Make a decision and stick to it - Horndean boss Michael Birmingham on Wessex League season resumption debate

But the Horndean boss stressed whatever decision is reached regarding possible resumption should be stuck to.

The Wessex League are consulting clubs this weekend to see if they feel it is financially viable to restart the campaign next month.

The new tier system measures announced by the government last week mean some 'non-elite' clubs are not permitted to sell food or drink in grounds, with clubhouses also being forced to remain shut.

While any team placed under tier three measures will be required to play matches behind closed doors.

For many clubs, playing in front of no spectators or having no secondary match-day income could worsen their financial situations amid the coronavirus outbreak.

But whatever decision is reached by the Wessex League - where 36 of the 39 clubs are under tier two restrictions - Deans boss Birmingham believes they should stick with it for remainder of the season.

He said: ‘It’s got to be decided one way or the other. It’s either, yes we’re going to go for it for the remainder of the season, or no that’s it, completely done.

‘I don’t really care if the season continues or not.

‘I’ve said it all the time, there are far more important things to life than football.

'You’ve got all these restaurants, you’ve got people who might have started a business this year and they’ve got no business or income.

‘At the end of the day, if you turn around and say you want the season to start and it doesn’t, so what?‘If it starts it’s great and if it doesn’t clubs maybe aren’t going to lose so much money now and everything like that.'

Clubs have until 8pm tonight to have their say on whether a Wessex League restart next month is financially possible.

At present, Horndean are scheduled to return to action in last season's rescheduled Portsmouth Senior Cup semi-final at Baffins Milton Rovers on Wednesday, December 9.