WEST FIFE’S non-league football clubs are no closer to discovering the fate of their season despite SPFL League One and Two being given the green light to return.

On Tuesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that the lower leagues, the Scottish Cup and Scottish Women’s Premier League One are able to resume, with weekly COVID testing, after they were suspended on January 11.

However, no update on the position of all other football across the country was provided, leaving Lowland League Kelty Hearts; East of Scotland League, Premier Division Crossgates Primrose and Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts; and First Division Oakley United and Rosyth, in limbo.

Alan Campbell, manager of Crossgates, commented: “I was thinking oh, here we go, maybe we’re getting a chance to get going here but, when you see it’s just those two leagues and the Scottish Cup, you start to feel a wee bit deflated again.

“You’re just wanting a wee bit of clarity but, every month or three weeks, it just seems to be more of the same.

“As I said to you the last time, it’s a case of waiting and seeing and seeing what they can come up with.

“It’s still a bit uncertain but we’ll just do what we’re doing.”

Craig Cowan, a member of Oakley United’s committee, said: “To be honest, the football’s taking a back burner just now.

“I really don’t think we should’ve started at all. We’ve played eight league games; we’ve got more than two-thirds of the season to play.

“These things happen. We just need to wait and see what happens with the next update.”

Russell Craig, assistant manager at Rosyth, said: “It was expected. We were kept in the loop through Alfie (Blair) and the SFA updates, and I am aware that they are doing regular meetings. It is what it is, unfortunately. You can’t stand still at any level of football; if you do, it quickly passes you by. Between myself, Brian (Muirhead, manager) and Dean (Ogg, coach) we’re working as if it’s going to be a brand new season or if the season’s extended or whatever.”

SFA president Rod Petrie added: “The preparatory work undertaken with representatives of affected leagues and their commitment to the inclusion of weekly PCR testing has given ministers the confidence to permit the return of SWPL 1 and SPFL League One and Two.

“While we are pleased to see the return of these leagues, there remain significant numbers unable to return to play, including the remaining levels of the professional pyramid, elite youth football, club youth football and our amateur and grassroots clubs across both the male and female game. We are acutely aware of the desire within those levels of football to return to playing football and we will continue to work with the Scottish Government to ensure they are able to as soon as it is safe to do so.”