Blackpool Supporters' Liaison Officer's column: So grateful for dedicated owner in such troubled times

READ MORE: EFL welcome meetings with Government but stress health comes first.

Imagine buying your hometown club, the one you’ve supported all your life, only to find your plans to transform it hit by a Coronavirus pandemic two-thirds of the way through your first season, when you’ve only just appointed a new manager and the players who were brought in during the January transfer window are starting to gel.

Frustrating is hardly the word.

Not only is the project on hold at what was a very promising juncture – suddenly Blackpool FC, like every other club in the kingdom, is having to deal with the unprecedented demands of this paralysing lockdown as we look to slow the transmission rate of Covid-19.

The financial burden is considerable and there is a risk that some clubs will fold under the strain.

I personally believe we are very lucky to have Simon Sadler bankrolling the club at this time, doing all within his means to ensure that staff are retained and that – as far as social distancing allows – the business of the club ticks over against the day when football can start again and we can get back on track.

One can only speculate about what sort of carnage would have ensued at Bloomfield Road in this current crisis if the Oyston family had still been in control!

There was an intention that we should celebrate the 10th anniversary of our 2010 play-off final victory at the end of the season (in similar vein to the fifth anniversary gala dinner).

With all that has happened in the last few weeks and with lockdown likely to still be in place, we might need to be a bit creative around any virtual event we can organise for Friday May 22 or that week-end.

However, it would be a good opportunity to come together (virtually) as a socially-distanced fan-base and feel a sense of connectedness with each other and our club. Watch this space.

I tempted fate in last month’s column when I said I hoped we’d know by now how the current season might resolve itself and when we’d be able to return to watching football from the stands.

All of that is still not clear. Meetings between the EFL and clubs, and between EFL and the Government have been ongoing in recent weeks and more talks are scheduled for this week coming.

With lockdown extended and no suggestion the Government has a detailed exit strategy as yet, the prognosis for action-starved football fans is not good.

If I interpret recent statements from the football authorities correctly, training won’t commence before the middle of May at the earliest.

It looks possible that the 2019/20 Premier League and Championship fixtures could be completed in June/July behind closed doors and there is a possibility that the final League One and League Two positions could be determined on a pro rata points per game basis with play-offs to follow, again behind closed doors.

The issue for lower league clubs is that playing 10 or 11 games behind closed doors brings significant cost with very little revenue – as most matchday income is from turnstile clicks, food and drink sales.

As for next season and the resumption of live crowds at games, it will have to start fairly promptly as it’s back-ended by the postponed Euro Championships in the summer.

The latest ‘guesstimate’ from the talks is that it could be October at the earliest before any of us can set foot inside a stadium again – and then who knows what level of precautions and degree of social-distancing measures might be in force.

To interject a note of levity into what is a pretty dire situation, maybe we should look at getting thousands of tangerine face masks sourced.

In the meantime, please keep practising social-distancing and scrupulous hygiene.

Take care of your physical and mental well-being.

Ask for assistance if you need it.

Keep the faith, fellow Seasiders. The Mighty will return.

Steve Rowland, SLO