Shropshire Star

Bernard McNally: No fans will be tough for Shrewsbury Town players

Shrewsbury Town players will need to find the mental strength to compete without supporters in the stadium, believes former hero Bernard McNally.

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Town’s 1980s hometown favourite admits he has not enjoyed watching top-level football on the television in eerily empty arenas.

And if League One football returns in September without the presence of fans, McNally feels their absence will be a ‘mental loss’ for Salop players.

It is understood club surveys regarding a start date for 2020/21 were delivered back to the EFL earlier this week, with outcomes to be ratified and an announcement possible today. The board found some issues with Shrewsbury’s suggestions about an October start date.

“It’ll be strange for them,” McNally says. “The only thing you can say is that they’ve had a view of it in their own lounges on the TV with the Premier League.

“The concept and thought of the Premier League having games without any fans was like ‘wow – how will that pan out?’

“As a player you want to be where the fans are. You want the adulation and if it goes the other way, then that’s all part of it.

“I think no fans will be a big loss for players mentally.

“Having said that they’ve got to be mentally strong to play against whoever, wherever, and whatever the circumstances.

“As an ex-professional it is disappointing. You want to play in front of the crowds and have that relationship.

“I haven’t particularly enjoyed watching the football on TV too much.

“I played in reserve games coming back to fitness, in front of 100 or so people and there’s something lacking without the crowds.

“It’ll be difficult, but everybody’s in the same boat.”

Whether in front of 13,965 – far eclipsing Gay Meadow’s capacity – in a mammoth FA Cup tie against Ipswich, or just a couple of thousand, McNally insists the fans’ impact can be felt.

He added: “Players will miss the buzz, anticipation and even the nervousness, where you have to control your nerves.

“I was very fortunate to play 450 league games in front of cracking crowds. Even in front of two-and-a-half or three thousand, it can be uplifting.

“It will be difficult to go out and play and there’s three people clapping.

“But Shrewsbury players have got to look beyond that and start next season in a positive, positive manner.”

It is that 1982 fifth round success over Bobby Robson’s UEFA Cup holders Ipswich – Town would play in front of almost 30,000 at Leicester’s Filbert Street in a remarkable 5-2 defeat in the quarter-final – that the former Northern Ireland international picks out as an occasion where those on the terraces really made themselves felt.

“I think to the game against Ipswich at the Meadow in 1982. That really was a tremendous buzz. I was only just 18 or 19, I don’t know what our capacity was but it was packed,” added the former Shrewsbury and West Brom midfielder.

“You knew it was a big day in the Cup against a team in the top flight, the air of anticipation and the fact that you knew beforehand that Ipswich didn’t really fancy it. It helped us.

“And we looked forward to the atmosphere in local derbies, games against Wolves and Stoke where we’d kick lumps out of each other. Those games come to mind.”

Town and other lower league clubs are fearful of the prospect of league action starting with no fans in stadia, meaning the loss of more income.

“It’s very worrying, a major concern, we rely on the fans,” McNally said. “The Premier League get millions from Sky, but for our clubs it could be a tough, tough couple of months.”