Hawks and other National League clubs to receive Premier League funding support

The National League today announced a sum of £5m would be made available to all 66 of its members across three divisions as part of Premier League Covid impact funding support for Football League clubs and those within the first two steps of the non-league pyramid.

The £5m figure will initially be decreased to £2m and split 50-50 for clubs in the National League and at NL South and North levels.

While the remaining £3m will be handed out in £1m sums over the course of the next three campaigns.

The funds made available from the Premier League come as part of an exclusion order agreement with the government relating to the three-year renewal of the Premier League’s UK live and non-live broadcast rights.

National League chairman Jack Pearce said on the funding: ‘The National League has been in regular discussion with the Premier League and other football organisations to discuss funding throughout the game.

‘This latest announcement is brilliant news for National League clubs for which we, as a competition, are extremely grateful.

‘We welcome this new funding which comes after the Premier League assisted with the provision of valuable financial support during the pandemic that was crucial to the livelihood of clubs.

‘The impact of Covid-19 was particularly severe at our level of the game and this new commitment is a timely boost which will aid clubs in their recovery and enable them to plan for the future.’

Ninth-placed Hawks head to second-bottom Braintree this weekend looking to make it five National League South games unbeaten.

But a crippling injury list saw them without NINE first-team players in their 0-0 home draw with Maidstone last weekend.