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Alan Carr, Shaquille O'Neal cardboard cut-outs in Northampton end at Wembley

:Headline: Alan Carr, Shaquille O'Neal cardboard cut-outs in Northampton end at Wembley:
Coronavirus guidelines mean the League Two play-off final will be played behind closed doors.

Comedian Alan Carr and basketball great Shaquille O'Neal will feature in the 'cardboard army' at the Northampton end during the Sky Bet League Two play-off final at Wembley.

Coronavirus guidelines mean no fans will be present for Monday evening's promotion decider between the Cobblers and Exeter.

Instead, the empty stands will feature thousands of cardboard cut-outs of supporters – including some celebrities – as both clubs seek to create an atmosphere for the biggest game of their season.

Carr's father Graham is a former Northampton manager, while four-time NBA winner O'Neal is a business associate of Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas and has been vocal in his support of the club in the past.

They will be joined in the Northampton end of the 90,000-seater national stadium by an image of Harry Dunn, a 19-year-old season ticket holder who was killed last year when his motorcycle collided with a car outside a US military base.

Carr posted on Instagram: "So, apparently I'm going to be at Wembley Stadium on Monday supporting the mighty Cobblers........as a cardboard cut out – see if you can spot me ? Good luck to the Cobblers on Monday!!#upthecobblers #wembley."

Northampton are bidding to return to the third tier after two seasons away, while Exeter, who were beaten in the 2017 and 2018 finals, are hoping to end an eight-year exile.

Four-time NBA winner Shaquille O'Neal is a business associate of Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas (NTFC)

The Grecians expect to have almost 2,000 cardboard cut-outs, including one of the manager of Devon rivals Plymouth, Ryan Lowe.

Lowe will back the club for the second successive match after a playful Pilgrims fan paid for him to be at Monday's semi-final second leg victory over Colchester.

Former City striker Adam Stansfield, who died of cancer at the age of 31 in 2010, will also feature in the 'crowd'.

Northampton expect to have 1,500 cut-outs in their end of the stadium.

Exeter boss Matt Taylor feels the absence of supporters will be a disappointment for all involved in the occasion.

"It's a real shame. And it's a shame for the players as well," he said.

Exeter will be supported at Wembley by Plymouth boss Ryan Lowe (Exeter City FC)

"I was speaking to my club captain, Jake Taylor, and to lead your team out at Wembley is a fantastic thing, a great honour, and for your family not to be there and sample that atmosphere alongside you is really disappointing.

"We feel for everyone but there's nothing we can do about that, I'm afraid."

Northampton boss Keith Curle, whose side came from two goals down on aggregate to defeat Cheltenham in the semi-finals, does not expect the empty stadium to have a major influence on the contest.

He said: "As soon as you walk over the white line, the fundamentals are exactly the same – two competitive teams, a referee and two managers trying to give you instructions. Those dynamic don't change."

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5Cheltenham TownCheltenham361713652272564
6Colchester UnitedColchester371513952371558
8Port Vale37141585044657
9Bradford CityBradford371412114440454
10Salford City371311134946350
11Forest Green RoversForest Green361310134340349
12Crawley TownCrawley371115115147448
13Grimsby Town371211144551-647
14Walsall36138154049-947
15Newport CountyNewport361210143239-746
16Cambridge UnitedCambridge37129164048-845
17Leyton Orient361012144755-842
18Carlisle UnitedCarlisle371012153956-1742
19Oldham AthleticOldham37914144457-1341
20Scunthorpe UnitedScunthorpe371010174456-1240
21Mansfield TownMansfield36911164855-738
22Morecambe37711193560-2532
23Macclesfield TownMacclesfield37715153247-1525
RStevenage36313202450-2622
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6Getafe341411942311153
7Real Sociedad33155135042850
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