Football means so much to so many. People's moods and behaviour are determined by those 90 minutes during which every possible emotion on the spectrum can be experienced. Football delivers some of the best days and moments a person can ever have in their lifetime. Bill Shankly once famously said that it isn't just a matter of life and death but indeed far more important than that. However, it turns out that in real matters of life and death, real societal emergencies, that football dwarfs into something very insignificant. That's why the National League's decision to resume matches while the significant majority of European football had come to a standstill drew much bemusement and frustration. Eastleigh manager Ben Strevens called it a decision motivated by 'money'. Chesterfield openly slammed the league in a website article. Our owner Peter Freund said that the National League must postpone their season or be known as 'the most tone deaf and foolish organisation in existence'. Although the government did not ban or even advise against fixtures taking place, it was obvious that the players, staff and supporters of most clubs were not happy with the decision and as such the logical action would've been to follow in the footsteps of other footballing bodies in the country. Several sides in our division subsequently postponed their games over Coronavirus fears anyway. The Daggers did the same although the circumstances behind it were somewhat different. Several sources, including the below statement by Woking, indicate that Dagenham & Redbridge simply didn't turn up to play the match. Though there's nothing to state that there would have categorically been a risk in playing it, supporters would completely understand that in the current climate it may not be the best decision to proceed with the game. However, that this was announced at half 11, at which point many supporters were en route having assumed (without evidence otherwise) that the game was going ahead is incredibly frustrating.
Peter Freund Statement (15 Mar) Woking's statement suggests we had no intention of travelling and contesting the fixture which, again, supporters understand. However, if that is the case (there is nothing to confirm) then it is annoying for supporters and also an incredible inconvenience to Woking who will have lost out on catering costs, staff costs, programmes etc. For the supporters of both teams and indeed the Woking FC hierarchy to first learn of this after 10.30am, when they were fully prepared for the game, is not ideal although these are not ideal circumstances for not only us and Woking but the entire world. Had we requested a postponement like Harrogate Town did ahead of their clash at Solihull, then there would be no complaints however if we have blatantly not turned up to play the fixture as it is suggested we have then it may not have necessarily been the best solution and could potentially incur punishment, should the division resume which is looking increasingly unlikely. A lot of teams expressed their discontent at having to play yet they rolled their sleeves up and got on with it. I'm not quite sure what happened which meant we didn't do the same, even if it is true that fixtures shouldn't have been going ahead in the first place. Everybody wants to watch their team play but also people understand that the safety of people far outweighs the importance of football in what is a testing time for society that is only guaranteed to escalate to more concerning proportions in the coming weeks. Therefore, especially in light of this weekend, it is virtually inevitable that the National League will swiftly emulate the action taken by the Premier League and the EFL. And so, if this is the end and we're about to be plunged into a sustained period devoid of the glorious escapism that is football, then what a frustrating way to bow out. A day after this was written, Dagenham & Redbridge FC issued a statement on the matter which does clarify a number of things regarding the events of the day, while also acknowledging the frustration caused by the late decision. However, what it doesn't explain is why, if we had two members of staff in self-isolation prior to Saturday, we didn't take the action of requesting or declaring a postponement at that time. However, though the situation was not fantastic for either of the two parties, it is clear that the Daggers acted in a responsible and reasonable manner. It's obvious there was a lack of transparency which is why the stance of both teams seem to differ, but in conclusion the decision to postpone can be seen as a logical one (and one that should've been decided by the league), even if it wasn't communicated as well as it should've been. The action taken by clubs like ourselves, coupled with the government declaration that emergency workers would no longer support mass gatherings, forced the hand of the National League who have swiftly decided to suspend their season until April 3rd at the earliest, saying that they tried to keep it going 'in the face of unprecedented adversity' but now had 'no other choice but to reach this decision'. Dagenham & Redbridge Statement (16 Mar)
2 Comments
Peter King
23/3/2020 07:09:07 pm
Hi Joel
Reply
Joel
25/3/2020 07:22:54 pm
Hello mate really appreciate the comment. I'll certainly look into that as it's a great idea that could benefit me a lot. Looks like there's no more games this season so I guess it'll be August when we next kick a ball! Hope you're keeping well and safe in these strange times.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
WRITERArchives
May 2024
|