Cumnock Juniors boss Tony McInally believes it would have been a “car crash of a season” had the club not withdrawn from this year’s West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL).

The Nock, who were due to play in the Premier Division of the new set-up, took the decision to pull out of the league over concerns relating to the coronavirus pandemic.

They were one of five clubs in the top-flight of the WoSFL to withdraw along with Auchinleck Talbot, Glenafton Athletic, Kilbirnie Ladeside and Pollok.

McInally told the Chronicle that he was not prepared to risk the health of his players, adding “The club has a duty of care as an employer to its employees to keep them safe and as a manager, I have a duty of care to to look after the health and wellbeing of my team.

“The players were fit and ready to go, we had pre-season, but I had to weigh all the factors up.

“The week before the club took the decision to withdraw, we played Stranraer and conditions were awful.

“Players had to come ready and change in a car park.

“Putting towels down which were soaking, trying to dry themselves, change in cars with car doors open and change into dry clothes.

“I know coronavirus will be here for a while and we need to live with it and not let it dominate our lives but my players could end up with colds, coughs, pneumonia, the flu and hyperthermia without getting a warm shower or going into a changing room to heat themselves up after a match.

“They are having to get changed in car parks or in stands and it’s just a joke and not fit for purpose - that’s not why you play football.

“The players were willing to play for nothing but morally I did not think that was right.

“You could have the scenario where the full squad has to self-isolate for 14 days and boys have no football money to fall back on.”

He added: “The teams that have withdrawn have done the right thing by their clubs and players.

“The season might start but I don’t think it will be fulfilled.

“It would have been a car crash of a season.”