Non-league clubs are divided on the chances of returning to action

The response from nonleague clubs that noncontact training could return was, on the whole, positive but with many questions left unanswered.

An SFA statement covering grassroots football from youth level through to the Lowland and Highland leagues advised that training for a group of 15 people outdoors could restart but with “guidance” that a Covid officer and first aider should be present at all times. And it also insisted that travel between local authority areas was to be avoided.

Dundonald Bluebell manager Kevin Fotheringham is concerned for the impact on the East of Scotland League of another season of no promotion or relegation.

He said “The lack of information from the governing body is at best tiresome. It is a difficult situation but we started the season in a worse place than we are now.

“We are now allowed to do limited non-contact training, but without a date to return that is pointless, the players have already done two pre-seasons in 12 months.

“I am not sure if we will finish this season and that is a concern. We can’t go two seasons without promotion or relegation of some description. In my opinion, it is feasible to finish the EOSL season in five weeks and if we were to start back at the end of April then that’s possible.”

Fellow EOSL Premier League boss Ross Gunnion, of Jeanfield Swifts, agrees that finishing the season off in some format is possible.

“We have been managing to stay in regular contact via Zoom and apps such as Strava to monitor the players and keep them ticking over – its not easy but they have done well,” he said.

“The benefit of the players looking after themselves is that we can work very quickly on getting them back to match fitness and tactical stuff as well as working on general fitness. That will be the key to hitting the ground running and

continuing the good form that we started with.”

However, Craig Gilbert, manager of Fife side Thornton Hibs, sees it differently.

“The league wants to at least finish half the season to allow promotion and relegation, but time is running out,” he said. “We will need a number of weeks’ training before we can even think of games. The bottom line is I can’t see us starting again this season.”

Former Brechin City player Charlie King, manager at St Andrews United, agreed. “For me it looks pretty much a nonstarter as I understand there is no travel outwith local authority areas and our squad is not from one area,” he said. “It is disappointing because it sounds good but in reality it is incredibly difficult.”

The East Region Juniors FA has fewer games to play but a number of managers have questioned what the effect on players would be of playing twice a week for five or six weeks on the back of just four or five competitive games in more than a year.

North End manager Ross Lunan has been in charge of the club for three months but during that time his troops have only played one game.

He doesn’t see much hope of a restart but highlights the importance of some form of training. “I think the season will once again be null and void but the boys need to get back to some training,” he said.

‘‘People underestimate how much football keeps players disciplined and in a routine, helping their wellbeing. I hope I am wrong about the season.”

It is still a difficult situation for the nonleague clubs and while there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, time will tell.

Kevin Fotheringham.