They cannot sing, stand or shout and there will only be 300 of them in attendance but Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson is delighted to have fans back at Pittodrie today.
The Dons have been chosen as one of the test venues for a supporter trial today against Kilmarnock and, while he acknowledges there is a long way to go before Pittodrie is anywhere near capacity, Ferguson is hopeful this afternoon is a significant step towards making that day a reality again.
He said: “It will be good and I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like. It won’t be what we’re used to, but it’s a bit better than having no-one, so I’m looking forward to it and hope it goes well.
“Hopefully we can get the three points for the fans who are there and it is just a matter of time before we can get more fans in.”
The test sample of fans is a start and many thousands more will have to make do with watching from home, but while only a small section of the season ticket-holders at the club will be inside the stadium, Ferguson insists he and his team-mates have not lost sight of who they are playing for.
He said: “We can see on social media the interest and we know how many season ticket holders and fans are watching the games. We know the support is there and cheering us on, but it’s obviously not the same to what we’ve been used to.
“It’s something we’ve had to deal with, but knowing the fans are watching the games is in the back of our minds and the sooner we get everyone back the better.
“It’s something we’ve had to get used to. It doesn’t matter if there are fans or not, it’s the same three points at stake and that’s what I had in my head. It’s difficult not having the fans there, but at the end of the day all that really matters is the three points and that aim is still there.
“It will be beneficial when we get the fans back but, the main aim is always to get the three points.”
The restrictions placed on the fans have bewildered some, with the insistence they sit in near silence, while social distancing is sure to make for a strange atmosphere.
Clearly, celebrations of a goal are going to be somewhat muted as a result.
Ferguson said: “We’ve not been given any guidance, but I’m sure we will have a chat about what we’re allowed to do and what we can’t. We’re not going to be doing anything daft or putting anyone at risk. There definitely won’t be crowd surfing.”
Ferguson has started the season well for his club, scoring twice in the last four matches and he is eager to continue his strong contribution for the team in the weeks ahead.
He said: “It has been a good start and I have managed to get on the scoresheet a couple of times.
“I have played well and we are winning games, so I am happy. I want to continue that and back up that start that I have had.
“I want to keep performing and keep winning.
“We didn’t have the best start to the season with everything that went on, but we have managed to go on a nice wee run before the international break.
“We have also got through in Europe, so a lot is going well at the minute and confidence is high.
“We need to back those performances up with another run of games.”
