Club director budgeting for October start without fans

Raith Rovers owner John Sim has revealed he is budgeting for the Championship kicking off in October – but does not expect fans back in grounds until January.

The Stark’s Park director initially feared there would be no football for Rovers until September 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But he now believes the Kirkcaldy club will be able to return to training in August and will be ready to play games again in September.

Sim heads an accounting and business advisory company, PKF International, in Thailand and has been given encouragement by the way that country has emerged from the global health emergency.

He said: “I am more optimistic. I can see training restarting in August and us ready to start playinginSeptember2020.Why the change? Mainly because of what I have seen in Thailand over the past few months.

“Thailand was the first country outside China to report a Covid case (on January 13). The Thai government acted quickly and decisively with a State of Emergency, a curfew and a ban on alcohol sales.

“They postponed the Thai New Year holidays indefinitely, and for a while controlled/ stopped inter-province travel.

“They closed the airports to all incoming foreigners, mandated 14-day quarantine for all returning Thais; prohibited all gatherings, closed shops and restaurants to all but takeaways, and encouraged people to work at home.

“All draconian measures by European standards but they worked, and the pandemic was quickly brought under control to the extent that there is currently almost no community spread and things are getting back to normal.

“I can see us playing again in September – if the virus is kept under control and we all learn to live with it. I do not expect a vaccine any time soon, but I do expect faster and cheaper testing.

“I also expect that treatments will improve and that with some social distancing and everyone wearing masks we will be back to what may be the new normal for a year or more.

“On this basis, we have been budgeting for the Championship beginning in October, with crowds only being allowed back in January.”

The SPFL joint response group has set a return date for the Premiership but no other leagues.