A couple of non league snippets

[SloughFlyer]

Seems a sensible short term resolution to look into the safety, testing and funding for the clubs.

12 NLN teams signed a combined letter saying they wanted option 3 as well as the teams from our league. 

I think on the expulsion topic, I 1 or 2 teams refuse to play maybe that would be a deterant, BUT, if 60-70% of the teams are together, what can the league do. They aren't going to get rid of 24 out of 40 teams now are they!!!!!!

[Irishadrian]

A sensible short term move to allow some unpressurised thinking  This was tweeted a few hours ago by Ant Smith the Concord chairman who said the main object now is for the NL to engage with DCMS and present the views of all the clubs with a view to getting grants restored.

[Kaiser Gibbs Batman (KGB)]

Probably following too much of this story on social media but one of the minor "delights" of doing so is seeing clubs that look as if they are bankrolled to the hilt being described as "community clubs". The clubs that really appear to have been hit hardest by the response to this pandemic are those that are genuinely trying to operate in a sustainable fashion. 

[Irishadrian]

I do think that with the emphasis heavily on finance  the rapidly changing situation re Covid 19 is being overlooked   The new variant is many times more transmittable than the original placing officials and players at much greater risk I'm in favour of a much longer suspension I did put one of the touted suggestions on the forum a few weeks ago  This was: Suspend the league now  Restart(if safe) when the 21/22 season would have started in Aug   and complete the season during the 21/22 timescale   void the 21/22 season and start the 22/23 season as normal  Does anyone else think this viable? 

[SloughFlyer]

Adrian - that's probably a viable option but possibly a bit too "complicated" as there would blank weekends for clubs etc as well as the FA competitions to factor in as well.

If it was me, I void everything this season and be ready so start again pre-season from 1st July when hopefully the world will look a far better, happier place.

[Reading Rebel]

Isn't it all to do with the money the NL get through sponsorship and from other areas the main reason why they will do their damnedest not to end the season early?

[Reading Rebel]

44 minutes ago, Irishadrian said:

I do think that with the emphasis heavily on finance  the rapidly changing situation re Covid 19 is being overlooked   The new variant is many times more transmittable than the original placing officials and players at much greater risk I'm in favour of a much longer suspension I did put one of the touted suggestions on the forum a few weeks ago  This was: Suspend the league now  Restart(if safe) when the 21/22 season would have started in Aug   and complete the season during the 21/22 timescale   void the 21/22 season and start the 22/23 season as normal  Does anyone else think this viable? 

Void a whole season? It'll never happen Adrian, too much money involved.

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, SloughFlyer said:

Seems a sensible short term resolution to look into the safety, testing and funding for the clubs.

12 NLN teams signed a combined letter saying they wanted option 3 as well as the teams from our league. 

I think on the expulsion topic, I 1 or 2 teams refuse to play maybe that would be a deterant, BUT, if 60-70% of the teams are together, what can the league do. They aren't going to get rid of 24 out of 40 teams now are they!!!!!!

Exactly. If the threat of expulsion was there it was because it would seem that we were virtually alone with refusing to play tomorrow.

The bottom line is clubs putting pressure on the NL has worked so lets hope they get the funding for playing and testing sorted in the next two weeks otherwise we'll be back to square one.  

[Irishadrian]

22 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

Void a whole season? It'll never happen Adrian, too much money involved.

But their isnt any voided time football is still being  played in the months the 21/22 season would have played out

[Reading Rebel]

27 minutes ago, Irishadrian said:

But their isnt any voided time football is still being  played in the months the 21/22 season would have played out

Sponsors/advertisers pay from the start of the season to the end of one.

However you look at it a whole seasons sponsorship/advertising will be lost. 

[Irishadrian]

Interesting match at Kettering last night  FA Trophy game  Kettering 0 Leamington 3  Game kicked off 745  final whistle 1122 as the referee allowed local electricians  time to fix floodlights  A game with two warm ups  Kettering were down to 8 towards the end due to some reckless tackles going in!

[Radders]

That was on Tuesday night. Kettering captain was the first one sent off after pushing the ref.

[Shredding Green]

37 minutes ago, Irishadrian said:

Interesting match at Kettering last night  FA Trophy game  Kettering 0 Leamington 3  Game kicked off 7.45  final whistle 11.22 as the referee allowed local electricians time to fix floodlights.  A game with two warm ups.  Kettering were down to 8 towards the end due to some reckless tackles going in!

It wasn't at Kettering IA, it was at Leamington, the tie having been switched after the Latimer Park pitch became waterlogged. 

[Bernie Gogan]

1 hour ago, Reading Rebel said:

Sponsors/advertisers pay from the start of the season to the end of one.

However you look at it a whole seasons sponsorship/advertising will be lost. 

This is why the league won't want to entirely void the season, don't forget they are contractually bound to BT for live games. It doesn't affect NLS or NLN because they never broadcast our games, even those in the play-offs. We're not even included in any highlights package.

Admittedly there's the matter of our own club sponsors, who will indeed lose the value of their investment, but at least we can negotiate/renegotiate on our own terms, not at the behest of the NL.

 

[Irishadrian]

Ollie Bayliss has tweeted in the last hour a message he received from DCMS in which they once again say they never promised grants in the second phase of help they say theyve invited any club to present proof and none has however they do say that clubs who claim they cant afford to pay for a loan can apply for a grant which will be considered subject to usual criteria.

[Irishadrian]

1 hour ago, Radders said:

That was on Tuesday night. Kettering captain was the first one sent off after pushing the ref.

Yes he went off very early on The bad tackles in the 80th and 87th minute

[Reading Rebel]

Regardless of whether the DCMS did or didn't promise grants it doesn't make sense not to continue to fund NL clubs for at least the next 3 months.

Marc White at Dorking is making the point that if the season was scrapped the 11 million already received from the National lottery would be wasted and it would cost the tax payer more money in Furlough claims than what is required with the grant money. 

  

 

[Neil Baker]

Have to say there is absolutely no proof to furlough costing more,  (for example nobody knows other than the individual clubs who is furloughed and the costs, same as nobody knows each other’s budgets) like anything these days someone says something on social media and everyone latches onto it as fact.

I am sure that the DCMS are aware of the figures etc.

My guess is they are well aware true safety protocols (in terms of testing) are not taking place at the levels, and they would be quite happy to see it stop.

The money you are talking about is not even a drop in the ocean, however IMO they will not want to be offering favourable terms to football clubs who have already had substantial grants, ahead of other sports.

Everyone hoped fans would be back, they are not, and won’t be for some time still (not fact but highly likely), our level of football was never going to survive without paying spectators.

I think the NL chanced their arm, and may will be burnt.

As we have stated for a long time and since the pandemic took a turn for the worst Nov/Dec, we should not be playing, the finance issue is the final nail in the coffin, luckily we were the only side to come out nationally with a statement to that effect in respect of the safety side of things.

[Irishadrian]

Yes Neil the DCMS latest statement makes it clear that football will get no preference over any other sport when being considered for Grant's.

[RebelVilla]

It will be hard to justify the season restarting in two weeks time unless there is a dramatic reduction in the number of people infected and the number of people in hospital has also reduced.