Update on the 2020/21 season
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It’s now been over a month since most of our clubs last kicked a ball in anger following a rapid “relegation” from Tier 2 to a full national lockdown in just a fortnight owing to the worrying increase in infection rates and subsequent strain on health services. At that point, all football below the National League was correctly paused and it’s our present understanding that the government will reassess the position in the country around February half-term.
It’s far too early to speculate on a potential date for resumption or whether the FA will even allow a restart this season as, even with an easing of lockdown restrictions, this may not initially permit a return to a tier without travel restrictions. We therefore must wait patiently for our opportunity, observe the rules and keep everybody safe.
As you may have worked out for yourselves, the loss of over three months of our season is a real dent in our hopes and ambitions of completing a “normal” campaign and it’s now time for attentions to turn to thoughts on what is and is not possible for the rest of 2020/21, given that we may only be presented with an 8 to 10 week window in the most optimistic case scenario. We expect that some grounds in the league may offer the opportunity of extending their use though there will, of course, be others who switch focus to cricket in mid-Spring.
Conversations are already underway at national level within the FA to discuss the options while leagues locally are due to meet with county FA officials in the coming days and weeks. I am sure that the phrases “PPG” and “null & void”, so familiar to us all last year, will be on their agenda once again. Whatever occurs, the league will do our very best to ensure that all clubs are given a fair opportunity to get some football under their belts in whatever time remains and in one format or another.
One of the most acute concerns is of course club finances and the fact that many clubs will have already paid for pitches that may go unused. It is hoped that facility providers will give some consideration to either reimbursing or at least crediting lost funds against hire costs for next season. We’ll be working with representatives of the county FA to address these concerns and our own management committee are already in discussion about our own fees structure for next season to help offset some of these issues.
As soon as we have an idea of the options being put on the table for us all, we will be back in touch to communicate these all to you. In the meantime, we wish you all the best of health and hope to see you back out on the hallowed turf at some point in the spring.