Curle: Cobblers will be ready to play without fans

Keith Curle is confident the Cobblers will ‘rise to the challenge’ if they are asked to play behind closed doors in order to complete the season.

While all league football in England remains on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, both the EFL and Premier League remain committed to finishing the current season and have discussed several proposals.

The most likely of those involves matches being played without fans. Last week, EFL chairman Rick Parry published an open letter to all supporters detailing a plan to stream every match live should supporters not be allowed into grounds.

“We will endeavour to bring live football direct into your homes once it returns,” he wrote.

“Plans are continuing to be worked up for all games to be broadcast either via our broadcast partners, iFollow or equivalent club streaming services. We will update you on this once we know when matches will recommence.”

Earlier this week, Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas admitted the chances of fans being allowed back into stadiums this summer is ‘very slim’ and therefore clubs are having to prepare to play games behind closed doors.

Whilst that would bring its own financial challenges, the majority of clubs in League Two are still said to be willing to get the season finished.

“I agree with the chairman and I understand where he’s coming from because, ultimately, health and safety of all supporters is paramount and that’s not only on matchday, that’s at all times” said Curle.

“You don’t want to run the risk of anyone catching the virus while they’re at the stadium and because of that you don’t know how long it will take and you don’t know long the measures will be in place for.

“The talk is that a vaccine might be 12 to 18 months away so it’s likely that to play football, it might have to be behind closed doors at the beginning.

“If that’s the case, it’ll be another challenge for us and one we have to accept and rise to. We won’t use it as an excuse and it’ll be a level playing field for everyone and we’ll adapt to it and give it everything we’ve got.”

The Cobblers regularly trained at the PTS Academy Stadium between games before the season was suspended so have some experience of playing in an empty stadium.

But Curle admits it would be different on matchday, adding: “I’ve never played a game behind closed doors in my career but we train at the stadium and we also play practise games there so we’re very familiar with the ground being empty.

“Having three points at stake on a gameday would be a very strange feeling but again, it’s a challenge for us and what we’re trying to create at this club is that we don’t shy away from challenges and we give it everything we’ve got.”