Part time clubs starting to question their football continuing

***Monts*** · 08-01-2021 04:26 PM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/55525110

Dalbeattie Star, whose manager, Ritchie Maxwell, works in the NHS, said in a statement: "We are classed as elite professional players, but no provision is available for Covid testing at our level.

"We do, however, query the professional status as we are a part-time club and all players have other careers out with football.

"Like all clubs in the league, we would love to be able to be able to complete this season in a timely manner, but the safety of our committee, management team, players and of course the people of our local community is of more concern than football."

**hibbysam** · 08-01-2021 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by bernz

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/55525110

Dalbeattie Star, whose manager, Ritchie Maxwell, works in the NHS, said in a statement: "We are classed as elite professional players, but no provision is available for Covid testing at our level.

"We do, however, query the professional status as we are a part-time club and all players have other careers out with football.

"Like all clubs in the league, we would love to be able to be able to complete this season in a timely manner, but the safety of our committee, management team, players and of course the people of our local community is of more concern than football."

Not really surprising. Most non league and lower league boys have jobs, and if a case comes out of their game the whole team have to isolate for two weeks. It really isn’t worth the risk. Would imagine the majority of non league and lower leagues will take a break for a number of weeks. EOS teams have already been told no friendlies when games are called off.

***BILLYHIBS*** · 08-01-2021 04:36 PM

Are Hearts staying doon then?

Budgie won’t be happy

***JohnMcM*** · 08-01-2021 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by BILLYHIBS

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Are Hearts staying doon then?

Budgie won’t be happy

You have to say that would be really rotten luck this time.

Funny as f@@k though😂

**Onceinawhile** · 08-01-2021 04:56 PM

Surely the lower leagues can stretch in to the summer a bit? Can't be many teams who will have players away on international duty.

**Waxy** · 08-01-2021 05:26 PM

Best thing to do is scrap the season now and restart from the beginning again as normal.
The League cup semis and final would be a great restart for Scotish football in July.

**B.H.F.C** · 08-01-2021 05:33 PM

They’ll all be stopping soon. South of Scotland and East and North junior regions have already suspended. Lowland League are meeting on Monday. When they stop EOS will follow I’d think.

***Lancs Harp*** · 08-01-2021 05:40 PM

Northern premier, Southern premier and Isthmian leagues (thats tier 7 just below conference north and south) in England are meeting to discuss calling the season off, not just suspending it but calling it null and void.

***Eyrie*** · 08-01-2021 06:01 PM

I was surprised to read just how far down the pyramid that leagues were still playing.

Agree that it makes sense for them to stop, either permanently or temporarily (which could end up being permanent).

**Andy74** · 08-01-2021 06:02 PM

Null and void everything below the top league. The right thing to do all round.

***superfurryhibby*** · 08-01-2021 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by Waxy

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Best thing to do is scrap the season now and restart from the beginning again as normal.
The League cup semis and final would be a great restart for Scotish football in July.

There will be no clubs left to play of we did that.

**HoboHarry** · 08-01-2021 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by BILLYHIBS

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Are Hearts staying doon then?

Budgie won’t be happy

I will be. In fact I'm not sure how I'll be able to stop laughing.....

**Greenbeard** · 08-01-2021 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by bernz

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/55525110

Dalbeattie Star, whose manager, Ritchie Maxwell, works in the NHS, said in a statement: "We are classed as elite professional players, but no provision is available for Covid testing at our level.

"We do, however, query the professional status as we are a part-time club and all players have other careers out with football.

"Like all clubs in the league, we would love to be able to be able to complete this season in a timely manner, but the safety of our committee, management team, players and of course the people of our local community is of more concern than football."

Vale of Leithen chairman has responded by declaring Covid fake news and calling on the club's supporters to storm the SFA offices. But all three of them are self isolating and not available for another nine days.

**where'stheslope** · 08-01-2021 06:30 PM

All 4 top league teams were asked to verify if they could complete this season before it started.
No one knew we would be in this lockdown again back then, and worse than ever!
Now a lot of the lower league teams are feeling the pressure with little or no money coming in, and no end in sight!
With teams falling foul of covid and games being called off, then replayed, I can see this season carrying on until finished, maybe around late August, then another curtailed season next year!!!

**~~EI255~~** · 08-01-2021 06:41 PM

It's utterly appalling that football is allowed to continue, yet it is impossible for more than one household to share a limo at a funeral. I'm sorry, but fitba can do one!

The very fact clubs are asking to stop, not the footballing bodies, tells you everything.

What gives football the right?

Cluckin shocking.

**Del Boy** · 08-01-2021 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Andy74

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Null and void everything below the top league. The right thing to do all round.

It is actually the most sensible thing to do.

***bingo70*** · 08-01-2021 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by EI255

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It's utterly appalling that football is allowed to continue, yet it is impossible for more than one household to share a limo at a funeral. I'm sorry, but fitba can do one!

