The Premier League is reported to be working on plans which it hopes will see crowds of 10,000 allowed back into stadiums assuming Covid infection continue to fall.
The League want to see a Test even run in January which they hope will be the second stage in the return of the supporters
Obviously all will depend on figures continuing to fall but with a vaccine being rolled out next week apparently hopes are high that the new target can be met.
The Mail reports that Test events for larger crowds, sanctioned by STIG and the Sports Ground Safety Authority, could exceed the current limits of 2,000 in Tier 2 stadia and 4,000 in Tier 1.
It comes immediately after West Ham became the first cub to see bums back on seats when 2000 watched the game against Manchester United yesterday.
And that was hailed by Pablo Fornals who had said how encouraged the players had been to see the first step towards back towards the much desired normality.
At this stage its an imponderable as to whether it can actually happen but there has to be a likelihood although it could cause issues among Tier Three managers.
Already Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsea has claimed it would give the home clubs in Tier 2 an unfair advantage but such is the Premier League’s attitude to start seeing real income return to the clubs that such complaints are likely to fall on deaf ears.
The Test Events would take place at such stadiums as the London Stadium where – such is the capacity – social distancing would not be any sort of issue.