Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor discusses playing on through lockdown and National League clubs' 'self-interest' over further funding and support packages

Monday’s announcement that the UK would be placed under a third coronavirus lockdown was quickly followed up by confirmation that elite sport, including the National League, would continue behind closed doors.

With that came concerns from clubs over funding for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

Pools have now received all of their allotted £285,000 package from the £10 million National Lottery grant to help support clubs while supporters are unable to attend matches.

A further £11 million support package was announced by the Government late last year in the form of a loan.

And there is growing unease amongst the National League clubs with no clarity on what further funding they will receive to help them for the remainder of the campaign.

Pools boss Dave Challinor admitted it’s a difficult situation for clubs at the moment given that things haven’t panned out as hoped.

“It’s a tough one, it’s something that you look at from the start of the season where things were put in place to protect clubs and everyone hoped we’d be in a better place after the new year,” he said.

“That scenario has obviously changed and we’re back in full lockdown. There was the possibility of fans coming back into stadiums perhaps by January but that’s obviously not going to be the case so there needs to be things looked at to protect the interests of different teams.”

With every club handling the pandemic differently and requiring varying levels of support to cope, Challinor feels ‘a lot of self-interest’ will be at play regarding further support.

“Everybody is different in terms of budgets and their reliance or over-reliance on supporters in the stadium,” added the Hartlepool manager.

“There are lots of anomalies I suppose and there will be a lot of self-interest as there is bound to be from all the teams within the league.

"As much as clubs may not want to come out and say it, they are only really concerned about themselves and that’s natural.”

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