No guarantee that Harrogate Town can admit supporters for Forest Green Rovers match

The Sulphurites were Yorkshire’s big footballing winners from yesterday’s announcement of post-lockdown restrictions, the only one of 11 league clubs allowed fans into their ground.

But managing director Garry Plant warned there is a huge amount to do first.

Tuesday’s League Two game at home to Scunthorpe United will not be delayed 24 hours to fall outside of the lockdown after objections by the Iron, meaning Forest Green could be the first team to play a Football League game in front of a crowd at Wetherby Road.

Plant, though, warned it is not a foregone conclusion.

“I’m surprised and pleased but the amount of work we have to do now to get even limited crowds back in is huge,” he said after the spa town was placed in tier two.

“We have to get sign-off from North Yorkshire Safety Advisory Group, the Sports Ground Safety Authority, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Public Health England and the EFL.

“People should not under-estimate the bureaucracy involved but we’re trying to move heaven and earth to get fans back safely.

“The target is for that to be on December 5 but, to a degree, that’s out of our hands.

“As it is we have to review our covid protocols every single day.

“There are lots of things we need clarity on – can a supporter in a tier three postcode come?

“We’re probably the only ground in the league fans can only enter on one side. They will probably have to arrive at staged times and file in one by one.

“The first match will have to be a test event so that could limit our numbers further. We don’t know yet if we will be able to get 2,000 into the ground.”