Horsham FC raring to go - even if league season is over

The Hornets, like all non-league clubs, have been waiting to see how league and FA bosses would decide to conclude their season.

A statement from the FA last night confirmed the season was being 'curtailed'. That followed news this week that football cannot restart until March 29 and fans cannot return to grounds until mid-May.

The boards of the Isthmian League and its Southern League and Northern League counterparts had said in January they felt the season for their level should be terminated.

Di Paola has long said more could have been done to get enough games played to constitute a full season.

He was upset clubs were not allowed to play throughout December – in between the past two national lockdowns.

Speaking before the FA’s verdict on what would happen to the season, Di Paola said this week that playing throughout April and May would allow clubs to play 16 or so more games, meaning they’d have played well over half their league games.

But he said if there was a need for teams to play as many as three games a week that was not feasible.

Horsham have yet to play a full season back in the Isthmian premier division following promotion in 2019. They’ve been in the top half of the division in each of the two unfinished seasons and will be confident of another good campaign at that level in 2021-22.

Di Paola is looking forward to getting his players back together ahead of whenever competitive football does restart. He said: “There’s been talk of cup competitions and that could work.

“The moment we can do something, we will. If we can get back to normality in May, great.

“I am thinking of doing a couple of extra weeks of pre-season for next season because players have had a long time without playing – pretty much the longest break most of them will have had.

“Maybe pre-season will be nine or ten weeks instead of the usual six or seven. Whatever, we’re looking forward to getting back and playing in front of our fans again.”