Huddersfield Town boss Danny Cowley fears fan-free games takes soul of football

Cowley – whose team sit 18th in the Championship – is adamant that it must be safe in stadiums before supporters return to the stands.

But he is convinced home fans can “influence the outcome” – and the recent Bundesliga games played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic appear to back up his view.

Since the resumption of the German top-flight earlier this month, there have been 27 games up to and including Wednesday night’s fixtures. Of those games, five have been home victories, 10 draws and 12 away wins.

That is a home win percentage of 18.5 per cent – compared to 43.3 per cent of home wins in the season prior to the delay.

Cowley said: “It’s the people’s game and I think it (playing behind closed doors) will take the soul away from football.

“But it is going to be a necessity. I think (having fans back) can be achieved but it is further down the line and it has to be done safely. The quicker we can get supporters back into the stadiums the better.”

Cowley is keen on fans being able to watch the games on television in the meantime.

He added: “In the short term they must be able to get exposure to the game, we have to find a way of getting supporters affordable exposure to the game. Otherwise why are we doing it?”

Championship clubs returned to training on Monday, with a testing programme under way. Out of more than 1,000 players and staff initially tested at the 24 clubs, two people at Hull City tested positive for Covid-19.

The results of a second round of 1,030 tests were announced on Thursday, with three positives returning from two clubs. Fulham said two of those three were from their staff.

Cowley is keen on creating a “sense of belonging” at Huddersfield, similar to the feelgood factor David Wagner brought to the Terriers when he oversaw promotion to the Premier League.

“I think that’s the greatest gift we can give,” said Cowley. “If we can create a club where everyone is connected, it can be powerful. I love seeing generations of the same family in the stands watching.”

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor