Its been a tough period for all administrators in football at all levels and for Denise Richmond the Chair of the Southern Counties Football League is no different.
In an exclusive interview with KSN, the League Chair admitted that it had been a tough couple of weeks, “It’s not something that we’ve had to deal with before!
“When we were trying to make the decision in mid-March, our view was that we should try and play the games if we at all could, which is why we went ahead and played on March 14th when some Leagues had already called their games off, knowing that we had a team in the Semi Final of the Vase and then at least two teams vying for the lead of the League and the promotion spots that came with them so it felt the right thing to do, and I don’t think that we’ve been proven wrong in that to be fair.
“Its that obviously events overtook everything as that following week unfolded and then you have to deal with postponing games; not quite understanding what’s happening; talking with the FA to try and work out what they’re thinking and really even though we’re still part of the National League system, we are still an entity in our own right.
“So, we still have to make our own decisions that once the decision has been made, what do we do about finances; what do we do so that we can support clubs and work it through. It’s really as much as any close season for an administrator – although its quieter that an “normal” close season – its just that there no football to watch to alleviate the admin that we do have to do!”
“I don’t actually think that the FA left the final decision long enough! I think we all agreed on the conference calls that the (step) five/six leagues had that we all were supportive of the decision at our level to end the football season. I think that we did not know what was going to happen and it felt the right decision to make.
“I think that given that we’ve not even technically ended the season yet, to make the decision and have it ratified by the FA Council in that quicker space of time, that feels very fast moving by the FA in normal terms. I feel that they could have left that decision longer! We as a League supported points per game so we felt that the decision should be made.
“I think that if they had delayed making a decision the fact that we are on lockdown for another three weeks that would have been our season over and finished anyway. So I think the decision to end the season was the right one – yes its frustrating and I do sympathise with clubs and players but I think the decision on how to end it, whether it was null and void or points per game, could have been delayed – it didn’t need to be made as quickly as it was I don’t believe and I very much sympathise that the seasons been null and voided – I think that that makes all of our purposes for the past probably nine months null and void too.
“They’ve played games, they’ve competed in Cup games they’ve put themselves in promotion positions.”
“One thing that feels a mockery for me is that there is actually no consistency from the top and higher echelons of football in this country to the lower levels with the Premier League, the EFL and the National League all doing their own thing – trying to work together but all doing their own thing – you’ve got the National League system for Three down to Six which have null and voided their season.
“And then any county level or regional football can make their own decision – they can decide that it will be void or points per game! So, what you haven’t got is a consistent approach to the whole season and it feels like that what makes a mockery of football to me is that inconsistent approach at all levels of football.
“The FA have done what they think is best but whether people agree with them I’m not sure!”
Coronavirus struck dangerously close “to home” when the League’s Vice Chair John Moules was admitted to hospital suffering from the disease. “I think it was then it actually actually hit home,” the Chair admitted. “Knowing someone that had got it and been diagnosed with it, we know people who have been ill but someone who has actually been diagnosed with it and it makes it a serious issue – you cant now just assume its some other virus that’s going to go away and not really effect or hurt anybody whereas someone in the League has been infected, has been in hospital ill from it and thankfully is now out and making a full recovery. So yes, it really does bring it home!”
Whilst the latest suggestions seem to be pointing towards the pro game restarting behind closed doors, Ms Richmond does not believe that idea would work with SCEFL. She said, “I don’t know – in some ways that wouldn’t benefit our clubs.
“They’re not like a pro club who have the TV money that gives them some money that way; from our level of football they depend on gate receipts, the money spent in the bar, any kind of fund raising they do at a game! If they have still got all those costs without the income of any spectators – not speaking on behalf of the league – I personally am not sure it would work for our clubs.
“To me it’s not feasible! There must be some pro clubs when it won’t work either – they will have gate receipts that they need to cover; they’ve got the costs of the stadium and realistically even if you’ve still got players going in and people attending, you’ve still got to have first-aid personnel and others who are fixtures at pro games!”
“I think it’s a concern nationally that some clubs won’t survive. It’s fair to say that we’ve not had any clubs come to us so far and say, “we can’t survive!” we haven’t had a club come to us and say that.
“What we are going to do is to do a survey to clubs to find out as much as we can about their current situation without giving away any confidential information, trying to understand where they’re at and what their current situation is financially; what their issues might be at the start of next season whenever that start might be.
“And the obviously we can put some things in place to think about helping them for next season. There’s always that fear but I don’t know where we might be at that stage as no club has told us that they’re in trouble at this time.”
“I would ask all our supporters not to lose heart. We will work closely with the FA as soon as we get answers to some of the questions that we have put to them and I think it will be better than ever next season.
“I just think that it’s a question of when you start it as we cant plan from it at the moment, so I would hope that we can gain more support from a local football point of view that actually there’s more fun to be had at our level of football. Do not lose heart and do not lose interest!”