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Coronavirus

30th Sep 2020

Government to hand out bailout package to struggling National League clubs

The government have agreed to provide a bailout package for the fifth tier of English football with many clubs struggling with the financial impact of covid

Reuben Pinder

Some clubs have been pulling out of FA Cup qualifiers

The government have promised to provide a bailout package to National League clubs, many of whom are struggling with the financial impact of Covid-19.

The package will be rolled out to ensure their season can kick off as planned this weekend after weeks of the government putting pressure on the Premier League to bail out clubs further down the food chain, yet not applying any of that same, sound logic to any other industry.

The exact figures that clubs in the fifth tier will receive from the government have not yet been finalised.

Some clubs are in such dire straights they have felt the need to withdraw from FA Cup qualifiers to avoid triggering clauses in players’ contracts that they can’t afford to pay due to the lack of gate receipts.

Macclesfield Town were hit with a winding up order by the High Court and have been expelled from the National League.

On September 16, the Insolvency and Companies Court wound up the club over unpaid debts of more than £500,000.