WEST FIFE'S rival East of Scotland League, Premier Division managers fear their season may not finish.

Crossgates Primrose boss Alan Campbell and his Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts counterpart Grant Brough both said that they had no qualms over football beneath the SPFL Championship being suspended for three weeks earlier this month.

Until at least January 31 – this Sunday – all matches in SPFL League One and League Two, the Scottish Cup, Lowland League, East of Scotland League, South of Scotland League, West of Scotland League, North Caledonian League, junior leagues and the Scottish Women's Premier League One and Two have been off.

Although clubs in League One and League Two formulated a 'route to playing again' submitted to the SFA, last week, the extension of lockdown restrictions across Scotland into February has cast doubt whether non-league football will return.

Humbug Park gaffer Campbell said that, while his club have had strict protocols in place and no COVID-related incidents, the season will be in doubt the longer an enforced break continues.

"It's probably the right call that was made but it's a shame because we've got a COVID officer and a committee there who have done everything by the book," he said.

"That's us been training since September, and playing games, and we've never had any problems. In a way, you feel like you're getting harshly treated, but then I caveat that by saying how can the whole country be getting told to stay in the house and don't leave, yet we're getting to go and play games against Dunbar and travel all over the country?

"If it goes into February, which we're expecting, it's going to start to create a problem for getting the season finished, I think. If it starts up again in March, you're probably looking at playing weekend-midweek, weekend-midweek, right through to the whole of May and June before we can get the season finished.

"It might be possible to do that but you're going to have to give the players a couple of weeks to get fit and train again, as we're not allowed to train."

Brough, whose Swifts side are competing in the Premier Division for the first time having won promotion last season, agreed that it was "100 per cent the right decision".

"We're not at a level with Hibs, Hearts, Celtic and Rangers where the guys are getting tested," he said.

"I'm a great advocate that sport is really important for the mental health of young people, that it gives them a purpose, gets them out the door and gives them something to look forward to, but I just think that, at this precise moment in time, we have to play safe with it.

"Say they put another three weeks on it, or even two weeks. That's five weeks without football for the guys – it only takes two weeks for you to lose your fitness. It's going to be difficult.

"If we start back in March, we've essentially got three months to complete the season. That's 12 weeks and we've got 24 games to play, two games a week, and that's if we get back in the first week in March.

"You don't like to be sitting around your house on a Monday or Wednesday when you should be out at training but it's about the bigger picture."