‘Realistic’ clubs given a choice
ISLAND football is gearing itself for both a return to action in the coming weeks and also cancelling the season quickly.
Guernsey Football League Management has given its member clubs the choice as to how to conclude the season if and when the Football Association allow a resumption and also to possibly break their own rule of no football being played beyond 31 May.
After delegates held an emergency meeting at Blanche Pierre, GFLM fixtures coordinator Keith Mansell issued a questionnaire to clubs along with a raft of scenarios whereby all the leagues and age-group competitions could be completed this season.
GFLM chairman Phil Corbet thanked Mansell for ‘superb work’ and outlined the choices facing clubs.
In a nutshell, those questionnaire options are:
1. Does your club wish the season to be written off as null and void? Yes or no.
If the answer is yes, then there is no need to consider any further options.
2. Does your club support an extension to the season beyond 31 May? Yes or no?
If so, does your club: wish the season to be concluded in full (i.e. all outstanding league and cup fixtures to be completed); or wish the season to be completed in a curtailed manner?
3. If your club believes the season should be concluded by or before 31 May, it will need to be completed in a curtailed manner as it is impossible to complete all outstanding fixtures in the time remaining. That means, does your club: (4 choices)
(a) Wish the season to be completed for leagues only (cups to be considered null and void).
(b) Wish the season to be completed for cups only (leagues to finalised as they stand).
(c) Wish the season to be completed for cups only (leagues to be considered null and void).
(d) Wish the season to be completed for leagues and cups.
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But, in reality, the longer footballers go without any action, including training, there will be less appetite to resume the current season.
A betting man, may easily conclude that given fairly widespread reaction to the FA induced suspension of the season and the fact that the wettest season in living memory has left the programme a long way off where it should be, that the season is best knocked on the head soon, declared null and void.
Clubs have until 23 March to respond to the GFLM questionnaire.
Corbet described the GFLM emergency meeting mood as ‘very realistic’ and that everybody understood the global issues.
‘As one delegate put it, ‘If it means football taking a back seat for a season to be it.’
