Paul Robinson reflects on Leeds United 'behind closed doors' UEFA Cup experience, calls for fixture postponements

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson says playing behind closed doors is a strange feeling, calling it a "completely different experience for a footballer."

English football has begun to experience disruption due to the coronavirus outbreak, although the Football Association have reiterated that games will continue as normal until further notice, on government advice.

A number of Champions League and Europa League ties are being played behind closed doors this week due to public safety concerns while Serie A in Italy has been suspended indefinitely.

The Bundesliga will also see several stadium closures this weekend across Germany.

Manchester City's Premier League clash with Arsenal has already been postponed on Wednesday evening after Nottingham Forest and Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis was diagnosed with the virus.

Several members of the Gunners squad and staff are in self-isolation after the Greek Super League outfit visited the Emirates on February 27.

Robinson - who believes football should be postponed rather than played behind closed doors - enjoyed a six-year senior spell with Leeds around the turn of the century.

During that time the Thorp Arch academy product featured in United's UEFA Cup tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2002, when Leeds were ordered to take on the Israeli Premier League side in Florence due to safety concerns.

Although Robinson says the clash was behind closed doors, there was a small crowd in attendance at the 47,000 capacity stadium in Italy.

Leeds won the tie 5-1 on aggregate, and the former England number one admits that playing in front of little to no fans is an odd feeling for any player.

"It was a strange one," Robinson told Sky Sports.

"It was for Leeds against Hapoel Tel Aviv because of security fears in Israel at the time.

"We played in Florence behind closed doors and Leeds were allowed to bring two or three hundred corporate supporters - it may have even been less.

"But the whole stadium in Florence was empty. It was a strange feeling as a player because you run out to no noise. You run out and there's not a lot there.

"It's not even a pre-season game because even then you get crowds there. It's more like a training exercise. It's a completely different experience for a footballer."

Asked his thoughts on how to deal with football amid the current global crisis, he continued: "When we're talking about people's health and well-being with lives at stake - sport comes second.

"You have to take both into consideration and restructure things, knock everything back. I think we're heading to the way Italy is with the lockdown and with the way things are behind closed doors.

"Why not do that now if that saves one or two more lives?

"You have to finish a season. You have to finish cup competitions. Things have to be finished, you can't just cut off in the middle of the season.

"At the same time you have to think of the well-being so restructure things and take two or three weeks off and try and nip things in the bud now."

He added: "Events have to be postponed and put back.

"I think events should take place with supporters there. Football is vital for football supporters. It's very important for lower league clubs that supporters are there.

"It would take a lot to restructure but I don't think it's out of the question to restructure the next three months."