Coronavirus Kent: Whitstable Town manager Lloyd Blackman says time will tell when sides can return to the football field

By: Thomas Reeves treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 06:00, 20 March 2020

Lloyd Blackman thinks it will be interesting to see how things develop in the next few weeks following the coronavirus outbreak.

His Whitstable team, along with most sides across the country, will be without games until at least April 3.

Whitstable boss Lloyd Blackman. Picture: Alan Langley

But an Isthmian League statement this week suggested “the likelihood is that matches will not start again on April 4”, meaning the football hiatus could last even longer.

“With where we are from a football point-of-view, we are still not mathematically safe,” said Town boss Blackman whose side are 14th in Isthmian South East.

“But I think we are in a comfortable enough position to say we are within that band of clubs that want to finish as high as possible in the league.

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“So we are just trying to achieve as high a position as we possibly can.

“The Kent Cup (where Town have reached the semi-final and are due to play Gillingham), we don’t know how that’s going to go. That’s something we will just have to keep an eye on.

“But there are clubs that are fighting for positions regarding promotion, relegation and getting into the play-offs.

“If you are a side fighting for promotion, you are going to want the season to continue and, if you are at the lower end of it, you are going to want it scrapped.

“Let’s not beat about the bush here, there are people with different opinions (and they) have different reasons for having those opinions.

“I don’t know how the league will go.

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“I think it will be interesting to see how things develop over the next three or four weeks regarding the virus.

“If things go any further, then I just can’t see how – with the time frame we have got left between then and next season – things can carry on.

“But I’m no expert on the matter.

“I’m just kind of waiting and seeing to be perfectly honest.”

Blackman, though, says footballing matters should come secondary to people’s health.

He said: “I think that goes without saying.

“It's secondary, it certainly is.

“I think we are all just waiting, seeing and reading things on the news at every opportunity we get to see if things have progressed or improved, or if there are any more conditions that the government are putting upon us.

“Once you get to that stage within normal life and (regarding your) health, then football becomes completely secondary.”