Moneyfields boss: Let’s play on into July
Moneyfields manager Dave
Carter stressed null and voiding a second successive season for clubs at 'non-elite' level would be 'unthinkable'.
Instead, he is adamant the campaign CAN be completed - even if it means playing into July.
Moneyfields are one of the 224 clubs at step three and four level in the English non-league pyramid whose season has been paused since early November amid the pandemic.
The club’s only game since then was a 5-1 home loss against Truro
City in the FA Trophy first round on the first Saturday in December - with 'non-elite' teams allowed to play in the competition despite their league campaigns being put on hold.
As things stand - and with the league season now not due to start until after mid-February following last night’s lockdown announcement - completing the season appears to be a long shot.
However, Carter insists all games can be crammed in this season.
That's despite Moneyfields having played just FOUR of their 38 Southern League South fixtures.
But Carter would much rather see the campaign reach a natural conclusion.
‘I’m a positive person. I’m not one of those to say, ‘we can’t do this or we can’t do that,’ anything is doable,' he stated. ‘It’s out of our hands. I see all these people saying to scrap the season and null and void it, it’s not our choice at the end of the day.
'Two years of null and void is unthinkable really. Two seasons of hard work for nothing (if it’s null and void). I’d like to see the season extended and let’s get it played.'
Carter would be intrigued by the concept of the league season carrying on into June or July.
He believes bigger crowds could be drawn with better weather encouraging more supporters to attend.
And Carter would have no qualms over a fairly quick restart that squads could face ahead of the 2021/22 season.
‘These winter months that we play football in England - it’s all right for the Premier League teams because their pitches are immaculate - but you get 40 or 50 per cent of games called off anyway due to bad weather,' he added.
‘We play pre-season in August or July when the weather is beautiful, everyone wants to go out, all the fans are coming because it’s a nice day.
‘But in the middle of December and January, it’s freezing cold and nobody wants to go to watch football.
‘Why not? (extend the season into July).
‘It’s difficult. These are just my own personal opinions, it’s not down to me, it’s down to our league and what they decide is best for everyone.'