Joe Davis column: Fleetwood Town trip reiterated fans' importance

It was the first game that I had attended since the Covid-19 infection broke out, and although facemasks, temperature checks and social distancing protocol made the behind-closed-doors fixture a somewhat peculiar outing, it was refreshing to experience a live football match once again.

After months of watching football from the armchair, I could finally hear the sound of boot on ball without any artificial fan noise being pumped around my living room.

I could smell the freshly cut grass that lay upon the damp playing surface, along with the excessive amount of Deep Heat that had been slathered on the substitutes’ legs two rows below.

I could hear the ‘industrial language’, as Sky Sports put it, and the raw emotion that a game of football can bring to those involved.

Players celebrated and managers punched the air. The stakes remained the same, even if it didn’t feel that way.

The familiar surroundings provided some comfort, but from the moment I took my seat above the halfway line, there was always a fundamental part of the matchday experience missing – the fans.

As I took my seat alongside Lee Blakeman of BBC Radio Stoke, I readjusted my headphones and held the microphone up to my face, looking out towards the vacant terraces around us.

I thought back to important games that I was involved in during my spell as a player: Barnsley at home in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy area final; Crewe Alexandra and Blackpool at home to help us escape relegation, and of course, Bradford City in the play-off semi-final under Uwe Rosler.

On all of those occasions, it seemed the entire capacity of Fleetwood crammed inside Highbury to watch us play. It felt good talking about those times, and for a moment, reliving the buzz of each fixture.

For anybody that has visited Highbury, they will know the architecture of Fleetwood’s ground is small and straightforward which, in contrast to the state-of-the-art training facility, lacks wonder.

But with fans inside, all four sides of the ground transform into a warm and vibrant arena, with an impeccable playing field at the core. The bright lights from the directors’ box light up the Parkside Stand and the wind historically swoops in from the Fylde coast.

What makes it so special though, is the Cod Army faithful that turn up week in, week out, to watch their team play.

My early arrival enabled me to sit for a while and take in my surroundings.

The grey concrete of the Highbury Stand opposite – usually hidden beneath the feet of a thousand supporters – was an unsettling sight as it coruscated under the floodlights.

It offered a sobering reminder of the sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in.

To my right, the brick wall at the rear of the Memorial Stand stood cold and bare.

The same wall that, in an ordinary world, is smothered in red and white chequered flags; each banner symbolising the pride, hope and loyalty of those that have laughed, cheered and cried beside them over the years.

“ULTRA’S DE COD”, one would read. A drum would beat, fluctuating with the ebb and flow of the match.

The Percy Ronson Stand to my left is where the away supporters would at one time bounce and sing, but as the referee’s whistle signalled the start of the game on Tuesday evening, the steps were filled with air and echoes rather than noise and life.

It was only within that moment of realisation that the reality of fanless football hit home.

With that being said, Joey Barton’s men – as they so often did last season – started on the front foot, the confidence gained from their victories over Wigan and Burton on show.

Ched Evans and Paddy Madden looked as lively as ever, the latter turning home an Evans cross after 14 minutes.

The game was competitive, both teams showing their qualities, but it was Josh Morris’ left-footed volley that won the tie for Town.

My commentary on the night was focused on Port Vale, my other former employer, and one that, like Town, is on the up.

The catalyst for the ascent at Highbury has largely been down to the arrival of Barton and his winning mentality, while for Vale it has come through new ownership.

Both have managed to reconnect with fans after, particularly in Vale’s case, some dire years.

So, it is those clubs, the family-oriented, people-based organisations that need their supporters back. Without them, they lose a big part of their identity.

It isn’t just the physical or psychological influence that fans have on player performance either, it is the financial aspect so critical to clubs in the football pyramid.

Macclesfield Town were the most recent club to fall victim to the game, as they were issued a winding up order for failing to repay debts.

Reassuringly, Fleetwood’s bank account is much more stable, but I fear that Macclesfield’s struggles could be the first of many more casualties.

Unfortunately the reality of lower league football is that a high percentage of clubs run hand-to-mouth and so a prolonged period without matchday revenue will inevitably leave more clubs falling towards the abyss.

Safety, of course, is the most important word in all of this and the uncertainty that surrounds the ability to guarantee the wellbeing of those that enter is what’s delaying the return.

A lot will lie in the hands of tomorrow’s pilot tests, with Blackpool being one of the EFL clubs to host an event.

With just 1,000 supporters inside Bloomfield Road, I fail to see how productive the trial run will be.

I do hope, for the sake of Fleetwood Town and all the other clubs that rely heavily on gameday income, this will be the first step towards putting the heart and soul back into the game. Without the fans, it really is nothing.