ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Jeffrey in call for season to be ended

DAVID JEFFREY has suggested to Irish League clubs and decision makers in local football that they need to consider drawing a line under the 2019/2020 campaign.

The Ballymena manager, speaking in a personal capacity, stated that teams need to see the bigger picture and think about the collective needs of the game.

Football in Northern Ireland was halted in the middle of March due to the coronavirus pandemic but two months on, little progress has been made on what happens next in the top two divisions in the country.

Jeffrey feels that “enough is enough”, declaring there should be no relegation from the top flight and that the top two in the Championship – Portadown and Ballinamallard – merit promotion.

In football circles Jeffrey can appreciate the direct impact of Covid-19 more than most – in his role as a senior social worker in Larne he works with older people, patients with physical disabilities and vulnerable people with underlying health conditions.

He sais: “This whole battle against Covid-19 is on a daily basis and one of the things we are being constantly reminded of in work is not getting Covid-19 fatigue and letting our guard down.

“We are very vigilant in our own offices around social distancing, around PPE and the disciplined way we live our lives.

“In work we are very clear about our social distancing. If you transfer that across to the Irish League look at the changing rooms we have at grounds.

“With respect there are clubs whose changing rooms are bigger than others but there are changing rooms not conducive at all to social distancing so do we put six players in the changing room and then let them go out and another six come in?

“People have to think of the practicalities and we maybe have to say enough is enough for this moment in time.

“Maybe we should be looking to draw the line and think how do we make the very best of this situation.”

With Ballymena United two wins away from Irish Cup glory, Jeffrey says he would love to finish the season but appreciates the difficulty in doing that.

He said: “Of course football is really important but we need to see the bigger picture.

“Clubs will have their own individual needs. I understand that but now is a time for all to think how we can meet our individual needs and collective needs for the good of the game and society.

“Tough decisions have to be made. For me there is no relegation and you promote Portadown and Ballinamallard, who are the top two in the Championship.”