THINGS MIGHT NEVER BE THE SAME...

WHITLEY BAY chairman Paul McIlduff reckons Non-League clubs will be working in a “completely different landscape” once the coronavirus epidemic subsides.

The four-time FA Vase winners are just one of a number of clubs that have received the financial backing of their supporters as they get to grips with the financial impact of the epidemic.

Bay supporter and volunteer Antonia Brindle launched a JustGiving page two weeks ago with the aim of raising £3,500 for the Step 5 Northern League club.

“I think the whole country will be in a different situation and that includes businesses and football clubs at every level,” McIlduff said.

“Non-League football clubs rely heavily on sponsorship, and we could find ourselves in a situation where businesses might not be able to support clubs because the coronavirus is putting a strain on their own finances.

“They will have seen their own revenue streams hit and, understandably, they’ll have to look after themselves.

“I think there will be a completely different landscape when we can finally move on from the coronavirus and it’s one where a number of challenges will have to be overcome.”

This weekend should have been financially rewarding for Bay as they were due to entertain local rivals North Shields at Hillheads in a fixture that regularly attracts a bumper crowd.

Now, planning ahead is proving difficult as the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak means there is no guarantee for next season’s start either.

“We would have had one of the biggest crowds of this season,” said McIlduff. “North Shields is always a big game and with it being at Hillheads, it would have been a fantastic gate and we would have seen some big money coming in.

“That’s how the club would survive – money coming in through the gates and through sponsor money. It’s a difficult situation, we can’t plan for anything.

“This is the time when we look to strengthen and plan for next season – but that’s on hold because there are more important things going on in the world. For now, we just have to battle through.”