Worthing boss giving up hope of 2020-21 season finishing

It's now ten months since Worthing played at Woodside Road / Picture: Stephen Goodger

And with much less of this season having been played than in the 2019-20 season, the Worthing manager finds it hard to see beyond football authorities deciding it’s

another ‘null and void’ campaign.

The Isthmian League has been on hold since the start of November – and with the new national lockdown planned to last until well into Feburary, there seems no hope of fixtures resuming before March. And it could be even later if Covid case rates don’t decrease.

For Worthing it’s especially frustrating. They topped the Isthmian premier when the 19-20 campaign was voided – and were first again when the current campaign was halted.

Ironically the latest lockdown comes with their troublesome artificial pitch at Woodside Road now almost ready for use after work to relay it.

Hinshelwood said the club had stopped their Zoom fitness sessions over Christmas and new year but he and his staff had been keeping in touch with the squad, who had each been working to stay fit. Hinshelwood said it was an uncertain time and added: “It doesn’t look good for a resumption any time soon. We can’t get started until fans are back and that seems so far off.

“The virus is spreading again and hospitals are at capacity. It doesn’t seem right that we could get together for training and then have someone roll their ankle and need an ambulance and to go to hospital. We could be adding to the strain on the NHS.

“As for this season, I’m losing a little bit of hope it can finish.”

Hinshelwood said if games could resume in March, thought could be given to the campaign being a ‘half-season’ with sides playing each just once.

He said there was mileage in an idea that last season’s results could be added to this term’s to make a full campaign – a move that would certainly suit Worthing – but admitted that was highly unlikely to be agreed.

“In making last season null and void when we’d played three quarters of it, they’ve set a precedent.And you’re now looking at having to decide what to do when we’ve played much less of the season.”

Hinshelwood has, though, been lifted by pictures of the new pitch, saying the first game back at Woodside Road in front of fans would be an occasion to savour.