Coronavirus Crisis: The financial impact on smaller clubs will take its toll, warns Ramsgate boss Matt Longhurst

RAMSGATE manager Matt Longhurst says he’s feeling frustrated that no football can be played due to the Coronavirus outbreak crisis.

 

“Obviously this is a frustrating time for everybody within the footballing community, as well as many others outside it too of course,” Longhurst told the club website.

“I think it goes to show that regardless of money, managers, coaches and players want to play and it’s probably driving everybody a little bit crazy now there’s no football to play, spectate or watch on the telly.

“Ultimately the health and safety of all must come first so as frustrating as it may be, if the suspension of all leagues and other events helps improve the current situation then for the foreseeable future that obviously takes priority.

“The financial impact on smaller clubs will take its toll I would imagine and at the moment we just have to ride it and see where we go from there.

“Also not being able to train and play will have an impact on some players’ fitness but in this day and age footballers are naturally fit. All the while the gym’s are open I would imagine a lot of our players will use those.

“If the season gets extended then I would expect our players’ holiday’s would have already been cancelled anyway so that shouldn’t be a major issue for us.

“It’s a completely different situation to what we are used to but it’s important to see out the next couple of weeks and reassess the situation from thereon.”

Ramsgate are sitting in the bottom three in the Isthmian League South East Division table, having collected 20 points from 30 games, with eight league games to fit in before the Isthmian League was suspended last Friday.

The Rams were two points clear of the side below them in the table, Three Bridges, while East Grinstead Town occupy the relegation berth with one win and seven draws from their 26 league outings and facing, on paper, a play-off against a side that finished in second-place against a club from the division below.  That is subject to normal life resuming.

Visit Ramsgate’s website: www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk