.

Everybody wants it to be as soon as possible, for the sake of the fan base, for the atmosphere at games and for the financial viability of professional football, but government and public health authorities will only sanction a gradual return once it is deemed safe.

It’s clearly proving a big ask, after six months of restrictions, for people to keep respecting basic healthcare and social distancing advice.

But from a football fan’s perspective, it’s surely in all of our interests to act responsibly so that a return to grounds happens sooner rather than later – and then to keep on acting responsibly so it doesn’t get taken away again.

Beyond that, it would be wrong to speculate, but we must all realise just how sensitive the issue of crowds at football matches is.

It was after all a football match at Bergamot in the spring that kick-started the rapid spread and spike of the pandemic in northern Italy.

Enjoy the start to the season. As ever, stay safe and if you wish or need to contact me for any reason, with concerns, queries or suggestions, my email is: [email protected] and my Twitter is @BFCSLO. That handle will also find my SLO page on Facebook and it’s worth following that for updates.

Steve Rowland, SLO