‘I genuinely worry for the future of football at this level’ – Gosport Borough chairman Iain McInnes

The former Pompey chairman has questioned why teams operating at that level missed out on the 'cut' to be classed as 'elite' amid the pandemic.

Southern Premier League South outfit Gosport and other clubs operating at step three and below have been categorised as 'non-elite'.

That has resulted in them missing out on substantial financial support from the Government and currently left unable to play or train with the country placed under a third nationwide lockdown.

Yet, while all divisions below the sixth-tier (National League South and North) have received minimal financial support during the crisis, the 67 teams across the 'elite' National League structure shared a £10m package via National Lottery funding.

McInnes argues that step three clubs are asked to operate at the same 'standards you would expect to see at a professional club', but with a 'non-elite' badge attached to them.

And he insists a rethink is urgently required.

‘They say that we’ve got to put players on contract and keep players fit and get the club up to the same standards as you would expect to see at a professional football club, but we’re expected to do that with no support. They can’t have it both ways,' he fumed.

'For me, if this thing goes on for another three to four months, which it well may, then I genuinely worry for the future of football at this level the way it's structured right now.

‘It’s just not financially viable.

'If we’re not elite then why are we paying players? If we’re not elite why are we subject to all these rules and ramifications about what we can or can’t do at the football club?

‘Something is not right somewhere and I think at the end of this, like many things in life, people are going to have to have a real rethink about what’s going on.

‘For me, the Southern League particularly, takes a level of importance in itself that’s not reflected by its status in even the football authorities’ eyes. That’s something that needs to be addressed.'

McInnes, who has been chairman at Privett Park since December 2017, also stressed that levels three and four of the pyramid have been left in 'No man's land' by the authorities since last March.

He feels clubs across the trident leagues - the Southern, the Isthmian and the Northern Leagues - have been 'the bridesmaid and not the bride' and left to 'fend for themselves'.

'There’s no question about that (step three has been neglected),' added McInnes.

‘It’s in that ‘No man’s land’. We had Wessex League clubs playing in Portchester and Fareham and places like that and I thought ‘why had we carried out all these initiatives?'.

‘The level above, of course, are receiving government support. Up until a few weeks back they were able to have crowds back at a certain level.

‘Of course, at that level, you are more likely to still be involved in a cup competition and get some television money.

‘So, yeah, we’re very much the bridesmaid and not the bride.

‘Remember, Gosport had a first-team, we have an under-23s, an under-18s and an academy and 60 youth sides.

‘There’s an awful lot of people involved in that structure - far more than there is at the average professional football club.

‘I don’t think we’ve been helped very much at all.'