Scarborough & District Saturday League clubs canvassed for season conclusions amid Covid uncertainty

The Scarborough Saturday League have canvassed clubs for their opinions on how they feel action could return after the latest national lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Newlands and Itis Itis Rovers in action earlier in the Covid-hit 2020/21 seasonNewlands and Itis Itis Rovers in action earlier in the Covid-hit 2020/21 season
Newlands and Itis Itis Rovers in action earlier in the Covid-hit 2020/21 season

With uncertainty surrounding when the third national lockdown will come to an end, it looks like it will be difficult to complete the 2020/21 campaign.

However, a second season with a null and void conclusion would undoubtedly be damaging to the league.

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Secretary John Orrah said: “Although the decision may ultimately be made by The FA and the North Riding FA, we felt it would be good to get the clubs’ views on things.

“We’ve sent out an online form earlier this week to clubs so they can have their say on how things could be done when we’re allowed to get back up and running again.”

Any decision on a conclusion to the season will likely fall to The Football Association, but long-standing Saturday League secretary Orrah believes the results could be carried over to whenever it is possible start again for the 2021/22 season.

Orrah added: “Obviously this is only my opinion, but I quite like the idea of rolling over these fixtures to next season and continuing where we left off.

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“Two seasons of null and voiding results wouldn’t be ideal and it would make life easier with finances for clubs and signing players on, among other issues.”

League chairman Allan Burnett added: “No decision has been taken yet, we will more than likely wait until the government review of lockdown in the middle of February and then sit down to look at what responses we have had from clubs.

“It’s an awful situation to be in as a league, and we know that no matter what course of action we take, we won’t be able to please everyone.

“I suppose we are left with three options, null and void, wait a bit longer to see what happens and extend the season through to what would have been the end of the 2021/22 season.

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“We wanted to ask the clubs for their opinions to see what they want to do in an ideal world, but a lot of it will depend clearly on when we come out of lockdown.”

A Beckett Football League statement also added: “Once the league have received instructions from the FA as to the future, clubs will be contacted to decide the way forward for the remainder of the season.”

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