Just seen that the EFL have started testing twice a week now moving forward in line with the Premier League.

Teams in the National League are not testing nor have anybody to foot the bill. Questions also being asked about what happens when the grant money runs out.

Slough have released a statement asking about the morality of continuing the season. Guess considering part-time footballers will also be working a day job it does pose a pretty solid argument as to continuing.

Obviously want the season to continue as the stream and watching Pools is certainly a highlight of the week

Slough are third bottom of the National League South. But I'm sure that has absolutely nothing to do with it...

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said: "We believe that this comprehensive and expansive approach to testing will help support clubs and be an important factor in maintaining fixtures and ensuring that football can continue during this challenging period."

The PFA is paying for EFL testing out of its huge reserves, as it should - it is the wellbeing of players who pay into the PFA that is at risk. But hang on, aren't the pro footballers in the National League members of the PFA too? Genuine question, I can't recall reading anything about it in the past.

Can't find any reaction from the NL to the news - maybe they're too worried waiting for the Government to confirm that its funding for the NL season will continue into 2021 now there's a new lockdown: https://nonleaguedaily.com/chester-requ ... l-support/

There's also a big row still going on about the way the NL board distributed the government cash. 11 clubs - including Notts County, Chesterfield and Yeovil - complained in October that the board had come up with its own plan that meant some clubs were getting a lot more cash than their actual lost gate receipts and others were getting a lot less. An independent panel headed by David Dein found in favour of the complaint but the board has ignored the ruling:
https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.c ... tribution/

Raj has been keeping his head down - does that mean Pools are one of the 'winners' in the dodgy distribution scheme? Seems a bit hard to believe

'An independent panel headed by David Dein' - not him, David Bernstein.

[quote="thebigdog"]Just seen that the EFL have started testing twice a week now moving forward in line with the Premier League.

Teams in the National League are not testing nor have anybody to foot the bill. Questions also being asked about what happens when the grant money runs out.

what i would really love to know is not the amount it costs for testing for players but the actual cost of the test itself. heard figures quoted for private tests between 60 and 125 pound per test. the cynic in me thinks someone is making a good wedge out of this.

First I've heard of any of that

Check out Ollie Bayliss on twitter. Normally on the ball for non-league news.

He's the best football journalist around. Some clubs probably would have died if not for his reporting, considering how silent the FA and most leagues are.

The non league paper and people like Adam Virgin couldn't lace his boots. Always sitting on the fence and acting like football below step 2 doesn't exist.

99.9% sure the season will finish on-time.
UTP

Cheers for that - he's definitely worth a regular read.

Anyone know what date the Play-off final is ''supposed'' to be this year, assuming the season does finish on time ?

ask notts or stockport fans as they are the likely finalists.

If I remember rightly it's sat 12th June.

I mean 19th

Cheers

Season ends May 1st, so surely in couple of weeks after that. The Euros are in progress in middle of June.

Home to Dover 29may last game of season.

Fair enough, I must be losing interest, NL website not update, surprisingly Pools website updated. Going to be a lot of football to watch in June. Think what happens in the next few weeks could make or break season, if we have domestic and Euros going on at the same time, it will be a fiasco.

Scrap this testing of footballers and just give them the vaccine jab. ( Top 5 elite divisions ).
Could easily be done within one week and most be enuf cash in the TV pot to cover the cost.

Obviously u football haters will be against it but you can't please all of the people all of the time.
1.4 million jabs a week from next week getting knocked out.
Why not !

I don't think its a case of football haters, but people who have their priorities in the right place. People who work in schools as cleaners, caretakers, and school secretaries should be getting the vaccine before footballers, Premier players maybe, as top class football on tv can help keep people sane, but NL? no way.

mind you premier league players should get the jab well infront of a lot of others who are on our screens. peers morgan, mrs.brown and any loose women the bottom of a long queue.

A few of those want the jab alright, just not the Covid vaccine Mrs Browns Boys, what a load of shite.