Highland League secretary Rod Houston says the grants clubs will receive from the Scottish Government will make a big difference when trying to complete the season.
Clubs in the division are set to receive £33,000 each after the government announced its aid package for sport.
When the 2020-21 Highland League campaign started last month the 10 teams in Moray and the Highlands were allowed to let in limited numbers of supporters.
The six Aberdeenshire sides have had to play behind closed doors.
But with Scotland entering Tier 4 of Covid-19 restrictions for three weeks from Boxing Day all clubs will have to play without fans.
As a result Houston says the grants clubs will receive is hugely important.
He said: “Moving to having no fans is frustrating, but at the same time the clubs have been consistently aware of the context we are operating within and we deal with it.
“If that means we can’t have fans in, then we can’t have fans in.
“We started the season with some clubs being unable to have fans in and we’re now in a situation where all the clubs can’t have fans in.
“But given the league has started I think we will try to continue and what enables that to happen is the grant that has come down from the Scottish Government and the SFA.
“That is terrific news and gives the clubs comfort because the anxiety about fans – as well as being about people’s welfare and getting them out and about – was also financial.
“That has been mitigated hugely by the grant clubs will receive.
“The grant money is there and that’s been as a result of a lot of hard work over a number of months by a lot of people throughout the lower levels of the game to get us to a situation where we are the beneficiaries.”
Elaborating further on the importance of the grants to help clubs survive, Houston added: “It will make a big difference, if you look at Wick Academy they might have been thinking ‘are we able to afford bus costs?’
“When the clubs talked about being without spectators weeks ago that was one of the issues was how would those costs be met.
“Whereas, the clubs have a sum of money which allows them to continue with the season and the players and coaches get the benefit of being able to continue to play football, which we think is very important.”
Clubs will continue to learn after fan return
Houston believes the return of fans to Highland League grounds has gone well.
But says clubs will continue to review the processes in place and learn from their experiences.
He said: “I think where supporters have been allowed, things have gone quite well.
“We are taking stock on a weekly basis and we are clear in our minds that it has gone as well as might be expected in the current circumstances.
“We’ve had people at most games and we’ve had feedback from all games and it’s gone pretty much as we’d hoped.
“People have understood the need to respect the protocol and criteria simply because the Highland League does not want to be a contributor to anything spreading.
“But at the same time it does want to be a contributor in terms of the good things football can bring.
“Having been at games what has struck me is seeing people smiling – you can see it despite the masks – and see it in there eyes.
“A number of people have said to me ‘it’s great to be back Rod and it’s fantastic to get out on a Saturday.’
“There’s been the usual ‘it’s meant I don’t have to go Christmas shopping’ which you get at this time of year.
“I think around the Highland League people have had an overwhelming sense of responsibility in how they’ve gone about things.
“The feedback from clubs has been interesting in terms of adjusting an arrangement here and there. They are looking to learn from operational experience which I think is terribly important.
“We won’t rest on our laurels and we’ll use this period as a chance to take stock.”
