Date for Highland League kick-off set to be made official
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Highland League clubs are set to find out this weekend when the 2020/21 season will kick off and how many games they will play.
The Highland League management committee will meet on Saturday to finalise plans for when this season will start and how many league matches and competitions will take place.
The SHFL has been suspended since March following the implemented lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But with the Scottish Government lifting restrictions this week, as well as allowing limited number of fans into stadiums from September 14, the Highland League are ready to announce when they can start the season.
Highland League secretary Rod Houston said plans will be finalised on Saturday and clubs will know how the 2020/21 campaign will shape.
However, he said any start date will be provisional in case of any spike of virus cases in the region.
“The meeting will have the final determination and anything we announce is provisional,” he said.
“All it needs is a spike in the wrong place and we’re snookered.
“Any calendar or set of dates will be fragile because of the unknowns out there.
“But the fact that we can have a date, or at least consider a date is encouraging.”
The Championship, League One and League Two are reducing the number of league matches from 36 to 27. Their seasons will start on October 17.
It has not been confirmed if the SHFL plans to reduce the number of league games.
Although clubs have previously stated it has been considered to give the best chance of completing the season.
“The league committee meeting will finalise a calendar,” said Houston.
“Our emphasis is on staging competitions we can complete, especially if there are interventions from the pandemic or the weather.
“We anticipate posting an announcement on Saturday.”
