Highland League

[theonlywayisup]

Reading the Hearts thread, it made me think about how some of the other lower leagues will struggle if there's a second Covid-19 wave. I realised that I've not heard much about the Highland League and their plans to restart competitive football.

Popping onto the Highland League website, it doesn't say anything about upcoming matches.

http://www.highlandfootballleague.com/

Anyone know what's being planned?

[marinello59]

A 16 game season starting next month.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.p...21-season/amp/

[marinello59]

I see that’s contingent on fans being allowed in. Hopefully sense prevails and that happens.

[Billy Whizz]

Forgot we play Brora at Easter Rd on Wednesday 7th October in the Betfred Cup

[Juniper Greens]

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I see that’s contingent on fans being allowed in. Hopefully sense prevails and that happens.

Is that "sense prevailing"? Not sure I agree

[Coach Jon]

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Forgot we play Brora at Easter Rd on Wednesday 7th October in the Betfred Cup

Are the Season Ticket holders able to watch this one on TV.

[Sir David Gray]

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Are the Season Ticket holders able to watch this one on TV.

Clubs will be able to sell group games on a PPV basis as long as it's not on Premier Sports.

Your league pass won't be valid though.

[marinello59]

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Is that "sense prevailing"? Not sure I agree

Given the size of crowds that attend Highland League fixtures these days it shouldn’t be too difficult to socially distance at their grounds. Without any income some clubs are going to really struggle.

[Billy Whizz]

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Are the Season Ticket holders able to watch this one on TV.

I’m hoping so, but presume we’ll have to pay for it

[hibbysam]

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Given the size of crowds that attend Highland League fixtures these days it shouldn’t be too difficult to socially distance at their grounds. Without any income some clubs are going to really struggle.

Exactly, majority of highland, lowland and EOS league clubs have majority terracing/standing areas. Let fans in and make it the clubs responsibility to have committee men going round and ensuring it is adhered to. Absolutely no reason not to.

[Billy Whizz]

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Clubs will be able to sell group games on a PPV basis as long as it's not on Premier Sports.

Your league pass won't be valid though.

Think we have 2 games in the group stage on TV, away to Cove, and home to Dundee. This just leaves the Forfar away and Brora home games for fans to buy

[Juniper Greens]

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Given the size of crowds that attend Highland League fixtures these days it shouldn’t be too difficult to socially distance at their grounds. Without any income some clubs are going to really struggle.

It's not just spacing out in the ground that's important. How do you enter, how does that queue work? How do you pay? Will Huntley really accept contactless? How will the toilets work? How many stewards will be required to ensure distancing is observed. There is a lot to consider that needs to be thought through.

FWIW, I think the "common sense approach" might actually be to mothball these leagues until next season. I would include leagues 1 and 2 in that for sure and possibly even the championship

[hibbysam]

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It's not just spacing out in the ground that's important. How do you enter, how does that queue work? How do you pay? Will Huntley really accept contactless? How will the toilets work? How many stewards will be required to ensure distancing is observed. There is a lot to consider that needs to be thought through.

FWIW, I think the "common sense approach" might actually be to mothball these leagues until next season. I would include leagues 1 and 2 in that for sure and possibly even the championship

How many stewards are in shops and pubs to ensure social distancing is observed? None. Individuals can self police and committee members of the clubs can police it themselves. Why would you need to use contactless? Cash is still a legal tender and everyone should have the option to pay cash. Toilets work the same as they are now, one in one out, again very simple and self policed. Finally entrance again, the same as is now with social distancing in a queue. It’s genuinely not difficult.

Mothballing until next year will see many clubs out the box, simple as that. There’s no need to when there’s a safe alternative.

[Sir David Gray]

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Think we have 2 games in the group stage on TV, away to Cove, and home to Dundee. This just leaves the Forfar away and Brora home games for fans to buy

That's correct.

Obviously the home game v Brora should be easy enough to organise since it's us who will set it up. I'm not sure about Forfar away.

[Juniper Greens]

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How many stewards are in shops and pubs to ensure social distancing is observed? None. Individuals can self police and committee members of the clubs can police it themselves. Why would you need to use contactless? Cash is still a legal tender and everyone should have the option to pay cash. Toilets work the same as they are now, one in one out, again very simple and self policed. Finally entrance again, the same as is now with social distancing in a queue. It’s genuinely not difficult.

Mothballing until next year will see many clubs out the box, simple as that. There’s no need to when there’s a safe alternative.

Shops have been monitoring entry and exit. Different arguement as not everyone is pushing to get the best view of the sausages and bacon at key moments

You're right, cash is still legal tender, however if you work on a turnstile and have to touch coins that 200 other people have passed you, you wouldn't be happy. Why take the risks?

I think there are a number of risks involved in opening up these clubs and it remains to be seen if SG thinks it's worth taking those risks. If I was first minister, I wouldnt be opening them up

[hibbysam]

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Shops have been monitoring entry and exit. Different arguement as not everyone is pushing to get the best view of the sausages and bacon at key moments

You're right, cash is still legal tender, however if you work on a turnstile and have to touch coins that 200 other people have passed you, you wouldn't be happy. Why take the risks?

I think there are a number of risks involved in opening up these clubs and it remains to be seen if SG thinks it's worth taking those risks. If I was first minister, I wouldnt be opening them up

Not sure what shops you’ve been in recently but absolutely none stop people entering. There is more chance of folk squeezing in to pick up food off the shelf than there is ‘trying to get the best view’ in a wide open stadium.

The person on the turnstile can easily wear gloves and other PPE to protect themselves.

Far less risks than those things already open. Better policed than shops also as committee men will take pride in making sure it’s done properly and not be shut down, shop workers certainly aren’t keeping order in Asda or Tesco.

