Jim Duffy voices Covid-19 fears as Dumbarton boss makes 2020/21 season warning

Jim Duffy fears the 2020/21 Scottish Professional Football League season is at serious risk of being cut short.
Jim Duffy fears the 2020/21 season is at risk of being stopped entirelyJim Duffy fears the 2020/21 season is at risk of being stopped entirely
Jim Duffy fears the 2020/21 season is at risk of being stopped entirely

The Dumbarton manager and his team are now on hiatus for at least three weeks after all leagues below the Scottish Championship were suspended and the former Hibs boss is concerned that only a drastic reduction in the number of coronavirus cases can avoid a major fixture backlog.

The Scottish Premiership is exempt from the suspension provided it continues to adhere to existing stringent testing protocols while the second tier has also been given the green light to continue on the basis teams commence weekly PCR testing.

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The suspension is due to last until at least January 31 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis by the Scottish FA Board in partnership with Scottish Government.

Speaking to BBC Scotland programme The Nine earlier this week Duffy said: “By three weeks' time, unless there's a major turnaround [in the number of Covid-19 cases], you wouldn't expect too much difference.

"Then they would have to extend [the pause] again. At Dumbarton we're already three games behind in the schedule.

"Take the next three weeks and that makes it six.”

Several players in the lower leagues juggle football with other jobs, adding a further layer of complexity when it comes to fitting in all the postponed games.

Duffy continued: “If you add any more on I don't think there's a possibility for cramming all those games in, particularly for part-time players who are working all week."

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