Jim McInally admits he has concerns about next season with the prospect of fans returning to stadiums still appearing to be a long way off.
National clinical director Jason Leitch recently said he was hopeful of crowds returning to grounds in September.
Although next term is still six months away, Peterhead manager McInally believes it will be hard for clubs to sell season tickets if supporters don’t know when they may be allowed back into stadiums.
Clubs at all levels sold season tickets for this campaign with fans buying briefs in the hope of being able to return at some point.
Aberdeen and Ross County held trials games with 300 socially-distanced fans present in September.
When the Highlands and Moray were in Tier One during November and December, the Staggies, Inverness Caley Thistle, Elgin City and 10 Highland League clubs were allowed to admit up to 300 supporters.
However, the rise in Covid-19 infections led to a nationwide lockdown being enforced and for football clubs the prospect of seeing fans this season seems unlikely.
McInally, Scotland’s longest-serving manager, said: “I think you’ve got to be concerned about next season when you hear what Jason Leitch said about crowds potentially not being back until September.
“I don’t think anybody except the ultimate diehards will fall for that this time when it comes to buying season tickets.
“At the end of the day, supporters did more than enough for their clubs this season by buying their tickets.
“But I think they did that on the basis that they would get back at some point this season.
“The reality is I think supporters will be back at some point next season, but nobody is going to buy a season ticket until they know this time, unless you’re an absolute die-hard.
“And how could you blame them? Fans at all levels went above and beyond last summer to help their clubs and you can’t expect them to do it again.
“Rangers will be the only club I would think who will get the same numbers in terms of season tickets, because they’ll be champions, but I can’t see anybody else getting numbers to the same levels as this season.”
McInally believes supporters of clubs at all levels will be more careful with their money next season, unless they have any guarantees about being allowed to return to watch their team.
He added: “I haven’t got much faith in the people that are running the game and when Jason Leitch is coming out and saying September, when he’s come out and said a lot of stuff previously, it doesn’t give you much confidence.
“There’s been lots of talk – and it hasn’t been the clubs’ fault – but there’s been lots of indications of when things could happen and then it hasn’t come off.
“It’s been a terrible year for people, with money, and I don’t think it will be any better at the start of next season and they will probably be more careful with it.
“Don’t get me wrong I think people will want to get out and go to football if they can and we might get a wee kick from that initially.
“But I think, in the big picture of season tickets, I don’t see a lot of people doing it, they’ll probably just pick their games and wait and see what happens.
“You can’t expect people to buy season tickets with no guarantees again.”