GOLD DELIGHTED TO SEE SPORT BACK ON AGENDA AFTER LENGTHY ABSENCE
NANTWICH Town chairman Jon Gold says the return of junior and community sport this week is a vital step forward for his club.
The Nantwich first team haven’t played since December and their season has been abandoned but they will look to play friendlies as soon as crowds are permitted, possibly in May.
But in the meantime, organised outdoor sport was able to resume from Monday - and plenty is being staged at the Dabbers who rely on the income and pride themselves as a community facility.
Gold said: “To a club like ours it makes a huge difference because we are a community club and the foundation of that is the youth and community players.
“That can all come back after months and months of frustrating inactivity.
“Everything is Covid compliant at the club. We have spent a lot of time making sure that is in place so there are all the measures and restrictions, but the great news is we are able to welcome people back.
“I think it’s a great thing for the junior members of Nantwich Town, for their mental health after being cooped up at home, and many hadn’t been to school for months. So, to be able to get out and do proper coordinated activities is a wonderful thing. It is great to play a big part in that and welcome people back.
“Financially it is also a lifeline for a club like us because junior teams and players pay subscriptions to come and use the facility.
“As we are a not-for-profit club, everything goes back into the upkeep of the facility and developing it. We have been practically 12 months without that so, to be able to switch things back on again and have an income stream will hopefully help us fight back and preserve the facility in the community.
“We have 42 teams and that is from under-sevens to ladies football, to walking football and partially sighted football. It’s a lot of people.”
The Northern Premier League season will begin on August 14 but Gold has revealed the Dabbers will be looking to play friendlies in front of crowds as soon as lockdown rules allow.
He said: “In professional football they are looking forward to winding down and coming to the end of the season. It has been difficult for those playing without crowds
“But we can’t wait for the season to end, because we haven’t had one, and start planning. This is the first step and we are looking for when we can welcome supporters back to actually enjoy live football.
“If all goes well with the roadmap we will be looking to play friendly games, I would have thought from May onwards, but only as soon as it is safe to do so and when crowds are allowed back. We don’t want to do anything without supporters, and we can’t afford to at our level.
“Our supporters have been magnificent through this. They have supported us and donated to the Justgiving campaign to keep us going. We want to reward them with some football and as soon as we can safely and legally put on some friendly matches with supporters, we will be doing it, right from the start.
“I am sure all the other teams in our vicinity will be wanting to do the same. I don’t think there will be any lack of appetite for games. I would suspect that come May, if it is safe to do so, there will be some juicy local friendlies going on.
Normally there wouldn’t be at that time, but it’s just because people are desperate to play.”