COVID PASSPORTS WILL CAUSE CHAOS, WARNS FANS’ CHIEF

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs have been warned they face ‘chaos’ if non-vaccinated supporters are banned from attending matches. Fans would have to produce a Covid passport showing proof of double vaccination to gain entry to seated events hosting crowds larger than 20,000 under proposals being considered by Government. But Football Supporters’ Association chairman Malcolm Clarke yesterday warned: ‘I’m not convinced that all football clubs will be able to manage that in a way that doesn’t cause some chaos.’ Speaking to Times Radio, he added: ‘There will certainly be some supporters for whom this will be an incentive (to get vaccinated), who are desperate to get back in the ground and watch their teams. There may be others who will say, you know what, I’ve got used to not going to the games and this is the last straw, I’m not coming back. ‘There is something of a risk that football will lose some of its paying customers unless this is managed very carefully. My major concern is to ensure that this is operationally OK.’ Some top-flight clubs are looking to trial using Covid passports in pre-season fixtures to understand the logistics, but they will not be mandatory for the opening weeks of the campaign.