Testing Times Ahead

Friday saw a series of announcements regarding the football schedule in the UK with the Premier League and EFL delaying their respective seasons and a blanket ban on all matches played under the auspices of the Scottish FA.

There was an initial flurry of thought that the postponement of top-level fixtures in England may bring a temporary boost to the non-league game in the shape of some increased attention and numbers through the turnstiles but as the day progressed a number of leagues in the pyramid followed the lead of those above and cancelled their fixtures (the decisions on what happened outside of the Premier League, EFL and FA Women's Super League and Championship being left to the leagues themselves which put many in a difficult position.)

These latest developments come on top of what has been a hugely testing season for many clubs at non-league level with the weather in particular having caused a large number of postponements in addition to storm and water damage.

Clubs have issued pleas for help, financially and otherwise, and another sustained period of inactivity could be a tipping point for many, insignificant of course when set against potential loss of life but significant in its own way in their role as community hubs and a social lifeline for so many.

Much of the talk at the top has been when, or even if, the season will finish and of course that matters lower down as players, coaches, staff and volunteers have worked hard all year to win titles, promotion and cup glory.

But the continuing existence of these clubs is what matters more than anything and I've seen a number of articles, posts and tweets this season that talk about the increasing administrative burden that is being placed on people who are largely giving up their spare time for free to keep the game going up and down the land.

Something has to change and yet the FA's decision not to take a lead on non-league football and try to offer some kind of reassurance that it has the interests of these clubs at its heart seems in keeping, somehow, with the tone of the era that we live in.