Bridlington Town chairman Peter Smurthwaite has questioned the point in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League restart.
The NCEL had planned to originally planned to potentially kick-start the campaign again in January – restrictions-permitting.
However, the shock decision in early December to allow spectators back into crowds in Tier 3 areas prompted the league to order matches to take place on December 19th and Boxing Day.
But Mr Smurthwaite says the restart has only succeeded in financially crippling clubs because food outlets (in most cases) and clubhouses are barred from opening and attendances are capped to 150 – with no away spectators.
“Another Saturday of ‘Football for the sake of it’ to suit requirements of The League and the FA. another week with no income at all coming into the club,” Mr Smurthwaite said in his weekly statement.
“Another week of paying expenses to our players management and support staff which now leaves the pot almost empty.
“Another week where my loyal and dedicated volunteers who have put an awful lot time, effort and money into the club in my time at the club quite rightly decided various reasons they could not attend the Goole game.
“Most of these people are of retirement age and on health reasons due to Covid and the confusing rules and regulations about Covid meant only two of us out of the ten who normally help attended the game.
“One of these was myself as chairman and assistant kit man, the other was Dom our programme editor who was acting match day secretary and kit man.
“I am also nervous about the situation and did not venture into the changing rooms to help with the kit and stayed outside all the time I was there.
“Of course clubs are not allowed to afford any hospitality to the visitors and officials which makes it a miserable event to attend games now.
“Now to make matters even worse we have been informed that taking in last Saturdays game we have a run of seven fixtures with only one of those at home to put ‘another nail in the financial coffin’ of a well run and respected club giving us £600 income in seven weeks.
“This is a bloody ridiculous situation and has to change and I await a formal response to the letter I sent to the League on 18th December 2020.”
Pete has built Brid Town into a superb club with facilities and a pitch that are the envy of many clubs in tiers above. The FA who have promised money to lower League clubs have yet to fulfil their promise. Just a small percentage of the money that is paid to agents from the Premiership would go a long way but I doubt that will happen. The obscene amounts paid to players and agents show that the FA pays only lip service to grassroots football
I know Peter from many games between Garforth and Bridlington , he always makes good points , how hard is it to organise that teams play home and away alternate? , this happens in regular seasons also
Gary Marsh perhaps you might like to approach the NCEL committee and volunteer to to become the fixtures secretary as ” it can’t be that hard to organise”