COLCHESTER United are set to launch a new product for supporters specifically designed to take into account Covid-19 restrictions.

The U's are preparing for the forthcoming 2020-21 season, which is due to get underway on September 12.

Fans are unlikely to be allowed back into stadiums until October at the earliest, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

However, Colchester are planning to introduce the new CUFC Match Permit product, ahead of the new campaign.

The Match Permit, which will only be available online and tie in with their Privilege Card option, is designed to work specifically within the restrictions.

In a statement, U's chairman Robbie Cowling told the club's website: "We are in fact working on a new product that we have designed to work specifically with Covid-19 restrictions which we are calling a CUFC Match Permit.

"We plan to have it on sale before the first league game of the season and we believe fans in restricted numbers will be allowed to attend games again in October."

The new CUFC Match Permit will provide either access to a U's game at the stadium when fans are allowed access again or free iFollow access to both U's home and away games, in the time when supporters are not permitted to attend games.

The EFL will allow streaming as an alternative, even for games played at 3pm on a Saturday.

When supporters are allowed back into grounds, the JobServe Community Stadium will be zoned.

The number of fans allowed in the ground will depend on how active the virus is both locally and nationally and the U's ability to mitigate its spread.

The U's say that numbers may vary at very short notice and percentages allowed could rise, lower or stop altogether on a match by match basis.

Fans at the Community Stadium will be seated at least one metre apart with two blank seats between bubbles and every other row removed and replaced with a step.

Tickets would be valid for a particular block, such as S1, but not for a specific seat.

When buying a CUFC Match Permit, fans will be given the choice of joining an existing bubble or creating a new bubble.

Bubbles will be restricted to a maximum of eight people and fans should only join them if doing so meets social distancing guidelines.

Bubbles will be told that they must arrive together and when taking their seat, they will be allowed to select any row.

However, they must take the furthest seat in the row that is three seats from first bubble they encounter, leaving a gap of two seats.

Colchester say they expect demand is likely to be greater than supply when fans are allowed back in stadiums, most likely on a restricted basis.

If that is the case, they will apply a priority process for buying online.

Last season’s Season Ticket/Annual Subscription holders will be given first priority, followed by anyone with Match Credits, then anyone with at least £50 loaded on a Privilege Card before finally, a General Sale.

Each Permit would be given a sequential number to be used if attendance to a game has to be provided to fewer fans than there are permit holders.

The sequential numbering will take place as the Permits are bought.

Colchester are also giving fans various options to claim refunds for games that were not played, last season.

Visit http://www.colutickets.com for more details.