New Covid-19 restrictions could throw football season into disarray once again, says Lancaster City boss Mark Fell

The Dolly Blues boss is pressing ahead with his plans to tackle the challenge of the Lions at Giant Axe on Saturday for a NPL Premier Division fixture.

It will be the first home league game of the season and the club has made its ground Covid-19 compliant so that 300 supporters can watch the game.

However, the government’s announcement on Tuesday that new restrictions will come into force today to deal with a worrying rise in coronavirus cases in the UK means fresh doubt has been cast on the future of this season.

Clubs in the Premier League down to the National League have been informed that spectators are unlikely to be allowed inside grounds within the next six months.

That will undoubtedly have an enormous effect on Football League clubs in the bottom divisions and in non-league who rely on gate receipts for a large percentage of their income.

The new National League season is scheduled to go ahead at the beginning of next month but with no supporters clicking through the turnstiles, clubs at that level face financial hardship, if not ruin.

It could well be that the National League decide not to start the season next month and if that was the case then it would cause a chain reaction down the football pyramid.

The NPL is a feeder to the National League and Fell admits the prospect of this year’s campaign being halted just one game in is a distinct possibility.

The National League is expected to make a decision in light of the government’s announcement this week and Fell said the rest of non-league will be taking note.

“Tuesday’s announcement did not make any mention of semi-professional football so we are still working off the same guidance,” said Fell. “But that narrative on the guidance makes it really hard work.

“It says that we are advised not to have a crowd, but that’s not enforcing us not to have a crowd. That is just saying that they don’t think we should, but to a non-league club, we have no choice.

“If we want to continue , we have to have a crowd because we can’t operate, we can’t function financially without one.

“This week is going to be very interesting because the National League – the one above us –have been told that potentially based on what was said on Tuesday, that they may not be able to have a crowd for six months.

“How can the National League deal with that?

“We couldn’t deal with that and the knock-on effect of that is if the National League season does not happen, what is the point of the Northern Premier League? You could win the league and potentially not get promoted.

“I have no idea what is going to happen. I believe the National League will make a decision and where that leaves us I just don’t know.”

City have already staged a game at Giant Axe this season with supporters inside the ground for Tuesday night’s penalty shootout win over Runcorn Town in the FA Cup.

That followed the opening league game of the season – a 1-1 draw at Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday.

Fell – who was in the stands himself due to a touchline ban incurred from last season – praised the fans for their behaviour. He is hoping for more of the same when Basford hopefully visit this weekend.

“Basford have had a really rough start,” Fell said.

“They are expected to be one of the teams up there, but they lost on Saturday, and lost on Tuesday to a team a division below in the FA Cup.

“Considering the resources Basford have, I would expect them to get things right but this may be a good time to play them to catch them on

the hop.”