AFC Fylde boss: National League clubs should play on if possible

The Coasters’ deputy manager also revealed that an in-house Covid testing system has been introduced at Mill Farm and he urged fellow clubs to follow suit.

The two tiers of the National League have been involved in a series of meetings this week as they battle the issues of playing on amid the pandemic.

Continuing to play behind closed doors without matchday revenue is a massive problem for many clubs.

The virus continues to wreak havoc with the fixture programme, with the backlog of games escalating.

AFC Fylde have spent the week in isolation after reporting positive tests among the squad last Friday and are not due to return to action until a week tomorrow.

It means that with the planned season at its midway point, the Coasters still have two-thirds of their National League North matches to play and five clubs have managed to play fewer matches than Fylde’s 14.

The 66 National League clubs did receive a government grant at the start of the campaign but were informed by the league this week that any further funding this season could only take the form of loans.

The clubs were due to meet again today, with the option of suspending the season on the table.

Chadwick believes the clubs have a duty to play on and told The Gazette: “The bigger picture is obviously everybody’s health and wellbeing and that has to come first.

“It was decided last season that National League North and South have ‘elite’ sport status, so the government guidelines are to continue and everybody knew that at the start of this season.

“It is up to the clubs to look after everybody as best they can and to continue playing if at all possible.

“A lot of effort has been put in by players and staff to get us this far into the season. It has been decided that ours is an elite competition and I don’t think you can change that halfway through.”

While regular mandatory testing was recently introduced for EFL clubs, there is no such provision at the two levels of non-league which are playing on during lockdown.

Fylde have an in-house testing process in operation, at the club’s own expense, and Chadwick added: “Credit to everybody involved. It’s really helpful to the safety of players and I’d like to see other clubs doing something similar.

“We have to be led by the government and part of that is to control your own environment as best you can.

“The testing is something the club was very keen on and the cost is minimal in the grand scheme of things to look after everyone’s health.”

Fylde have seen four fixtures postponed since they last took the field at Telford a fortnight ago, including tomorrow’s match away to leaders Gloucester City.

The home clash with bottom club Blyth Spartans, called off last Saturday, has been rearranged for a week on Tuesday, February 2, with a 7.45pm kick-off.

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