Phil SumblerThe Swans boxing Day clash at Millwall could go the same way as the weekend game at QPR after it was revealed last night that Millwall’s next game against Preston was postponed due to a Covid outbreak in the Millwall camp.
On Tuesday it was revealed that Saturday’s game against QPR was also a victim of the pandemic as well as Reading v Luton at the weekend that was also postponed.
A statement on the Reading website said: “The club informed the EFL this morning that, following the return of a significant number of positive PCR tests within our first team and under-23 squads, we are unable to field a team capable of fulfilling the fixture on Saturday.”
Whilst a Millwall club statement read “At present, only a minority of those who have returned positive test results are experiencing any sort of symptoms and they are very mild at worst.
“The decision to postpone has been made following extensive dialogue with the EFL, Public Health England and the club’s safety advisory group.”
The continued spread of the Omicron variant is now sweeping through the country and Premier League matches this week between Brentford and Manchester United and Burnley and Watford have also been postponed as a result.
After watching his side beaten 1-0 at home to Wolves, Brighton boss Graham Potter questioned how long football could carry on and revealed they wanted the game postponed due to their own issues.
“We asked the question, yes, because of our situation,” Potter said.
“It is what it is. All you can do is put your case forward, speak to people and they make the decision.”
Brighton had three Under-23s on their bench in that defeat to Wolves and in total were without seven players. Potter added: “I think the path we’re on, I’m not sure how long we can stay on it for.
“We all want football to continue, want life to continue as best as we can but health is the most important thing.
“We’ve got some issues ourselves and this week has been a little bit disturbing in terms of how quickly we’ve been affected.
“If that carries on then we’ll have to have some serious thought about action being suspended.”
With the spread of the variant being so quick at the moment it is difficult to argue with Potter’s points. Each of us will want football to continue but the health and safety of players and spectators alike will be front and foremost in the minds of those who make the decisions and, as more matches become postponed due to the spread, further consideration will be given.
An EFL spokesman said yesterday “The EFL will review the circumstances surrounding the postponement and work with affected clubs to assist them throughout this challenging period.”
Further cancellations of weekend fixtures around the country are expected and the Christmas programme is widely expected to be decimated due to the spread and the close proximity time wise of the fixtures over a two week period.
Yesterday, the Swans suspended all stadium tours with a club statement reading “In order to further protect our staff and supporters in light of the recent rise in the Omicron variant of Covid-19, all tours to the Swansea.com Stadium have been cancelled.
We understand this will cause disappointment to those who have purchased stadium tours, as we are aware some may have been purchased as Christmas presents. However, the club must make safety its priority.”
Earlier in the week, QPR boss Mark Warburton said he believed mandatory vaccinations for players was on the horizon “I do think we are getting nearer the time when the word mandatory will be used more and more.
“I don’t know when that will be, but we are nearing that point where certain things become mandatory and that will make things very interesting, that’s for sure.”
