The Glossop North End co-boss feels the time has come to take a serious look at the distances clubs are asked to travel and to cut their costs by going back to more localised competitions.
“Surely, whenever this season finishes, there’s got be a wake-up call for the people who organise the leagues? They’ve got to sit down and try to get clubs back together. That way they can get healthier crowds next year,” said Band.
“The cost of travel is very high and far-off clubs like Wisbech in Cambridgeshire are getting small attendances because don’t want to travel hundreds of miles. I wonder how much we could have saved at Glossop if we hadn’t had to go to Nottingham last Saturday when everyone was expecting football to be called off.”
Band speaks with authority as the Hillmen ply their trade in the BetVictor NPL first division south-east where they have to visit places like Loughborough and Market Drayton.
Mossley fans fear the new NPL division that comes into place next season will leave them facing journeys to Bridlington, Cleethorpes and the North East.
“I know chairmen like to talk about winning promotion but I remember when I was with Altrincham and we went to Oxford United in the Conference. There was a crowd of nearly 7,000. You can’t compete with clubs down from the Football League,” added Band.
“Lots have tried to make a go of it in the Conference and failed. Chorley are having a second attempt and you can see how they’re struggling with the expense. Overnight stops have been replaced with 7am Saturday coach journeys.”
On a wider front, Band admits to having no idea how the current suspended season will end or how the 2020-21 campaign will be organised. As he points out, by last spring he had largely organised his friendlies. That won’t be happening this year. It’s even possible football might not be allowed to start again until what would traditionally be pre-season.
Then there’s the question of match fitness. Band and his co-boss Lloyd Morrison have told the Glossop players to stay fit on their own. However, with sports facilities and gyms closed there is only so much they can do. Social distancing means there’s no possibility of any kind of game.
Contracts also come into question. They should be in effect until the end of April when the season is supposed to finish. How will that work out if the campaign starts again in May, June or later? Or not at all? Fortunately for Glossop, they have only one contract player but other clubs have far more.
The crisis is already starting to bite. Curzon Ashton called in their squad last night to explain the financial realities. Nantwich Town have closed all aspects of their operation and laid off all staff. There’s speculation that Ashton United are among many clubs considering a similar move.
In terms of innovative ways of raising money, Hyde United have set an example others have followed by offering supporters virtual tickets, programmes, food and drink.
Band summed up: “I’ve never known a season like it. We had one game called off in the whole of January and then in February, when there was a storm every weekend, we only played twice.
“Luckily we’ve stayed within our means at Glossop but sad as it sounds I think this will end with some clubs going out of existence.
“Maybe the FA or the Premier League could help. When you think of all the money ploughed into football, why shouldn’t some of that filter down to grassroots level?”