HALIFAX/DARTFORD, England (Reuters) - England's Premier League and 72-team Football League closed down on Saturday due to concerns over the coronavirus but clubs in the fifth tier and below defiantly took to the field -- to the delight of football addicts across the country.
But while fans made the most of what may have been the final games for several weeks, club officials were facing up to the financial damage that could be on the horizon if they too are forced to stop playing.
Several clubs, such as Halifax, offered fans of other clubs a discounted ticket of 10 pounds and Manchester City season-ticket holder David Miller took full advantage of the offer, attending two games in one day. Sinclair said his wife had decided against coming to the game due to concerns about catching the virus but said he had practiced 'social distancing' at the match.
“I’m more worried about us going down than I am about catching this bloody bug,” said 75-year-old Archie Harrison, adding that he had supported Hamlet since 1964.A good crowd of around 1,400 turned up at Dartford’s modern and well-equipped Princes Park to watch their side take on Chelmsford City in something of a Kent-Essex derby in the National League South.
Dartford ran out 3-0 winners to keep alive their prospects of promotion to the National League, although whether or not that challenge will come to fruition is out of their hands.
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