Birch: Welsh government discussions remain ongoing

Former Swansea Chairman and current EFL Chief Executive says that talks with the Welsh government remain ongoing despite the confirmation that fans will be allowed back into stadia for the play off semi finals pleasing supporters of both Swansea City and Newport County.

It was confirmed on Tuesday morning that fans would be allowed back into the grounds for the semi finals which start next week and for the Swans that means potentially 3,000 back in the Liberty Stadium for the home leg of our semi final that will take place at the Liberty on 22 May with an 8.15pm kick off.

The club are yet to make an announcement as to how the ticket arrangements will work but Birch’s comments suggest that some of that will be dictated by the rules that will be in place to allow the spectators back in.

The EFL made the confirmation on their official site yesterday to say that fans would be back for the semi-finals with Birch commenting “We are delighted to welcome back fans for the Sky Bet Play-Offs which will be fantastic for our competition and another significant step towards the EFL’s aspiration of having full stadia at the start of next season. Discussions remain ongoing with the Welsh Government in respect of the position in Wales, but all parties appreciate the importance of seeing fans return for these games. 

“Over the course of the past 12 months, our Clubs have implemented stringent protocols and have worked tirelessly to overcome unprecedented challenges this campaign. Fans’ return at this climax of the season is just reward for Semi-Finalist Clubs who will now use their significant expertise in crowd management to ensure supporters can enjoy a safe and enjoyable return to their much-loved home grounds.

“We are thankful to all those who have helped ensure fans will be able to support their Clubs in important fixtures through the Semi-Finals and we look forward to welcoming fans in yet greater numbers at the Play-Off Finals.”