Although a number of the elite clubs and powerful governing bodies are still talking about the necessity for the currently paused football season to eventually be played out to some kind of a conclusion at the top end, it still remains to be seen whether or not their persistent (and in several cases, self-serving) debate, arguments and dialogue actually bear any kind of fruition, or contain even the merest semblance of reality.
To coin a phrase 'the future is unwritten'. Well, you've all got a blank piece of paper and plenty of time on your hands. So what are you going to do about it?
At this moment in time, it is unclear amidst a tangled web of potential scenarios, which division a whole host of teams will actually be playing in next season, or even which leagues for that matter, given the state of flux that the abruptly halted current campaign was in, whence the game in all of its multifarious shapes, forms and sizes, comes to a grinding, yet completely unavoidable and understandable, standstill.
And as regards what happens next to football, there are infinitely more questions than answers. And as the great philosopher Steve Priest (he was also the bass player in Sweet) once said: "We just haven't got a clue what to do!"
The game is currently subject to a hyperbole sized wave of increasingly rife speculation, about hypothetical outcomes vis. awarding final placings for this 'on hiatus' campaign, and one can only assume that this will create a knock-on domino effect, once the first party to blink reveals their hand.
The grassroots league committee's and footballing powers that be have apparently already concurred among themselves that the majority of the non-league game has already been declared as 'expunged' as regards any football that was played during the 2019-20 season.
Personally, I would've opted to use an average points per game equation to settle any outstanding matters, if the remaining games don't actually get played, but that's probably too sensible, practical, uncomplicated and straight-forward for the suits to implement... such is the nature of the beast that is association football, eh!?
Some will say that by taking such a 'drastic' measure as making the currently unfinished campaign completely null and void, is both unfair and uncalled for, and accuse the decision-makers of jumping the gun.
But, surely a bit of perspective is required to this end, even if, in the eyes of a great many people, the FA do appear to be going in feet first with their studs showing.
A large number of people have put in a lot of time, effort and money into chasing their footballing dreams, but any disappointment at not receiving their 'just desserts' for the season, is barely comparable to the scale of illness and human suffering, that the entire population of the world is currently experiencing when offset against or the very real threat surrounding our day to day existence.
Personally, I don't believe that there will be any more games played with spectators present for a very long time at any given level in this country. And that the UK isn't alone in that respect.
Being realistic, it is highly unlikely that next season will be going ahead as scheduled... and much as that will go against the grain with some people, these are, to steal a frequently used buzzword in the current climate: 'unprecedented' times and nobody can accurately predict or even guesstimate when/if, football will resume, or a lot of other far more prioritous things for that matter.
A lot of lives are going to be lost, businesses destroyed and hardship incurred as COVID-19 takes hold. And sadly, it is inevitable that a number of football clubs won't make it through to the other side either.
And to be honest, as the death toll from the global pandemic rises daily, surely you'd have to ask yourself, in all seriousness, that in such a context: does it really matter where a few shiny trophies and the bragging rights end up this year... or for however long it takes for life to get back to normal?
Whatever normal ever was, or ever will be again, in the days, weeks, months and maybe even years ahead.
Count your blessings, that if/when the non-league season is eventually declared as all having been for 'nowt, it benefits your team, and you avoid relegation as a consequence of these measures.
But there is absolutely no point in the remainder of us getting all bitter and twisted about such things whatever transpires. The manner in which the spoils of sport are awarded and (allocated) aren't ever going to please everybody, nor were they ever always just and fair... but then, neither is life itself.
And I suspect that things are about to get a whole lot worse before they improve any.
I'm an unselfconscious* and unashamed state registered and clinically certified football addict and obsessive... and to that end, I've never even looked for an antidote or ever wanted to be cured, not for a single moment.
Believe me, I'm missing my fix just as much as anybody else who is suffering from these very real withdrawal symptoms, but... it won't be forever, so hang on in there, stay safe and do your best to be a part of the solution to what we're all going through at the moment.
The world outside our football bubble has more than enough problems to deal with, without me n' thee adding to this cuntastical* mess that we're all in together.
*Grammarly is/are trying to claim that unselfconscious and cuntastical aren't real words.
It/they did the same to me with prioritous a couple of months ago too.
But f*ck 'em! Because I have referenced the Oxford English Dictionary and can confirm that there isn't actually even such word as Grammarly. Just saying!
