Watford offer stadium and club facilities to NHS in Covid-19 fight
Premier League club Watford has offered the use of its stadium and all club facilities to the UK’s National Health Service in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic while Brighton & Hove Albion have promised free match tickets.
“We need to forget football right now and concentrate on doing all we can to support the NHS and, in particular, Watford General Hospital,” Watford chairman and CEO Scott Duxbury told the club’s website late Tuesday.
The stadium and facilities would be for the exclusive use of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust (WHHT), the club said.
“Our proximity as a football club next door to a hospital puts us in a great position to offer help and we’re keen to do whatever we possibly can to support NHS staff and their families.
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“The UK Government’s message has been about doing ‘whatever it takes’. Likewise, we’ll do ‘whatever it takes’ here at Vicarage Road to offer our fullest support to the NHS and its people at a time when it’s clearly needed most.”
Brighton hope other Premier League clubs will follow their lead in giving future match tickets to NHS staff in recognition of their fight against the pandemic.
The south-coast club said they have “ring-fenced a minimum of 1,000 tickets covering future matches to be donated to front line NHS heroes fighting the coronavirus”.
In a statement on their website, Brighton said they “have now invited other Premier League, EFL (English Football League), Scottish and Northern Irish senior clubs to consider following suit with an appropriate number.”
Bournemouth have already indicated they will follow suit.
“Brighton have made a fantastic gesture in their commitment of tickets and we are also exploring the opportunity to provide tickets for all key workers who are playing such a crucial role in such a challenging climate,” Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn said.
“This would be one way in which a football club can show its appreciation for those key workers across all industries.”
The Premier League and football in Northern Ireland is currently suspended until at least April 30 while there is no provisional date set for a return in Scotland. (dpa)
