Horsham boss tells football chiefs: Tell us what you know

The Hornets boss has expressed intense frustration over the lack of a decision on what will happen to the 2020-21 season for teams at non-league step three and below.

But while pressing for answers, he has admitted that many in football are fast losing interest in the suspended season.

There has been no news on whether the non-league season will be declared null and void or kept alive since clubs from steps three to six took part in an FA survey on the matter last month.

No-one has said when a decision is likely, although hopes of restarting time to get enough games played to constitute a season have faded fast.

Di Paola said: “I’ve been quite complimentary of the Isthmian League before now but I have to ask: What’s happening?

“It feels like no-one wants to make a decision. It’s really frustrating. People are trying to hide and not take action.

“I think some in the game are beyond caring, to be honest. Players are not going to be in great shape not having played since the end of October. Is there much appetite for the season?

“I’m struggling to remember the last couple of games we played.”

Di Paola said it was unrealistic to expect the rest of the 20-21 season to be played once non-league football got the green light. And he said he feared there would again be a move to make clubs at Horsham’s level play without fans, which he said continued to be unviable.

“Mid-table teams are going to want to play all through May and into June,” he said.

“There’s a lot of different clubs with different agendas but I do think there is mileage in promoting teams who were clearly the best in their divisions over last season and this – even though I didn’t think it would have been right to do that at the end of one unfinished season last spring.”

Di Paola has been keeping in touch with players and believes they – and supporters – would welcome a one-off cup competition for Isthmian teams in the spring if that was all that was possible. “We’re a community club and just want to get back out there and play football that people can come along and watch. It’s not asking much, is it?”