Newcastle United look to the Bundesliga ahead of Premier League restart

The atmosphere could be flat inside St James’s Park for the Premier League restart – as the club is considering filling the stadium with cardboard supporters.

Top-flight football, suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, is set to restart later this month. However, games will be played in empty stadiums to stop the spread of the virus, which has already claimed more than 40,000 lives.

Newcastle United will return to action on June 21 with a televised home game against Sheffield United.

And the Athletic report that Newcastle are one of eight clubs considering using cardboard fans. Brighton and Hove Albion are also “strongly considering” using cutouts, according to the report.

Cardboard cutouts with portraits of Borussia Moenchegladbach's supporters are seen at the Borussia Park football stadium in Moenchengladbach, Germany.placeholder image
Cardboard cutouts with portraits of Borussia Moenchegladbach's supporters are seen at the Borussia Park football stadium in Moenchengladbach, Germany. | JPIMedia

The idea has been used elsewhere. Borussia Monchengladbach ordered 12,000 lifesize cutouts ahead of the Bundesliga restart last month, and supporters were able to pay to have photographs of themselves printed on to them.

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