Teams see red over footy ban
PARENTS are seeing red over a decision by Lancashire Football Association to abandon junior football.
Grassroots football was suspended in Rossendale last Friday - after it was initially announced matches could go ahead.
Lancashire County Council’s public health director Dr Sakthi Karunanithi has said the festive season ban is just ‘a short-term measure’.
Ramsbottom United under 9s, who play in the north Bury League, have suspended the team as some players live in Rossendale and cannot attend training or matches.
David Toddington, whose son Jacob, nine, is among the players affected, said: “This has just really annoyed me in terms of how it’s been done. If we lived two miles down the road in Ramsbottom, we’d be able to carry on.”
David was also frustrated by the timing of the decision.
“The fact they let it restart and then pulled the plug so late on a Friday evening when the matches were arranged, it doesn’t seem fair,” he said.
“I know the impact it’s had on my son and his teammates as everything’s come to a grinding halt again. It’s just massive frustration because my lad and his teammates have looked forward to this through the lockdown period.
“My kids go to swim lessons in Ramsbottom pool and can still do that, yet we can’t play football outside. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Dr Karunanithi said: “I know this news has been disappointing, but it is important we contain the spread of coronavirus, especially as we go into the Christmas period when more households will be mixing. We have been in discussion with the Lancashire FA and Public Health England.
Given the increasing incidence in some districts involving younger age groups, we jointly concluded that, in order to minimise disruption to schools, it would be sensible to pause organised matches in selected districts across East and Central Lancashire until the New Year.”