Bevan: Lockdown is devastating for Fairford

The FA has voided every league below the National League following the United Kingdom’s lockdown state due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Neither promotions and relegations will take place in those leagues and the remaining games of all the leagues affected have been expunged.

Fairford Town manager Jody Bevan spoke before the FA’s announcement saying that the situation at the club got worse following the government’s orders for s national lockdown.

“What we found at Fairford, is what’s more devastating is the fact we are now on lockdown, so we were running as a business, a club open most nights of the week with various functions until now they’ve ground to a halt,” said Bevan.

Bevan manages Fairford Town in the Uhlsports Hellenic League who were third and four points off second place with 13 matches remaining.

“Without all those additional revenue streams, it’s like any business, it’s going to be very hard for the next few months,” said Bevan.

Fairford Town’s manager then added he would be “amazed” if the Premier League offered any aid to non-league football clubs who might be struggling during this period- “I would be absolutely amazed if the Premier League even offer any assistance to non-league clubs.”

“If any help does come, it would come through the SA in terms of grants and I believe there’s a few things in the offering, but we’ll wait and see what becomes available really,” added Bevan.

Fairford Town had won three of their last five matches, with two back to back three nil victories and Bevan was confident his side could’ve gone on to achieve second place if the league had continued.

“We had a little period where we lost a number of players and we had injuries, suspensions and various bits and bobs and the last two games our squad was stretched to the absolute limit and it involved us calling players up from the reserves and what have you, but everyone had coped brilliantly with it.”

Fairford Town defeated Reading City and Windsor three goals to nil putting them in touching distance behind second place Binfield.

“Westfields are a bit too far away and the fact they haven’t lost a game all season, I think we would of done well to catch them, but certainly knowing that Binfield weren’t too far ahead of us and they were due to come to our place later on this month I actually really thought if we could get to that game within touching distance-I thought that game could’ve been potentially a cup final in terms of the winner would be the one to go on and get that second promotion spot,” said Bevan.

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