Get us out of fan ban limbo, plead Eastbourne Borough

When will Priory Lane be populated again?

News that supporters can start to be admitted to non-league grounds from step three downwards leaves The Sports wondering when the same move will be made in respect of matches at Priory Lane.

Borough play in National South, step two of the non-league game, and this is classed as elite football, which means its clubs are still waiting for the green light to re-admit fans.

Before Wednesday’s confirmation fans can return at steps three to seven, Borough had written to town MP Caroline Ansell asking her to support efforts to get fans back to football.

Borough chairman Dave Blackmore said the latest government move had left the club ‘betwixt and between’.

“We are delighted for clubs in steps three to seven, including our friends at the Southern Combination clubs. Common sense has prevailed and they will be pleased and relieved.

See Danny Bloor talk about Borough's pre-season training schedule and the build-up to the season in the club video above

“But unlike them, we have no good news yet. It’s frustrating when we at Priory Lane have shown willing to understand and implement every single instruction and every aspect of the safety measures.

National South clubs are not in competitive action until October 3, when we enter the FA Cup, and we seriously hope that the government will have reviewed our position by that time.”

Sports minister Nigel Huddleston’s announcement side-stepped the National League issue – stating: “It is up to the sports to determine what constitutes the boundary between elite or non-elite in their sport.”

Borough’s tenants Langney Wanderers may find themselves victims of a continued shutout. The latest announcement did not say whether a lower-ranked team playing at a step two ground would be allowed fans.

At least Eastbourne Town and Eastbourne United can admit fans.

Under the new rules, a club can admit 15 per cent of their level’s minimum ground grading capacity. For tTown and United, that means 150 can attend between August 22 and 30, doubling to 300 after that.