‘We need to bow down to common sense and just deal with the virus once and for all’ – AFC Portchester boss Wallace

But the Royals' caretaker boss wants a decision made on the Wessex League season reached at the 'earliest opportunity'.

All 39 teams across the two Wessex divisions have had their campaigns paused with the next review scheduled for Monday, January 18.

But with the toughest tier measures likely to remain in place for a sustained period across the south, a restart appears to be a remote possibility before February at the earliest.

Should the season restart by the middle of next month, Wallace feels the 2020/21 campaign could be completed.

But that would still only be the case if the season was extended into June - it is currently due to finish at the end of April.

'My position on the whole thing is that the health and wellbeing of everybody has to come first,' said Wallace.

‘We don’t want to put any risk to players, staff and the extended families and any vulnerable people that we do come into contact with.

‘It’s great to have the game that we love played, but I just think that we need to sort of bow down to common sense and just deal with the virus once and for all.

'There’s a huge amount of work that’s been done at the club to make us Covid safe for spectators, staff and officials who do come on match-days or on training days.

‘Absolutely, we’d want to take advantage of the work that’s gone on already.

'What you would like is a joined up approach at the earliest opportunity.

‘If we can’t get started by the middle of February then it’s probably unrealistic to expect that the league would be completed.

‘It’s just a case of can we be creative and inventive if the league is suspended?

‘Could we play friendlies or mini competitions, cup competitions, that we can play competitive games without having to play another 26 or so games each?

‘The earliest opportunity would be fantastic (for a decision on the season), but I don’t know when that opportunity is.'

Wallace stressed the importance of his players remaining in good shape and being ready if and when they are given the green light to restart.

'What you want is a bit of absolute continuity and clear direction from the FA,' he outlined.

'If it is the green light to go and play, fantastic, we’re looking to maintain our fitness and togetherness as a squad.

'We’ve got fitness plans we’ve got the guys doing individually away from here and there’s some competition within the squad with that.

‘There’s stuff that they can do to try to keep them as fit and sharp as they possibly can.

‘But there’s no substitute for training together and playing matches for fitness.'