Windy, as much as it pains me to say so, many clubs going to the wall would be good for us. I hope there's fewer than expected obviously, but before the financial impact has a massive detrimental impact on us, others worse experiences will I'd hope see a national scheme assembled and the stronger of the poorest clubs remain solvent.

With no fans (so no income) for the whole season and increasing risks of infection it is already looking unlikely that this season will be completed (or indeed get very far at all) and there is no clear reason (ie no guarantee of a vaccine etc.) to think of this being resolved even for next season. By the time this is over, football (along with a lot of other things) is going to have to be pretty much rebuilt from nothing.

WD More money from a private investor should cover the loan!

Now is the time for the Government and the Premier League to work together to safeguard the future of the clubs lower down the pyramid. Many clubs will go to the wall before we start to struggle, but the main concern for us must be the terms of the bridging loan. The ground should be complete by around November, but the prospect of no crowds before March means the prospect of a longer than planned funding gap. If the interest rate on the bridging loan is high then we could be in trouble... 🙁

Looks like we’ll all be watching Kingstonian instead 😀

BBC reporting that looks like no fans allowed into stadia until March at the earliest.

Morning Wombles. A good win last night and some good play by Osew (?) to set up Robinson for his goal and a very confidently and well struck penalty by the Crow too.

Has east london had some mass footballer orgy?

Seems ambiguous as to who paid for Orient’s tests. “Spurs offered to cover the costs” doesn’t really offer much confirmation via media reports. Bigger problem is whoever paid for the tests that Orient had so many players test positive. Either Spurs paid for it and the money included enough positive results to sit a fixture out (I don’t believe that) or Leyton Orient are a unique club whose significant number of positive tests can be treated as an isolated case and football can continue without concern.

Kane paid for shirts or something for them cos they were his first loan club

You go for it Pads it’s been that kinda day. My employer reacted to the new work from home guidance by saying absolutely fuck all so tomorrow is gonna be a big guessing game as to who is in the office and who isn’t. I have to be so it’s no dilemma from me but I’d like to work for a company that doesn’t pretend that life isn’t happening. So I’m grumpy too. Fuck Leyton Orient and Dele Alli.

*avoid not “then it” - my iPhone clearly wants me to upgrade.

Think the Orient chairman was just being objective. Unusual these days, I know.

Wow ok - that kinda works out. Spurs who can afford it pay to test the minnows and then it become infected by them. Meanwhile West Ham infect themselves.

They seem to have a good relationship. Isn't Harry Kane sponsoring them this season?

I think you'll find that Tottenham paid for the Orient players to be tested.

Ah I may have misread it then as I thought their Chairman was saying that having obeyed the rules and finding their players tested positive that the threat of punishment from the FA meant that not testing would have been a preferable route. Dunno, but it’s clear that no one is uninfectable (not a word but I know I didn’t mean immune so fuck it) and if people aren’t going to go into a bubble then breathy sweaty travel-intense football doesn’t really seem like it’s going to last very long. Not like PL players can’t each have their own vehicle on the way to a game but then the emissions cause dolphins to die and if I’m honest I’d choose dolphins over PL players any day.

Trig, didn’t listen up too well but there was chatter on the radio last week along the lines of £150 per test for players. Guess the O’s were looking at paying out £4K per week for testing. With no income. The ire was why the EFL are not paying for mandatory testing (alleging they can’t afford it, whilst being sat on millions in art assets if their pot was actually empty ?).

TF, I think this is going to be a massive problem in non league

Interesting candour from the Orient chairman - says that he feels there’s motivation not to test players for Covid based on his experience so far having had some of his squad test positive.

Nice to see James Shea playing well for Luton against Man Utd tonight.

DO - and it’s been a while since we could say that

And, after 15 years it really is probably time to hand over the baton to the latest "know it all" brigade. A certain symmetry in that.

i wouldn't bet against that happening, TF :)

Thanks Dad 😊