Watson says half of clubs may well go bust
HALF of the teams in the National League pyramid could go bust if the league is delayed or fans not let in, Liam Watson believes.
The Southport manager fears any change to the schedule caused by the latest Government restrictions could have a devastating effect on teams across the National League and its North and South feeder divisions.
Teams in the Football League are currently playing behind closed doors, while teams below Southport’s level are allowed a limited number of spectators, but the National League pyramid remains in limbo amid a campaign to remove it from the ‘Elite Sport’ classification which prevents fans from attending.
The league’s board is due to meet today (Thursday) and may vote to delay the start of the league after cabinet office minister Michael Gove said plans for spectators to return to watch live sport from October 1 will not go ahead. But Watson fears that many clubs will not survive further losses of income without additional support from the league or government.
The Sandgrounders’ season is due to start with an FA Cup qualifying match on Saturday, October 3, with the league campaign then set to start three days later when Southport host Hereford,
But if the league plans are pushed back, the club will be left in limbo needing to have players available for potentially just one game. The National League was slow to decide on how to conclude last season when lockdown struck, eventually deciding to hold playoffs but end the campaign for everyone else.
Watson, now in his third spell as manager, fears those in charge have their priorities in the wrong place and are not doing enough to protect clubs.
He told the Visiter: “The people on the board of the National League class them as being something they’re not. We are non-league, we should be tied in with Steps 3, 4, 5 but they want to be tied into the EFL.
“When it comes to the crunch, the EFL won’t back us and neither will the Premier League.”
He continued: “Our first game is the FA Cup so the National League doesn’t have a bearing on that.
“It’s the details of elite sports, which we’re classed as but it’s not.
“You are what you are. I might want to manage Barcelona but I don’t, I manage Southport. Now I’m happy managing Southport but the board running the National League can’t accept it.”
Watson believed the league needs to be quicker to make its plans this season, after a frustrating delay before deciding what would happen to finish the 2019/20 campaign.
“We’ve already waited and waited and waited for everyone else to tell us what to do, but the league below just went null and void.
“If the league doesn’t start, then I don’t think it will at all. If it doesn’t, what the point the leagues below if they can’t get promoted.”
After dramatic changes at boardroom level in recent seasons, Southport has slashed its outspending and is now run at a sustainable level under the stewardship of majority shareholder Ian Kyle and a board of directors which included Watson.
The loss of income will prove hugely challenging if additional support is not offered but other clubs may find themselves in a more perilous situation.
“If the National League can’t decide and get the government to do something, there’s 64 clubs in the National League and you could see anything up to 50% going bust.”