Elgin City chairman Graham Tatters believes extending the Scottish football shutdown below the Championship is the correct call.
Leagues One and Two, the Highland and Lowland Leagues and women’s football have been suspended since January 11 with the Scottish FA yesterday confirming a further two-week extension until February 14.
Elgin sit second in League Two after nine games, but Tatters believes it will be difficult to complete the 2020-21 season, which has already been shortened from 36 to 27 games.
Clubs in League One and Two submitted a Return to Playing document to the SFA earlier this month with an aim of restarting games on March 2 and teams committing to carrying out regular Covid-19 tests.
Tatters said: “The original decision to suspend football was the right decision, but it was just a question of when they would make it.
“From the start, I have not been in favour of playing a game of football at a time when people are dying.
“If we go back to playing football, it is possible that someone could die as a result of that.
“If that means we have to wait until March or whenever to get back playing then so be it.
Suspension of Football
Understandably, the suspension to football at our level has been extended until the 14th February 2021.
We will keep you all updated as and when we receive information.
The full statement can be read on our website https://t.co/n6KocpLHgv
Stay Safe 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/mQBnDtxkI1
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) January 29, 2021
“The problem is how many games we are going to be able to complete or whether we should just call it a day.
“It will be hard to play a 27-game season if we aren’t playing again by early March.
“As much as the players are working hard individually to maintain their fitness, they will require time for some sort of pre-season work before the games can begin to get back into rhythm.
“I don’t think they will start straightaway on March 2.
“We are really compressing the season. We have the Scottish Cup to factor in and we will need the weather to be kind.
“It’s going to be difficult.
“I’m sure discussing an 18-game season is an option.
“We have played nine games so that would give us another nine to play.
“The problem with 18 games is whether that is enough to decide a championship and relegation and possible demotion from the SPFL?
“Would a club that has been in the leagues for 50 or 100 years deserve to drop out on the basis of 18 games?
“There are a lot of implications of shortening the season again.”
Tatters believes clubs should wait until lockdown restrictions are eased before fixtures can resume.
He said: “I genuinely believe it has to be right and sensible to get back playing when we consider what is happening away from football just now.
“There is no fun at the moment.
“You are sitting at games, in a mask, worrying. When you have teams visiting Elgin from far away, you are concerned that you could be bringing the virus into the area.
“Now the virus seems to be rife everywhere.
“I have said all along we shouldn’t be playing, but I was out-voted nine to one.
“I couldn’t put my club in jeopardy by saying we weren’t going to start the season, because the ramifications and possible sanctions could have been horrendous.
“We have jumped through every hoop they have given us and we have a good setup for Covid.
“Our Covid officer has done a great job and the ground is a pleasure to visit for the opposing teams if that is possible in the circumstances.
“The big thing is we don’t want to end up in a situation like last season where we start looking at points per game when null and void was kicked into touch.
“I’m not sure how we are going to deal with that.
“I just think we have to sit and wait until everything is right. We can’t keep starting and stopping.
“We have a duty of care to the players.”