Redbridge boss Christou predicting yet another abandoned season
Redbridge in action away at Walthamstow earlier in the season - Credit: Tim Edwards
Redbridge manager George Christou is expecting the season to be made null and void after the UK went into a third national lockdown.
The Motormen currently sit 11th in the Essex Senior League after just nine league games played in which Christou has only been in charge for six since taking over from Micky Wetherall. He has won four and lost the last two games they played to Walthamstow and Saffron Walden Town.
After prime minister Boris Johnson confirmed further restrictions to combat the rise in Covid-19 infections, the Football Association released a statement confirming that all ‘non-elite’ football matches and training would be suspended with immediate effect.
The Essex Senior League also put out a statement announcement revealing fixtures will be postponed until at least mid-February.
“I think it’s inevitable with yesterday’s news the season could end up being null and void,” Christou admitted.
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“The league have done everything in their power to try keep the season going and I applaud them for that but unfortunately people’s lives are at risk.
“Although we all love football you have to look at the bigger picture.”
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It could be the second consecutive incomplete season during the Covid-19 pandemic if they came to that decision.
“If leagues weren’t so quick to null and void last season, the remaining fixtures could have been played from August to November or December,” Christou added.
“The best teams would have got what they deserved by now instead of having the mess of two incomplete seasons angry clubs, managers and players.”
Elite sport can however continue - and in football that essentially means the Premier League, Football League and National League plus the top two divisions of English women's football.
It is now a worry for many non league clubs how they'll survive through this difficult period or when they can return to playing once again.
For now they will all have to play the waiting game but a return anytime soon is looking very unlikely.
