'It is not an option': Gary Neville fears financial ramifications of playing games behind closed doors as Salford City part-owner says the season should be postponed instead amid coronavirus outbreak
* Gary Neville has weighed in on what English football should do amid coronavirus
* A number of other countries have decided to play games behind closed doors
* However, Neville believes that would be damaging for lower level football clubs
* The Salford City part-owner says action should be taken to suspend the league
Gary Neville fears playing matches behind closed doors could have serious consequences for club's outside the Premier League.
English football has so far carried on regardless of the coronavirus crisis that has shut down the Italian Serie A and prompted the Spanish and French leagues to announce that matches will go ahead without supporters present.
While the government declared on Monday that it remains business as usual for sporting events, a continued rise in the amount of infections could result in similar measures to those being employed on the continent.
Gary Neville fears the ramifications of playing behind closed doors for lower level clubs. A host of countries across Europe have taken action amid the spread of the coronavirus. Neville, who part-owns Salford City, says playing behind closed doors will damage small clubs
Such is the huge amount of money Premier League clubs rake in from broadcasting, playing matches behind closed doors would have a minimal financial impact.
For lower league clubs, gate revenues are often the lifeblood for the day-to-day operation and Neville, who part-owns Salford City, says delaying the season, not barring fans, is the best option.
'I do not support matches played behind closed doors,' Neville said on Twitter. 'If it's necessary to shut down stadiums, the associations must find a way of delaying the season and playing the games when it is safe to do so to protect the revenues for clubs that require this income to survive.'
Serie A had been played behind closed doors before all sport was suspended until April 3. In Spain and France, football will be played behind closed doors in the short term future
The Premier League's current £5billion domestic TV deal from 2019-2022 has maintained the English top-flight's place as the world's richest football league.
Even the club that finishes bottom this year will earn around £100million in TV revenue.
Bournemouth's accounts to June 2018 showed gate receipts of £5.29 million, just 4% of the club's annual turnover.
It is a far cry from the Football League, England's second, third and fourth tier, where many smaller clubs operate on extremely tight budgets.
'For league clubs that can't afford this disruption, money is everything!' Neville said. '(Delaying the fixtures) keeps people safe and protects the revenue the clubs need.
'Playing behind closed doors is not an option in my opinion. Some clubs would require short term loans that could be repaid when the games do get played.'
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8096809/Gary-Neville-fears-financial-ramifications-playing-games-closed-doors-amid-coronavirus.html