‘Scary, scary thought’ – Ally McCoist reacts to EFL claim that would be major blow to Leeds
Ally McCoist has said that the prospect of fans not being able to go back into stadiums until 2021 is a “scary, scary thought”.
EFL chairman Rick Parry has said that football has to be prepared to return behind closed doors to survive – something that would be a major blow to Leeds’ finances.
Andrea Radrizzani said missing out on gate revenue for the last five home games of the season would amount to £2.5m. And things could get much worse if fans aren’t back until 2021.
Parry also sent a letter to fans promising that every game would be broadcast or streamed, to ensure fans don’t miss out, and McCoist thinks this is massively important.
Talking on the Breakfast show on talkSPORT (Monday, 9am), McCoist said, “Clearly this is going to be a bigger issue than we first thought – fans getting back into stadiums.
“The government won’t let it happen if the Coronavirus is still a threat.
“If it’s going to be next year, that’s a scary, scary thought for finances of clubs. But for fans, if games are going to be played behind closed doors, they must be given every opportunity to watch the games.”
Fans who had said that they didn’t want the Championship to resume if supporters couldn’t be there are looking out of step with what’s going on now.
There has been talk of things not going back to normal until there’s a successful vaccine for the Coronavirus and no one knows how long that will take.
Experts have talked about 18 months as being a realistic time frame.
Football, more than any other sport, is all about the fans. The thought of not getting back into Elland Road until 2021 and possibly for 18 months is a scary one.
For a lot of people, football is their lifeblood. It gives their life meaning and is their main social focal point.
Things are going to have to change but we should never underestimate the impact that playing behind closed doors will have on people.
However, everyone has to look at the bigger picture and play their part.
Any Leeds United fans who have been talking about travelling in groups to stand outside stadiums where games are going on are irresponsible at best, downright dangerous and a threat to football itself at the worst.
Parry’s promise that every game will be streamed or broadcast is an important one.
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