Suspension of Football extended by two weeks

Taking into consideration the overall and still very sad situation with the pandemic throughout the country, the suspension of football at all levels in Scotland below the SPFL Championship has not surprisingly been extended by two weeks from February 1^st to the 14^th.

The overall situation will be reviewed by the authorities on Wednesday, February 10^th.

The uncertainty surrounding the resumption of play at SPFL League One level has certainly seen less business done by the clubs in the January registration window than is normally the case.

‘Loons’ manager Stuart Malcolm brought in Martin Scott and Hamish Thomson early in the month and we do hope to announce another couple of signings despite this uncertainty before the window slams shut at midnight on Monday first.

It is also likely that one player will be moving on at his own request within the next 24 hours.

Thankfully we still have the opportunity as do all clubs out with the Premiership to bring in players on temporary transfers until at present the end of February.

Of the five players that the ‘Loons’ had on loan in the first half of the season, all apart from Jack MacKenzie have returned to their parent clubs following the expiry of the original agreements.

However, it is still hoped that Florent Hoti will return from Dundee United if and when ‘hostilities’ are resumed, while the manager has been in touch with contacts at a host of Premiership and Championship clubs checking out who may become available as February progresses.

As has been well documented in the press this week, League One and Two clubs still live in hope of completing a 27 match league programme but only time will tell.

The Scottish Cup in which Forfar Athletic were originally scheduled to face Edinburgh City in a third-round tie tomorrow at Station Park is also on hold at present, with no chance of the fourth round ties due to be played on February 20^th taking place in present circumstances either.

In fact, twelve second round ties have still to be completed.

It would appear from ‘sound bites’ received that the SFA have every intention of completing the 2020/21 tournament as they did the 2019/20 version albeit with on that occasion a final which eventually took place December of 2020!

However as has been said many times over the past ten months, football though it plays a huge part in the culture and well being of the nation, it almost pales into insignificance alongside the current daily statistics of the pandemic, some of which thankfully are now showing signs of improvement.

With the vaccine programme nationally and certainly seemingly at a local level gathering pace, we all live in hope.

Keep safe and well as ever