Wessex League clubs waiting to see if season will be extended (as it has been at a similar level elsewhere in England)

Both league chairman Nick Spencer and vice chairman Bob Purkiss will be part of a virtual FA meeting taking place tomorrow (Thursday) with other step 5 and 6 leagues.

No formal agenda has been drawn up but it is thought the issue over whether seasons could be extended at those levels is likely to be raised.

At present, teams from the Wessex League are facing a hectic schedule with fixtures needed to be completed by Saturday, April 17.

It means many clubs within the two divisions will be playing at least two matches a week for the vast majority of the five months between the December resumption and the current campaign end date.

'Non-elite' step 5 and 6 football has been suspended this month after England entered a nationwide lockdown.

Currently, only two matches across the two Wessex League levels are scheduled for Saturday, December 5, as teams are required to complete outstanding FA Vase ties.

A full programme of fixtures is planned for the following midweek (December 8-9), should Covid-19 restrictions allow with tier systems for areas across England set to be announced tomorrow.

Without factoring in postponements and clubs' involvement in the Vase, it would leave just 19 Saturdays in the calendar - December 12, 19 and 26 plus the first 16 in 2021 - prior to the current season end on April 17.

Even for Premier Division sides such as Horndean, Hamworthy and Baffins Milton Rovers - who have all played 11 league matches - an April 17 finish would require them to play at least eight midweek games.

Among the local teams, AFC Portchester have the most Premier matches left to play - 29. Assuming they resume on December 8 and finish on April 17, that averages out at one game every four and a half days.

And that is assuming no games are called off for the sort of bad weather that swept across the Portsmouth area almost uninterrupted from last October through to the end of February!

Elsewhere, Fareham still have 28 league games to play and at least one FA Vase tie, against Roman Glass St George on December 5. They also have a Portsmouth Senior Cup semi-final against Moneyfields to fit in.

Down in Division 1 of the Wessex, US Portsmouth have 27 league games left, plus at least one Wessex League Cup and one FA Vase tie.

It all means part-time players look set to be pushed to the limit with a gruelling schedule if the campaign is not extended.

But, as things stand, league assistant secretary Greg Dickson says April 17 remains the finish date.

‘It’s scheduled to (end on April 17),' he told The News.

‘There is a step 5 and 6 meeting with the FA on Thursday regarding the leagues so it could well be on the agenda about possibly extending the end of the season.

‘The chairman and vice chairman of the leagues are attending a Zoom meeting for all the step 5 and 6 leagues.

‘Looking at the fixture list, it is all doable.

‘The only scenarios you’ve got in that equation really is any more potential bad weather, obviously that’s one of the things we’ve got to look at, and the other thing is cup competition results.

‘If you’re a successful club, that will have an impact on your playing season anyway.

‘Success does bring that intensity within the fixtures for a club.

‘The fixture secretary, Roger Allen, is constantly monitoring the fixtures.’

In contrast, other step 5 and 6 leagues, including the Southern Combination League and North West Counties League, are not due to conclude their seasons until May.

The NWCL’s final games are currently scheduled for Bank Holiday Monday, May 31 - 45 days after the Wessex League is due to finish.

The Southern Combination is due to finish on May 15.

Higher up the pyramid - at step 3 level - both the Isthmian League and Northern Premier League have pushed back the final day in their respective divisions to Saturday, May 22.

While in the Southern League, where both Gosport Borough and Moneyfields are situated, officials have stuck with the initial Saturday, May 8, season end date.

That means Moneyfields have a minimum of 36 games - 34 in the league, plus one in the FA Trophy and one in the Portsmouth Senior Cup - to play between December 5 and May 8.

In other words, one game every 4.3 days! Fingers crossed for no bad weather ...

Hawks are due to finish their National League South season on Saturday, May 29.