UPDATE ON THE RETURN OF FOOTBALL

All clubs from Step 3 down to Step 6 of the Pyramid System were invited in February to participate in a survey as to what should happen to the 20/21 season in regards to continuing or ending the season. After careful consideration and taking into the results of the survey, the FA decided in early March that the 20/21 season would be curtailed and for the second successive year declared null and void.

Hampshire FA and The Wessex League got together and came up with the idea of palying a Hampshire Invitational Competition in order to have some sort of competitive football that would be played from April 12th , when step 2 of the Government pathway out of the current situation came into force, through to the end of May. However it was not compulsary to enter and there would be no fee payable or any trophies at the end . Cowes Sports were interested but stated that they would only participate if spectators were allowed into all games, which in the end they would not be until May 17th at the earliest. A decision was then taken by the Committee not to partake.

With the Reserves playing in the Island League, at Step 7, which is not in the pyramid system, the Leagues Committee decided that the League fixtures would resume from April 3rd till the end of May, giving players that had not been able to keep fit due to the lock down in place just one week to train/play.

Cowes Sports Reserves entertained Brading Town on Saturday April 3rd in their first game since December 12th. Their fixtures then read Tuesday April 6th away v Whitecroft & Barton Sports, Saturday April 10th home v Whitecroft & Barton Sports, Tuesday April 13th home v Ventnor and Saturday April 17th home v Shanklin, so a tough set of games.