U-turn on elite status has been a 'God send'
Slough Town FC
Neil Baker believes National League North and South clubs now stand a better chance of completing their campaigns as planned thanks to the pressure they put on Government in the summer to be classified as elite.
Slough and other National League clubs, with help from MPs across the country, managed to force the Department of Culture, Media and Sport into a swift Uturn after they’d initially been classed as non-elite, enabling them to play end-of-season play-off matches.
Slough’s hopes of promotion were ended at the first hurdle, after a 30 home defeat to Dartford in a play-off eliminator at Arbour Park, and there was criticism of those clubs who pressed for elite status when leagues at steps three and below were able to kick-off their seasons with fans in attendance.
However, Baker says it's been a 'God send' as it should enable National League South clubs to
continue playing through the lockdown.
“We started our season later than most, and if we’d had to stop for a month now it would have been a real problem in terms of finishing the season,” he said.
“It’s quite ironic really, all these people were having a go at the playoff teams, making a fuss over the elite and nonelite tag. It’s quite interesting because the argument we made at the time is that the players were elite, and by that basis so would the clubs at step three and four.
“But in the end the elite status we managed to get has ended up being a God send. It’s enabled us to get the money through from Government grants and it’s enabled us to continue playing. There will be clubs moaning about the money they receive, but it should help us to finish the season. Otherwise I think it would have been very difficult. It still might be but at this stage it’s looking like we will continue.”