The FA have today updated their guidelines for the return to football and have announced that spectators can return to grounds from Step 3 and below. As the Hawks play at Step 4, we will be permitted to allow spectators into The TerraPura Ground for a fixture from August 22nd.

Between August 22nd and August 30th, fixtures hosted by Step 4 clubs can have an attendance at 15% of the minimum capacity for that level – which works out to being 200 spectators. From August 30th onwards this can increase to 30%, which equates to 400 spectators, provided the club has held a fixture at with capacity limited to 200.

At present, we have no scheduled Home fixtures until September 19th at the earliest (Opening day of Isthmian South East), at present this fixture will be played with a capacity of 200, with subsequent games being able to be played with a capacity of 400. As a club, we are currently working on plans to be able to meet these new guidelines and to be able to admit as many Hawks fans as we will be able to do. Fans are advised that when we do host a game with fans, whenever that may be, matchdays will be different from what they would have been used to – further information on this will be posted when confirmed.

Our pre-season friendly Trafalgar Cup game at Newhaven on August 22nd will now be open to a limited amount of spectators, further information will be provided on our Twitter.

Owing to restrictions affecting Steps 1 and 2 still being in place, our friendly matches Away at Eastbourne Borough and Eastleigh will remain behind closed doors.

The full FA statement is available here – https://www.thefa.com/news/2020/aug/19/updated-guidelines-for-return-of-spectators-190820