Mark Catlin: We're ready for Portsmouth fans' December return to Football League

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is in the process of submitting plans to the Cabinet Office for a partial return for spectators.

Proposals focus on areas of the country where coronavirus infection rates are low – which would include Hampshire.

The second national lockdown is scheduled to end on December 2.

If DCMS plans are approved, once that deadlines finishes, at least 1,000 fans would be allowed into Premier League and Football League grounds before Christmas, operating under social distancing.

And Catlin is adamant Pompey are equipped to safely cater for reduced attendances for next month’s home fixtures.

The Blues’ chief executive told The News: ‘We’ve heard nothing official and know as much as anybody else.

‘I’ve seen the media in recent days about how the DCMS are apparently discussing the possibility of allowing a number of fans back post-lockdown, that’s as much as I know.

‘However, we strongly believe that 1,000 in a stadium the size of Pompey wouldn’t pose any difficulty for whatsoever.

‘So I suppose anything which allow however many fans in, whether it would be as low as 1,000, is still a step in the right direction.

‘As a club, we have gone through all the different protocols and scenarios of letting fans in and were comfortable with somewhere in the region of 4-5,000 before the second lockdown – and that’s still the case.

‘I wouldn't say we could easily cope with 1,000 supporters, because there’s still a lot of work involved.

‘But we are convinced we could bring in 1,000 and abide by all the rules and regulations in regards to social distancing.

‘We just have to wait and see now what the government come up with, but 100 per cent we can cope with a potential return of supporters next month.’

It is presently unclear exactly when supporters could potentially be let back into Fratton Park.

Pompey’s home fixtures next month include Peterborough (December 5), Fleetwood (December 15) and Swindon (Boxing Day).

Yet Catlin has reiterated how football remains at the mercy of the government – and awaits their green light.

He added: ‘As I have said all the way along, things change on a daily basis.

‘We don’t even know if we’ll be coming out of lockdown on December 2 or, if we are, what’s that going to look like.

‘As an individual club, it is more or less completely out of our hands and we are at the mercy of what the EFL and Premier League can agree with the DCMS and the government.

‘Even that is under the umbrella of what the country is doing generally in regards to lockdown.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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