Southport FC club secretary James Tedford will appear on Newsnight this evening (Tuesday) to highlight the issues currently being faced by non-league football clubs.
The club confirmed: “Our very own Head of Operations, James Tedford will be on BBC Newsnight tonight talking about some of the issues faced by clubs at our level during the current pandemic.”
Southport, and other teams in the National League North division, are classed as ‘elite’ sport, meaning that the government will not permit spectators into matches.
The Sandgrounders are scheduled to start their season at home to Morpeth in the FA Cup this weekend, but no fans will be permitted into the stadium the club confirmed earlier today.
With no major broadcast deal in place for the league, the teams in the league are unable to pay their players without ticket revenue from spectators.
Southport have a number of players who must be paid through the season if the campaign starts, based on a contract clause signed by new additions. The club have said that if government support is not offered, the team will not start the season this weekend.
James Tedford speaks to Rob Urwin – available from the Southport FC Youtube Channel
James Tedford told Rob Urwin: “It’s mind-blowing and I don’t quite get the logic that as an elite club we can bring a non-elite club here with no fans, but if we were to go to Morpeth on Saturday, only home fans can go to that game. I don’t know how that’s operationally manageable.
“It’s not for us to say. As far as we’re concerned we’re not allowed fans here and when we travel away we’re not allowed fans there and that’s just how we have to go with it.
“The minute the whistle goes on Saturday, we have 7 or 8 players who are due payment and we simply can’t do that [without a financial package].
“The biggest thing we have to remember here is that there’s legalities involved. Ian [Kyle], as the majority shareholder, if he runs this football club knowing that we are insolvent, he is potentially liable personally for that. That’s the biggest thing that we have to protect the football club, we cannot go insolvent.
“We are not the only club in the National League North having problems.”
The Telegraph has reported this evening that a financial package looks increasingly likely, in a move that could allow National League clubs, including Southport, to begin their season this weekend.