Reports: Hartlepool United, Chesterfield, Notts County and National League clubs set to be provided with multi-million pound support package from Government

The National League season is set to start on Saturday, October 3 without fans in attendance. National League North and South sides will also start their campaign in the FA Cup second qualifying round this weekend.

But without any matchday revenue for clubs, the National League confirmed it was seeking a financial support package to help subsidise the losses.

And according to reports in The Telegraph, the Government has pledged to provide a support package to all 67 of the National League’s member clubs to help keep them afloat through the coronavirus pandemic.

Full details of the package are yet to be finalised, but it is hoped that it will come in the form of a grant worth up to £20 million. That money will be shared proportionally across the divisions.

Fans across the top six divisions in England were initially set to return to stadiums from October 1 but the rapidly rising rate of coronavirus cases across the country led to a Government u-turn.

Supporters are allowed to attend socially distanced matches played by ‘non-elite’ clubs outside of the top six divisions.

But there is currently no set date for when supporters of clubs from the National League North and South, all the way up to the Premier League, will be allowed back to watch matches at their home grounds.

Hartlepool United are set to open their National League campaign at Victoria Park against Aldershot Town on Saturday.

There will be no supporters in attendance at The Vic but the club are planning on providing a live streaming service to allow fans from across the world to watch the game safely from the comfort of their own home.

Each home match is set to be streamed online for £9.99 – those who have already purchased a season ticket will receive access to the stream free of charge.

Meanwhile, Chesterfield’s plans to stream home matches in the hospitality areas of the Technique Stadium highlight the absurdity of the situation.

The hospitality areas, which overlook the pitch, would have closed curtains to prevent fans from watching the match in person.

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