Cups can make up for loss of league
Football-starved Southern Combination League teams are set to be offered the chance of cup competitions if it is not possible to resume playing in time to save the 2020-21 league divisions.
SCFL bosses are working on a number of different plans to put in place when they know when it will be possible to restart fixtures.
They are due to be part of a phone conference today between the FA and leagues who run non-league step five and six competitions, at which they hope to find out more about what might happen to the rest of the season.
At their level, fixtures have been on hold since just before Christmas – and there is a growing feeling there will not be time to get league fixtures completed, even if a March restart is possible.
That will be a blow to some clubs who, for the second season running, will have seen promotion hopes dashed.
SCFL chairman Steve Nealgrove told us: “As a league chairman I want us to try to complete the season if it is at all possible, but I also know that’s looking unrealistic.
“Even if you were to extend the season until the end of May, you would have to ask teams to play three times a week. “I don’t think that’s fair on clubs. “It puts players, managers, committees and club volunteers under a lot of pressure. It’s not sustainable.
“If we can restart, say, in April, there will be a lot of teams wanting to play competitive football and we’re looking at playing all our cup competitions but perhaps in a group format so you could have groups of four or five and guarantee clubs at least three or four games. I think many would welcome that.”