Matlock Town’s pandemic reset
Matlock Town are just one of many non-league football clubs to have been affected by the pandemic, however, they have a plan to return to the pitch in a positive manner.
Although it has been a tough time both on and off the pitch for the club, Bryn Apperley, chairman of the Derbyshire outfit, spoke of his pride on how he has been able to keep the club in order.
He said: “We have a very good set of players and coaches. At a get-together on the 30th March not one player requested to leave.
“Our sponsors have also been great and are backing us next season.”
Matlock, who play their games at The Proctor Cars Stadium, have been redeveloping the 2,240 capacity ground over the past few weeks, with key changes to the playing field and entrance-way of the stadium said to have one of the most picturesque backdrops in English football.
In November, the UK Government pledged £14 million to support non-league clubs in steps 3–6. The eventual sum of just under £10 million, was used by 850 football clubs across the English non-leagues to help and potentially save some of them.
Matlock used this grant and other funding provided to make pitch reparations. Two of the corners of the pitch have been dug up and levelled out, with the grass being re-seeded as the club look forward to the 2021/22 season.
Matlock have had their season ended early by the Coronavirus pandemic twice in the last two seasons, with the team only playing six of their 42 games, last season.
Many are looking forward to the return to The Proctor Cars Stadium, after a tough year for everyone at the club. With pre-season starting in the coming months, there is a lot of catching up to do.
Matthew Rhodes, a local journalist, said: “[It]probably will even be a bit emotional too on the 1st game back — every person at the game will have been through a lot in the last year.
“Being in the stadium bar and having a drink with colleagues, players and fans after the game will be fantastic.”
Matlock Town’s last game was a 3–3 draw against Coalville Town on November 3 2020, when they were allowed up to 600 supporters. In January 2021, the league was suspended after a democratic vote involving all Northern Premier League (NPL) clubs, as 57 out of 61 voted to end the season.
The NPL had hoped to resume after the November lockdown, however this could have only happened if teams were allowed 30% capacity and a second income (e.g. a tea bar or bar). However, this did not happen.
Matlock fan and social media manager, James Griffiths, ultimately saw that the abandonment was on the horizon: “We had a Covid outbreak, I think it was October time, where we missed a few games and a lot of other squads suffered from it.
“It sort of felt like this was just a matter of time.”
The club now looks towards the future, with plans to upgrade the Causeway Lane Stand and a fight for promotion in coming years.
