TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY?

In normal circumstances Torquay United would be lining up against Stockport County this Saturday and they would both commencing an assault on a second promotion in the space of three seasons. 

The 2018-19 campaign saw the Gulls memorably clinch the National League South title while the Hatters triumphed in National League North. After re-establishing themselves in the National League last season, both their respective managers Gary Johnson and Jim Gannon have spent the summer priming their squads for their respective shots at returning to the Football League. 

However, the recent U-turn by the government over the planned return of fans to watch live sport, which was originally pencilled in for October 1, now means that Johnson and Gannon are now anxiously waiting to see if their opening fixture will go ahead behind closed doors, or whether it will be even be played at all. 

For Johnson and Gannon the question is 'to play or not to play?'

Without the income generated by gate receipts many clubs will be left facing extreme financial hardship, with many predicting a 'financial armageddon' for lower league sides - not just for teams in the Nationnal League, but for the lower reaches of the EFL as well. Some clubs, especially those in National Leagues North and South, have declared that they are not prepared to start their campaigns without a support package in place, as many are believed to be on the verge of making all but essential non-playing staff redundant. 

A group of notable figures in the game have been lobbying the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden and an announcement regarding a government bailout is expected soon.

The second qualifying round of the FA Cup is due to take place this weekend, which will see National League North and South clubs enter the competition and it has been announced that fans of these clubs will be barred from attending any of the ties that they feature in. The possible withdrawal of sides from National Leagues North and South has also been mentioned.

Many clubs have tried innovative ways of generating revenue from offering fans the chance of live stream matches, which several have made available for the coverage of their pre-season friendlies. Nevertheless it is unlikely while live streaming has the potential to bring in money from exiled fans who wouldn't normally attend matches, there would still be a shortfall in terms of the money earned from spectators who would normally buy a season ticket or pay on the gate.

 

 

GULLS AND GLOVERS PLAYING WAITING GAME

Torquay United and Yeovil Town are continuing to wait to see if a rescue package has been agreed with the UK government and the FA that would enable the 2020-21 National League season to go ahead without fans. 

The 2020-21 National League campaign is due to get underway on October 3, with the National League North and South set to start on October 5 & 6 respectively. However, without funding that would compensate member clubs for the loss of gate receipts from playing behind closed doors the whole National League structure could be thrown into dissaray. 

Steps 1 and 2 of the non-league football pyramid - which covers the National League and National Leagues North and South - had been classified as 'elite' in accordance with the government's guidance on fans returning to stadiums amid the coronavirus pandemic. Having entered the framework, the leagues are  now unable to return to matches until March 2021 at the earliest - following the government's U-turn on allowing fans to return to stadiums on October 1. 

Some clubs are in favour of returning behind closed doors, an idea which Torquay United manager Gary Johnson has lent his support to, but others only wish to carry on if financial support is forthcoming. 

The fear also remains that the 2020-21 campaign could get cut short in the event of a second wave of the coronavirus hits the country, with many areas of the country have returned to the lockdown restrictions that were originally imposed last March.

A number of clubs have the option of live streaming matches through their official websites, but whether the revenue raised would be able to compensate for the loss of paying spectators remains to be seen. 

LET FANS IN

 As Covid-19 lockdown restrictions continue to be relaxed across the country the possibility of football fans returning to live matches grows ever closer. 

The government has so far restricted crowds at pilot events to a maximum of 1,000 spectators, and is currently reviewing this figure in the wake of further coronavirus outbreaks in certain parts of the country.

National League chairman Brian Barwick has written to Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how the decision on the return of fans to football grounds will affect its clubs, their employees and local communities. Barwick has also asked for the permission to commence the season on October 3, with fans in attendance. 

The 2020-21 season had originally been given the start date of October 3, as it would coincide with the date of October 1 that the UK government had announced that fans could return to watch live matches. 

In addition to the National League, the Premier League to stick its original plan and Chief Executive Richard Masters has stated that the league's 20 member clubs could lose £700million between them. 

With the news this week that Macclesfield Town were wound up in the High Court with debts of £500,000 - following their relegation from League Two - the stark of reality of the situation of loss of revenue has been brought home. With no equivalent of the government's 'Eat Out to Help Out' scheme available to clubs during the coronavirus lockdown, the absence of the income generated on matchdays has been greatly felt. 

Clubs across the National League have been busily calculating their stadium's new socially distanced capacities, with the necessity to protect the health and wellbeing of supporters is at the forefront of the club's involved. 

Seven EFL league matches are set to be played in front of crowds of 1,000 - and the success of these matches will be watched with interest from far and wide.

If the government decide that matches cannot be played in front of crowds after October 1 - all games have been played behind closed doors up until now - then ideas to help clubs compensate for the loss of revenue will need to be found. 

