Using Bramall Lane to help finish the season?

[Sothall_Blade]

One of the options apparently being discussed is to use St George’s Park at Burton as a central quarantined training camp. Then bus the players on short journeys to play matches behind closed doors and back again.

If that’s the case I’m thinking they might use the four closest Premiership grounds which would be Leicester, Villa, Wolves and us.

They could say we’ll just use the 4 nearest league grounds but teams like Burton and Derby haven’t spent thousands on having the right floodlighting, pitch and other facilities installed.

They could use the Hotel at Bramall Lane to keep the match officials and media people quarantined also.

In the interests of fairness, United and the other three clubs shouldn’t be allowed to play at their home ground but it would seem a possibility our ground might be used if it comes to that.

 

[WORKSOPBLADE]

Thought the idea was not to use any Premier grounds so fans don’t turn up near/around the ground for social distancing??

So this would be a non starter.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Thought the idea was not to use any Premier grounds so fans don’t turn up near/around the ground for social distancing??

So this would be a non starter.

What grounds would they use then? What are the pitches like? What is the floodlighting and media facilities like for Tv coverage? What is to stop fans gathering outside Burton’s ground instead (for example)?

 

[TAMUS]

I would use all the grounds and just let 10% in at each . i doubt people would gather outside now .

 

[spongebobblade]

Thought the idea was not to use any Premier grounds so fans don’t turn up near/around the ground for social distancing??

So this would be a non starter.

If it’s not Wembley then surely it has to be premier league grounds as they are the only ones with VAR set up?

 

[bongleblade]

would they not get st georges with a var setup?
Brittania Stadium would be the closest ground which is PL regulation

 

[Berkshire Blade]

I would use all the grounds and just let 10% in at each . i doubt people would gather outside now .

10% ain't happening. Sadly idiots will gather.

 

[maidmarion]

You either let all in or NOBODY......not Wilders mates, not Billy's mates.....NOBODY.
That way it's fair on everybody.
We all want to get back to watching football....all of us....not just those who happen to be somebodies best mate. Or not someone who can get tickets or who can get them in the ground.
It's a lock down for a specific reason, to keep us all safe from the virus, or to keep our loved ones safe from the virus.
So please...if we do resume, don't come on here with your pictures of behind the scenes....I was there....there's no Brownie points to be had there.....

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

You either let all in or NOBODY......not Wilders mates, not Billy's mates.....NOBODY.
That way it's fair on everybody.
We all want to get back to watching football....all of us....not just those who happen to be somebodies best mate. Or not someone who can get tickets or who can get them in the ground.
It's a lock down for a specific reason, to keep us all safe from the virus, or to keep our loved ones safe from the virus.
So please...if we do resume, don't come on here with your pictures of behind the scenes....I was there....there's no Brownie points to be had there.....

Fair enough. The Carrier Bag Firm have already agreed with our contacts at The Club "no photos" as a requirement for them letting our ticket gangmaster have the necessary access.
We'll also be categorising these Games Played Purely For Money differently in our Programme collections.

 

[Pedro Verde]

I would use all the grounds and just let 10% in at each . i doubt people would gather outside now .

How would you sort that one out
Which 10% wouild you let in , one with most loyalty points the ones who have had a ST the longest
Unworkable

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

If they did it, Wembley. Massive facilities and infra structure, hotels etc.

 

[tyneblade]

Given that whatever you construct is going to be artificial; why not a series of 5 penalty per side shoot-outs at St Georges?

• Easy to control,
• no segregation issues,
• teams of six players,
• six goalmouths on three pitches,

season over in an afternoon.

 

[Addison]

The proposal from a few weeks ago was to use grounds in the Midlands central to the country fairly equal amount of travelling times for all teams. Had to be premiership grounds as they are set up for VAR. Since then the southern softies have got involved fearing they would have to leave that there London and Wembley has come forward and offered its services.

 

[guancheblade]

Thought the idea was not to use any Premier grounds so fans don’t turn up near/around the ground for social distancing??

So this would be a non starter.

I think the OP eliminated this risk by saying clubs can't play games at their own grounds.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I think the OP eliminated this risk by saying clubs can't play games at their own grounds.

Exactly. Who is going to drive to say Villa Park and stand outside there while we play Wolves?

 

[Sothall_Blade]

If they did it, Wembley. Massive facilities and infra structure, hotels etc.

Are they going to play all 92 games at Wembley then? Would the Wembley pitch stand up to that?

Why do you need a massive ground when there no fans there?

