Neville: Closed-door games can ONLY go ahead if crowd control fears are solved

Gary Neville says behind closed doors games should only go ahead if there is a firm plan in place to control or disperse crowds gathering outside stadiums.

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Clubs across Britain are hoping to conclude the current season within the next 12 weeks after the campaign was suspended as a result of coronavirus.

But the government's ban on public gatherings means matches would have to be played behind closed doors to avoid fans coming together en masse.

Paris Saint-Germain's recent Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund was played in an empty stadium but fans still gathered in large numbers outside the Parc des Princes.

Neville fears the same thing could happen in England and cause unnecessary problems for police who would be tasked with controlling or breaking up crowds.

'I said no on this about four weeks ago because I felt that it takes away from the essence of football,' Neville told BBC Radio Five Live.

'I also feel that the EFL clubs and National League clubs, non-league clubs would suffer too much from the revenue loss which would force them to go under.

'I think at the moment the idea of behind closed doors idea has to come only after the health priority.

'My concern with behind closed doors football at the moment are: 'Will fans turn up outside the stadium?'

'Will fans congregate outside the stadium if their team can get promoted or relegated or if they get into Europe?'

Neville is also fearful that incidents occurring on the back of large gatherings could put more unnecessary strain on the NHS, who are focused on fighting the pandemic.

He added: 'How are we going to stop that? How are the police going to man it? How are the health services going to react to incidents that occur on the back of it?

'Do we need to put anymore pressure on the services?

'There are a lot of things we have to contemplate before we even consider behind closed doors games.

'However, if those fears can be overcome, somewhere down the line over the next 12 weeks or so, then maybe that could be the case.'

Neville has recently been praised for opening the doors of Hotel Football to NHS staff in a bid to ease the burden of the pandemic on the health services.

Neville, who owns the hotel chain alongside former Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville, and Singaporean businessman Jeremy Lim, will allow NHS staff to sleep at the hotel opposite Old Trafford after night shifts.