'Are we all doing our bit?' - Darren Moore's call to arms to ensure fans are back in stadiums sooner rather than expected

It was announced this week that government plans for the return of fans to grounds from next month had been placed on hold due to the rising transmission rate of Covid-19.

And Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the latest tightening of preventative measures could be left in place for the next six months as the country looks to ride through the pandemic during winter.

That would mean fans that could have been allowed back into stadiums in just a few weeks could now be facing a wait until March to see their teams in person again, while clubs themselves face the prospect of having had a full year without their primary income source.

But Moore believes fans can play a part in ensuring they are not shut out of grounds for that long - by sticking to the regulations the government has laid down.

“Up until now, my thought about this is that we all have a part to play,” Moore said.

“And maybe if we play our part then we can address the issue.

“Maybe the reason why the situation is how it is and these procedures are being put in place, is the question of are we all doing our bit to play our part and stay healthy and fit?

“That is the way it should be.

“If the alarm bells are ringing then we can all do something about it for an immediate effect which is to follow the guidelines and the rules with one another.

“That should be the focus.

“If we can all play our part, we can address that issue that potentially supporters might not be back into seeing a professional football fixture until then.”

Moore says he cannot afford to be too concerned about the situation off the pitch and will leave the ramifications to the club hierarchy and the sport’s governing bodies.

“We’ll just be ready to prepare for each and every game and keep every game in isolation as we normally would,” he said.

“That season has started and we just go from there.

“While there isn’t good news, our job is just to remain professional and prepare for the fixtures ahead.”

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