Warwick and Leamington MP supports grants for under-threat National League football clubs including Leamington FC

The club’s chairman Jim Scott contacted the Warwick and Leamington MP saying some teams and the league season are in ‘jeopardy’ after the government withdrew vital support.

At the beginning of the pandemic, ministers offered all National League clubs grants from a £10million fund to ensure the season could go ahead in the absence of fans.

But this month the Government has withdrawn grants and offered loans instead.

Many of the league’s 66 clubs claim the withdrawal reneges on the agreement between the parties at the beginning of the season.

Cash-strapped clubs – including Leamington Football Club – had assumed the costs associated with continuing competitive football in the absence of fans would be covered, including as the nation enters a third lockdown.

The Labour MP said: “The perilous situation of the UK’s National League football clubs, and their season, will be a cause for major concern for lovers of the sport and fans across the country.

“It would be unconscionable to allow some of our nation’s most treasured and historic clubs to fall into ruin as a result of this pandemic.

“It seems wholly unjust to force substantial loans on some of the country’s smallest community clubs even when fans, their major source of revenue, cannot return to grounds.

“I hope the league season will be able to continue and clubs won’t have to pay the price of the government’s disastrous response to the pandemic.”

Clubs say loans would mean serious financial insecurity and taking on debt.

Mr Western has vowed to do all he can to lobby the government into offering further grants and has written to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.

The decision to offer loans by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will force many clubs into opting to end the current league season ahead of an emergency league board meeting today.

Mr Scott believes most clubs are now operating on full pre-pandemic costs with players and staff wages to be paid with only negligible incoming commercial revenue.

Mr Scott said: “For our club, loans are not a viable option.

“We are in a slightly better situation than others. Some won’t make the end of the month and are struggling considerably.

“But over the next few months, we will also be in serious difficulty without grant funding.

“I want to thank Mr Western for offering his support.”

Leamington has about 30 teams of different age groups – and needs to pay its contracted players and staff members.

Ahead of the decisive board meeting today (January 22), National League clubs (in the fifth, sixth and seventh tiers of English football) have been given three options.

Teams could receive individual loans, share a centralised loan paid to the league, or end the season and use the furlough scheme.

Clubs claim furlough payments in the event of the season ending would total more than the grants they ask for to keep it going.