Fans to return at Harrogate Town but Leeds United, Sheffield United, Barnsley, Huddersfield Town, Middlesbrough, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster Rovers, Hull City, Bradford City and Halifax Town remain behind closed doors due to coronavirus tiers

Fans will be allowed back into Harrogate Town matches next week but Leeds United, Sheffield United, Barnsley, Huddersfield Town, Middlesbrough, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster Rovers, Hull City and Bradford City will all have to continue to playing behind closed doors after their stadia were put into tier three restrictions.
Fans will be able to return to Harrogate TownFans will be able to return to Harrogate Town
Fans will be able to return to Harrogate Town

A limited number of spectators will be allowed back into grounds from Wednesday for the first time since the Premier League and Football League seasons were postponed in March.

The small number of grounds placed in tier one when the second lockdown ends will be allowed to welcome 4,000 supporters or 50 per cent of capacity, whichever is the smallest. In tier two, only 2,000 are permitted. Tier three zones are not allowed fans at all.

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League Two Harrogate have been put into tier, but Yorkshire's remaining league clubs are in tier three.

Harrogate are due to host Scunthorpe United on Tuesday, the night before the lockdown is limited, but this could now be put back 24 hours. They host Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.

The Sulphurites were promoted to League Two in the summer after winning play-offs played behind closed doors but are yet to play in the Football League in front of a crowd.

“We’re really looking forward to crowds filling the EnviroVent Stadium again, we’ve got a lot of hoops to jump through with all the authorities we have to get signed off which is going to be a bulk of work," said managing director Gary Plant.

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“We are going to have to socially distance so have to do all the calculations around that, we must look after staff, players and supporters and as eager as we all are to get some noise back in the stadium we are keen to make sure we do everything correctly.”

Details of who can apply for tickets and how will be released soon.

The absence of supporters has had a crippling effect on football clubs, particularly those lower down the pyramid.

Premier League football clubs such as Leeds United and Sheffield United draw a large proportion of their income from the league's record-breaking broadcast deals but in the Championship and particularly below, the deals are much smaller and their dependence on gate receipts much greater.

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Football clubs in the top two divisions resumed playing in June, with the rest of professional football starting the new season in September at league level and October for non-league clubs.

Non-league clubs have received a Government bailout, as has women's football, but there has been no support for Football League and clubs, and negotiations with the Premier League about a rescue package have yet to produce a solution.

The tiers will be reviewed in two weeks.

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