How is it safe to watch football at Gosport, but not at the Hawks ...?
New season in turmoil due to government’s bombshell
any income.’
Brock told The News last week that clubs at National League level ‘will fold’ if they cannot welcome fans back soon. ‘Long term it’s not viable at our level to play behind closed doors,’ he repeated. ‘I’m not sure it’s viable at EFL level.
‘Clubs at our level are not sitting on hundreds of thousands of pounds in the bank. We need supporters in, we need the bars open, we need
Hawks director Trevor Brock the sponsorship.
‘At our level clubs’ assets are on the pitch, not in the bank.’
Brock said Hawks are being ‘lambasted’ by some people on social media because the National League comes under the ‘elite sport’ umbrella.
Back in the summer, Hawks argued passionately that the South and North playoffs should take place as step 2 was ‘elite’ because players were paid.
They got their way then, but now the fact step 2 is classified as ‘elite’ is working against them.
As a result, Hawks and their league rivals are being grouped in with Liverpool and Manchester United when it comes to deciding whether or not to allow supporters back in.
‘It’s the law of unintended consequences,’ said Brock. ‘Any action you take always has a reaction.
‘We are being lumped in with the elite clubs, but we don’t get any of the elite funding. ‘To lump us in with the likes of Liverpool is ludicrous, but it’s the government’s those steps in non-league football are allowed to admit a certain number of specators way of reacting - I don’t think they understand football at step 1 and step 2 level.’
Hawks and other step 2 clubs only receive around £13,000 every year from the Premier League’s ‘solidarity’ payment of £125m to the EFL and National League.
Brock has previously said the Premier League could do more to help out their EFL and National League cousins.
‘Gareth Bale’s weekly wage would solve so many problems,’ he reiterated.
‘I know the Premier League have got their own problems, but they also have a responsibility to the rest of football.’
The Premier League have
We’re trying to run a business without the full facts, we’re floating in the dark
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