Andy Hessenthaler has been talking about his own experience with COVID-19 and a hope that players, not just his own Dover Athletic players, seriously consider getting both the vaccinations sooner rather than later.

“I’m on the mend now,” Hessenthaler told us. “Weekend before last was tough but the last few days have been better, its not been nice but fortunately for me, I’ve been double jabbed but if I hadn’t, I don’t know where I would be now.

“It’s made me realise what this illness is all about, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody and I’ve only had a mild form of it.”

When news of the postponement of Dover’s first scheduled game with Solihull last weekend was first announced, there were comments made on social media questioning the decision.

“I was angry and frustrated with those people,” the Dover boss admitted.

“It’s a small minority that will go on the websites or on the forums and make comments about Dover. There are people who have died because of COVID – I’ve friends who have lost family, and to see comments like this really did make me angry!

“It’s not about Dover trying to not play a game of football; we reported it to the League and they called it off. We can’t do anymore than we did, all we can do is to focus on getting better and ready for Maidenhead next weekend.”

“We’d been working so well even before pre-season putting together under the circumstances that the Club is working through at the moment, the fine and points deduction, we’ve had to pick carefully on what we’ve been able to bring in.

“I’ve been really pleased with the recruitment in terms of experience and youth, it was going along nicely with some good games under our belt played in front of fans again, which was nice, and then all of a sudden we stop again because COVID comes along to stop us for another week.

“It’s disappointing that we miss the start of the season, but it is what it is and we’ve got another week – well a couple of nights now – before we now start against Maidenhead on the 27th!”

“COVID isn’t going away as there was two other games off on opening day and I think it’ll be around for a while and more games will get called off. Certainly don’t think or hope that it will be as bad as through the last eighteen months but I still think games will be called off.

“I hope that all players get vaccinated, I know some of ours haven’t! That’s one conversation we had at the weekend when I saw them, to try and encourage them all to get double vaccinated.”

“Sadly, I know first-hand that it doesn’t stop you getting COVID but it might just help passing it on.”

“The clubs and the leagues can only encourage players to get jabbed but not make them, the Government can’t even do that! The leagues have asked clubs to speak to the players but will it happen? I don’t think that I can, it’s so difficult to force a player at any club to have the vaccination.”