Irish League clubs set to get financial boost from sports fund as weather continues to play havoc with schedule

Only delayed: Crusaders ace Declan Caddell and Ballymena United’s Jonny Addis set to clash at Seaview today

Inpho/Stephen Hamilton

Only delayed: Crusaders ace Declan Caddell and Ballymena United’s Jonny Addis set to clash at Seaview today

Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland - 2nd November 2009.
Belfast Telegraph staff Images Graham Luney

Graham Luney Twitter Email

February 20 2021 10:50 AM

A season shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic and winter weather had another casualty last night when the Ballymena United v Crusaders Premiership clash at the Showgrounds was called off due to persistent rain - but at least there is a bright outlook for all clubs on the financial front.

The stop-start campaign of matches played without supporters and Covid-19 testing has been tough on everyone.

All clubs are finding the challenge of fulfilling a 38-game season a daunting one but there's an understandable desire to play as many games as possible.

The cold, wet weather has forced a few postponements, following on from the Covid-19 outbreaks that led to call-offs and a two-week circuit breaker stoppage.

When Covid-19 arrived on these shores last year the league season was abandoned after 31 matches and when clubs weren't arguing with one another about how to curtail the season, they were highlighting their financial losses.

The positive news now is that a Spring bounce is on its way. The Sports Sustainability Fund, administered through Sport NI, will now release vital funds to the Irish FA, Northern Ireland Football League and clubs by the end of this month.

Sport NI stated the fund was to 'provide the financial interventions needed to stabilise and sustain sports core governing bodies of sport; enabling them to withstand the worst impacts of Covid-19'.

Applications, which clubs forwarded through the Irish FA, closed in January and Sport NI hopes to issue awards to successful applicants by the end of this month.

As well as the money being issued shortly, it's expected that the clubs and sporting bodies will secure close to the funds they asked for as the £25m fund was a little undersubscribed.

The total value of the applications came in at £24.8million and it's estimated clubs had been looking for more than £4m from the fund.

The Irish FA have also suffered significant losses through the disruption to their various programmes and international matches.

For clubs that have lost significant gate receipts and commercial revenue, this money will cover their substantial loses.

Although clubs were able to use the furlough scheme, some feared they would sail close to bankruptcy.

The application form asked for information for two separate periods - April-December 2020 and January-March 2021. Clubs are currently playing behind closed doors and Covid-19 testing, the cost of which are currently being met by Linfield and Coleraine.

Crusaders general manager Bernard Thompson said: "Hopefully all the clubs get what they asked for as the figures are based on actual losses."

Linfield chairman Roy McGivern echosed those sentiments, adding he was aware the fund was undersubscribed. "Hopefully clubs will get close to what they claimed for," he said.

The Down Area Winter Football League, meanwhile, has cancelled all league and cup competitions for the 2020/21 season.

The Championship and Premier Intermediate Leagues have also been cancelled.

Irish League clubs set to get financial boost from sports fund as weather continues to play havoc with schedule

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