Restart

[AlanCamelonfan]

13 hours ago, cmontheloknow said:

Professional football is only back because of government dispensation. Footballers elsewhere in the world are living in sporting bubbles. It was understood that Scottish players were to do likewise but it does not appear to be the case. And what they are doing down south, well who knows? It's the last place I'd look to follow!

Football means close contact with others which is why there is so much tension about the relaxing of rules. The return to training programme for non top flight even now means small groups and no physical contact, not even picking up the ball or heading it.

Unless it is safe for the players to play, supporters getting in are miles away.

And if players break their sporting bubble to go to a busy bar (bordering on nightclub apparently?) that had no social distancing, they risk spreading it to their teammates who then go to a game and spread it to their opponents and on it goes.

And yes it raises a big issue about whether or not part-timers can play without this causing a resurgence. Lee the sparkie / centre half or whoever cannot stay on the couch inbetween training sessions as our full-time players are supposed to be doing as he has to work. As Neil Lennon put it 'train home train home play' or words to that effect.

Part-time football is fantasy right now for all manner of reasons. Most non-league grounds up here are dangerous crapholes for one reason or another. I was at one with actual plumbing a year or two ago but the floor was wet (with water rather than pish!) and I slipped, cartoon style. There was no light on so it was hard to see. I was a fit enough 40 year old then and only wounded pride - but an old boy would have broken something. I would be staggered if we can make these places 'legally watertight safe' over a few months.

The same could be said for me going to work but the shops been open all the time so sometimes we just have to get on with it. We cant stay at home forever

[Arthurlie1981]

The same could be said for me going to work but the shops been open all the time so sometimes we just have to get on with it. We cant stay at home forever

I want the football back as son as possible but there are a lot of big hurdles to overcome before that happens. We need to get back to normal but our level of football is way down the list. We still don’t have fully reinstated waste collection services and still significant disruption in other more critical areas of society.

[Crazy Feet]

17 hours ago, Tutankhamen said:

Would the over 50s turn up to watch?

Probably not as the media have brainwashed them into being scared to leave their living rooms. The average age of death for Covid is over 80 years old, something like 90% of deaths are in over 65s. 

An outside environment is the safest place to actually avoid contracting Covid as long as people maintain social distance measures and act sensibly. 

I said months ago on here I don't see how the semi pro game could get back with current lockdown restrictions as so many clubs depend on their matchday revenue and revenue from the social clubs. Still struggling to see a way around that along with the issues of players sharing dressing rooms etc.

The amateur game probably has more chance of getting up and running given they don't rely on finance and they could just turn up to matches ready to play and go home after it.

[AlanCamelonfan]

5 hours ago, Arthurlie1981 said:

 

I want the football back as son as possible but there are a lot of big hurdles to overcome before that happens. We need to get back to normal but our level of football is way down the list. We still don’t have fully reinstated waste collection services and still significant disruption in other more critical areas of society.

 

We have full waste collection here. Maybe there is where u r. Through here other than the gyms and that if folk behaved and did what they were asked wed get the fitba back 

[Arthurlie1981]

We have full waste collection here. Maybe there is where u r. Through here other than the gyms and that if folk behaved and did what they were asked wed get the fitba back 

There are big areas of Scotland where full waste services are not back and the there are plenty of other things that need to open back up before we can look at the football at lower league levels.

I do agree that if everyone behaved we would move faster but the reality is we are a long way off getting fans back into games and if you can’t have fans back in games at our level what is the point in starting.

[andy25]

How do you know for certain we are a long way from fans getting back into games?

There are big areas of Scotland where full waste services are not back and the there are plenty of other things that need to open back up before we can look at the football at lower league levels.

I do agree that if everyone behaved we would move faster but the reality is we are a long way off getting fans back into games and if you can’t have fans back in games at our level what is the point in starting.

[Arthurlie1981]

How do you know for certain we are a long way from fans getting back into games?

I don’t know. Giving my opinion. But I do think at this level we are quite a bit off. I really do hope I am wrong because I want to get back to a game but I just see too many hurdles for clubs at this level to jump through to be able to safely reopen.

[glensmad]

The indicative date from the Scottish Government for the re-opening of stadia with limited attendances is currently 14th September, and that hasn't changed for a couple of weeks now.

 

People can give their opinions however they want, and other governing bodies can send out whatever advice they want, but the WoSFL are working to the Scottish Government and SFA guidelines, and they are the only ones who really matter.

 

 

[Andy groundhopper]

I was hoping that the idiots who go to the pubs are just desperate alcoholics - whilst the genuine non league supporter can possibly behave and stick to the guidelines - but sadly the majority have to be patient because of the idiots, and that pushes government into decision-making coz of their selfishness. I predict an October restart with limited crowds of say 250-300 with tickets bought in advance.

