Barnsley are hoping for a crowd of about 4,500 at their home play-off game on Monday, May 17 , with season ticket holders encouraged to a apply for a ballot on Tuesday.
The Reds are awaiting confirmation from the government, with Boris Johnson due to address the issue on Monday, but are planning for a crowd of slightly less than 4,500, a figure concluded by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority after a ground inspection.
Season ticket holders for this current 2020/21 season – of which there are almost 8,000 – can enter a ballot on the club website from Tuesday, with successful applicants notified by Thursday. Season ticket holders will be permitted to enter the ballot in groups of up to six, all of whom will need to be in the same e-ticketing network.
The Reds will play either Brentford or Swansea in the play-offs but, if it is the latter, there is a chance there will be no fans at either fixture as the Welsh government is yet to confirm that supporters can return to stadiums on May 17 as is planned in England.
The EFL has hinted that, if that is the case, both games involving Swansea will be behind-closed-doors, but have expressed confidence that the issue can be resolved and fans will attend.
Safety officer Steve Howard said: ““The potential of fans returning to stadia has been a long time coming and as a team, a dedicated number of individuals have worked diligently to ensure that Barnsley FC and Oakwell are in the best possible position to welcome you back as soon as possible.As a Club, it’s frustrating not to have answers to hand, but whilst we seek total clarity, we thought it best to inform our supporters of our initial plans. Our final plans can only be
confirmed after the Government announcements scheduled for 10 May.
“Along with a number of colleagues, I plan to speak with our fan engagement forum in the coming days to help answer questions and ease potential concerns. I would like to thank our supporters for their continued understanding and patience."
