Lower-league clubs face Covid-19 venue switches

LOWER-LEAGUE clubs will have their home grounds inspected prior to the return of football — with confirmation that fixtures could be moved if they are unable to comply with the necessary criteria.

Sportsmail understands clubs below the Premiership were written to by the Joint Response Group (JRG) last week following a request for greater clarity on what was needed to make their venues Covid-safe. A series of inspections will now take place in the weeks ahead, with priority given to stadia scheduled to host games in the Betfred Cup on October 6/7. The letter states that a ‘critical element will be how two-metre social distancing is maintained throughout, including in the changing facilities.’ Premiership clubs had to deploy imaginative solutions to solve the changing-room issue and pass their own checks before top-flight football resumed on August 1. Space is more limited at some grounds further down the league ladder, increasing the difficulty of adhering to guidelines. The communication from the JRG also ‘reminds’ clubs that if their grounds are not considered acceptable for staging a league, Betfred Cup or Challenge Cup game, the SPFL board may decide to change the venue ‘where appropriate to do so’. While that could be taken as a warning,

Sportsmail understands League Two clubs had previously asked if there could be consideration within the rules for switching venues in Betfred Cup ties where the opposition ground was of superior standard. One chairman told Sportsmail: ‘There is certainly a challenge here with changingroom space, but I don’t think it should be a game-breaker. ‘There were too many unknowns when we were in earlier discussions about returning to play. No one could be sure about how the situation in the wider world would look.’ The Championship and Leagues One and Two all agreed to 27-game seasons starting on October 17, with that kick-off preceded by Betfred Cup group fixtures.