Darlington manager Alun Armstrong has hit out at what he says is the 'daft' suggestion of a mini-league in the National North. He's probably having a go at Gloucester in particular.
"This rubbish I’ve heard and seen about letting the clubs that can afford to continue do so is the worst thing I’ve ever heard -- a so-called mini league or consolidate the NLN and NLS teams together that want and can afford to continue," said Armstrong.
"It’s just another example of the haves and have nots with money dictating who can and can’t play."
Here's more from his interview.
THE CLUB’S DECISION ON LEAGUE SEASON NULL AND VOID
I fully support what the board and the club have decided about voting for the National League North season to be declared null and void. Obviously, we all want to play football and continue the league season, but the club’s long-term future must come first. It is a shame as we have won twelve and drawn one of our 20 league, FA Cup and FA Trophy games so far and have a current win ratio of 60% in all competitions. With 32 games still to play (31 in the league and at least one in the FA Trophy), which is madness considering it’s mid-February, that only leaves 14 weeks to get them all in which is nigh on impossible. We were heading for a very exciting season but the fans have already been to hell and back more than once and there’s no way I want that to happen again.
The fans have dragged this club back from the brink with their own money, not money from some rich benefactor but money from people who sacrifice things within their own personal life to financially support their football club. That alongside the amount of volunteer work that has gone into getting us where we are since 2012 is phenomenal, therefore it’s not something that the club should be risking. Furthermore, why any club would want to take out a six-figure loan for the next ten years for just over three months of football is financial suicide in my eyes.
FUNDING AND FURLOUGH
Regarding the lack of funding or Covid testing for so called “elite” teams; that term ELITE still makes me laugh for our level, as we are certainly not elite. Maybe that’s why we haven’t had any testing from the FA, PFA or the NL at all since October as they don’t actually see us as elite?
The League sent all clubs a bulletin to say we are getting lateral flow tests starting week commencing 15th February at no cost to the clubs but it’s certainly not at a cost to the League as it’s come from the government but yet again, we’re still to receive anything at the time of writing this and it’s a little late in the day.
Most people now know that there’s no way the season would have started, therefore activating players’ contracts without enough funding in place.
If the clubs knew that there would be no funding or no fans from January onwards it’s a certainty we wouldn’t be in this position so why are we still being forced to continue?
Clubs have been led up the garden path and are currently going around the houses at this current time taking on extra costs which is putting some clubs on the brink. Once the League knew the funding wasn’t coming then the three divisions should have been suspended to safeguard their member clubs as part of the agreement at the start of the season, but hindsight is a wonderful thing in football!
One thing that has massively surprised me is the call from the so-called richer clubs to continue at all costs while nothing is on the table, I find that absolutely baffling and totally against what non-league is all about.
Like I said every club knew that it was either grant-funding or fans for the season to start and be completed so why the change? League position shouldn’t even come into it as no club has played even half of their games yet, we’ve only played just over a quarter, seven less than seventh place so league positions are totally false or maybe it’s the fact that furloughing their squad won’t be anywhere near enough to cover their wages? Or they’ve spent that much money that they need to keep going!
I’m pretty certain the majority of part time clubs will be covered by the furlough but don’t forget clubs still need to find money to top up the extra 20% or the player can leave for free which could again suit the so-called rich clubs giving them rich pickings of other clubs’ best players.
One thing I was told last week was unbelievable. A club bought a player only last month for around £40k, paid the player a four-figure signing on fee, another four-figure sum for relocation and a four-figure basic wage per week but obviously he can’t be furloughed because he was signed after the furlough deadline so that could be well over £100k down the drain. Not only is that unbelievable for this level but to me that is absolutely baffling considering the situation the National League was in at that time so no wonder they want to continue at all costs, even if it means putting other clubs’ futures at risk -- that leaves a rather bitter taste.
NATIONAL LEAGUE, FA CUP AND FA TROPHY
One thing I have said continually during this is that I do believe that the league above us, the National League, should try and keep going, maybe some funding can be found to help the teams in that league as the majority are full time and we do need to keep the two promotion places into the EFL. Clubs just need to get their votes in ASAP so everyone can start planning their futures.
Regarding our Trophy games I can understand some people thinking that we shouldn’t be playing in the competition but look at clubs from leagues below who are still playing in it (such as our quarter final opponents Hornchurch) and the clubs that continued to play in the FA Cup while they weren’t playing in their leagues -- it gives clubs the chance to get some much-needed revenue. Imagine telling Marine you can’t play in the FA Cup as you’re not playing in any league games!!!
The prize money from the last round of the Trophy covered a week’s
wages for us which means we don’t have to claim the furlough for that
week so everyone’s a winner. It’s a risky strategy but a worthwhile one
because as I said there’s much needed revenue at stake and you can’t
begrudge any club trying to get any extra revenue in at this time. I’m
sure any other club would do the same – there is £82,500 worth of prize
money at stake still.