The very fact clubs are asking to stop, not the footballing bodies, tells you everything.

What gives football the right?

Cluckin shocking.

Football games are pretty risk free (in comparison to other day to day activities) though as there’s so much testing going on.

For that reason I don’t think the comparison you’ve made is fair.

**B.H.F.C** · 08-01-2021 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by EI255

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It's utterly appalling that football is allowed to continue, yet it is impossible for more than one household to share a limo at a funeral. I'm sorry, but fitba can do one!

The very fact clubs are asking to stop, not the footballing bodies, tells you everything.

What gives football the right?

Cluckin shocking.

What clubs, of those at elite levels with testing etc in place, are asking to stop?

Steve Bruce and Sam Allardyce have spoken about it. Suppose it’s just a coincidence when they’re both under pressure sitting 15th and 19th in the table.

**~~Iggy Pope~~** · 08-01-2021 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by B.H.F.C

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What clubs, of those at elite levels with testing etc in place, are asking to stop?

Steve Bruce and Sam Allardyce have spoken about it. Suppose it’s just a coincidence when they’re both under pressure sitting 15th and 19th in the table.

Allardyce was in the job 10 minutes before calling for a shutdown due to his age and health risk. Erse.

***penihibs*** · 08-01-2021 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Iggy Pope

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Allardyce was in the job 10 minutes before calling for a shutdown due to his age and health risk. Erse.

Yeh thought the same,can't be short of cash why take a job if your that worried.
Dodgy sod.

***Itsnoteasy*** · 08-01-2021 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by EI255

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It's utterly appalling that football is allowed to continue, yet it is impossible for more than one household to share a limo at a funeral. I'm sorry, but fitba can do one!

The very fact clubs are asking to stop, not the footballing bodies, tells you everything.

What gives football the right?

Cluckin shocking.

Totally agree with you.

Never could understand why fitbaw was given specialist treatment over other sports.

**hibsbollah** · 08-01-2021 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by bingo70

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Football games are pretty risk free (in comparison to other day to day activities) though as there’s so much testing going on.

For that reason I don’t think the comparison you’ve made is fair.

What evidence do you have that games of football are’risk free’? With the situation worsening daily, continuing football at these lower levels just compounds the risk.

**kaimendhibs** · 08-01-2021 08:48 PM

Lockdown is bad enough without football on the telly. What I do think is if players are deliberately caught flouting the rules they should be suspended for the season on the uk living wage. If its clubs, automatically drop to bottom of the league with zero points.

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**hibbysam** · 08-01-2021 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by gorgiegreens

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Totally agree with you.

Never could understand why fitbaw was given specialist treatment over other sports.

Football isn’t. All professional sports are continuing, hence why Edinburgh and Glasgow played at Rugby tonight.

**GreenCastle** · 08-01-2021 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by hibbysam

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Football isn’t. All professional sports are continuing, hence why Edinburgh and Glasgow played at Rugby tonight.

Lowland league and EOS aren’t professional. They have student teams in them too!

Add in the Women’s leagues which are still playing and all the travelling.

It’s absolute madness all these leagues are considered professional when they really aren’t - add in the travel around Scotland..not even playing local games and training too.

Personally would stop all leagues below Premier league where they are testing x2 a week - even then it’s had its issues and can see it getting worse in next few weeks after Xmas gatherings etc.

**Since452** · 08-01-2021 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by BILLYHIBS

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Are Hearts staying doon then?

Budgie won’t be happy

Null and void the only sensible option

**hibbysam** · 08-01-2021 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by GreenCastle

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Lowland league and EOS aren’t professional. They have student teams in them too!

Add in the Women’s leagues which are still playing and all the travelling.

It’s absolute madness all these leagues are considered professional when they really aren’t - add in the travel around Scotland..not even playing local games and training too.

Personally would stop all leagues below Premier league where they are testing x2 a week - even then it’s had its issues and can see it getting worse in next few weeks after Xmas gatherings etc.

I fully agree with you, but the point was that only football is continuing when it really isn’t. The argument is that players are signed on professional contracts, but even the players don’t want to play just now. For me, as it stands, any team/league/industry/workplace that isn’t routinely testing their staff should be closed.

***Eyrie*** · 08-01-2021 10:01 PM

Having thought further about it, professional sport should be suspended unless both teams have been tested during the week before the game.

That effectively limits it to the Premiership and Edinburgh/Glasgow rugby, but it's necessary given the seriousness of the current health emergency.

If we get to a stage where professional sport can resume, then the lower leagues should only be considered complete if every team has played every other team home and away once (ie 22 games) and the third round of fixtures that was originally planned should be scrapped to ensure that this can be achieved. If that doesn't happen by 31 May, when player contracts finish, then null and void those leagues. Make it clear up front what is being done and how it will be resolved.