Football Returns

Following the government’s announcement that grassroots football can restart from the 29th March the League Management Committee can confirm that fixtures will restart on Saturday, 3rd April. 

The Plan:

Having taken all of the above (and more) into account, the League Management Committee has recommended to clubs the following:

• SAL league competitions null and void for 2020/21
• SAL Challenge Cups to continue
• Constitution to remain the same for 2021-22
• Mini-league competitions be organised
• The SAL will assist clubs in organising friendlies

NB. The Veterans league will continue to completion as there are fewer games to be played. 

All clubs were asked the following questions:

• ​What date will you have you pitches available to?
• Will you be willing to loan your pitches to other clubs?
• How many sides would you be able fill if the season continued till the end of June?

The answers to the above were factored into the decision making process and the he following points were among those considered in determining the way forward:

• 22 weeks of the season lost with only 34% of league games currently played
• A number of clubs reported that their members did not wish to continue the league season at this stage, thus weakening the integrity of the competition should it continue.
• It would not be reasonably possible to complete league competitions with the pitch availability as it stands, as 80% of clubs would lose their pitches by mid-May and others 66% by the start of May when club cricket begins (some clubs have no pitches available to them AT ALL after the restart)
• The burden on clubs without access to pitches would be extreme
• Travel restrictions would still be in place
• The potential shortfall in available players (who may choose to play cricket or other sports, or visit friends and family or engage in other non-football activities) upon restart was difficult to forecast

The decision to void the league season has been a difficult one for the League League. All suggestions on how we might complete the league season were considered fully. However, there were obstacles for every scenario that made those options unworkable.

Clubs have been asked to notify League Match Secretary, Eric Owen, by 15 March 2021, latest, of their intention regard to participating in football upon the restart. We will have to work quickly to make the best of the remaining weeks of the season, so any clubs not complying with this deadline risk not being included in the planned fixtures.