Footballers and CoronaVirus

[Ray de Galles]

The thrust of the Southern League statement that is in the above tweet seems far more about government funding than tiers.

[Satchmo Distel]

That was also my understanding: especially frustration that the government's current offer seems to be loans not grants.

I do not think they will resume unless the government provides a grant for the season, including covering an extension of contracts into June if necessary.

[Artificial Hipster]

The fact that the offer is loans rather than grants is definitely the clincher as far as I can gather.

I've seen suggestions though that there are ways, if not quite to get around but to at least bend the rules against serving food and drinks in Tier 2 grounds and my selfish hope is that is if 16 December brings the news that more areas are brought back into Tier 2 this will be enough for a majority of clubs to reconsider their positions. I'm conscious though that 25% of 'trident' clubs have already voted against the interests of a number of their associates and that a situation where this becomes a majority would not be a good thing.

[DCI Harry Batt]

The idea of offering loans to non-league football clubs is just ridiculous.

[Artificial Hipster]

Could there also be a glimmer of hope here? Can't post tweets on my phone but from Ollie Bayliss this morning;

"The FA says dialog is ongoing with the DCMS in attempting to achieve the return of fans to non-elite football in all covid tiers. The FA is also in discussions with the DCMS & Sport England to explain the need for financial support through grants, not loans"

[Ray de Galles]

Already hearing of players from suspended leagues being offered as ringers to clubs in lower levels who are still playing.

I wonder if some clubs, especially Isthmian ones, may try and get some Boxing Day derby friendlies arranged.

[Satchmo Distel]

It makes sense to do both those things to keep players fit and help them mentally.

[Satchmo Distel]

Darlington had a positive test during the week and won't play again until they commence their FA Trophy campaign on Dec 15th. They have only played 7 league games so far in National League North.

Three rounds of the Trophy are being squeezed into 12 days (Dec 8-19) to catch up before Xmas.

Margate withdrew from the Trophy on the same night the Isthmian League suspended its fixtures but are the first club to do so during this period. Teams have to forfeit if they get positive COVIDs.

[Ray de Galles]

I'm selfishly grateful for the breakneck Trophy schedule as it will hopefully give a few mor options for games to attend in the next few weeks.

[Third rate Leszno]

The FA have announced that step 3-6 non league clubs in Tier 3 areas can now have limited number of fans (300, 200, 150, 150 respectively). Whether this is enough to get the leagues in those areas to restart is doubtful because there's still (as in Tier 2) no secondary income from food be drink sales, but at the very least it may allow a few friendlies to be played.

[Satchmo Distel]

Maybe food and drink will be permitted when tiers are reviewed?

[Artificial Hipster]

The NCEL has announced that fixtures will resume on the 19th. The NWCFL hasn't released a statement yet but a number of clubs are talking as though resumption is a given. Picking which games to attend based on the expectation they won't attract more than 150 fans is going to be a novel experience.

[Third rate Leszno]

With the exceptions of derbies, only Bury, West Didsbury, Northwich Vics and Golcar Utd seemed to be getting over the 150 mark regularly before the lockdown so you might not be too bad.

[Artificial Hipster]

Yeah there's a few more than that with averages over 150 but I certainly wont be short of options.

[Satchmo Distel]

Presumably they'll have to make a calculation as to what they can pay players, unless the govt is going to hand over some money?

[Diable Rouge]

So, with London going into Tier 3 immediately, that leaves only the Merseyside clubs, Southampton and Brighton capable of hosting attended top-flight games presently.

[Third rate Leszno]

West Lancs League (feeder league to step 6) becomes the first to officially terminate the 20/21 season. League composition to remain 'as is' and a regionalised cup competition may take place in early 2021 if conditions allow.

[Ray de Galles]

The Essex Senior League has, unsurprisingly, announced it is suspending fixtures as of Wednesday.

[Satchmo Distel]

West Lancs League (feeder league to step 6) becomes the first to officially terminate the 20/21 season. League composition to remain 'as is' and a regionalised cup competition may take place in early 2021 if conditions allow.

How does this affect other leagues in the pyramid that supply relegated and promoted clubs?

[Artificial Hipster]

How does this affect other leagues in the pyramid that supply relegated and promoted clubs?

Happy to be corrected on this but I don't think it'll have any effect. Promotion and relegation between steps 6 & 7 is by application rather than being automatic. So Stockport Georgians (who applied last year) have already been told their application for promotion to the NWCFL has been approved but they'll need to finish top of the Manchester League or as far down as 5th if no-one finishing above them has also successfully applied. I don't know whether there's a maximum number of promotions to any particular step 6 league or from any particular step 7 though I suspect Southport Zeb might.

[Southport Zeb]

There is only one promotion place available from each Step 7 league. I don't think there are any other teams from the Manchester League that are looking for promotion, so a top 5 finish will be enough for Stockport Georgians assuming that the relevant paperwork and ground grading is in place.

Theres no maximum number of promotions to a particular step 6 league, now that the FA has centralised allocating clubs to leagues - they sit down at the end of the season and look at all the Step 6 clubs for the following season as a whole, then allocate clubs to individual divisions. In practice most Step 6 clubs will stay in the division they were in the previous season and any clubs promoted or relegated to Step 6 will have a good idea of which division they will be joining, but, particularly for clubs near the edge of league areas, a handful of clubs do end up having sideways moves each year. Technically, Georgians haven't applied for promotion to the North West Counties, but to Step 6, and theoretically the FA could allocate them to, say the Northern Counties East, but I suspect there would have to be an incredibly unlikely set of promotions, relegations and clubs folding for that to occur.

[Gangster Octopus]

Our game against WR'sDC has been called off.

[Satchmo Distel]

Delayed Vase and Trophy rounds are both being played today, but a few clubs chose to switch to Boxing Day.

[Capybara]

Our game against WR'sDC has been called off.

Rotherham or WRDC players (I was looking forward to our game on Boxing Day)?

[Gangster Octopus]

Rotherham.