Sunderland's players are as disappointed as the supporters by the decision to continue excluding supporters from the Stadium of Light, according to Phil Parkinson.
The Government has announced that when the current national lockdown ends on December 2, different regions of the country will be classified into three tiers according to the Covid-19 risk in their area - with clubs in Tier One and Tier Two areas allowed to let limited numbers of fans back into grounds.
In Tier One areas, the areas at lowest risk, up to 4,000 fans would be allowed to watch games, while in Tier Two areas the number would be capped at 2,000.
But Sunderland, like the rest of the North-East, will go into Tier Three restrictions when the national lockdown is lifted, which means games must continue to be staged behind-closed-doors.
"It's disappointing because we had hoped that, come the run-up to Christmas, that we would start getting supporters back into the ground," said Parkinson.
"Like everyone else, though, we just have to take the disappointment of the decision and move on.
"But all football fans will have been missing the matchday experience - supporters meet their mates and have a drink before the game, it's all part of it, and it can't happen at the moment.
"And for myself and the players, we miss the atmosphere at the games.
"The players are disappointed. The great thing about playing for a club like Sunderland is the support you get at the Stadium of Light on a matchday, it's terrific, and we have really missed that in terms of the adrenaline pumping through your body when you're at the ground and throughout the game.
"It's a blow for our fans that there won't be a change in the foreseeable future."
Parkinson believes even clubs in Tier Two areas may struggle with the practicalities of the restrictions on attendances.
With a limit of 2,000 fans in those areas, clubs will have to find a way to decide which of their season ticket holders are allowed to come to games - and the costs of opening up the ground in a Covid-secure way for such a small number of spectators may well wipe out any gate receipts.
Another alternative would be to admit corporate ticket holders who have paid a much higher price for their seats, but that would prompt a backlash from regular season ticket holders.
Parkinson said: "If we had been in Tier Two, we could have had 2,000 fans in the stadium but even that [plan], I think, could have been more favourable to clubs because by the time you open up the ground and the costs involved in that, it doesn't really benefit a club.
"My view on it is that, in Tier Two, the number of fans permitted should have been a bigger number.
"Even then, for all clubs who can have fans in, there is going to be an interesting selection process to see who can go and watch the games.
"But we are in Tier Three in any case, so that means things stay the same and we stay behind-closed-doors."
