Hawks midfielder Gomis reflects on ‘scary’ time as Covid-19 ran rampant through Westleigh Park

The club were one of the hardest hit across the country by the pandemic with a number of players and staff contracting Covid-19 earlier in the season.

Kit man Richard Pope was hospitalised after testing positive while Westleigh Park chairman Derek Pope was also struck hard by the virus.

CEO Stuart Munro was another who fell ill while a handful of players and other backroom staff members also tested positive.

Things got so bad that Hawks were forced into three 10-day self-isolation periods in the space of 31 days - more than any other club in the top six tiers of English football during the same period.

The club took matters into their own hands last month, entering their third period of self-isolation because of their concerns over Covid-19.

French midfielder Gomis, who has a wife and three children, admitted it was a 'hard' and 'scary' time to be training and playing while team-mates and staff were continuing to fall ill.

And the fact 'very fit' squad members such as Sam Magri and Anthony Straker struggled with coronavirus showed Gomis it was something 'everyone' needed to be worried about.

The 32-year-old recalled: ‘It was scary because I’ve got my wife and I’ve got my kids. Imagine if I got Covid and went back home to them.

‘It was hard and it was scary as well.

'There were very fit players, for example, Sam Magri, Anthony Straker, there were a few who had it.

‘It means it’s not only for the older people, it was for everyone.

‘We were getting tested each week but we had to stop playing and training and we had to stay at home.

‘It was hard because you wake up in the morning and be happy that you do the best job in life, for me personally.

‘Suddenly, we were told that you have to stay at home and you can’t move. It was tough, it was tough, but life comes first before football.

‘People get very sick from Covid and die so it’s a different situation. Obviously, we had to be cautious and understand the situation.'

Hawks currently have a different problem to contend with after the National League South and North seasons were declared null and void following a resolution vote.

But they are one of 19 clubs from the two divisions to put their name to a letter to National League general manager Mark Ives asking for teams who wished to complete the campaign to be able to do so.

Gomis admitted it's going to be hard watching other elite leagues continue while his has been stopped and, short of a miraculous U-turn from the Government or the footballing authorities, won’t restart until 2021/22.

Gomis said it's something players at National League South and North level are just going to have to get their heads around.

'It’s hard because we’re not used to it but we have to adapt ourselves to the situation,' he remarked.

‘Some of us don’t know, I don’t know how to adapt myself to the situation; firstly, I just go day by day.

‘I think that’s the best way to deal with the situation.

‘I’ve got lots of friends in the National League, League Two, League One and Championship and we're at home with nothing. But it’s just about taking it day by day and being patient.

‘Hopefully, everything gets back to normal by June or when the vaccinations keep going.

‘Apparently, fans could be back, which is what they need - everyone needs fans, the clubs need the fans.'