No games could be played at the same time, so they would have to play some on weekday mornings to fit them all in quick enough. 3 a day at one ground?

Where are the teams going to train? Isn't London the main epicentre of Coronavirus in the U.K.?

 

[finlaytheblade]

10% ain't happening. Sadly idiots will gather.

Anyone who turned up outside the ground would be arrested or turned away.
Majority of fans will respect the situation as it evolves the rest who are plain crazy will get what they deserve ! Not Corvin19 virus but turned away and in my opinion fined on the spot

 

[Oldun]

Anyone who turned up outside the ground would be arrested or turned away.
Majority of fans will respect the situation as it evolves the rest who are plain crazy will get what they deserve ! Not Corvin19 virus but turned away and in my opinion fined on the spot

by all the police who haven’t got anything better to do??

 

[William]

by all the police who haven’t got anything better to do??

...and there is the reason why I still think playing behind closed doors might not get off the ground.

Did you see the celebrations in Liverpool when they won the won the CL final held 2000 miles away? There will be riots in Liverpool if they win the league, forget social distancing.

 

[Cassius Kray]

If we end up playing games behind closed doors, which seems likely, and we can't play games at home grounds, which also seems likely, then St George's Park is the best shout. It's central, has facilities for plenty of people, and isn't biased towards any particular team. As far as floodlighting etc goes - they show FA cup matches on TV at plenty of lower league games and that works fine. It may perhaps be that Ultra HD and VAR fall by the way side, or that temporary infastructure is installed. That's perfectly possible.

 

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

How would you sort that one out
Which 10% wouild you let in , one with most loyalty points the ones who have had a ST the longest
Unworkable

It would have to be me and a few others.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

Are they going to play all 92 games at Wembley then? Would the Wembley pitch stand up to that?

Why do you need a massive ground when there no fans there?

No games could be played at the same time, so they would have to play some on weekday mornings to fit them all in quick enough. 3 a day at one ground?

Where are the teams going to train? Isn't London the main epicentre of Coronavirus in the U.K.?

Steady, I'm not solely responsible for the whole decision process!

Meant more the infra structure in the ground.

Playing alk 92 games there might be tough.on the grass. There might be some other footy pitches in London town that can host a few too.

It being the epiccentre sems here nor there. You have to isolate regardless.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

How would you sort that one out
Which 10% wouild you let in , one with most loyalty points the ones who have had a ST the longest
Unworkable

How would the lifelong blade, who's just had kids and been abroad and not get any points get in? Bloody ticket office

 

[BladesOnToast]

You either let all in or NOBODY.

I think the minimum they would have to let in for this to work would be at least 22 players and a ref. Linos i suppose x2, and the Programmes Three Quid bloke, that's all you really need for a professional competitive football match.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

During this period of reflection, I have confirmed I'm not a Football Fan (tbh, never thought I was). I'm increasingly coming to terms with the fact I'm not even a Sheffield United Fan. No interest whatsoever in games behind Closed Doors. That's just MoneyBall. Played for a £ sign. More positively, I'm deffo a Fan Of Going To See Sheffield United Play. That's my Bag. Up the Vaccine Affirmers.....

 

[tincan]

I think the minimum they would have to let in for this to work would be at least 22 players and a ref. Linos i suppose x2, and the Programmes Three Quid bloke, that's all you really need for a professional competitive football match.

But we're premier league, with £million salaries and £billion squads . Will clubs that are willing to furlough programme sellers, be willing to play games and risk squad infections and insurance being invalidated, I can't see it happening.

 

[hidesbehindapseudonym]

Been a Blade for 61 years. ST holder and travel 365 miles return for each game with hotels etc for midweek matches. Hows that work?

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

I think the minimum they would have to let in for this to work would be at least 22 players and a ref. Linos i suppose x2, and the Programmes Three Quid bloke, that's all you really need for a professional competitive football match.

You're probably about 200 people short.

Managers, coaches, physios, substitutes, kit managers, match officials, medical staff, ground staff, VAR technicians, camera operators, media team...

 

[1889]

by all the police who haven’t got anything better to do??

I don’t understand why people assume the Police are flat out due to the Covid 19 quarantine?
Surely their workload must be hugely reduced, not increased?
No city centre nighttime disorder, less drink drivers, less shoplifters, fewer gangs of teenagers, less street robberies, less house burglaries, no football matches.There may be more domestics and mental health issues, but I think they could comfortably find enough staff to Police some behind closed doors, football matches.

 

[BarcaBlade]

Exactly. Who is going to drive to say Villa Park and stand outside there while we play Wolves?

Wolves fans.