HEREFORD fans have been asked not to travel to Saturday's FA Cup tie with Gosport Borough after FA guidelines were released stating only home fans should be admitted to the tie.

The FA have released the following guidance to clubs today:

“The FA has been liaising with Government regarding attendance of spectators at FA Cup fixtures in light of the recent Government announcements.

"Following The FA’s latest discussions with Government, the agreed position for matches in the Second Round Qualifying will be as follows: –

  • Where an Elite Club is playing another Elite Club, the match must be played behind closed doors (i.e. with no spectators permitted to be in attendance)
  • Where an Elite Club is playing a Non-Elite Club:
  • Where the match is played at the Elite Club’s ground, the match must be played behind closed doors (i.e. with no spectators permitted to be in attendance)
  • Where the match is played at the Non-Elite Club’s ground, spectators of the home Club only shall be permitted to attend the match in accordance with the latest applicable National League System Spectator Guidance. Both clubs shall ensure that spectators of the visiting Club are not in attendance at the match.
  • Where a Non-Elite Club is playing another Non-Elite Club, spectators (of both the home and visiting Clubs) shall be permitted to attend the match in accordance with the latest applicable National League System Spectator Guidance
  • For the avoidance of doubt, as at the date of this communication, Clubs in Steps 1 & 2 of The FA National League System are considered to be “Elite Clubs” and Clubs in Step 3 and below of The FA National League System are considered to be “Non-Elite Clubs”.

This position shall apply for matches in The Emirates FA Cup Second Round Qualifying and will be reviewed prior to the Third Round Qualifying.”

Gosport Borough earlier today said that they had a capacity of 600 for the FA Cup tie and would be selling tickets on the gate, which will now be for home fans only.

Speaking to the Hereford FC website Andrew Graham, chairman, said: “We are disappointed to learnt this today but not wholly surprised.

"To comply with this guidance, we ask that Bulls fans do not travel on Saturday."