Campaigners are demanding the government allow football fans back into stadiums amid fears for the future of grassroots football clubs.

Restrictions put in place to combat Covid-19 mean those classified as ‘elite’ clubs - which includes National League South teams Tonbridge Angels and Maidstone United - must play behind closed doors.

Without the income from tickets, food and drink sales and sponsorship, non-league clubs are left at risk of financial catastrophe because of their ongoing wage bills and the costs of staging matches.

More than 180,000 people have now signed a petition calling for the rules to be relaxed and fans be let back into stadiums across the country.

Clubs such as Sevenoaks Town who are designated ‘non-elite’ can play in front of limited crowds, as long as measures designed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus are in place.

Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat has raised the plight of the Angels, and others in their position, in the House of Commons.

He told MPs the club "simply cannot survive without matches being played and fans allowed in."

Tonbridge Angels chairman Dave Netherstreet says the club has put protocols in place for the safe return of crowds and looks forward to the welcoming fans back to Longmead.

He said: “We are ready. Football is very much a spectator sport, it’s just not the same.

“We have not sold season tickets, we have limited sponsorship because there’s no exposure, we can’t hold events. It’s been a double-whammy for us.

“We have no income coming in and we now have to start paying our players. It’s not a great picture.”

The government says it plans to provide a grant to help clubs survive the financial squeeze.

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