SM
Ipswich vs. Man United: 5 hrs 1 min
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Fans flock to sporting venues as coronavirus restrictions ease

:Headline: Fans flock to sporting venues as coronavirus restrictions ease:
Football, greyhound racing, horse racing, rugby league and rugby union were all scheduled to take place in front of spectators on Monday.
Sports Mole

Fans flocked back to sporting venues across England on Monday as coronavirus restrictions were eased.

Spectators were in place in the early afternoon for the horse racing meets at Carlisle and Redcar, with further fixtures taking place later in the day at Leicester and Windsor.

Football, rugby league, rugby union and greyhound racing were also among the sports to open their doors to fans on the first day of the Government’s third step in the coronavirus recovery road map.

Racegoers inspect the parade ring at Redcar Racecourse (Mike Egerton/PA)

Larger seated outdoor venues will be able to admit up to 10,000 spectators, while smaller outdoor venues will have capacities capped at 4,000 or 50 per cent, whichever is the lowest.

Fans will have to get used to a new set of rules with face-masks, online health checks and maintaining social distance now part of the experience.

Among the first paying customers through the gates at Carlisle were Craig Hamilton, his partner Louise Williams and their five-month old baby Mikey – who was well dressed for his first visit to the races.

Craig Hamilton, Louise Williams and baby Mikey at Carlisle (Ashley Iveson/PA)

“It’s fantastic to be back. It’s nice to get back to some sort of normality and to get dressed up and do something,” Hamilton told the PA news agency.

“This is Louise’s surprise birthday present. I bought the tickets when they first came out and surprised her this morning.

“We were just saying, we don’t think we’ve been racing since August/September 2019, so it’s almost two years and we probably go six or seven times a year usually.”

Racegoers place a bet at Redcar Racecourse (Mike Egerton/PA)

Williams added: “This is Mikey’s first day at the races. Hopefully he’s a lucky charm!”

Later on Monday, two Sky Bet Championship play-off matches will be played in front of a live audience on the back of Saturday’s successful FA Cup final test event at Wembley, where 21,000 watched Leicester beat Chelsea.

Barnsley will be backed by around 4,500 supporters for their play-off tie with Swansea, while just over 2,000 will be in attendance when Bournemouth host Brentford in the other semi-final first leg.

Crowds will also be back in rugby union’s Gallagher Premiership, with leaders Bristol expecting a crowd of 3,138 for the visit of West Country neighbours Gloucester and Newcastle playing Northampton in front of 1,750.

Rugby league has a busy programme on Monday night with five Super League matches – Hull can have 5,500, St Helens and Warrington 4,000 each, Castleford’s capacity is 3,600 and Leigh are working to 2,000 – and two Championship games.

Romford Greyhound Stadium also welcomed back fans but no on-course bookmakers were present.

Premier League crowds will return on Tuesday, with the league having pushed back its penultimate round of matches to May 18 and 19.

That decision has allowed every club to play one game in front of supporters before the end of the season on Sunday.

body check tags ::

amp_article__447889 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-05-17 14:06:52:
html db last update - 2021-05-17 14:06:52 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Coronavirus outbreak - Click here for more stories

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Coronavirus Outbreak Football Racing
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Ruben rejected: Man United's 'unsuccessful feeler' for Real Madrid star revealed
"He's been unfairly judged" - Have the critics been too harsh on Arsenal's Merino?
De Bruyne recalled as Pep rings changes: Predicted Man City XI against Feyenoord

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Crystal Palace121561017-78
19Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Out of this world: Arsenal to make 'astronomical' bid for Serie A star?

1

OO

Sunday's Premier League predictions including Ipswich Town vs. Man United

2

SP

Sporting Lisbon vs. Arsenal: Head-to-head record and past meetings

NEW

3

SL

Four changes, Partey or Merino? Predicted Arsenal XI against Sporting

NEW

4

FC

Preview: Sporting Lisbon vs. Arsenal - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

5

PS

Ruben rejected: Man United's 'unsuccessful feeler' for Real Madrid star revealed

6

RR

Throw him to the Lions? Zirkzee 'has five escape routes' from Man Utd

7

TH

Sunday's La Liga predictions including Leganes vs. Real Madrid

8

SL

Defensive trio to miss out: Arsenal injury, suspension list for Sporting clash

9

DT

Will Doku, Dias return? Man City injury list for Feyenoord clash

10

WD


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .