Gillingham boss Steve Evans has added his voice to the growing calls for fans to be allowed back into our “elite” football stadiums, and sooner rather than later.

Reacting to the news that the O2 Arena has been granted permission to reopen to fans at test events, the Gillingham boss believes that the time has now come for at least some of the Priestfield faithful to be readmitted to home base.

He said, “I think you have to look and say I was not one of those people who looked at other “industries” and thought “Oh what’s happening?” I was delighted because as we know the O2 is closed door, whilst we’re open door, and any trial event that can help up or any momentum going forward from the Government that says that we should really have football spectators back in their seats, then it has to be better for us.”

“So I welcome the decision to give the O2 an event where they can have people in and as we go forward certainly in this part of the country it’s a no brainer that we should possibly have fans in the stadium already.”

Evans then confessed that he had seen other games as the Non-League game returned, he said: “I’ve gone locally near my home and watched Non-League football, there’s little stands with 300 seats in them and everyone is packed in, you can come to Priestfield and in a 14,000 all seater stadium have them spread out quite comfortably.

“It was unique to see it and you can’t decry it because those clubs are no different to our club and every other club in football, we all need some help! So if that allows them again to test the market for us, then it ticks the box and is great for the players and the staff to see the extra bodies around the ground because professional sport hasn’t had any.”

He was then asked how strange it still was to play at an empty Priestfield. “There is no doubt it’s different!” Evans reiterated.

“I think you only have to look at last years “football madness” as I would call it when you see what happens to two of our biggest clubs, you see what happens to Manchester United with Tottenham and then you think that that’s going to be crazy football and then you see Jurgen Klopp sitting there dismayed, it’s not only seven is it?”

“It could have been twelve! He was sitting there shaking his head. There will be part of that being down to what we’re experiencing, I’m sure the Liverpool fans are absolutely phenomenal and would have been not very happy with three goals against them.”

“It does change things but it is what it is, we have to respect and the minute we don’t respect this virus it’ll be a problem for all of us, so we have to respect it but we also have to find measures that make it work for us.”

“I think that we could have fifty per cent crowds in now, but at the same time, I’m a Dad and family man and we have to have total, total respect for this virus and if you disrespect it, it’s a problem!”

“But when you see what’s happening in other parts of the country, there it’s a worry! But we’re not in other parts of the country, we’re here! If the Prime Minister is going to separate parts of the country by measures, then it could be that this part of the country which I think has been responsible to make sure the virus has been held under control then we should get the benefit of that.”

“When we play in empty stadiums it is really tough at times, it’s tough for the players, it’s tough for staff. People say, why does it make a difference? Football had never been a sport without spectators at professional level and it cannot continue.”