SILSDEN boss Danny Forrest admits he cannot see any league football going ahead now until August, but he did offer some tentative hope for fans wanting their fix sooner.

It is a quiet time for sport in the district, with Keighley RUFC not set to return to competitive action until September, Keighley Cougars not due to begin their league campaign until May, and Silsden and Steeton both at risk of seeing their seasons declared null and void by the FA.

That is not of great on-pitch concern for either the Sils or the Chevrons, who were both unlikely to be involved in any promotion fight or relegation scrap.

And unlike many, who are fighting for another resolution, Forrest is accepting of the situation.

He said: “I’m not sure what can be done other than null and void, unless they pause the season as it is then resume in August.

“The decision probably affects those going for promotion more than anyone, so I get they’re frustrated and it’s disappointing.

“But we’ve only played 10 games for example, so that’s a lot to try and cram in between now and August (if we want a new season to start then).

“Is it right to resume this season in August either (the likelihood of changes to squads etc)? From our point of view, we just hope the world can see itself right over the next few months, then we can carry on in August, whether that’s after null and void, or just a pause.

“Maybe the FA could have seen what happens over the next couple of months before considering null and void, but people do want clarity and the chance to plan and prepare going forward.

“Personally, I’ve got my head around having to wait until August.”

But on that, Forrest added: “To go without any football for seven months could be a catastrophe.

“But we’ve been in discussions with other clubs, and have been invited to potentially take part in a local tournament in April/May time, if the world is in a better place by then.

“I would massively support a tournament if we could get it on, both financially and just to give us some football.

“We’d want to take it seriously and make it competitive, and we just hope football isn’t dead and buried until August.”

Silsden look unlikely to be playing their 16 remaining home league games this season, and Forrest said: “I’m not too involved with the financial aspect of it all, but I know we tend to average about 180 fans at home games.

“So we would have happily taken the 150 that we were allowed into games before it all stopped, if that allowed us to play football.

“It’s been really hard to get any momentum this season, as it’s been so stop-start.

“It’s been tough to take, as we’re generally decent at home too.

“With 16 games still left to play there, that would have been something nice to really get our teeth into.”