PRESTATYN Sports joint-manager John Hargreaves is confident his side can overcome their latest challenges and return stronger when competitive action resumes.

The NWCFA Tier 4 (East) Premier Division side have made some big changes on and off the pitch this summer, which includes securing a long-term lease on The Meadows Playing Fields.

However, the local lockdown restrictions and the move to all-weather surface sessions have brought training at Sports to a standstill, which is hardly the most promising of scenarios in their bid to get the season underway in the not-too-distant future.

Hargreaves has played a leading role in Sports’ incredibly rise to prominence since their inception, but he is not along in having substantial concerns about the current situation surrounding grassroots football throughout the country.

He said: “Training has come to a halt since changing to all weather, due to only 12 players and coaches allowed on the pitch at the same time.

“Throw the local lockdown on top of this and the chances of training are literally zero, we’ve trained really hard and fitness levels are really impressive, we will just have to diverse as much as we can to maintain them “After this new local lockdown, my own personal belief and fear is that a competitive ball won’t be kicked this season, certainly not in 2020. It’s very frustrating when In England all levels of football have been back up and running for a while now.”

Hargreaves added that it could be a “long road to recovery” for teams across Wales in light of ongoing developments, but he is hopeful that all associated with Sports can pull together during a difficult time.

“We’ve recently seen clubs either fold or be relegated due to ground criteria with the new pyramid system which has caused a massive stress on most clubs,” he said.

“Many had just about sorted themselves out and spent large amounts of money to upgrade facilities, and now we all have the battle of surviving with the Covid-19 lockdown rules.

“No games means no revenue from tea bars, programmes, gates etc. This money provides clubs with finances to train throughout the winter, kits, signing on registrations, and to put £1 in the electric meter.

“Players may lose interest if they can’t play and may well find other things to on a Saturday afternoon. One thing I will say is that Prestatyn Sports have faced challenges since day one and have always come through it, and I expect this latest obstacle to be no different.”