Details for the return of fans are still be finalised, but with season tickets on sale and the fixture list published, there’s a general feeling of excitement as we get ready to welcome supporters back to their rightful place.
“I can’t wait to see them here again,” Chris Beech said. “I hope they’re in great spirits themselves and really looking forward to supporting us as we look to represent their values.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re ready to share it, and I have no doubt the fans will be one hundred percent ready.
“I’ve enjoyed seeing fans there at the Euros, I think it’s really, really good. You can see the response in players. It’s not just football – I stayed up and watched Andy Murray the other night at Wimbledon.
“It definitely changes physical output in professional athletes. I think it did when we were fortunate enough to have the trial runs for last season’s [Covid tiers] and we could let 1,000 and then 2,000 people in.
“I’m really looking forward to it. Football’s to be shared, support’s to be shared. Our supporters are unbelievable when they get behind the boys. I’m looking forward to it.”
“To be honest, I’m just really excited and enthused for next season,” he confirmed. “I can see it in the players that they are as well. The core stability of the squad is still there and I’m really excited about sharing that with everybody.
“I’m an ambitious, competitive person and we managed to break all sorts of records last season in all sorts of ways. It’ll be hard to break them again, but sometimes staying consistent over a longer period is worth more.
“It’ll be interesting to see how we go, but I want us to do as well as we possibly can. There’s no point in rubber stamping a marker that we put down now, it’s important that we concentrate on being good at what we do and that we’re very good against some good opponents.
“That’s where we have to be.”