Semi-pro clubs would carry on playing ‘under duress’, says Strollers boss Jardine
Civil Service Strollers manager Gary Jardine believes clubs would carry on “under a bit of duress” if no decision is made to suspend the semi-pro game.
H e w a s s p e a k i n g a h e a d o f t o d a y ’s b o a r d m e e t - i n g s a r r a n g e d b y b o t h t h e Lowland League and Highl a n d L e a g u e , S c o t t i s h f o o tb a l l’s f i f t h t i e r, t o c o n s i d e r the options amid growing concerns over coronavirus.
The S cottish Government has made it clear that any decision to suspend the semi-pro game should be made by the “football authorities”, but the Scottish Football Association (SFA) has made no changes since a new national lockdown was announced last week.
Jardine respects Dalbeattie Star’s request for a suspension b u t t h i n k s h i s s i d e’s mat c h against Spar tans tomorrow night will probably go ahead.
He said: “I think we’ve got to protect players and we’ve one already who has said he can’t come back just now. If you’re par t-time your main job is outside football and you owe it to the people you work with. There’s other factors that come into it as well and I don’t think Dalb eattie is alone in what they’re thinking.”
He added: “I think you probably play under a bit of duress but you have to by the rules. It’s really important that people are safe and as long as you’re meeting up and playing, you can’t be.”
Dalbeattie boss Ritchie Maxwell, who works for the NHS, said: “We believe the cessation of fixtures for a period of time to allow the lockdown measures to have a positive effect in lowering case numbers is the only sensible option to us all.”