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Nicky Cottee says it will be a late start when Valor FC finally play in front of home fans on Wednesday.
But after not seeing his team in action for nearly two years, Cottee isn’t going to be picky about a 9pm kickoff.
“I’m the type who goes to bed early and wakes up early, but… I don’t care if this game was at midnight, I would be there.”
The upcoming professional soccer game in Winnipeg will mark an important milestone in Manitoba’s gradual return to normal after a punitive pandemic. The match represents the province’s first sporting event with paying supporters in the stands since the arrival of COVID-19 in March 2020.
Only 2,000 fans – who must have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks – will be allowed inside IG Field for Wednesday’s game.
Cottee rushed to find an earlier date for the second-dose vaccine to secure her place among the rowdy fans chanting in the seating group known as The Trench.
“Not having been able to do this for a year and a half now is difficult for the fans. I mean, we live for it,” said Cottee, president of the Red River Rising fan group. “We absolutely cannot wait.”
Bubble Soccer in Winnipeg
After last year’s tournament in Prince Edward Island was played without fans in the crowd due to the pandemic, the Canadian Premier League returned in late June for several weeks of play exclusively in Winnipeg. The plan is for each team to return to their respective cities for the remainder of the season.
So far, the bubble format works for Valor FC, who have won three straight games.
No fans were in the stands for those matches, but that didn’t stop Cottee and a few other brave supporters chanting the entire game outside the stadium while looking through the gates.
“We are so connected to this team and we miss being there with them, cheering, singing and cheering them on when they win, when they lose,” Cottee said.
Valor FC head coach and general manager Rob Gale said he was looking forward to seeing the crowds.
“The beauty of this game to me is just that there might be light at the end of the tunnel” of this pandemic.
“I don’t want to downplay the huge loss of life and… the things that we’ve all been through together, but maybe this is just a sign of a break from it and a sign of more positive times to come. . “
The rhythm emanating from Tim Cottee’s drum is unmistakable to anyone who has seen a Valor FC home game.
But in fact, he’s not a huge football fan like his wife, Nicky.
It feeds on the energy that it helps to develop with its playing of the drums. He keeps his back on the action as he motivates the crowd.
“I never really caught the virus [for soccer] and I still don’t have the virus, but I’m with someone who’s so passionate about it, and I’ve made a lot of friends who are so passionate about it, it’s pretty contagious. “
Duncan Burnett bought into the atmosphere the first time he saw Valor FC play a game in their debut 2019 campaign. He bought his membership that night.
Despite the absence, he admits he’s hesitant to return to IG Field.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little afraid of going to a game, but the fact that everyone is going to be vaccinated, two weeks double dose, makes the decision pretty easy for me,” he said. -he declares. mentionned.
Fans in the stands show progress: Gale
Valor FC allows seating in groups of one, two and four people on the west side of the stadium. Each pod will be separated by at least six feet.
Pandemic restrictions are forcing bars to close at 10 p.m. Fans must buy food if they buy alcoholic drink.
It won’t be the same gaming experience that Burnett is used to, “but I think we’ll make a little noise,” he said.
The director of Valor said he has heard from many friends and family who are just below the post-vaccination point where they can enter IG Field.
In subsequent matches, more and more people will be able to have their tickets scanned, Gale said.
“I mean, if we have a man and his dog in the stands then we’re in the right direction,” Gale said, before clarifying with a team spokesperson that dogs can’t, in fact. , enter the stadium.
Hundreds of tickets remain available for Wednesday’s game against York United at 9 p.m., as well as other Valor games this month.
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