Nottingham Forest fans may be able to replace the cardboard cutouts of themselves at the City Ground by September, with EFL chiefs working on a plan to end behind-closed-doors fixtures.
Forest's Championship season resumes on June 20, with their final nine games, including five at home, to all be played without crowds.
Although, the City Ground will not be empty, with Forest offering fans the opportunity to buy a cardboard cut-out of themselves that will then be placed in the stands to metaphorically cheer on the Reds.
But they might not be needed for long with senior club officials, medical advisers and EFL staff working together to push for limited crowds to return to stadiums in September, according to The Sun.
As previously reported, the Government will have the final say on when fans can return, but the report claims there is now a growing move to let fans fill around 25 per cent of a stadium’s capacity next season, which would permit around 7,500 Forest fans returning to the City Ground.
Rick Parry, EFL chairman, has previously warned crowds may not be allowed back into football matches this year as the UK continues to battle the Covid-19 outbreak.
The EFL and Championship clubs were yesterday urged to introduce a salary cap to end the 'unsustainable' amount of money spent chasing the Premier League dream.
Deloitte's Annual Review of Football Finance 2020 found that despite record revenues of around £785million, Championship clubs lost a combined £350million across the 2018-19 season.
Matchday revenue is crucial for clubs in League One and Two, with the report adding that both divisions are lobbying for an answer on when crowds will be back inside grounds before they set their budgets for next season.