One possible solution could be live streaming of games, which has been used by Torquay United in their home pre-season friendlies against Hemel Hempstead and AFC Bournemouth Under-23s so far and will also be available to fans when they face Chippenham Town on Saturday. For National League clubs, who operate outside the EFL's ifollow scheme, live streaming could help to bring in money that they wouldn't have otherwise been able to generate, but complications could arise when it came to streaming a game that has been selected for live coverage by BT Sport in terms of contracts etc. 

The return of actual football will most certainly provide an amount of relief for many, but the priority should be to ensure that a winter of discontent is avoided for all clubs concerned. 

 

SEASON PREVIEW 2020-21: EXETER CITY

On the eve of the 2020-21 campaign, Exeter City received a welcome boost to their coffers with the news that former starlet Ollie Watkins has left Championship Brentford for a move to the Premier League with Aston Villa.

While Watkins will be reunited with Villains manager Dean Smith, who signed him for the Bees for £1.8 million in 2017 - a record fee received for the Grecians - the £28million fee - that could rise to £33 million. His move to the West Midlands has netted City another £3.5 million via a sell-on clause.

This windfall will no doubt help the Grecians to weather 'Storm Covid' and will undoubtably ensure that they are in a stronger position than many lower league clubs in this time of financial uncertainty for lower league clubs.
However, it is also highly likely that at least part of the fee will be channelled back into the club's academy to help unearth the next Ollie Watkins. By joining the Villains, Watkins will become the fourth former Exeter City product to be contracted to a Premier League club. It's a list that includes Ben Chrisene, who Watkins will be joining at Villa Park, Jay Stansfield, son of the late Adam Stansfield, who is currently at Fulham and Wales international Ethan Ampadu will be spending next season on loan at Sheffield United from Chelsea. It is worth noting that Chrisene's move saw him join the Villains' academy and Stansfield left St James Park without making a first time appearance.
Many years ago, the lower leagues were once a breeding ground for top-flight talent. However, nowadays that is often not the case, with the only transfer of note between a Premier League side and a League club in the last 12 months was Jarrad Branthwaite's move from Carlisle United to Everton in January 2020. So for the Grecians to have four academy graduates currently contracted to Premier League clubs is a fine achievement.
Their commitment to youth remains undimmed and the likes of Harry Kite, Ben Seymour, Alex Hartridge and Josh Key will be looking to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Ampadu, Watkins and current Swansea City skipper Matt Grimes, while others such as Archie Collins have already cemented a place in the Grecians' first team.
Nevertheless, eight senior players departed St James Park in the summer, including Dean Moxey, Craig Woodman and Lee Holmes, but manager Matt Taylor has looked to address this with the signings of Jake Caprice, Lewis Page and Rory McArdle. The experience of Northern Ireland international McArdle, who was a Carling Cup finalist with Bradford City in 2013, could be particularly important.
At the time of writing the Grecians are currently fourth favourites to win the League Two title, behind Bolton Wanderers, Salford City and Mansfield Town, which reflects the reputation that they have gained after losing three play-off finals in the last four seasons.
If City were able to reach a fourth play-off final in five years, or go one better and secure automatic promotion it would be an incredible achievement for what looks set to be one of the youngest sides in the division.
Player to Watch: Archie Collins
In a season which is likely to see the Grecians rely heavily on youth, Archie Collins - a player who has been with the club since the age of nine - is likely to be a key figure. He was handed the captain's armband last season against Cambridge United in the first round of the FA Cup in the absence of regular skipper Jake Taylor and, after being handed the number 10 shirt, will undoubtably continue to play an influential role for Matt Taylor's men.

JOHNSON ADDS UMERAH TO GULLS SQUAD

Torquay United manager Gary Johnson hinted that he was saving room in his squad for a 'Roy of the Rovers' signing, and former Ebbsfleet striker Josh Umerah could yet fit that bill.

Umerah,23, faced the Gulls twice last season - and netted a brace against them in October 2019 in a 4-2 defeat for the Fleet in a game that also saw Johnson take the number of points that United had won since he took over to over 100. He also featured in the Fleet's 0-0 draw with the Gulls at Plainmoor in January 2020. 

His arrival - in addition to the signing of Dean Moxey - takes the United squad up to 22 and Johnson expressed his delight at getting him on board.

"I'm very pleased that Josh has agreed to join us," said Johnson. "He gives us, as I have always said,another golf club in our bag. He's a presence, he's quick and strong and gives us another option up front. I am pleased with my squad now, and if we can keep everyone fit and healty then we've got a competitive one."

After coming through the youth ranks at Charlton Athletic, he enjoyed loan stints with Kilmarnock, Wycombe Wanderers and Boreham Wood before joining Ebbsfleet United in the summer of 2019; he then went on to find the back of the net for the Fleet five times in 30 appearances in the 2019-20 season.

