Matlock Town call off festive games against Buxton and Gainsborough Trinity due to cash impact

Chairman Bryn Apperley says Matlock cannot play without cash support.

Following a statement from the NPL on Saturday that clubs would be permitted to postpone their Boxing Day and New Years Day fixtures, plus any others over the festive period, Matlock Town announced that, after discussions with Buxton and Gainsborough Trinity, the Boxing Day trip to Buxton and the home meeting with Gainsborough would not be played.

Matlock’s season didn’t start their campaign until September 19 and in the three intervening months, Matlock have had an outbreak of the disease in their camp.

They have played just six league games, the joint lowest in the NPL Premier Division while they have been involved in six cup ties.

Chairman Glyn Apperley said: “It’s not been an easy time for us and all clubs at this level, what’s happened is unprecedented and with the situation changing daily and even hour by hour, we’ve had to react to things the best way we could.

"We all desperately want to play games, that’s why we’re here and all of our officials and helpers work so hard behind the scenes.

"But we’re in a situation where peoples’ lives and well being, plus livelihoods are at stake. We also have to assess the impact it would have on playing at this time.

"We’d be constantly running at a substantial financial loss if we played games, particularly with the holiday games, there’d be no income from our Social Club and tea bar which would remain closed, the Social Club in particular being a huge source of income on matchdays.

"I think the vast majority of NPL clubs feel the same, we’re not getting any financial assistance from the Government as clubs further up the pyramid are getting. Clubs have been offered loans but it’s robbing Peter to pay Paul, at some point we’d have to repay this money. Basically it would cost the club a substantial sum of money to play games.”

At present, the Trident Leagues, made up of the NPL, Southern and Isthmian Leagues, have said that their season would be suspended until January 9 when the Gladiators are due at Stafford.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens over the next fortnight or so,” added the Gladiators Chairman. “It’s such a pity as we had momentum before the season stopped.”