If a short pause happens, while the worst of this Omicron wave passes, then clubs and players must be supported properly
There would be chaos if non-league football shut down because of the latest Covid-19 wave. The public health situation may yet render it necessary but, having worked through all the problems we encountered earlier in the pandemic, I would worry about the consequences. Have the National League made a plan for what happens if the campaign gets cut short or games move behind closed doors? I saw no evidence of one at the start of this season and can only hope they are putting financial measures in place.
At Hereford, we are still dealing with the fallout. We received a short-term grant of £36,000 a month from the league in October last year, when fans were not allowed in, but it was not enough to cover the overheads of a club our size. The allocation of that money across different clubs was inconsistent and it has hurt us. Our finances have been decimated and it has had devastating ramifications for the budget I work from. We are pushing to make the play-offs but our fans will be disappointed if they expect new signings in January: it is more likely I will have to trim the squad.
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