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Loss of football due to Covid-19 is affecting people's mental health and activity levels, says Keith chairman Andy Troup


By Craig Christie

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It's time to let supporters back into football and get the Highland League started.

Empty terraces at Kynoch Park.
Empty terraces at Kynoch Park.

That's the view of Keith Football Club chairman Andy Troup, who feels that coronavirus restrictions in rural parts like Moray are too strict when they deny people an opportunity to play or watch their sport.

Things may change over the coming weeks, with the Scottish Government's new five-tier restrictions possibly allowing fans in Moray and the Highlands to soon be allowed back into stadiums to cheer on their local team.

Troup feels the Highland League campaign could already be underway in a safe environment provided by grounds across the north.

Keith chairman Andy Troup hopes football fans will be back in stadiums soon.
Keith chairman Andy Troup hopes football fans will be back in stadiums soon.

He said clubs have worked hard to meet all the criteria of coronavirus restrictions but football remains in limbo, while elsewhere there are crowds being allowed in certain indoor venues.

"There’s a privately owned cinema in Inverness where they are being allowed in to watch movies," Troup said. "How can they allow this but not allow fans to go back into grounds and watch Highland League football?

"These people are inside, our people are all outside, socially distanced around the ground.

"It’s simple for us to do it and the Highland League and all clubs have jumped through so many hoops to meet the protocols and get to where we are at.

"And also our youth development teams can’t play yet. The under-13s can but the 15s and 17s are not allowed to play under the SFA and Scottish Government guidance at the moment.

"We have about 80 to 90 kids that we train in Keith every week with the youth set-up and with them not getting to play, it’s not good for their mental health or their fitness."

Troup insists lower level football is a safe environment to let people come and be entertained.

"It’s safer than going anywhere else, getting to the football. Everybody is getting temperature checks and health monitoring declaration forms.

"The protocols we have put in place are so robust and so good, I just think it’s farcical that we can’t get back.

"Everybody has to steward themselves, they know the rules and know they have to keep their distance, and every club has already put these protocols in place.

"They would all do their utmost to make sure everything was adhered to and the fans were distanced around the park.

"At the end of the day everybody wants to get back to a little bit of a normality and there’s no reason why the Highland League can’t be playing.

"It would give some people that little bit of normality again on a Saturday and help with mental health and thing like that by getting people out of the house into the fresh air and into a very safe environment.

"We have been speaking to the league secretary about this and we are quite optimistic that we might get football due to this new tiered system.

"We will just have to see what the Scottish Government allows the SFA to do, they are fighting our corner for us."


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