Hull City's game against Crewe Alexandra back behind closed doors as pilot abandoned

The Tigers' League One match against Crewe Alexandra on Saturday had been due to be watched by 600 spectators as an experiment towards allowing more fans into grounds in October. Capacity at this week's pilot events was limited to 1,000, but Hull had opted for a lower figure “to manage risk”.

The pilot event was announced on Wednesday afternoon, and cancelled on Thursday afternoon.

The game will now be played behind closed doors as planned, and as all Hull's matches have been since English football was suspended in March because of the pandemic.

The pilot had been approved by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Sports Ground Safety Authority, but failed to get final approval from Hull Council Public Health after the infection rate went up from 4.2 to 15.3 per 100,000 in the last week.

“We appreciate the decision will be disappointing for many but, in the current circumstances, it is the safest and most appropriate decision and has been made in the best interests of our residents and our visitors,” read a joint statement from Julia Weldon, director of public health at Hull City Council and Sam Henderson, head of stadium operations at Stadium Management Company, which runs the ground.

Middlesbrough's Championship game at home to Bournemouth on Saturday is still scheduled as a test event, as is Doncaster Rovers' trip to Charlton Athletic, and Bradford City's to Forest Green Rovers.

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