Fylde RFC boss understands the decision to end their season early

Fylde RFC head coach Warren Spragg says club survival takes priority over playing matters after the rest of their season was cancelled.
Fylde head coach Warren SpraggFylde head coach Warren Spragg
Fylde head coach Warren Spragg

The Woodlands boss supports the decision of the Rugby Football Union to call a halt to all rugby union below the Premiership level for this season, with decisions on the make-up of leagues for the 2020-21 campaign to be announced next month.

Fylde had battled hard towards promotion and sat second in National Two North with five games remaining.

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The shutdown could not have happened at a worse time for Fylde as the club marks its centenary season, with several celebration events yet to take place.

The Woodlands club admit it is unrealistic to hope for promotion to National One based on current league standings and Spragg accepts the game’s priorities have to lie elsewhere.

He told the Gazette: “There probably was no choice but to end the season. The situation in our sport and others is that we need to adapt.

“We need to work out what happens next and how we move on while ensuring we minimise the risk to everyone.

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“We will get further clarity in due course and we look forward to finding out where we sit for next season, then hopefully we can start again in September.

“The most important issue is how we keep clubs ticking over.

“The Premiership have been asking players to take pay cuts because of the loss of revenue from matches and TV, and community clubs will be hit heavily too.

“We have lost three home games in our final five fixtures.

“We’ve lost the Barbarians fixture, the summer ball, the end-of-season dinner and all the events associated with our centenary.

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“These were key money-making activities which won’t happen as scheduled.

“We are trying to put contingencies in place for getting the club back on its feet, so we can get people back at the club and the club spirit back.”

Spragg’s focus is on the playing side and he feels that will be the easier part of club life to return to normal when the time is right.

He added: “With the players, it’s about making sure they are fit and ready to go when we are able to start playing again.

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“They have to take responsibility for their own fitness but in many ways the rugby side is simpler than the commercial side, and the rugby side is almost secondary at the moment.

“The plan is to postpone our centenary events and not cancel them, though it is too early to say when events will take place.

“I’m almost certain we will have more events next season to try to catch up and I’m sure the local community will get behind those.”