Culture secretary reveals exactly what must happen for Brighton fans to return to Amex Stadium

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden has laid out the parameters of what must happen for football fans to return to stadia.
The Amex StadiumThe Amex Stadium
The Amex Stadium

Dowden faced a DCMS Select Committee on Wednesday and was grilled on a number of topics – including Project Big Picture and government support for struggling sporting clubs.

And naturally, the continued absence of supporters from stadia was also a hot topic of discussion.

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It was hoped that fans would be able to return to stadiums in limited numbers from October 1, with a number of successful pilot events held towards the end of September.

But the plans were paused indefinitely after case numbers across the country rose, with fresh restrictions introduced.

Yet there have been questions asked given a number of other spectator events have continued – while sporting events are continuing to be played behind closed doors.

And Dowden has today revealed exactly what must happen before fans can be allowed to return to stadiums.

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“I desperately wanted socially distanced fans in stadiums from the start of October but we had to pause that because of the rapidly rising rates of infection,” he told the Select Committee.

“It's not just the stadium. it is the journey to and from the stadium both on public transport and people being likely to want something to eat or drink on the way.

“When we get to the point that we have confidence we have the disease under control so that it is not on a rapid upward curve I would rapidly return to this decision.”

EFL chairman Rick Parry has been urged by Dowden to “stop being distracted over this latest wheeze” concerning the revolutionary Project Big Picture plans and focus on talks with the Premier League to secure a rescue package for his competition.

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Dowden took a dim view of the proposals which first became public knowledge over the weekend, describing them as ‘Project Power Grab’ and reiterated that a fan-led review of the game’s governance would have to be brought forward “imminently” if the leagues could not settle their differences.

The PBP plans include a £250million immediate payment to the EFL at a time when its clubs are starved of matchday income by the coronavirus pandemic and the promise of a 25 per cent share of future Premier League media revenues for the EFL.

However, the plans have been criticised for concentrating too much power in the hands of the Premier League’s so-called ‘big six’, with Liverpool and Manchester United having been the main architects of the proposals.

Dowden told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee: “I’ve made clear my scepticism and concern about this.

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“We know from the conversations we have had that the EFL clubs will not be allowed to go bust, there are the resources there, but we need a comprehensive deal and this is a distraction at best from that.

“What it demonstrates is that we were wise to put in our manifesto provisions for a fan-led review because it genuinely brings into question the ability of football to govern itself properly.

“I have met extensively with (Premier League chief executive) Richard Masters and (EFL chairman) Rick Parry and we are all pretty convinced this deal can be done.

“The Premier League have indicated their willingness to do this, I hope the EFL will stop being distracted by this latest wheeze over the weekend and come seriously to the table and do the deal.”

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Asked for his view on Parry specifically, Dowden said: “I would have preferred that at the end of this that, rather than reading about this ‘Project Power Grab’ as you rightly put it, instead I was reading how they had come to a deal to secure the future of football, I think that would be a much better use of people’s time.”