Hastings Supporters Forum - 100% Unofficial!

Agreed but there are still issues to think through

one relates to spectators. Can’t see the season being viable behind closed doors although some grassroots football is. At our level there are significant player and other costs for each match that need to be covered.

There are also the practical issues around secondary spend to work through an£ how bars and food outlets will function. Swimming pools require participants to arrive “ beach ready”

tThe last time players arrived ready changed, from my perspective, was at school

The longer the pro game carries on without spectators, the more likely it is to impact semi pro football which largely relies on volunteers to carry out all the match day functions we take for granted.

Semi pro carried on for a couple of weeks after pro football was suspended and that had a big impact further down the leagues where, for those two weekends, you could still see a game. Gates went right up and if that same scenario applies whenever 20-21 eventually starts, then you have to start looking at the social distancing issue with stewarding, crowd control etc. Remember, stewards etc at semi pro step 4 where United play, are to the best of my knowledge, volunteers with basic training in crowd control. And that will now include social distancing.

Another problem is covid 19 testing. How much does a test cost? Assuming a test has to be paid for, how much is it, how often would semi pro clubs have to test their players and if if if they play in front of strictly controlled, reduced crowds - will they be able to afford to test their players?

United were regularly getting 700 plus last season, it was pretty lively at the Cole Warren end. Social distance enforcement would be interesting there. Even more so if displaced pro football fans turn up after their Saturday pm fix.

There are many clubs getting by with attendances of 100 and less at step 4. The daft thing is they would love to have a couple of hundred more turn up while pro football happens in empty stadiums but the issues of covid testing and social distancing etc cannot be avoided along with the inevitable costs.

Just an idea, if the resumption of semi pro football is delayed till the end of the year, say - why not finish off last season by kicking off as we all were back in March? Thus giving clubs the chance to finish their respective seasons properly.

Having said all that, at such a weird and difficult time, it's great to see United being so positive.

I guess the
public Health perspective is that the tunnel is enclosed and less well ventilated whereas the pitch is less risky being better ventilated

JG, I was going on the vastly increased gates at Dorking Wanderers for example. They'd been getting around 600 and when the pro game shut down, they had over 1500 in. But its all a moot point given the talk of pro sport letting people in again in October.

I'm still disappointed there isn't a way to finish last season off properly.

From where did you get this information?

Within the guidelines is the acknowledgement that gatherings of over 30 people cannot yet take place, so if the start of the season is not to be behind closed doors, further work needs to occur around risk assessments, social distancing and other mitigation
I guess it will also depend upon the R rate at the time