MARK Bower admits everyone is worried about the future of football and the economy due to the coronavirus pandemic at the moment, with Bradford (Park Avenue) facing two particular concerns if the season does restart.

One is next week’s registration deadline which, combined with many players’ contracts running out on April 26, the day after the season was originally scheduled to end, could leave them with not enough players to fulfil their fixtures.

The other is the new 3G pitch at Horsfall, which was due to be laid at the end of the season ready for August.

Bower said: “The deadline is next week and we won’t have enough players. We’ve got three players on loan, whose time here would end before the end of the season anyway. Ryan Hall and Jake Hibbs are due to go back to Spennymoor at the end of March for example.

“It’s all really uncertain and there’s no answers on getting any players in. We thought we had two coming in on loan from the Football League before our game against Curzon last Saturday, but a lot of clubs put players into isolation after those leagues were stopped on Friday, so that didn’t happen.

“It’s a bit more secure in the Premier League and EFL because players have longer contracts and they have support from TV and sponsorship money.

“If they’re not playing until April 30, I can’t see how the National League can go against that when we have our meeting on Tuesday.

“But most clubs at our level only have players committed until April 26, so it’s difficult to come up with an end to the season that works.”

Bower added: “It (the pandemic) throws up so many problems.

“Clubs are committed to paying their players, but that will be difficult with no income coming in, and we’re supposed to have our 3G pitch laid for next season.

“All the hospitality and around the ground work will be delayed but (owner) Gareth Roberts has been in touch to say he is still fully committed to that.

“But if we’re playing into the summer, that will affect the 3G pitch being laid, as it’s a process that takes a while.

“What if the people who are contracted to do it now can’t? And it was meant to be signed off by the Council in April but how will that happen? It’s nobody’s fault but there’s so many questions.

“It’s hard to make any long term plans at the moment, but in the short term all we can do is look after ourselves.

“We’ve not been training and have no plans to at the moment, and we’re trying to do our bit by distancing the players from one another.”

Despite the coronavirus clouds gathering, Bower felt a lack of numbers was the biggest factor in Avenue’s 2-0 defeat to National League North relegation rivals Curzon Ashton last Saturday.

As well as the loan players not arriving and Oli Johnson and Adam Nowakowski being absent through injury, Bower said having to bring his 38-year-old assistant manager Danny Boshell off the bench, for his first game in 18 months, shows how short they are in numbers.