Pandemic could re-shape football for many non-league clubs, says Sleaford Town boss Jamie Shaw

Sleaford Town boss Jamie Shaw believes the Covid-19 pandemic could re-shape the future of non-league football for a number of clubs.

The Greens boss, who has previously stated he believes a knock-on effect could see fewer businesses in a position to sponsor local clubs in future seasons, thinks that attitudes may be changed by the past 12 months.

“I think there’s a possibility there will be less financial availability to clubs at the lower non-league levels,” he said.

“I do think, unfortunately, one of the effects of people being at home is that they’ve had the availability of football on TV. The other week I noticed that at 3pm on Saturday, a time when football is not normally televised, there was one match on BBC and three matches on Sky.

“I think that will mean that money, sponsorship and tickets gets funnelled towards the bigger clubs again. If that (televised 3pm games) continues some people will not go to watch their local clubs because they can watch the Premier League on telly.

“That should mean there’s less money. But players who have missed the game when it wasn’t available may say they’d be happy to play for their local club for nothing or for significantly less.”

However, Shaw believes some clubs will still be able to function as before.

He added: “The cynic in me thinks there’ll still be some clubs who are cash rich and they’ll say ‘I hear your club’s not paying anything - fancy £100?’.

“Those clubs will be ambitious. Do I think it’s the right thing? No. But do I understand why, if you’re a club who has a wealthy benefactor who can bankroll your club to get promoted, why would you not use that? Of course.

“People will take advantage of that scenario and I think we’ll find normal capitalist ideals come back to the fore very quickly.

“Very few teams cut their budget this season just gone.”