Elgin City chairman Graham Tatters says clubs in League 1 and 2 hope to be back playing league games as soon as possible.
The Scottish Government gave Leagues 1 and 2 and the Scottish Women’s Premeir League the green light to begin football activity immediately, providing they comply with PCR testing requirements.
With most clubs having completed only around a third of the 27-game season, a 22-match compromise appears to have emerged as the preferred option to complete the campaigns with a split after 18 games.
Some clubs are understood to be reticent over the financial implications of weekly testing but Tatters says Elgin are on board with the plan.
He said: “We’ve got no choice. It is either that or null and void.
“We have fought so hard to get the government to bring us back.
“It would be a bit of a slap in the face to everybody if we said we weren’t going to do it now.
“We have to make an effort to try to do it.
“The biggest concern is if the virus flares up again and we’ve wasted all that money.
“The players and manager are desperate to get back playing.
“We are here to play football and provide entertainment and there is no entertainment in what we are doing at the moment.
“We had a three-and-a-half hour meeting on Tuesday with the League 1 and League 2 clubs.
“We thrashed out the various options. Twenty-seven games was really a non-starter because of the timeframe.
“We put a few different options on the table.
“We thought we had an agreement on one but some of the chairmen have had to go back to their clubs to discuss it.”
FOOTBALL RETURNS
Today government announced the Green Light for football at our level to continue.
We await further clarification from the JRG & footballing authorities and will update you when we know more.
We are back! 🤍🖤⚽ pic.twitter.com/DIKvrOZQLN
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) March 2, 2021
Stenhousemuir chairman Iain McMenemy said clubs hope to be back playing league games “within a couple of weeks” – a view shared by Tatters.
He said: “Definitely.
“We would certainly be looking for league games back before the end of this month.
“We want to start training tomorrow night (Thursday) if we can get tested.
“You have got to be tested to train, that is one of the new criteria.”
There is plenty for Elgin City to look forward to when play eventually resumes, having been suspended since January 11.
The Borough Briggs side are sitting second in League 2 after nine games and have a home Scottish Cup tie against Ayr United on Tuesday March 23.
Tatters said: “The Scottish Cup is important to us.
“It’s more important because it is normally a money-spinner to get a crowd in but this is the big round for us as it is really big sponsorship money after this if we can get through.
“We will be looking to get through this round.
“Our guys have been training all throughout the suspension.
“They are fit and raring to go. We will do some sharp sessions over the next couple of weeks and get going.
“We are ready to rock and roll.
“It is probably the best position we have been in after the first round of fixtures in terms of position and the squad itself.
“We have a very good squad and we are playing some good football.
“The manager has put together a squad that is defensively sound.
“We have maybe relied on Kane Hester for goals a bit and if we can share that around then we should be all right.”