Blackburn Rovers hope to have fans back in Ewood Park for the first home game of the Championship season as a ‘pilot event’.

The club are petitioning for a certain number of supporters to be allowed in for the match against newly-promoted Wycombe Wanderers on September 19.

Then, it could be that anywhere between 20 to 40 per cent of the ground will be used from the game against Cardiff City on Saturday, October 3, onwards. That would be for home supporters only.

Rovers are set to announce season ticket prices next week and while under-18 rates will be frozen other season ticket holders will see an increase.

In a rallying cry on the club’s website, CEO Steve Waggott said: “We have been working tirelessly behind the scenes on seating plans, with social distancing applied, in order for the club to get approval for a Covid-19 adjusted safety certificate, as without that no supporters can come to games.

“For clarity, when supporters are able to purchase a seat, it could well be that due to the revised stadium plan it will not be your normal seat until such time that restrictions are relaxed or removed.

“On pricing, we are aware of the hardships the pandemic has brought to people and families, so we are looking at protecting our next generation of young supporters.

“To counter balance the price freeze for Under-18s, we will be having to make a necessary upward adjustment to the prices of other season ticket holders, whilst remaining competitively priced when matched against other clubs in the division.

‘We hope to announce season ticket prices in full next week and, as usual, we will arrange credit terms for those supporters who wish to spread the costs.”

“Pilot” games are becoming increasingly commonplace as clubs look to get supporters back in stadiums as soon as possible.

Waggott added: “”We now await the green light from the Government that our home game against Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, September 19 can be a pilot game for welcoming an agreed number of supporters back to the stadium and then, in consultation with our local Safety Advisory Group, agree on what percentage and areas of Ewood we could use going forward.

“Should we get approval for the pilot game against Wycombe and it proves to be a success, along with an improvement in Covid-19 statistics in the area, then we are hopeful that we can get approval to host between 20-40 per cent of stadium capacity – available for home supporters only from the Cardiff City (Saturday, October 3) game onwards – which would give everyone connected with the club a massive lift.

“Our players and manager are desperate to get you all back and we hope to do so as soon as it is allowed and safe to do so.

“There are clear challenges ahead, but we are looking forward to the new season with optimism and we are excited about the prospect of seeing supporters back inside the stadium.”