DEVELOPMENT SQUAD: Tentative steps to a resumption

Both first team and Development squads took their first steps out of Lockdown 3 when they resumed training on Thursday.

The first teamers trained on 4G at Penrith whilst the teenagers had their first session for three months at Distington.

The Northern Premier League season is over, meaning a second disrupted campaign for Danny Grainger’s frustrated troops.  But the squad will continue to train for the next few weeks to keep them ticking over, then take their summer break before returning to prepare for the 2021-22 season.

It is an entirely different scenario for Brian Dawson’s Development Squad who will resume a re-vamped Cumberland County League season next week after a warm-up friendly against Aspatria.

They kicked-off their season in October but, just five games later, the League was suspended and they haven’t played a competitive game since.

The County League has been re-structured into three regional divisions with the Development Squad grouped alongside Cleator Moor Celtic, Cockermouth, Maryport Athletic, Workington Athletic and Workington Reds Juniors.  That will give Dawson’s promising youngsters ten league matches with the season ending in mid-June. Due to Covid restrictions, the games will be played behind closed doors until further notice.