MarcusX

If we’re anywhere near zero infections by March I’ll donate £50 to a charity of your choosing!

Maybe a little touchy, sorry. it was the "if you're concerned dont go" bit that got me, its not that simple. I'm concerned about another lockdown and getting out of this as soon as possible not a quick fix seeing football in a very diluted manner, so opening *more* events than we had leading us into a lockdown seems a bit mad to me. Or at least doing it so soon. Like I said a few times, discuss it, but lets get to january and to some sort of stable, trackable number of infections first? I think to put it simply, I don't trust people to make the right decisions, we've already seen that large numbers cant do so and it's likely just human nature as opposed to any real malicous intent so I'm not blaming anyone as such. Positive signs are there, low case numbers today whilst its not worth looking at one day in isolation I think the 7 day average is down 25% now. It would be a shame if we didnt capatilise on this again and really drive numbers down now there is better track and trace via the app.

yep my mistake. misread. Thought OP meant people had gained immunity by last May

What are you basing this on? Last report I seen was saying the opposite, and there was no confirmed evidence that immunisation lasted that long if at all from catching covid.

I think you've hit the nail on the head with the last line. It's not that I dont believe a football ground can put in measures that on paper seek to ensure the safety of the fans - it's that I dont have faith in the people to follow the precautions in place. I see it day in day out at work, where someone is actually paid to enforce it - as soon as no one is looking masks off, shaking hands, sitting together in groups etc. I dont think pubs were working fine, certainly not *some* of the ones I visited which admittedly wasn't many. 6 around a small table, people allowed to interact with other tables, queuing at the bar, standing around chatting, group selfies in the beer garden - all the things that weren't meant to be done but on paper the pub was fine, in practice different story. And as my point originally opening additional things and encouraging *more* socialising only helps fuel that belief that there is less to be concerned about. Which is fine if that's the stance the government want to take, but it absolutely stinks after we've just had to suffer (and I use that term specifically) another national lockdown for a month. I completely emphasise with the mental aspect, I am very similar towards playing football and especially the gym for me. This isn't a personal argument just a difference of opinions, but ultimately we're all suffering here - I just want to think about the bigger picture and getting back to some kind of normality sooner, rather than rushing back to all the things we want to do and the end date being prolonged even further because infections spike again. Whether thats directly because of groups of people sat together at a football match or because their matchday routine involves them all meeting up before and after the game. Lets not forget, this government told us at the time there was "no evidence" that an event like Cheltenham was going to increase infections. Common sense says thousands of people partying in beer tents is likely going to spread the virus.

I'm glad I'm not alone here... This is such a selfish attitude. It stinks of "I want to do as much as I can as soon as I can" whereas some of us dont want another bloody lockdown. I'd rather wait til April to be able to attend football if it meant I dont spend (potentially) another month barely leaving my house again. It's not down to the individual to assess his/her risk IMO because they cannot control who they then pass the virus on to. Yes I do. Lots of things have been done by this government despite the risk - eat out to help out? You can't say there is no risk. There is risk in everything, but the key is to weigh up the risk against the importance of the place that's opening. We all want football open, but is it essential right now just after being put in a national lockdown because cases were so high? IMO no, should be discussed absolutely, but shouldn't be happening until after Xmas. I know it's slightly off topic but also opening indoor venues, are we to believe there's no risk to that either?

As I say, I wont speculate on the safety until we get an official announcement but everything Boris has just said suggests we need to be strict still - doesn't sit right with me that we open even more things, which encourages more mixing at a time we're being told it's important not to do just that?

