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North junior football season unfinished for second year in a row after Scottish Junior FA declares national campaign null-and-void due to Covid restrictions


By Craig Christie

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THE plug has been pulled on the North Region junior football league season.

Islavale and Forres Thistle have seen their junior football season wiped out for the second year running. Picture: Daniel Forsyth..
Islavale and Forres Thistle have seen their junior football season wiped out for the second year running. Picture: Daniel Forsyth..

A decision was made this week by the Scottish Junior Football Association to declare the campaign null-and-void across all regions in the country.

The north season lasted for just five weekends, with a regionalised League Cup competition played in group stages before the winter break.

Play had been due to resume in January until all lower league football was suspended because of the increased number of Covid cases in the UK.

It had been hoped to start a regional league system in February, but the whole term has been closed down after this week's announcement.

Scottish Junior FA Chief Operating Officer Alex McDowall said:"Following (Tuesday's) update from the Scottish Government stating that adult contact training/football will not be allowed until 17th May 2021, the management committee of the Scottish Junior FA have decided to end season 2020/2021 and declare all competitions null and void.

"We can now set our sights on moving forward and hopefully welcoming fans back at some point in the new season.

"This decision gives us all some clarity and the opportunity to look at starting next season a bit earlier than normal. Further details will be announced in due course."

The 2019-20 north junior season was also wiped out a year ago when the coronavirus pandemic began to spread.

Some of the clubs in the Superleague has played more than 20 of their scheduled 26 fixtures, while the first and second divisions were approximately two-thirds of the way to completion.

However, clubs voted to make the season null-and-void, meaning no titles or promotion and relegation in the three leagues.



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