[Juniper Greens]

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Not sure what shops you’ve been in recently but absolutely none stop people entering. There is more chance of folk squeezing in to pick up food off the shelf than there is ‘trying to get the best view’ in a wide open stadium.

The person on the turnstile can easily wear gloves and other PPE to protect themselves.

Far less risks than those things already open. Better policed than shops also as committee men will take pride in making sure it’s done properly and not be shut down, shop workers certainly aren’t keeping order in Asda or Tesco.

Sounds like we have to agree to disagree, as my local shops have still been queuing people at the door. I've also not experienced anyone squeezing past me for anything.
Football isn't essential and unfortunately (or fortunately) not many people rely on non league teams for their living, I don't think it'll open up as they won't risk it

[Danderhall Hibs]

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Clubs will be able to sell group games on a PPV basis as long as it's not on Premier Sports.

Your league pass won't be valid though.

Surely they could chuck a couple of cup games in considering what we’re paying to watch on the telly?

[hibbysam]

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Sounds like we have to agree to disagree, as my local shops have still been queuing people at the door. I've also not experienced anyone squeezing past me for anything.
Football isn't essential and unfortunately (or fortunately) not many people rely on non league teams for their living, I don't think it'll open up as they won't risk it

Football isn’t essential, although neither is gym’s, pubs, restaraunts, takeaways, cinema’s, the list goes on, including a whole load of convenience stores, furniture/clothes/toy shops etc. Yet all of them (which are far harder to social distance and to police) get to open, yet a very simple non league football which is at the heart of local communities and where the mental health of the players that play is at stake, isn’t allowed 50/100 fans at most games, 2/300 max at a few others. They’ll risk the boys on the field playing but won’t allow a few fans to watch from a distance.

Fair play to your local shops, as I’ve been in probably 50+ shops in the last 2 months and not one has had anyone on the door other than a security guard that’s not policing numbers, and every big supermarket I’ve been in has had people weaving in and out like they always did.

[calumhibee1]

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Sounds like we have to agree to disagree, as my local shops have still been queuing people at the door. I've also not experienced anyone squeezing past me for anything.
Football isn't essential and unfortunately (or fortunately) not many people rely on non league teams for their living, I don't think it'll open up as they won't risk it

Yup, all the shops round me are still operating queues if need be. I’d agree with you, these leagues shouldn’t be opening up the grounds to fans.

[King Cosell]

Brora Rangers finished the season W-24 D-0 L-2 GF-96 GA-14. Glad it's not away game on a ropy pitch.

[AltheHibby]

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Yup, all the shops round me are still operating queues if need be. I’d agree with you, these leagues shouldn’t be opening up the grounds to fans.

Andover play in the Wessex league (below the Southern League; which is below the Conference South). They had 113 at Saturday's game, and if you look at their COVID-19 link you will see how they are operating. I would imagine that the Highland League and others at that level could operate in a similar fashion.

https://www.andovertownfc.co.uk/

[Juniper Greens]

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Andover play in the Wessex league (below the Southern League; which is below the Conference South). They had 113 at Saturday's game, and if you look at their COVID-19 link you will see how they are operating. I would imagine that the Highland League and others at that level could operate in a similar fashion.

https://www.andovertownfc.co.uk/

And yet as of today, no crowds are allowed in England again. I think crowds and encouraging people back to the office has been a failed experiment down there. No way the lower leagues can operate.

I suspect hearts know this, which is why they are acting "like a premiership club" and testing players twice a week. It would not surprise me at all if they try to claim their league by default

[Pilrig_Sauzee]

As a Brora supporting Hibs fan, this is a terribly inconvenient time for a pandemic.

[calumhibee1]

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And yet as of today, no crowds are allowed in England again. I think crowds and encouraging people back to the office has been a failed experiment down there. No way the lower leagues can operate.

I suspect hearts know this, which is why they are acting "like a premiership club" and testing players twice a week. It would not surprise me at all if they try to claim their league by default

They’ll be slapped right back down again if they try that. Winning the league by taking the most covid tests. Only hearts would even consider it.

[LancashireHibby]

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And yet as of today, no crowds are allowed in England again. I think crowds and encouraging people back to the office has been a failed experiment down there. No way the lower leagues can operate.

I suspect hearts know this, which is why they are acting "like a premiership club" and testing players twice a week. It would not surprise me at all if they try to claim their league by default

Crowds are only banned from ‘elite’ sport which in football is considered to be Conference North upwards. I follow Atherton Collieries in the Northern Premier League and we’re allowed up to 600 (ground holds about 2,500). Had a couple of friendlies and then the first league game last Saturday had a crowd of 405. Cash on the turnstile but a one way system around the ground and in the clubhouse and the crowd has been relatively sensible in spreading out around the ground etc. I know first hand how much work was going on at pro clubs for the test events and there were so many hoops that they’d honestly be one of the safest spaces in the country. Shame all of that work has gone to waste for the foreseeable.

[theonlywayisup]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54334336p

Highland League start delayed by at least six weeks.

[jacomo]

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Not sure what shops you’ve been in recently but absolutely none stop people entering. There is more chance of folk squeezing in to pick up food off the shelf than there is ‘trying to get the best view’ in a wide open stadium.

The person on the turnstile can easily wear gloves and other PPE to protect themselves.

Far less risks than those things already open. Better policed than shops also as committee men will take pride in making sure it’s done properly and not be shut down, shop workers certainly aren’t keeping order in Asda or Tesco.

I’m minded to agree.

It seems like the big risk of Covid transmission is indoors, so I am struggling to understand why pubs and restaurants can open but football stadia cannot.