Resumption of SPFL Leagues 1 & 2

It is now some twelve days since the decision was made by the Joint Response Group to bring a halt to football in Scotland below SPFL Championship level.

Forfar Athletic officials had no complaint in regard to that decision.

Over the past week, a working group set up by the SPFL League One and Two clubs have worked exceptionally hard to come up with a proposal for the return of those leagues at an appointed date.

This document has now been presented with the agreement of all twenty clubs to the SFA and the SPFL for consideration.

Forfar Athletic will be making no further comment on the matter at present but management, players and supporters can rest assured that the club will only re-start in the first place training and then playing at a competitive level when the appropriate authorities deem it safe to do so.

A copy of the press release issued on behalf of the twenty clubs is printed in full below.

Again a message to all ‘Loons’ supporters in these troubled times.  

Stay safe and well and obey the rules in place at present.

Better times have surely to be on the horizon?

LEAGUES 1 & 2 COME TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY 

“A ROUTE TO PLAYING AGAIN”

In potentially an historic first for Scottish football, all 20 clubs in Leagues 1&2 of Scottish football have come together to create “A Route to Playing Again”. This document presents a way to restart and safely conclude their 2020/21 season, which was paused on 11^th January due to concerns about travel-related covid.

Explaining the rationale behind the document, which has gone to the Scottish FA, a spokesman for the clubs said:

“We are all aware of the ongoing impact of the pandemic on everyone’s lives. We take our responsibilities to our staff and players seriously and that’s why we have complied with all that has been asked of us to date.

“However, we have used the pause in playing to look at what more we can do to create a route to us playing again in a way that reassures the football authorities and the Scottish Government. We know that football can be a force for good and that our games allow our fans to have one familiar activity available to them at a difficult time. But we also recognise that we need to do more if we want to restart and this proposal lays out what that might look like including the introduction of PCR testing.

“We understand the difficult position the Scottish FA found itself in when it suspended our leagues. But there will have to be a decision made about when we restart. So we wanted to support and assist in the decision-making process. This document shows that, in coming together with common purpose, 20 clubs are committed to this process and hope that the SFA will treat this proposal with the consideration it deserves.