Bognor boss lifts lid on FA's daily efforts to get football restarted

Talks are being held daily to try to work out when the grass-roots game can safely resume with fans in attendance.

At the moment the best hope is September – but there is an admission that it could be much later if last weekend’s further easing of lockdown restrictions results in a new rise in the number of coronavirus cases.

The FA is lobbying the government every day to press for football to be allowed to return – but all parties are in agreement it can only happen when it is safe for players, officials and fans.

The Isthmian League board have discussed Saturday, October 3, as a possible date for the league season to start, with some even thinking this ‘likely’.

But Jack Pearce, manager of the Rocks and a long-serving FA councillor, warns it is all still guesswork at present.

He told us: “The first Saturday in October may be when we can start the non-league season – but it could be earlier, or it could be later.

“There’s no definitive date as yet, but if everything goes to plan following the easing of certain lockdown restrictions that came in last weekend, it may be that football can be played with reduced attendances in September.

“Much depends on the easing of the lockdown, and the biggest problem we all have is the uncertainty.

“The higher echelons of the game can start behind closed doors – at our level, we can’t.

“The FA is talking to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on a daily basis trying to get football back safely for players, officials and spectators.

“The safety of all those groups of people is the top priority.” The fact the first weekend of September is due to be an international weekend is likely to affect which leagues start when.

And it is thought all non-league steps will want to start their seasons at the same time, or very close to it.

Bognor general manager Simon Cook has been involved in discussions at Isthmian League level.

In an interview with Rocks programme editor Daniel Storey, Cook was asked when fans could expect the new season to start and said: “We discussed this at our monthly Isthmian League board meeting.

“We still await government permission to reopen, but it is looking increasingly likely that Isthmian League football may commence on Saturday, October 3 – although any spikes or increase in the rates of infection could easily put this in jeopardy.

“We do still need advice from the FA and government on what safety measure we will need to adopt. We cannot estimate what these may cost us at this stage but it is likely that it will be a struggle financially for all clubs at this level.”

The Rocks are due to start proper pre-season training on Monday, August 3, although coach Robbie Blake had been doing fitness work with individual players.

Striker Dan Smith’s move to Eastleigh is set to be completed, though a tribunal will fix the amount of compensation to be paid to the Rocks.