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Lee Bowyer hails fans return as Charlton prepare to lead the way in London

<p>Charlton hosted a pilot event with fans against Doncaster in September</p> (Getty Images)

Charlton hosted a pilot event with fans against Doncaster in September

(Getty Images)

Eight months after the game closed its doors, football fans will return to grounds across the country on Wednesday night.

Charlton will be the first club in London to welcome back supporters under the Government's new coronavirus restrictions when they host 2,000 fans at the Valley for the League One clash with MK Dons.

"I'm really excited," said manager Lee Bowyer. "We've missed the fans. They make a big difference for us, so we will be welcoming them with open arms. I'm hoping they make as much noise as they humanly can, which I expect them to."

Charlton are well-placed to lead the way in the capital, having been one of eight EFL clubs to host 1,000 supporters at a pilot event in September – a 3-1 defeat to Doncaster – but staff have been working around the clock since getting the sign-off from Greenwich Council on Friday.

"When you add Covid [regulations] to a matchday, the detail we have to go into blows your mind," said the club's commercial director Wayne Mumford.

The process of choosing which fans can attend was laborious enough, with around 1,500 of Charlton's 4,900 season-ticket holders based in Kent, in Tier 3, and therefore ineligible under Government guidelines. The remainder were placed in a ballot.

"When the club got to Wembley for the [2018-19] play-off final, we sold 38,000 tickets in five days," said ticket office manager Katie Cowling.

"I genuinely think that getting 2,000 into the stadium for Wednesday’s game has been as much of a challenge."

For the lucky 2,000, every detail of the matchday experience has been forensically mapped out, from how they will travel to the ground to when they will be allowed to leave.

The club has shared details of all fans' travel plans with TfL, Southeastern Trains and the Met to help with public transport arrangements, and every supporter has been allocated one of four arrival slots, starting from 6pm.

<p>The Addicks have a number of careful processes in place to welcome back 2,000 supporters against MK Dons</p>Getty Images

The Addicks have a number of careful processes in place to welcome back 2,000 supporters against MK Dons

Getty Images

They will leave the stadium block by block and row by row – a process that is expected to take around 15 minutes.

"I've got to be there at 6pm and wait an hour and three-quarters until kick-off," said Richard Wiseman, a board member at the Charlton Athletic Supporters' Trust.

"I'm going to be freezing by the time they kick off! It will be cold and lonely but it's just brilliant to be back in the ground. I can't wait. We can't say too much in terms of credit for the club's staff."

Supporters – who will spaced across three stands to avoid crowding – will undergo a temperature check on entry and asked to sanitise their hands, before being given a free hot chocolate – a club initiative funded by a sponsor – and directed straight to their seats via a one-way system.

The club has worked with Movement Strategies, a consultancy firm specialising in the movement of people, and used footage from September's pilot to establish how fans are likely to move outside and inside the ground, and adjusted their procedures accordingly.

<p>Charlton boss Lee Bowyer is excited by the prospect of having fans back at The Valley</p>Getty Images

Charlton boss Lee Bowyer is excited by the prospect of having fans back at The Valley

Getty Images

Face masks are mandatory at all times, except when fans are eating or drinking, which is only allowed in their seat, and supporters will be asked to pass each other back to back in the aisles.

The club has decided against selling food, beverages or programmes – despite being permitted by the guidance and losses of around £1million a month – while the club shop will be closed. The measures are designed to avoid crowding, while supporters and staff get used to the new protocols.

"We've simplified the experience but after every game we'll add things," said chief operating officer Tony Keohane.

"Programmes and the club shop will come back in good time, as the fans become more comfortable and our staff become more comfortable and experienced at managing a socially-distanced event."

Despite ticket sales of over £20,000, Charlton will make a loss from Wednesday night given the cost of staffing, and extras like PPE and signage around the ground.

Each lavatory, for example, will need to be manned with two members of staff, one outside and one inside, to manage social distancing.

<p>Owner Thomas Sandgaard is proud that Charlton are taking the lead in London</p>Getty Images

Owner Thomas Sandgaard is proud that Charlton are taking the lead in London

Getty Images

"It's progression, it's a positive step that moves us closer to normality," said Keohane. "It's about building confidence at all levels – within the club, the fanbase and the general public – that we can put on games in a safe environment."

For everyone at the club, the game is merely a first step towards more substantial and profitable crowds and, in time, a full 27,111 fans back at The Valley.

"We can't wait for the day we're pushing up to 8,000, 14,000 and eventually full capacity," said Mumford. "We welcome the pressure."

On the pitch, Bowyer expects the return of fans to have an impact, saying home advantage has been killed by playing behind closed doors.

"Football has not been the same and it is only since the fans have been away that you appreciate what they bring to the game," he said.

"When I was playing, I would thrive on the crowd. I loved it. As players you are entertainers. Without fans, who are you entertaining?"

For Charlton, Wednesday night’s landmark feels particularly poignant after a turbulent spell for supporters before owner Thomas Sandgaard's takeover in September.

“I am especially pleased for our fanbase, who have had such a difficult year, with so many interesting characters trying to get involved at the club," said Sandgaard.

"We’re in a great place now, and everyone at Charlton is proud to be the first club in London to host a game in front of supporters. Hopefully, this will be a stepping stone in allowing us to get more fans back into the stadium.”

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