Dulwich Hamlet boss: National League made right call to suspend season – but decision took too long

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Dulwich Hamlet manager Gavin Rose has welcomed the National League South season being put on hold – but reckons it should have happened sooner.

Last weekend’s matches were postponed with the league announcing a two-week suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But there are major question marks over whether Dulwich’s campaign will be completed. They still have 27 matches to play – with the prospect of no income as all but one of their home matches has taken place behind closed doors.

“They got to the right decision in terms of the suspension but it was badly handled,” said Rose.

“Last month I think we had six, seven or eight cases [of covid].

“What everyone thinks is ‘you’ve had it, you should be alright’. But three boys, in particular, were struggling with their breathing since coming back and have had to stay off.

“We have had one lad who we haven’t seen at all this year. The last time I saw him was the Hampton game [on December 28]. He has been at home since. Another came back to training last week and had been off since Hampton.

“Some are lucky with the illness and can just brush it off. But we know there have been a lot of fatalities. If sportsmen can’t breathe then they will struggle to do their job properly.

“At our level we are not getting any testing measures. It’s the bare minumum. That does not make you feel secure one bit. The minute you leave the house you are at risk.

“You expect the measures at training and stadiums to be better but we haven’t got the money and kit to make everyone feel secure.”

There is also the question of who will supply funding to pay wages at non-league clubs when supporters are locked out.

“The government assured they would give a grant as teams weren’t willing to start the season unless they got that,” said Rose. “But that finished at the end of December. Now it seems like they are offering a loan – which is so different to the club.

“Why would you want a loan when you haven’t got any revenue streams coming in? It can’t be easy on the owners of clubs because they wouldn’t have known they would be going into this either.

“I do feel as though the league could’ve been a lot more decisive in their thoughts and actions. They could have been a lot more understanding of how it affects everyone.”

Dulwich only pay their players a wage if their matches are on, a break from the normal procedure due to the uncertainty over the campaign.

“It means that for a two-week break there will also be a contract break for two weeks and the season will be extended,” said Rose. “The players knew that and it was a clause in everyone’s contracts in the National League.

“It’s not as if anyone went into this with their eyes closed. But if you are leading a household and expected to bring in certain levels of income then what do you replace it with when it stops? At the moment there is a gap – and it could go on for months.

“Only a few of our lads can be on furlough from what I understand, not everyone qualifies.”

Bromley are at home to Aldershot Town tomorrow – with their 5.20pm game being shown live on BT Sport.

The Ravens let a two-goal lead slip as they drew 2-2 with Woking at Hayes Lane on Tuesday night.

Kory Roberts put them ahead on the half-hour mark after heading in Frankie Raymond’s free-kick.

Charlie Wakefield’s 20-yard strike made it 2-0 on 62 minutes.

Woking sub Jayden Wareham cut the deficit 10 minutes later with Roberts making a goal-line clearance to deny Malachi Nepa.

But the Cards did find a leveller when Bromley keeper Mark Cousins palmed away John Goddard’s effort and Wareham pounced from close range.

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD