Vics players facing pay cut
Blantyre Vics boss John Gibson admits he may be forced to ask players to take a pay cut if fans aren’t allowed back into the KG Stadium.
The Scottish Government pushed back a return date from October 5, with the Vics currently scheduled to kick-off their Premier Division campaign at home against Glasgow Perthshire on October 24 at the earliest, following a survey of league clubs.
However, without fans and amidst further delays, the new league format appears to be in crisis and faces the prospect of mothballing this campaign.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week admitted any changes to a fan return were“unlikely”following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
And Gibson said:“we will struggle without fans. We would need to ask the players to forgo some of their wages.
“We won’t have a massive wage budget, but we’re like most clubs, we depend on our gate money.
“We couldn’t sustain playing without supporters and I don’t think many clubs could, so we are a wee bit frustrated. I feel for the people who are running the management committee.
“Unfortunately we just need to take it as it comes week-to-week right now.”
The gaffer is in the dark about whether they will even kick a ball in 2020, but insists the league should start if friendlies have been green lit by the WOSFL.
Gibson continued:“like every other manager right now I don’t know what is happening with the league.
“It’s frustrating, and the players are frustrated now; they want a goal to be able to work towards and say this is where we are going to be.
“We want to be ready for a date or even if the league is going to be played.
“You can keep planning pre-season but everything keeps changing.
“It now looks as if I’m going to have to start looking for more pre-season games. My position is they just need to make a decision – if it’s not going to happen, it’s not going to happen.
“We are playing friendlies and it’s costing us money. We are having to pay out for training, friendlies, referees.
“We’re as well starting the league and seeing if we have to call it off.”