Bromley and Dover Athletic to receive £84,000 per month each as part of National Lottery support package to keep our National League clubs in business

National League clubs are expected to receive their first batch of funding as part of a £10 millon bailout from the UK Government.

All National League, National League North and National League South games and FA Cup ties at these stadiums are being played behind closed doors with fans tuning in to live streams of their sides in action.

The National League has been given a support package from the National Lottery to keep their clubs in business and the first of this money is expected to be distributed to its 66 member clubs next week.

This is how the National League funding will be divided:

Seven National League clubs, Chesterfield, Hartlepool United, Notts County, Stockport County, Torquay United, Wrexham and Yeovil Town will receive £95,000 a month, the 16 other clubs will receive £84,000 a month.

Five National League North and South clubs, Chester, Dulwich Hamlet, Hereford, Maidstone United and York City will receive £36,000 a month, the other 37 clubs will receive £30,000 a month.

This funding is to help cover clubs lost gate revenue from the delay to fans being permitted to return to stadiums, which was originally scheduled for 1 October, a couple of days before the start of the National League campaign.

The decision was taken to pause this relaxation of the rules on 22 September, in order to stem rising coronavirus infection rates across the country.

Oliver Ash, the co-owner of National League South side Maidstone United said on Twitter: "We shall be taking action together with other clubs to get the decision quoshed and funding redistributed far more in line with lost gate receipts, club by club."

Meanwhile, National League South side Welling United, will be contacting their season ticket holders to offer refunds.

"The club has come to the view that we are unlikely to be able to have fee-paying supporters attending matches for the foreseeable future and therefore with this in mind we will be contacting all those who purchase a season ticket to offer them a refund," said a club statement.

"Where supporters purchased via our online portal the refund will be automatic as that is part of the terms and conditions of our online payment system.

"Where supporters paid by cash, cheque or BACS they will be able to have a refund as well as being offered the opportunity to have the payment credited against next season's early bird season ticket offer instead.

"The club will be contacting directly all of those who purchased a season ticket and hope to have completed this exercise by the end of the first week of November."

However, the message is clear - #Letfansin so we can support our tier five and six clubs in the English football pyramid.

Visit the National League website: www.thenationalleague.org.uk