Lugar Boswell Thistle manager Greg Gallagher backs calls to move the start date of next season forward after the West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) null and voided the 2020/21 season last week.

The WoSFL was postponed at the start of the year alongside all other football below the Scottish Championship due to the rising spread of COVID-19 across Scotland.

Although several leagues returned to playing last weekend the WoSFL was not one of them as their clubs no longer fell under the professional exemption category to return to training.

The Scottish Government route map announcement last week, which showed that adult contact sports are planned to return on May 17 at the earliest, scuppered the WoSFL plans to return in April.

So, the WoSFL announced on March 17 that all the leagues would be null and voided this season with a further call on the South Challenge Cup to be announced in due course.

Gallagher said: “We are disappointed because we won’t get any more games in this season and football is release for the players from everyday life at the moment.

“But at the same time, we understand why the decision was made in terms of what has happened, COVID-19 has hit a lot of families and communities hard, so you can fully understand why they ended the season.”

The null and void statement on the season has seen it end a lot quicker than planned, leading to increasing calls from several managers across the WoSFL

divisions to start next season earlier.

Gallagher is one of those voicing support for the idea and says a winter break could also be implemented.

He added: “I suppose it depends on what effect an earlier start would have on the season, if it looks and works well then I don’t see why not.

“Obviously, with an earlier start will it mean an earlier finish as well and will there be a bigger break in winter as well because obviously there is normally a lot of postponements then.

“There will be a lot for the SFA to consider but we would be happy to support any proposals.”