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 hours ago, Andy groundhopper said:

I was hoping that the idiots who go to the pubs are just desperate alcoholics - whilst the genuine non league supporter can possibly behave and stick to the guidelines - but sadly the majority have to be patient because of the idiots, and that pushes government into decision-making coz of their selfishness. I predict an October restart with limited crowds of say 250-300 with tickets bought in advance.

Idiots who go to the pub? Do you realise how a lot of non league clubs subsidise the gate money? That attitude is as bad "ahm no wearin' a mask!"

[Junior Pub League]

If, and its a big IF, fans are allowed back before 2021 it will most likely be home season ticket holders only. That allows clubs to know how many people will be in the ground and allow for appropriate social distancing. Even that though may mean some fans wont be allowed to purchase season tickets owing to capacity being met.

It'll be a lot easier for say Kilsyth to get fans in than it will for the likes of Cumbernauld.

 

Edited August 10, 2020 by Junior Pub League

[LeeKRR1878]

If, and its a big IF, fans are allowed back before 2021 it will most likely be home season ticket holders only. That allows clubs to know how many people will be in the ground and allow for appropriate social distancing. Even that though may mean some fans wont be allowed to purchase season tickets owing to capacity being met.
It'll be a lot easier for say Kilsyth to get fans in than it will for the likes of Cumbernauld.
 

Are you meaning the space from the turnstiles to the terraces being tighter that would make Guy's Meadow harder than Duncansfield?

[Junior Pub League]

Overall terracing space.

NLS makes it looks like Kilsyth have 3 sides available whilst Cumbernauld has 1.

[Stag Nation]

23 hours ago, Arthurlie1981 said:

 

I don’t know. Giving my opinion. But I do think at this level we are quite a bit off. I really do hope I am wrong because I want to get back to a game but I just see too many hurdles for clubs at this level to jump through to be able to safely reopen.

They'll never get there if they jump through the hurdles ...

[LeeKRR1878]

Overall terracing space.
NLS makes it looks like Kilsyth have 3 sides available whilst Cumbernauld has 1.

Most of the stand at Duncansfield is closed with only the middle section being in use so I'd suspect they'd close that off so people aren't all trying to cram in. But yeah it's a more spacious ground so would be easier

[Hillonearth]

I imagine attendances will be capped pro rata of how many people can be allowed safely in. Grounds with hard standing or ones with only two or three sides in use will of necessity have lower capped capacity than ones with extensive terracing with all four sides in use....as an example, Newlandsfield with big terraces ond all four sides in use would be capped higher than say New Western Park. The nature of the newer more compact grounds will mean less people will be able to safely watch than they will be in some of the older ones.

[cmontheloknow]

14 minutes ago, Hillonearth said:

I imagine attendances will be capped pro rata of how many people can be allowed safely in. Grounds with hard standing or ones with only two or three sides in use will of necessity have lower capped capacity than ones with extensive terracing with all four sides in use....as an example, Newlandsfield with big terraces ond all four sides in use would be capped higher than say New Western Park. The nature of the newer more compact grounds will mean less people will be able to safely watch than they will be in some of the older ones.

Would also have thought facilities would come into it too. Sinks, plumbed toilets etc... Numbers could tumble quite quickly!

Edited August 10, 2020 by cmontheloknow

[Andy groundhopper]

22 hours ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Idiots who go to the pub? Do you realise how a lot of non league clubs subsidise the gate money? That attitude is as bad "ahm no wearin' a mask!"

Idiots in the crowded pub v genuine fans in a clubhouse, hopefully they're totally different types of people. Realise that bar takings are massive for every club, just think that us fans are  more sensible than the Friday nite mob in town centres. 

[peasy23]

On the changing room issue, golf clubs were allowed to resume play on 29th May, and despite clubhouse bars being allowed to open last month, locker rooms are still closed with no clear idea of when we will be allowed to use them again. In the case of most clubs there are rarely more than a handful of guys in the locker room at any given time, and it's usually just for a quick change of shoes and lift your golf bag out your locker. I don't see any way that football ground changing rooms will be getting used any time soon either. Not a completely unsolvable problem, as the GCC facilities that are open are functioning without changing facilities with players turning up ready to play.

Social distancing for most clubs inside the ground with normal crowds won't be a problem, but the biggest pinch points will be things like toilets and pie stalls.

The elephant in the room though is that the only reason the SPFL will be up and running is down to players bring tested, thanks to a hefty donation from outwith the game. I would doubt any club at our level would be willing to pay a grand a week for testing.

Any indicative date for crowds in grounds sadly has little bearing on when we might start, and given the fact that the government has pushed back almost every date anyway, I wouldn't be all that confident of even limited crowds being let in in September. If there are limited crowds, that would be a huge problem for club's income at our level, no crowds at all then I can't see how we could restart.

[glensmad]

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/lowland-league-wosl-clubs-given-22501190.amp#click=https://t.co/nqvachVrAU