Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass claims bigger teams are "suffering the most" in lockdown as the Scottish football shutout continues.
Supporters won't return to stadia until next season and the closest the Dons got to a full house this term was 300 punters at a test event in September.
But vaccine progress is making things look more promising for 2021-22 and the five-figure attendance confirmed for Hampden Park's Euro 2020 games will be a real litmus test.
And Glass believes sides used to a vocal backing are being hit harder with no fans than smaller clubs.
He also knows he's got an important job on his hands to develop a team worthy of a packed-out Pittodrie when that moment finally comes.
He told RedTV: "I think the biggest clubs have suffered most, you know.
"A club like Aberdeen, you've got a great backing, if the team is playing well then people will come which is what we want to happen next year.
"So in that respect, the atmosphere is not there at the moment, to me it's the bigger clubs like us that suffer.
"It's important that happens next year and the backing is there. And if the backing is there, there will be a team here people will want to back.
"It goes hand in hand, I think it's important that, if we can fill the place, if we can get big numbers, it will help the team and push them on.
"It's going to be competitive next year. Rangers are stronger than they've been for a while, Celtic are going to improve again.
"Hibs are up there, Hearts are back in the league. It's the strongest the division has been for a number of years so it's important we're ready to compete and everybody can play their part in that."
