Joey Barton says Fleetwood fans need to return to stadium and we need them too

Joey Barton is frustrated that after six weeks of preparation Fleetwood Town still cannot welcome supporters back to Highbury

Fleetwood not overawed by Ancelotti's all-stars in Carabao Cup defeat by Everton

The Cod Army were set to welcome back a limited number of the Fleetwood faithful for Saturday’s home game against AFC Wimbledon as an EFL test event.

It is more than six months since Town fans have been allowed inside Highbury and there are fears it could be another six before supporters return to football stadiums on a regular basis.

Head coach Barton said: “It’s sad because we all need them back in for multiple reasons. We all need each other.

“We want fans back in and fans want to come back in. There’s the mental health stuff and society-based stuff, where football clubs like ours are at the fulcrum of the community.

“The players on the pitch need them too. We’d kind of prepped for this opening weekend for six weeks as a club to make sure that all the protocols are followed and there’s real safety.

“Then five days away from it they’ve moved the goalposts again and fans are not allowed in. It’s a strange time in the world.”

Blackpool staged a ‘test’ fixture last weekend and Fleetwood worked very hard, taking all the correct precautions, to ensure theirs too was a success.

In order to maintain social-distancing, the concourse areas were measured out to ensure people had enough space to pass safely through .

Barton added: “After six weeks’ prep, it’s not going ahead. It’s frustrating because we want to get the fans back in the stadium. They support us through thick and thin.

“We’ve got nice games and big games that we want them in for, so it is frustrating when you work hard as a club, and put a lot of time and effort into getting the fans back in.

“Then there’s the second wave – they haven’t got rid of the first wave, so I don’t know how we’ve managed to get a second one. They never actually solved the first one, did they? The Government don’t really know what they are doing.

“It’s really frustrating for us as a club but it’s par for the course of what’s going in the world at this moment in time.

“It’s disappointing but hopefully we can get the supporters back sooner rather than later.”

For coverage of last night’s Carabao Cup tie against Everton visit www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk. Reports will also appear in tomorrow’s Gazette