Neil switches from hell to heaven

FC UNITED boss Neil Reynolds says seven months without football has been the worst time of his life.

- Chris Dunlavy

The Red Rebels had played just seven games in the NPL Premier when Covid-19 forced the premature termination of football at Step 3 for a second consecutive season.

Their final game of the 2020-21 campaign was a 5-1 defeat to Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup first round on November 7.

“It’s been horrendous,” says Reynolds, right, whose side lay second behind runaway leaders South Shields when the 2019-20 season was declared null and void.

“The worst time in my life, probably bar none. Me without football - it’s just awful. There have been times over the last six months when you’ve looked out of the window and thought ‘How long will it stay like this?’.

“But then you get a bit of good news from the government, things start to open up. All of sudden, we’re back on the grass. I’m seeing smiles on people’s faces, lads on the coaching pitch having a laugh and a joke or celebrating a goal. I’ve missed that camaraderie so much.