Alun gives us an insight into his thoughts on the various issues affecting the club at the moment -- and let's face it, there are plenty!

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.

MINI LEAGUE / JOINT LEAGUE

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. It’s just another example of the haves and have nots with money dictating who can and can’t play.

I repeat and will continue to repeat alongside every other club that all clubs WANT to continue but they can’t afford it through no fault of their own. The majority of the teams in the NLS, some teams in the NLN and even some in the NL must have thought Xmas had come early with the original grant funding handed out by the league, receiving way more than they would get on a normal monthly basis. Remember it was for lost gate revenue yet the majority of those clubs only get gates of 400-500 so they were heavily subsidised. You don’t have to be a mathematician to work out that the well supported clubs in all three leagues including ourselves, were massively sold short with the way the money was distributed. That could easily be the main reason why no more grant money has been forthcoming from the DCMS, who knows?

PLAYERS' WELFARE

Two things that are getting forgotten about during this, are the mental health and welfare of the players. Like I said weeks ago they’re just pawns in this game that no one has thought of.

All this stop/start, playing not playing, can we train or can’t we? It’s not good for players at this moment in time as it is putting them at a much higher risk of injuries, as we’ve endured ourselves. To top it off I’ve now seen clubs furloughing all their main first team and bringing in non-contract or academy players to take their place just to fulfil their fixtures and avoid sanctions from the league. Some people think that’s ok and what clubs should be doing to keep it going. Sorry but what a load of rubbish. Firstly I’m pretty sure that’s not what the furlough scheme is intended for and I can’t believe clubs are having to do that just to avoid sanctions that shouldn’t even be in place. as like I said none of this is the club’s fault. Secondly as if the integrity of the league hasn’t been damaged enough, now we’ve got teams doing that without consideration for the players they’re furloughing. It’s a sad state of affairs and something I massively disagree with, I honestly think the FA should be doing something about it, after all we are supposedly an elite competition!

NON-LEAGUE FAMILY

I’ve been in non-league for almost five years now and the biggest thing that was constantly mentioned was this non-league family which I have experienced many times over the years. The connection between clubs looking out for each other and the close connection you have with the fans is what it’s all about but these last few weeks I’ve seen nothing but division from the so-called haves and the have nots which has caused lots of animosity between both clubs and fans which is not what non-league is all about. Clubs should be sticking together to help each other as none of this is any club’s fault!

Please remember we’re still in the middle of this pandemic that has seen over 100k deaths in the UK and my heart goes out to every single person that has lost a loved one yet here we are arguing about non-league football! It’s time to put this into perspective and make sure all clubs come back not just next season but are here for years to come. Like I said we’re all in this together at the end of the day and we need each other to get through this it, irrespective of the rivalry.

Finally, and most importantly, we need the fans back in the grounds ASAP as fans are the life and soul of every club and I’m sure everyone will agree with me that it’s certainly not the same.

Stay safe and see you all soon.

Cheers Alun