FA Cup replays for all rounds have been scrapped for the forthcoming season to ease fixture congestion.
However, that’s not the main issue at the moment – being able to start the Non League season is.
Professional sport has had numerous problems this week with positive test results for Covid-19 causing postponements in Scotland in the Scottish Premier League.
Rugby League had faced similar problems as Hull FC have had to tell their players to self-isolate after six squad members tested positive. This has led to fixture chaos as their most recent opponents Salford Red Devils have also had to cancel training, pending tests.
Considering professional sport is struggling to cope, what hope has Non League Football got?
Players are in so many more bubbles – work, social, family – the chances to limiting the spread are far harder and part-time footballers are far more at risk than professional sportsman.
So it is hardly surprising the news that Charnock Richard and Staveley Miners Welfare have had to cease football activity for the time being after a positive test case. They won’t be the last either. These positive cases have come during alleged warmest temperatures on record so what’s the winter going to be like?
Although everyone would love to start in September, the simple fact of the matter is players cannot afford to be self-isolating once or twice a month, especially if they are self-employed. It only takes one player and you could have two full teams from different parts of the country, plus management and several hundred spectators and volunteers self-isolating. That’s not as crackers as it sounds.
The latest developments increases the pressure on the FA to delay the leagues which start on the 5th September to at least the middle or end of the month, or October.
The Toolstation NCEL have spent this week asking for clarity regarding spectators be allowed back into grounds. This is in contrast to the North West Counties League’s statesman’s like and decisive decision to move their provisional start date to October.
Getting crowds back is an important issue, but the Government have already said the trial runs this weekend may lead to change in the guidance. It is a case of being patient. If you were the NCEL you should be more concerned that you have 40 clubs potentially wasting their time preparing for a possibly doomed September 5th start.
The North West Counties eased the anxiety and uncertainty for their clubs, whereas the NCEL appear to be waiting for the FA to make a decision.
Numerous players and managers have been calling on the NCEL and the FA to accept a full normal season is unlikely to happen and called on them to come up with innovative ideas to get football back up and running in some form.
Localised leagues with reduced numbers, which the FA have said is their plan if November is the start date, has been advocated by several people. Half-a-season has been suggested, along with a June fixture.
But, at the moment, apart from the North West Counties, no-one appears to want to make a decision.
Ultimately, for a full Non League Football-season to be feasible, we may have to wait for the World Health Organisation to say the pandemic is over.