PM Boris Johnson hints at 'urgent' financial help for football clubs as planned return of spectators is scrapped

It follows today's announcement that fans will not be returning to football grounds from October 1, as originally hoped.

Indeed, fixtures are likely to remain behind closed doors for the foreseeable future, which will inevitably cause financial problems for clubs across the spectrum.

It means Blackpool's test event against Swindon Town on Saturday, which was deemed a success after 1,000 supporters returned to Bloomfield Road, will not be repeated in the coming weeks.

Fleetwood Town had hoped to host fans at Highbury next weekend for their League One clash against AFC Wimbledon.

Johnson, addressing the House of Commons this afternoon, said: "I recognise how this affects sport clubs, and the Chancellor and Culture Secretary are working urgently on what we can do to support them."

In a fresh blow to professional football, a rise in Covid-19 cases nationally has scuppered immediate aims to have supporters back in grounds.

The fan pilots at the weekend appeared to be a success, generating hope that fans could soon return in greater numbers as part of a phased approach.

Indeed, the government themselves had set a target date of October 1 for the return of spectators to sporting events. However, that date has now been postponed.

The plans will have to be temporarily shelved, with government minister Michael Gove this morning confirming the plans have been ‘paused’.

He told BBC Breakfast: “It was the case that we were looking at a staged programme of more people returning, it wasn't going to be the case that we were going to have stadiums thronged with fans.

“We're looking at how we can for the moment pause that programme.

"But what we do want to do is to make sure is that as and when circumstances allow get more people back.

"We have to look at sporting events with caution."