He also follows in the footsteps of another striker who left Ebbsfleet to sign for a team managed by Johnson in John Akinde, who the United boss previously signed for Bristol City. Akinde, who was an FA Trophy winner with the Fleet in 2008, arrived at Ashton Gate early in the 2008-09 season. Whilst he never became a regular for the Robins, he did enjoy a good career in the lower leagues with the likes of Barnet and Lincoln City amongst others and is currently plying his trade in League One with Gillingham.

SEASON PREVIEW 2020-21: PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

After securing his second promotion from League Two in his managerial career with Plymouth Argyle in the 2019-20 season, Ryan Lowe is now embarking on his first full season as a manager in League One  with the Pilgrims. 

The circumstances in which it was secured proved to be something of an anti-climatic - the points per game method due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

However, Argyle can take inspiration from last season's League One promotion winners; champions Coventry City, runners-up Rotherham United and play-off winners Wycombe Wanderers all displayed fine examples where good recruitment, a defined playing style and a talented management can achieve, as all three outperformed better supported and better resourced sides - most notably Sunderland, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town. 

Lowe has looked to revitalise his squad with a number of new signings, including midfielder Lewis McLeod from Wigan Athletic, Franck Nouble from Colchester United and Kelland Watts on loan from Newcastle United. All three started the Pilgrims' recent 3-2 Carabao Cup win over Queens Park Rangers, with Nouble scoring the winner. 

Last season's loan signings Ryan Hardie and George Cooper have both returned to the club on a permanent basis from their parent clubs Blackpool and Peterborough United respectively. Midfielder George Cooper's signing from Peterborough is a particular statement of intent from the Pilgrims, as he agreed a three-year deal after Lowe paid an undisclosed fee for his services. He looks set to fill the void left by Antoni Sarcevic's return north to sign for Bolton Wanderers. 

Another player making a return to Home Park is goalkeeper Luke McCormick, who starts a third spell with the Pilgrims after signing from Swindon Town. In his first spell with the Pilgrims between 2001 and 2008, McCormick was mentored by Romain Larrieu and he will be looking to provide the same level of guidance to young goalkeeping hopeful Michael Cooper, who will be looking to establish himself as first choice keeper. 

At the other end of the pitch, young striker Luke Jephcott will be looking to build on a promising season which saw him score four goals in six league appearances, which helped him to earn a call-up to the Wales Under-21 side. 

History has shown when Plymouth Argyle win promotion the fourth tier that they can make a big impact in their new surroundings; After winning the Division Three title in the 2001-02 season under Paul Sturrock they finished eighth in Division Two and they followed up their promotion from League Two under Derek Adams in the 2016-17 campaign with a seventh-placed finish in the 2017-18 campaign. One thing is for sure - under Ryan Lowe the Pilgrims will be looking to do more than just make up the numbers in League One.

Player to watch: Danny Mayor

A key player in both of Ryan Lowe's promotions with Bury and the Pilgrims, the Argyle boss has said that he wants the former Shakers playmaker to be more selfish after only scoring once in 40 appearances in the 2019-20 season. This is in direction contrast to the 2018-19 campaign with Bury, where he scored 12 times in 43 starts and one sub appearance. He has already opened his account by scoring against QPR in the Carabao Cup and he has also taken over the penalty takers responsibility following the departure of Antoni Sarcevic.

MOXEY JOINS THE GULLS

After receiving the news that left-back Liam Davis will be out for longer than expected Torquay United manager Gary Johnson reacted quickly to secure the signature of the versatile former Exeter City defender Dean Moxey as cover.

Davis, 33, who became United's longest serving player in the summer following the departure of Jamie Reid to Mansfield Town, had missed the latter part of the 2019-20 campaign with a serious ankle injury and his return has not proved to be as straightforward as first thought.

Therefore Johnson responded to this setback by snapping up the vastly experienced Moxey, 34, who been released by the Grecians following their League Two Play-off final defeat at the hands of Northampton Town.

A versatile player who has appeared as a left winger, a left back and also as a left-sided centre back in a three-man defence, Moxey has won four promotions in his career which has seen him appear for Derby County, Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers, after starting out with Exeter City. He won promotions from the National League and League Two with the Grecians between 2007-2009, as they achieved back-to-back promotions under Paul Tisdale. Four years later he was part of the Crystal Palace side that won promotion to the Premier League in the 2012-13 season - via the play-offs - under Ian Holloway. His most recent promotion success came in the 2016-17 campaign, when he helped Bolton win promotion from League One before he returned to St James Park in the summer of 2017.

Other notable career highlights of his include appearing in a Carling Cup semi-final for Crystal Palace against Cardiff City in the 2011-12 season and he also made 20 Premier League appearances for the Eagles in the 2013-14 campaign, not to mention scoring the winning goal for the Grecians against Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup second round in the 2004-05 season - which set up their memorable third round tie with Manchester United.