Amid top leagues shut down, lower clubs enjoy spotlight

HALIFAX: With the rest of European football locked down in response to the coronavirus, England’s fifth-tier National League provided a controversial respite for fans looking to satisfy their craving for sport on Saturday.

The growing threat of the deadly pandemic forced the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two to suspend play on Friday until at least April 3. But, unlike elsewhere across the world, large gatherings in public are yet to be officially banned by the British government.

So, in the grass roots of the English game, there were still matches being played as the fifth division decided their fixtures would go ahead, for this weekend at least.

Although National League games at Barrow, Boreham Wood, Bromley, Woking and Yeovil were eventually postponed due to COVID-19 fears, nearly 5,000 fans watched Notts County beat Eastleigh 4-0 on Saturday.

However, the decision to keep playing has been divisive, with Eastleigh manager Ben Strevens accusing the National League of greed.

“The reason National League games went ahead and the EFL games didn’t go ahead and the Premier League games didn’t go ahead is because whoever sits on the board of the National League cared about money. Simple as that,” he said.

“I looked around today and there’s stewards that are older. They’re the ones that are most at risk from this virus.

“There’s no way whatsoever these games should have been played.”

National league chief executive michael tatters all refused to be drawn into a war of words, saying: “It’s not really a time for having an argument, it’s a time for reflecting on what’s happening in our society.

“We’re going to put out our own statement thanking everybody for their efforts and sending everybody who is suffering from the virus or selfisolating all our best wishes.”