Curle hopes Cobblers fans will return soon ahead of pilot event at Shrewsbury

Keith Curle hopes Saturday's pilot event between Northampton and Shrewsbury will pave the way for supporters to return to the PTS Academy Stadium within the next few weeks.

Providing Saturday's seven pilot matches - reduced from 10 after Luton, Hull and Morecambe pulled out - go according to plan, Northampton hope to stage a similar event next weekend, although much will hinge on COVID-19 restrictions in the local area.

Northampton remains an 'area of concern' due to a fresh spike in cases but that does not necessarily mean the club cannot apply to host a test event when Hull City visit a week on Saturday.

"It's a fantastic step forward and hopefully the impact of that, if it goes successfully, is that we're able to get some our supporters back in the ground," said Curle.

"It's a step in the right direction amid all the chaos that's going on in society at the moment and we're hoping it can be one step forward that leads to another step forward."

Around 1,000 Shrewsbury season ticket holders are to be allowed into Montgomery Waters Meadow for tomorrow's fixture but the EFL remain hopeful that more fans will return after October 1st.

“It will be really good," said Salop boss Sam Ricketts. "We all love playing football but it's even better to have some supporters in to watch that. It says an awful lot about the club, and the running of the club, that we are one of the seven clubs thought of in that respect.

“It’s an honour that we are one of the seven and it’s great for us that we will have 1,000 of our own fans in. It potentially could give us an advantage. Every single one of the supporters will be delighted to be back at football just like the players.”