Vale of Leven captain Adam Monaghan says he understands the decision to suspend lower league football, even if it’s been a tough one to take.
Earlier this month, football at all levels below the SPFL Championship was suspended until at least February, with Vale’s debut season in the West of Scotland Football League looking increasingly unlikely to finish.
However, the 31-year-old told the Lennox that he can see why the decision was taken, despite football offering an all too rare escape from pandemic life.
Adam said: “It was disappointing obviously because I love football but when you sit back and look at the bigger picture then you understand the decision.
“It’s tough to take though because football has been a relief and an escape over the lockdown.
“When things started to get tougher and we heard more about lockdown being tightened though it felt like only a matter of time.
“We were quite surprised that we were still on after the initial lockdown announcement.
“I think when you sit down and look at it, it probably is the right thing to do though to be honest.
“When we first got told it was off though then the disappointment really kicked in, because it has given you a relief from what’s going on.
“For 90 minutes you can forget about what’s going on and just play the game that you love.”
With changing rooms out of bounds due to restrictions, Vale players have been forced to get changed in the elements - and Adam admits that the novelty quickly wore off. He continued: “The season has been hard going. For the first couple of games you think it’s not been too bad.
“Then it starts raining and it’s freezing and you think, this is no use.
“It’s not ideal at all.
“We had a game over at Annbank and it was wild.
“The pitch was like a bog.
“We won which probably made it a little bit easier coming back up the road, but as soon as the game is finished you have to get changed at the side of the park.
“You’re driving up the road in the car and you’re still soaking, stinking and muddy.
“Winning made it a wee bit easier but it still certainly wasn’t ideal.
“I get why it’s off but for those 90 minutes it was good to just enjoy playing again.”
And with Brian Brown’s side still searching for their first league win of the season, the former St Pat’s man is confident that their luck will turn when football is allowed to restart.
He added: “If you actually looked at the games then it’s been us the players who have killed it for ourselves.
“It’s been individual mistakes or in games where we’ve been trying to get back into it we’ve ended up a man down. We’ve had a crazy amount of injuries which has been strange. It’s the first time I’ve ever experienced that — especially at the Vale.
“It’s been a strange season in a number of ways.
“We haven’t won a league game yet but we’ve only played six times.
“Once we get back playing and get the boys back from injury we’ll turn that form around.”
