Newcastle United fans face Fulham disappointment – report

The Premier League has drawn up plans to admit a limited number of home and away fans for the final two matches of the season.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed in February that some supporters, locked out of grounds since last March due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be allowed back inside stadiums from May 17.

The calendar is set to be shifted to allowed the penultimate round of games to be played in front of crowds of up to 10,000 fans.

That plan would see supporters attend the home game against Sheffield United, scheduled for May 15 – and the final game of the season against Fulham at Craven Cottage on May 23.

Newcastle will discuss their plans for the safe, socially-distanced return of some fans with supporter groups before making a public announcement ahead of their final home fixture.

However, the Daily Mail report that there is some opposition among clubs to the plan for the return of away fans.

One official is quoted as saying: “It doesn't make any sense. If everyone has a home match, there’s no integrity issue, and the logistics will be challenging at best.

“Social distancing may present issues, and are we going to ask fans to travel the length of the country in a pandemic? Imagine if there was an outbreak related to football. It's more trouble than it's worth, and clubs have made their feelings clear. We need more time.”

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