Inverness football clubs are facing wait until May to restart playing
INVERNESS Athletic, Loch Ness and Nairn County Reserves may have to wait until current lockdown restrictions are lifted until they are able to resume playing in the North Caledonian League again.
North Caledonian Football Association president Iain Whitehead admitted it was unlikely the season could restart until testing was no longer a necessary factor in football being played.
Last week, League One, League Two and the Scottish Cup were given permission to restart on the condition clubs carried out PCR testing to ensure players were not positive for Covid-19.
However, non-league clubs, including the Highland League, North Caledonian League and women’s lower league football remain suspended until further notice.
The Scottish Government said lockdown would not be lifted until Monday, April 26, with the first Saturday of play not until May 1.
Whitehead admitted that could be the earliest NCFA clubs could return to playing competitive football, but is hopeful the campaign can be finished.
“We are probably looking at competitive games starting again towards the end of April,” he said.
“That is possibly going to be the case.
“It is still a case of having to wait and see, but it looks like any football will happen, at the earliest, at the end of next month.”
Whitehead also said NCFA clubs being able to afford any sort of testing to allow players to take part in matches was a non-starter.
“That is too much of an expense for any of our clubs to take on,” he said.
“It will never be an option for the North Caledonian League to allow it to restart with the practicalities involved.”
The North Caledonian Football Association suspended all its competitions in December due to the rising number of cases in the country.
The North Caledonian League split into two divisions for one season only, due to the impact of the pandemic.
The season started on October 17. Inverness Athletic were placed in Division Two due to their league position in the previous season.
They are currently top of Division Two, one point ahead of Alness and have only one game left to play.
Loch Ness and Nairn County Reserves made their debut in the league this season and were also placed in Division Two.