But few will be as striking as at the Northern Tasmanian Junior Soccer Association where a long-standing part of the Churchill Park furniture will be missing.

For the first time in 37 years, the competition will take place without the familiar face of Con Kerr and his even more recognisable van parked at the gate.

Between them, Kerr and the association decided the health risks of interacting with more than 2000 people every Saturday were too great so the competition will not be charging for access to the Forster Street venue.

However, Kerr insists he will be back as soon as the pandemic is over.

"Of course I'll be back, I'm a life member," he said.

"I did not want to take the risk because I'm not going to live twice, but I will miss the people. I know nearly half of Launceston from doing this."

The long-serving vice-chairman's involvement in the NTJSA even pre-dates Churchill Park with Kerr's duties stretching back to the days of Ogilvie Park in Lindsay Street, now the Bunnings car park.

Asked how many people he must have seen through the gates, the father-of-five, who gave his age as "over 80", said: "Well, that's a couple of thousand every day for about 15 weeks times 27 years, you work it out."

I did. It's 810,000 interactions.

But it's not just Kerr that those people will be missing.

"When I was living in Avoca in 1980, I bought it brand spanking new," he said of his trusty Mazda van, which recently went round the clock on the mileometer.

"I was advised to buy a diesel because it would last longer and it has. It's 40 years old and still going OK.

"Two years ago, a friend resprayed it. I couldn't recognise my own van, it looked brand new, and at the soccer people kept asking if I had a new van."

Although of Greek heritage, Kerr said he has never been to the country having been born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, like his father and grandfather.

He played for the Hellenic club that is now South Melbourne, adding: "I was the second best centre-forward in Victoria mate."

After 22 years in Melbourne, Kerr moved to Tasmania and has not looked back.

"I love Tasmania because the people have got time to talk to you and are more friendly than in Melbourne. That's why I'm still here. You cannot find any better place than Tasmania."

Staff at the NTJSA, where the loyal gateman is affectionately known as Sir Con Kerr, have no doubt of his value.

"It's immeasurable what he's done," said operations manager and former president Dale Rigby.

"Eight hours every Saturday for 27 years come rain, hail or shine and he's always cheerful. It will be very different without him there. He's definitely part of the furniture here."

Rigby said the decision to waive admission fees was taken to avoid unnecessary interactions and health risks.