We'll benefit from Premier League teams having had no fans

The Hornets manager is convinced many supporters unable to go and support Brighton, Crystal Palace or any other top-flight team of their choice have given their local sides a try – and have liked what they’ve seen.

Although fans at the top level of English football are set to be allowed back into stadiums soon - some as early as next week - a third of the season has been played in empty grounds.

And Di Paola says while that’s unfortunate for top clubs, it will benefit the non-league game. And he says the Hornets are in a good position to take full advantage.

They are in top ten supported teams in the country in the season so far and believe they could have been attracting more than than 600 currently permitted at their level if rules had allowed it.

Horsham have had a fairly inconsistent start to the 2020-21 campaign but have generally been playing well and scoring goals at home.

Di Paola said: “This season, I think if we were fully open we could be attracting crowds of 800. It would be nice to think we can do that once restrictions are lifted.

“Our average last season was about 600 but we’re kicking on from that and becoming more established at this level.

“One of the great things about Premier League games not having fans is that those fans are going elsewhere and are hooked.

“I was talking to a couple of fans at one of our games who are Crystal Palace season-ticket holders and they were loving watching us.

“You think about people paying £50 for Premier League tickets, £7 for a burger, £10 for a programme, everything else. Then think how much those things cost at our level.

“Ours is a pure level of the game. We try to play a decent brand of football. We’re not the greatest team in the world; we’re not the worst in the world.

“If Horsham and other clubs like us can pick up new fans in all of this, great. At Horsham we have great facilities and a good team and are happy to see people coming to games.”

Horsham will be free to resume their season after the national lockdown ends on December 2. A rejigged fixture list is awaited.