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Highland League to take stock during ever-changing situation

Highland League president Raymond Cardno, left, and secretary Rod Houston.
Highland League president Raymond Cardno, left, and secretary Rod Houston.

Secretary Rod Houston believes it is important for the Highland League to take stock as the Covid-19 situation continues to change.

A league management committee meeting will be held tonight to discuss the current situation and the next steps the division will take.

Despite First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announcing fresh lockdown measures for the rest of this month last week, football has been allowed to continue.

But, with the number of infections continuing to rise, figures within the Highland League have expressed concerns about carrying on.

A number of options are set to be discussed this evening, including a possible pause to the 2020-21 campaign.

Houston said: “Events have moved very quickly over the last week, so we felt it was very important to pull everyone together to take stock of things.

“Throughout the whole process we have tried to keep on top of things and have the best information we can for the members to consider.

“Things have moved so quickly and by the time we have the meeting it could be very different from Friday when it was called.

coronavirus death toll
Nicola Sturgeon introduced fresh lockdown measures last week.

“It’s such a difficult thing to pin down and be sure of what’s happening and where it’s happening.”

Houston understands the concerns around continuing to play in the current climate and has been working to ensure the clubs have the best information available to consider.

He added: “This is a time where there are no absolutes. There’s all sorts of information flying around and all sorts of concerns and we understand them.

“We’re trying to get the best information we can on this current wave and see what the implications are.

“After the First Minister’s announcement on Monday, I expected to spend another week chasing the best information I could and that has been the case in the last few days.

“It’s almost a continual cycle of trying to work through all the possibilities and implications.”

The 2020-21 Highland League season got under way on November 28.

When the Highland League season began at the end of November, 10 of the 16 competing clubs were able welcome a limited number of supporters into their grounds with Moray and the Highlands in Tier 1.

Mainland Scotland was moved into Tier 4 on Boxing Day with tougher restrictions introduced last week and Houston says the Highland League has to adjust accordingly.

He said: “We have made tangible progress and I think what the Highland League has shown over the past 10 months is that it’s capable of making grounded and rational decisions which turn out to be the right ones for the Highland League and the area it operates in.

“We’re back having to look at these things again and I think that tells you about the unique nature of the pandemic.

“We have to adjust and take stock depending on how it changes.

“The big difference in this current phase is that we’re currently under Tier 4+ restrictions and we haven’t experienced them as an area before.

“When we got started as an area we were under Tier 1 and Tier 3, but the restrictions we’re under now mean there are quite a few differences which make it challenging.

“I think that is what is generating a lot of thought and concern.”