Coronavirus

[doveranddover]

We don't appear to making any real effort towards next season.
Our chairman has invited his son around for a barbecue board meeting

BOARD SET TO MEET – DOVER ATHLETIC FC

www.doverathletic.com

 

[John Still]

Hearing from a club insider non league back in September, nothing official yet or how it will work. Well It won’t work without crowds.

 

[doveranddover]

see current last post [no 23] on this thread

Dover Athletic Unofficial Fans Forum-next season

september start...fa trophy no replays...two midweek games per month up until February...one home one away...clubs to guarantee season ticket holders

www.tapatalk.com

 

[Chief Rocka]

So a September start without fans? That is going to be financially crippling to most clubs, unless you’re bankrolled surely most can’t afford to do this?

 

[doveranddover]

Would clubs vote to start without fans?
Would think they will wait until fans cans go in late sept/early oct? [hopefully]

 

[rudebwoyben]

So a September start without fans? That is going to be financially crippling to most clubs, unless you’re bankrolled surely most can’t afford to do this?

Additionally are they going to have to pay for continual testing as well?

 

[doveranddover]

quick working out
Sept 26 start
April 24 finish
32 Saturdays [31+1 extra at xmas]
leaves 14 mid-week games

 

[AJS]

Don’t see how it will work. Clubs at this level can’t afford to play without fans and potential costs of testing

 

[Chief Rocka]

Additionally are they going to have to pay for continual testing as well?

I never even factored that in, good point, have they even spoke to clubs about this and see where they stand on this, it just all seems half baked at best.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

I never even factored that in, good point, have they even spoke to clubs about this and see where they stand on this, it just all seems half baked at best.

I’m guessing that they will be letting Sunday league teams train and play games against each other by this point so doubt that kind of regular testing will be required at this level.

 

[doveranddover]

apparently these are the cup round dates. If we don't start the league the cup games might come 1st

FA Cup
Extra preliminary - Tuesday 1st Septemeber
Preliminary - Saturday 12th September
1st Q Round - Tuesday 22nd September

FA Trophy
1st Qualifying - Saturday 26th September
2nd Qualifying - Saturday 17th October.

 

[Optipez]

So a September start without fans? That is going to be financially crippling to most clubs, unless you’re bankrolled surely most can’t afford to do this?

Just a guess but I think they'll delay the start of the season until October. This gives clubs a chance to recruit, work out finances and have a proper pre season rather than compressing everything into August. From the Championship down clubs will want and nedd maximised revenue.
Unless the guidance changes again and crowds are allowed back in sooner which is entirely possible.

 

[John Still]

Just a guess but I think they'll delay the start of the season until October. This gives clubs a chance to recruit, work out finances and have a proper pre season rather than compressing everything into August. From the Championship down clubs will want and nedd maximised revenue.
Unless the guidance changes again and crowds are allowed back in sooner which is entirely possible.

You can’t play at this level without fans, it’s the first level where entrance money actually helps as very limited TV money. Most clubs are fully underway with signings and releasing players, we return to training on 1st August when Furlough ends, makes no sense a 2 month gap before a season start, normally a 5 week gap. Most players are well rested now, going to be some bizarre results early on.

Can see a mid September start with some sort of reduced capacity and no away fans, then something fairly normal from October. Not sure why no away fans is mentioned by some as many home fans have to travel miles to get to games, not all live around the corner. If you start any later the season it will roll into the Euros which the FA/Uefa won’t want and the clubs won’t either as it will effect attendances.

 

[Luke Imp]

What's the % that NL clubs will generally need? Would 25% capacity suffice for most, for example?

In L1 it's about 70% before most clubs can get the required numbers back in.

 

[chief]

What's the % that NL clubs will generally need? Would 25% capacity suffice for most, for example?

In L1 it's about 70% before most clubs can get the required numbers back in.

Average is around 30%.

