Many football fans must be thinking: Is a season ticket a prudent purchase?

It is not, it is summer time and the Test series against the West Indies has commenced with both England’s performance and the Old Trafford weather proving inconsistent.

Progress has been made in the eerily quiet football stadiums with several questions answered but off the field progress has been nil.

The EFL has made no decision as to when the 2020-21 season will start. It could be as early as the last week in August or as late as mid October. The authority’s lack of direction mirrors that of the government which persists in sending mixed messages with regard to the health crisis. All that football fans want from their administrators is clarity and they will argue the “too early” or “too late” aspect afterwards.

Rather puzzlingly I feel that Crawley Town have made their own contribution to the “too early” discussion. The board has decided to offer season tickets for sale from this week (July 20) with a sharply restricted early-bird window. Given that their own statement admits that it is possible that they might not be allowed to permit ground entry to anybody, if the behind closed doors policy is not rescinded, they should not be surprised if take-up is not as strong as it is normally.

There is a world of difference for season ticket holders between not requesting a refund for the few matches missed because of circumstances beyond the club’s control and forking out a three-figure sum when the seller has admitted that they might not be able to fulfil the order. I already know that I am not the only season-ticket regular who is now undecided as to whether it is a prudent purchase.

The reason for this awkward situation is of course the EFL’s inability to make their own decisions at the time they need to be made. That of course takes us back to the government’s ambivalence so perhaps it is time for individual parts of our society to be bold and start the movement back to normality.

On the field of play recent results have been a little more heartening. The National League play-offs have started, bringing hope to Reds fans who are looking for some shorter trips to away games. Barnet beat Yeovil Town which is intriguing in itself as the Bees were as low as 11th place when the season was suspended.

Boreham Wood are in with a chance of reaching the EFL for the first time after their defeat of Halifax Town. They would offer us another short journey although I have always felt an affinity for the losing club and would like to visit the Shay Stadium. An impatient drumming of my fingers on the desk simply illustrates the need to get back to business.