Lee Bowyer hoping Charlton can set the standard for return of football fans in London: ‘We’ve missed them’

Lee Bowyer’s Charlton will be boosted by the return of 2,000 supporters against MK Dons tonight
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Giuseppe Muro2 December 2020

Lee Bowyer says the game he loves has not been the same without fans and is relishing the prospect of Charlton supporters returning to The Valley on Wednesday night.

Charlton will be the first club in London to welcome back fans when they host 2,000 supporters for their League One clash with MK Dons.

Bowyer said: “I am really excited. We have missed the fans, for sure. They made a big difference for us so we will be welcoming them with open arms.

“I am hoping they make as much noise as they humanly can, which I expect them to do. They have been locked up in their houses for months so this is their chance to be vocal and get behind the team.

“I trust the people that work at the club to do everything right and make sure everyone is safe. That is the most important thing. It is good that we are the first club in London and we can set the standard. Hopefully tonight will be successful, the Government will see it and think, ‘We can squeeze a few more in’.”

Charlton hosted 1,000 supporters at a pilot event in September when an emotional Thomas Sandgaard attended his first game with fans at The Valley.

Bowyer said: “I have not spoken to him about that, but obviously it can be emotional. At times I stand on the side and I hear our drummer banging his drum, the whole place erupting and it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

"I feel that and I am used to it. Once we have more fans back in, Thomas will experience something special. I am excited for him to experience that. He probably will get emotional, but that is part of it.

“It will be good for the new owner to experience how good our fans are. Once he is there and we get our fans back, they will let the owner know how grateful they are for what he has done.

Charlton previously hosted a pilot event for fans against Doncaster in September
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“We all want to show how far we have come, to come back together and start to rebuild together. When we got promotion, the fans played a massive part in that. Hopefully we can do the same this season and we can all bond. The fans can see what he is doing to improve the club and he can see what they bring to the club.”

Bowyer used to thrive on the crowd when he was a player and feels football has been different without fans.

“No crowd can help certain players because fans bring certain pressures,” he said. “The one thing that has stood out with no fans is playing home and away makes absolutely no difference, apart from the quality of your pitch.

“As soon as we get fans back it makes it more real, doesn’t it. It puts referees under a bit more pressure as well. At the moment they have got it easy regarding certain decisions.

Bowyer is excited for Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard to sample a proper fan experience at The Valley in future
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“It has not been football. Teams have been taking a lot more chances playing out from the back because if they lose it, they have not got the crowd on their back. Or if someone misses a chance. 

"Referees . . . home crowds can get the penalty when the referee is 50/50. Football has not been the same and it is only since the fans have been away that you appreciate what they bring to the game. We have missed them.

“When I was playing, I would thrive on the crowd. I loved it. As players you are entertainers, you are paid to entertain. Without fans, who are you entertaining?”

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