Consideration should be given to playing decisive matches at neutral venues if professional football is able to return to minimise the impact on the emergency services, the national football policing lead has said.
Playing all the outstanding Premier League, EFL and FA Cup matches in the 2019-20 season at their original venues would “present challenges” to the police, Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts has told the PA news agency, as governing bodies continue to hold discussions about how they can safely return to action amid the coronavirus pandemic.
DCC Roberts flagged up the possibility of matches where titles or promotion are on the line being relocated, or being prevented from going ahead if crowds were to gather outside the original venues.
DCC Roberts insists the safety of all involved is the overriding consideration, but that it is also the role of the police to enable industries like football to resume.
“It is important (to bring it back). We want to get as many of our industries to get back as soon as we can,” he said.
“Germany have started to train again – France, Holland and Belgium have taken decisions not to have football. They will be guided by each country’s own place on the curve about where they are with the health issues.”
Roberts said he had spoken to authorities in Germany this week about how it was planning to manage the resumption of professional football there, which is due to start next month.
