Sports clubs in fight for survival after government scraps planned return of fans to stadiums
Video report by ITV News Anglia's Andy Ward
Football clubs in the East have been dealt a fresh blow with the news that plans to reintroduce fans to stadiums from the start of October have been scrapped.
It had been hoped that supporters would be allowed to return to grounds in limited numbers from October 1, but following a sharp rise in coronavirus crisis, the government has now put the proposals on hold for the foreseeable future.
The latest setback will be devastating for clubs up and down the football pyramid, many of whom rely heavily on the revenue fans bring with them.
There had been real optimism that a series of pilot events, such as the one held at Carrow Road for Norwich City's home clash against Preston recently, would pave the way for supporters to be allowed to return to the stands.
However, clubs are now having to come to terms with potentially having to deal with many more weeks, or even months, of staging games behind closed doors.
It's led to genuine fears that some clubs won't be able to survive.
It's been reported that the National League season may not start as planned on October 3, with the league due to meet later this week to discuss whether to delay the beginning of the campaign or not.
King's Lynn Town, who were recently promoted to the National League, are due to host Yeovil Town on the opening day of the campaign, and although chairman Stephen Cleeve is confident they can get through the crisis, he admits it will be a struggle.
"Of course it's difficult to survive because you're talking to fans and trying to make them part of the experience because they're the main part of this football club, it's what we all do it for," he told ITV News Anglia.
"So, to not have them present, it's seems to me to be very wrong. Also, it's very hard for us to explain to them how they can go and sit in a pub and a bar, but they can't sit at a football club. It doesn't make any sense."
Football isn't the only sport being affected, with Newmarket Racecourse announcing on Tuesday that the planned pilot event with fans for the Cambridgeshire meeting later this week will now take place behind closed doors.
Speedway's British Final, which was due to be held in front of 1,000 fans in Ipswich on Saturday, will also now have to be staged with no spectators present.