THE Bulls will be backed by the first away fans during the pandemic in any sporting event in the country.

Around 300 are expected to be at Sunday’s game at London after the Broncos made a small allocation available.

The limited crowds so far this week in Super League and football’s play-offs have been restricted to home supporters only.

It will be a huge boost for the Bulls – who have not played in front of spectators since the Challenge Cup defeat at Wakefield on March 13 last year before the season was stopped.

Coach John Kear said: “I’m very excited to have crowds back.

“It certainly made a difference to all the Monday games I watched in Super League and to the football as well. Straight away there’s a greater element of passion and emotion that’s generated.

“I just can’t wait to be in and amongst that and I know the players feel the same.

“Manchester United display the banner saying ‘football is nothing without fans’ and I think that’s the same for any elite sport.

“You obviously start playing it for your own enjoyment but as you progress through there obviously greater things take over.

“I just think it’s part of the game with that interaction with the crowd, whether that’s jeering or cheering. I can’t wait to experience it once again.

“With home fans, it’s a bit one-sided. If you’ve got an integration of both sets of supporters, it just adds more to it.”

Broncos head of commercial James Milner is not surprised by the take-up of tickets from West Yorkshire.

He said: "Bradford is always one of the biggest games for us when we play them at home because they are such a well-supported club.

"The fact that they are in the stadium will create the atmosphere that people have missed behind closed doors.

"To have one set of fans is great but to have both will make the fixture even more special."

Third-placed Bulls have won four on the bounce since a heavy loss to Sheffield on the Championship’s opening day.

Kear has been pleased at the way they have adapted to playing matches behind closed doors – but admits the prospect of seeing fans again has put a spring back in everyone’s step.

“Everything has been strange,” he added.

“It’s been difficult for the players to get used to playing without crowds but I think the standard of games has got better as they’ve done that.

“But the emotion and passion are generated by those people who are watching. The fact that somebody’s there and somebody cares will only add to it.

“I don’t think it will take any getting used to again. The players will absolutely embrace it.

“You can tell because our players have already been remarking at training about how many Bulls supporters will be going down to Ealing.

“It excites them – and the week after will excite them even more when we’ll be returning to what’s our home venue at this moment in time.

“There’s lots to look forward to and I think it will elevate the game to a higher standard.”

London are also unbeaten in four, with three wins, and Kear does not underestimate the size of the task.

“You can see they are evolving as a team. They’ve physically improved as a group.

“They struggled at the start as we did – everybody had that.

“That’s why I’m pleased with my lads because we’ve found an element of consistency, if not the consistency I want, that I think other sides have struggled with.

"London have done that as well so it’s going to be a really difficult time to play them. But the anticipation is very positive and that’s simply because we’ve got people watching us.”