Vanarama National League | Average Attendances (Percentage) | Home Matches | Football Web Pages

Live Football Scores, League Tables, Form Guides, Attendances, Latest News and other stats from the Premier League, Football League and Non-League football

www.footballwebpages.co.uk

 

[doveranddover]

Doom and gloom

TICKET PRICES FROZEN – DOVER ATHLETIC FC

www.doverathletic.com

In other news, the Chairman revealed one of the cost-cutting measures the club had taken will see the team training three mornings a week in the future.

He said: ”It’s simply not financially viable to train like we did last season, so you have make changes and we have.

”As for when I think the season will start, well, I cannot see it happening at our level until fans are allowed back into grounds.

“We just cannot afford to play behind closed doors.”

 

[jacobncfc]

What's the % that NL clubs will generally need? Would 25% capacity suffice for most, for example?

In L1 it's about 70% before most clubs can get the required numbers back in.

Finally our unnecessarily large ground is going to come into its own.

 

[ForzaCounty]

Finally our unnecessarily large ground is going to come into its own.

Maybe we could play some home games at Old Trafford

... mind you, last time we did that, the attendance was 13

 

[rudebwoyben]

Maybe we could play some home games at Old Trafford

... mind you, last time we did that, the attendance was 13

Isn’t that an urban legend? I read that there were actually a couple of thousand spectators there but only 13 had paid!

 

[Soup Ladle]

Well I've seen us winning at Old Trafford.

 

[ForzaCounty]

Isn’t that an urban legend? I read that there were actually a couple of thousand spectators there but only 13 had paid!

Yeah tbf 13 was the gate, not the attendance. It was an end of season game, 1921 I think, Edgeley Park was suspended as punishment following hooliganism (fans attacked the referee's dressing room after a game v. Sheffield Wednesday) and all matches had to be on the same day, so our match v Leicester was played at Old Trafford immediately after a Man Utd v Derby match. Around 2,000 from the first match stayed to watch the second, only 13 paid to go in to watch just County.

 

[Raymondo316]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1286414187850346506

Potentially being limited to crowds of anything between 700-1400ish really makes our owners decision to stay full-time a stupid one.

 

[LongEatonPie]

That should be ok for us, might knock us down 300-400

 

[karlready]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1286414187850346506

Potentially being limited to crowds of anything between 700-1400ish really makes our owners decision to stay full-time a stupid one.

Problem is when these reporters refer to “stadiums” they mean all seater. It’s relatively easy to enforce distancing in the seats, but at our level there tends to be wide open spaces ,and fans will herd together.
It’s been suggested that Sunday- league level games may be going ahead
come September ,obviously no Covid testing required. However, testing may still be needed at our level, as the players are employees. Just a thought.

 

[John Still]

First Saturday in October is the start date for 20/21 season and last Saturday in May for final games. Lots of midweek games incoming. According to that Ollie Bayliss on twitter.

 

[#Beebot]

First Saturday in October is the start date for 20/21 season and last Saturday in May for final games. Lots of midweek games incoming. According to that Ollie Bayliss on twitter.

He's basically the David Ornstein of non-league so I'm assuming October now unless he or the NL say otherwise.

 

[John Still]

Yeah most things he says come to fruition. Not sure why we’re awaiting another two months unless it’s just to allow for crowds to return. Most teams will surely now push back pre-season from this week until later in August.

I can honestly see this season coming not being completed Or if it does it will be a similar fashion to this one.

 

[Stocky]

It was always going to be October. We need some fans back at all levels below the Championship to make it worthwhile going again.

I think it should be 100% capacity but the problem is football fans are often old and/or big fat fatties. Both high risk.

 

[BarraMatt]

It was always going to be October. We need some fans back at all levels below the Championship to make it worthwhile going again.

I think it should be 100% capacity but the problem is football fans are often old and/or big fat fatties. Both high risk.

Bet you're gutted the Olympics are cancelled this year Mr Athlete?

 

[Fyldefan]

It was always going to be October. We need some fans back at all levels below the Championship to make it worthwhile going again.

I think it should be 100% capacity but the problem is football fans are often old and/or big fat fatties. Both high risk.

Ha ha ha what was it you were calling that Harrogate fan again? Was it the big slob?