Annoyingly I think my reply was lost as the threads were merged. Basically all I;m saying is weve just gone into National lockdown forcing many small businesses to close because cases are so bad. Many of those have done everyting they can to ensure they safety of their customers and had no problems. Coming back out needs to be a slow controlled process else we'll be back at square one with large cases and rising numbers after Xmas (which will be a problematic time in itself) and then what, a third lockdown with even less compliance and more small businesses forced to close? I won't debate the actual safety within the ground because I'm going to make an assumption that any concern I can think of has already been thought of and addressed by the clubs and councils. I'd love to go back to football, and I'll be playing again as soon as we're allowed but like I say, it just seems to be mixed messaging about how serious it is we dont visit family at Xmas - but go to the football etc? Perhaps I should have reserved comment until after a formal announcement has been made as I cant see any specifics that have been released yet

Just can't see any sense in this. We're talking about not being able to see all your family at Xmas, but you can be at a football ground with 4000 others. I understand some clubs have done a lot of work to be safe, but it just sends the wrong messages and it;s no wonder people have lost faith in following guidelines

Can’t see it happening. They admitted yesterday tier 1 does very little and i don’t think cases are going to be much lower in 2 weeks than they were when we went into lockdown. Tier 2 at least in most places which means no mixing in doors. Opening more things that weren’t open before just seems crazy to me and that goes for the Albert hall as well. That said, the government still seems to have no plan. They just hate making unpopular decisions and can’t say no to anything.

Sorry this is off-topic, did you get official shielding letter or just advisory from somewhere? FIL has parkinsons and had one of those brain implant's put in (which is brilliant btw) he had some kind of flu in January and ended up hospitalised with pneumonia so we consider him high risk but he never received anything from his GP to officially shield. I tried to avoid going to the office for this reason because he came to live with us but HR were having none of it without a formal letter.

This used to be possible when I started watching as a kid in the 90s. I remember my dad taking me to several games in the Benny Division 1 days where we'd walk down the other end of the Williams (I think) to watch the end we were attacking - not that we seemed to spend much time attacking!

I was being a little facetious, but France opened up stadiums and they're in a sorry state. I can see how it can be achieved (inside the stadium at least) in a situation where numbers are under some sort of control. I can't see people still advocating it this side of Xmas though unfortunately, and the whole behaviour before/after entering the ground concerns me as I think we all know big groups will gather before and after.

Like France?

It's mad people still say this.

Well, the precedent has been set that if you can't field a team due to Covid then you forfeit the game! Would be extremely unfair, also a real shame for those teams getting to the first round with no fans. I know from watching and playing that level that you could have 10x your average gate for a one of game like that at home, even more away. For some clubs an FA Cup run could keep you going financially for a year

There’s already a huge thread discussing this

I think my reply got lost in the merge I could see the professional game continuing if there’s testing in place but can’t see any way non-league can continue

And killed everyone’s grandparents 2 weeks later

Depends if he was actually ill or a transfer was on the cards I guess

True, as @S25loyalsaid theres still a big concern around behaviours. Perhaps in the first instance no alchohol should be sold in the ground and no one admitted if they appear drunk? More likely to adhere to rules when sober

I know, and I've been arguing that point but similarly the actual aspect of sitting watching the game can be as safe, if not safer, than sitting inside a theatre at 50% capacity. I don't know how they tackle the behaviour and what happens before and after arriving at the game but is it much different to the pubs being open? People still gather before and now with a 10pm curfew very likely gathering in houses after too. Similarly club houses allowed to stream the game but not allowed to be outside watching it - which is safer? There's no sense to the things they are putting in place. There's a lot to consider, which is why it needs to be tested in small groups. I understood the reason for cancelling the trials when the message was about tightening up - but that doesn't appear to be Boris's message yesterday

TBF I made points that I could see were a defence for the current stance, based on the message that we are tightening up not opening up and could understand why grounds wouldnt open now Given that they are making plans to allow the Royal Albert Hall to hold concerts, and now telling us to get back to cinemas, I no longer defend the "tightening" stance and cannot understand the mixed messages. If we're looking at safely opening concert halls, and encouraging people to go the cinema, I cannot see why football stadiums cant be re-considered.

Does no one else find it weird that no other football players are involved? Surprised there aren't more Chelsea players at least, maybe he doesn't have many friends in the squad

Well, unless I’m missing something that flies in the face of the minimal defence I’ve tried to put up in understanding the governments stance on stadium attendance- so I apologise, they are just incompetent self serving *******.