Resigned to fate but ‘praying to top man’
Richardson calls for patience but season looks set to be voided
Flackwell Heath boss Marcus Richardson has been putting in some prayers to ‘the top man’ these past few weeks, however, he’s resigning himself to the reality the Hellenic League campaign is going to be ended early and declared null and void.
League bosses at steps 3 and 4 have said they’re currently minded to declare the campaign null and void, with the country currently in its third lockdown and there being very little sign of the restrictions being eased any time soon.
It’s thought that if football at steps 3 and 4 is cancelled then other leagues further down the pyramid will follow suit, and that’s devastating to Richardson, who’d guided the Heathens to the top of the Hellenic Premier Division and through the first few rounds of the FA Vase. He felt his side stood a very good chance of winning both competitions, and he can’t be sure he’ll have the same players to be able to replicate the feat next season.
He said it’s ‘embarrassing’ to think the league season will be voided for a second consecutive year and believes those in power need to show a little patience to see what the situation is like in March and April. He believes that with a little creativity, solutions could still be found to finish the league seasons in full.
“I’m praying to the top man at the moment to keep us going mate,” he said. “I’m kind of annoyed at the whole thing though. Nine months ago we sort of knew this sort of thing was going to occur.
“Did we only start this season because of the FA Cup, so they could get that competition going? From the moment we were all knocked out it feels like we’ve been forgotten about.”
Richardson believes the decision to call off another league season will stifle the career of young players looking to make it in the game, and even stifle his aspirations as a manager by denying him the chance to win trophies and enhance his reputation.
“There are kids trying to pursue careers in the game and they’re being stifled at the present time because we can’t play any form of foot
ball. They could have the opportunity to play at a higher level and they’re not getting that opportunity now.
“As a manager I felt like I’d put things together well this season. I might not get this same opportunity next season if I can’t keep hold of my players. They want to push on and I respect that. I want to improve players, so this is stifling me to a degree as well. I want to manage as high as I can, while I still can.
“Westfields were bankers to go up last season and this season it hasn’t gone to plan for them in the same way. If they void for two years in a row it will be massively embarrassing.”
Richardson doesn’t understand why the decision has to be taken now, when the situation looks so bleak. Leagues are set to consult with clubs on the best course of action, but it seems likely they’ll opt to call the campaigns off. He admits his position is a biased one, because Heath have been going so well in the league and cup, and he’s not ashamed to admit that.
“I would wait,” he said. “Why can’t we wait until March and see what the situ
ation is like then? We could play the season from March until August. If we don’t we’ll be wasting money. A lot of people have put a lot of money into things.
“I’ve got to be honest with you, me and my squad don’t want this season to end. I’m not ashamed to tell you that’s from a biased point of view. There will be clubs down the other end of the table thinking ‘let’s void it because they can’t think it will get any better’. A team in mid-table you’ll get a mix of opinions, some will want to push on and play. I just think we should have had a plan of action in place for a scenario like this, and it’s embarrassing that we’ve got to this situation today and we don’t know if the season is going to continue or not.
“Two seasons in a row are going to be voided, it’s quite embarrassing in a way. If there’s a chance the season was going to be voided, then a plan of action should have been in place before we kicked off for what we would do.
“Right now, it seems that no one knows what’s happening. It’s unfair on clubs in general. Maybe we need to find a way
to play matches without the fans, but, honestly, I think it’s become a bit of a joke at this time.”
He added: “Are they going to cancel the season and make it void, and then we’ll have to go another three or four months before we can start the season again,” he said. “We’ve really got to think about it. I think we have to think about starting the season again from March and playing to June or July. Then we could have a few weeks break and be back to it again. That’s what we’ve got to do.
“You’ve got to look at factors such as mental health, the money some clubs have put into this season, and if football from steps three and down is voided, no one can be relegated from National League South.
“I think they’ve probably made the minds up on this already, but I’m hoping something could maybe sway it still. They’re making out like they’re trying to do their best for everyone but they’re not. If they’re doing their best for everybody they’d wait until March and try and get the matches in before July. The whole thing is a mess.”