Footballers and CoronaVirus

[Gangster Octopus]

This seems somewhat unfair.

[Ray de Galles]

Thought this should go here rather than the Conference thread :

https://twitter.com/ollie_bayliss/status/1375492764058673155?s=21

[Capybara]

It's a couple of days old so sorry if it's been posted elsewhere but dates for the resumption of the FA Vase have been announced, plus arrangements for the finals of last season's Vase and Trophy.

https://www.thefa.com/news/2021/mar/...mbley-20210311

[mirko bolesan]

This on NonLeagueMatters explains it in a good way, I think.
https://nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum...828/post-79344

It appears the South West Peninsula League have cancelled their cup competition, perhaps prematurely. It's no surprise there's confusion around this. The government understands "elite football" and maybe "grassroots", the football in the middle between Steps 3 and 6 is a bit more of a nebulous concept to them.

[Artificial Hipster]

Ah ok, the tweet that referred to a plan made it sound to me like they had something much more intriguing up their sleeves.

[Third rate Leszno]

Prestwich Heys of the NWCFL have organised a competition and claim to have a plan in place for if fans aren't allowed. They've not said what it is though.

They're polling clubs who were to be involved to ask them if they want to go ahead BCD with live streaming or postpone until May when fans can attend.

[Ray de Galles]

I suspect we may be heading for an April similar to August last year where crowds informally attended games at clubs/grounds from Step 7 and below, primarily but not always because they were on unenclosed pitches.

After about three weeks of this the FA/DCMS "clarified" that limited crowds had actually been allowed all along at non-elite level. The difference being that if that happens again it will be too late for anything to be started and the current information is already causing leagues to cancel or go no further with planned spring competitions.

[Ray de Galles]

Will steps 3-6 now cancel the various cups they'd set up or still play them for the food/drink/hospitality revenue?

Steps 3 & 4 had no competitions planned and if levels 5 and 6 can't allow crowds in before May 17th there won't be any hospitality revenue, I also can't see there being time for full competitions to be viable.

[Artificial Hipster]

Will steps 3-6 now cancel the various cups they'd set up or still play them for the food/drink/hospitality revenue?

Prestwich Heys of the NWCFL have organised a competition and claim to have a plan in place for if fans aren't allowed. They've not said what it is though.

[Satchmo Distel]

Will steps 3-6 now cancel the various cups they'd set up or still play them for the food/drink/hospitality revenue?

[Artificial Hipster]

The guide linked to in the statement on the NCEFL site refers specifically to competitions run for step 3-6 clubs. I'm still hopeful that competitions for clubs at step 7 and below will go ahead with fans allowed. The Manchester League released the fixtures for 3 Cup competitions yesterday and I've already pencilled a bunch of games I hope to attend in April and May.

[Third rate Leszno]

That would be an absolute joke. Maybe clubs should open up their hospitality and put well-spaced beer garden tables all round their pitch and have a thousand in there getting shitfaced on a Saturday afternoon instead of 300 watching a match - cos that would be acceptable under the government's rules and obviously so much safer....

[Ray de Galles]

Christ, absolutely absurd if this is accurate :

https://twitter.com/ollie_bayliss/status/1369714220208685061?s=21

[The_Purple_Cow]

Apols of corn etc, but my wife had a (correctly socially distanced of course) coffee with her mate who is head of security at WHL. She said that all clubs have been given permission to have crowds of up to 10,000 for the last game of the season. However, those teams who are due to play the last game away complained, so now they are considering playing the last two games with a limited crowd, or scrapping the idea all together.

[Third rate Leszno]

April 17th is a Saturday and 12th is a Monday so I assume motorsport doesn't take place in midweek.

Yeah, spot on Capy. I realised after I'd posted that football could potentially kick off on the 12th but I was out for my evening walk by then and couldn't be arsed to edit.

For elite motorsport (ie BSB, BTCC) they're still waiting for DCMS guidance on what the crowd restrictions will be from 17th May. Presume all the speedway venues will fall into the 4000 or (more likely) 50% capacity category?

[Ray de Galles]

That makes sense though it depends on the sports obviously. Elite speedway is starting right on Monday May 17th as soon as the relevant restrictions end but it can run any day of the week.

Technically the third tier National League speedway would be non-elite and can start from March 29th or April 12th (pending crowds and possibly food & drink sales making it financially viable) but suspect it will wait and tie in with the higher levels.

There does just seem to be a lot of arbitrary speculative dates flying around not directly linked to those of the different steps on the road map. I suspect that will continue to be the case until the government and/or governing bodies give some clarity.

[Capybara]

Given grassroots sport restarts on March 29th and outdoor hospitality on April 12th it seems perverse to introduce a third, later date for any non-elite sport with food & drink on sale. Where have you seen April 17th mentioned?

April 17th is a Saturday and 12th is a Monday so I assume motorsport doesn't take place in midweek.

[Ray de Galles]

Non-elite motorsport has been given the go ahead to allow an yet unspecified number of spectators ("in compliance with COVID-secure guidance issued by government") from 17 April, so if that is extended to non-elite outdoor sports across the board then we might have the rumoured non-league cups and friendlies restarting from the same date.

This also ties in with the proposed date for outdoor hospitality reopening, which would mean clubs could operate takeaway food and drink sales, which I think most above step 7 had agreed was a necessity if they were to stage games. Fingers crossed then....

Given grassroots sport restarts on March 29th and outdoor hospitality on April 12th it seems perverse to introduce a third, later date for any non-elite sport with food & drink on sale. Where have you seen April 17th mentioned?

[Gangster Octopus]

We've got it again. There's going to be a league enquiry as to why this is. As there should be.

[Third rate Leszno]

Non-elite motorsport has been given the go ahead to allow an yet unspecified number of spectators ("in compliance with COVID-secure guidance issued by government") from 17 April, so if that is extended to non-elite outdoor sports across the board then we might have the rumoured non-league cups and friendlies restarting from the same date.

This also ties in with the proposed date for outdoor hospitality reopening, which would mean clubs could operate takeaway food and drink sales, which I think most above step 7 had agreed was a necessity if they were to stage games. Fingers crossed then....

[Patrick Thistle]

Steve Cotterill has been readmitted to hospital.

[Simon G]

I may have it wrong, but on ppg they weren't top. That only changed in the last game before null and void though. Can't remember who would have been top, think it was Chester, but don't quote me on that.

[Satchmo Distel]

Is there a chance the National League top tier could break away and invite them in for next season? (In any case, it's a bit rich because loads of teams had games in hand on Gloucester).

[Simon G]

There's a few business parks in Tewkesbury.

I love it here - been nearly 11 years now. I hated it for the first few years, but it was easier for commuting to Stratford upon Avon at the time. Now, unless the wife agrees on us moving to Churchdown, I don't see myself living anywhere else.

Back on topic - Gloucester beat Dorking 2-1 and, with tongue firmly in cheek, are declaring themselves the champion of champions.

[Satchmo Distel]

O/T: My wife used to work in Tewkesbury, in a building in the Business Park.