NEILSTON co-boss Derek Carson fears a decision to suspend all football below SPFL Championship level could pave the way for the season being scrapped.

All clubs below the second tier of the senior set-up will be out of action until at least February after the Scottish Football Association (SFA) announced a temporary break in a bid to help halt a surge in coronavirus cases.

The Farmer’s Boys had been allowed to continue playing in the West of Scotland Football League during the pandemic, albeit behind closed doors, as they were considered professional athletes.

Now there is uncertainty for Carson and his troops, who are hoping their perfect start to the 2020/21 campaign won’t end up being a wasted effort.

He told Barrhead Sport: “I’m gutted, more so for the boys and the club in general.

“The steps the club have put in place to make things as safe as possible, you’ve got to take your hats off to them.

“We’ve been lucky enough that we’ve not had any Covid issues at all and that’s down to the boys doing what we ask of them and the club putting in steps to make it safe for us.

“I’m puzzled by the decision because I don’t see what stopping for three weeks does. I don’t know if they think the virus will be away in three weeks?

“The virus is still going to be here, so is this just a lead up to saying we’ve not got enough weeks of the season, so just cancel it?”

Carson believes scrapping the season would be a crushing blow for players, coaching staff and committee members at clubs across the country.

“Is it going to be for nothing?” he said. “Why go so far and then just cancel it?

“It’s puzzling but, on the other hand, I can see that case numbers are rising, so it is a scary time just now.

“There’s more important stuff out there than football.”

The SFA said the decision to halt football, with the exception of fixtures in the SPFL Premiership and Championship, was taken after a meeting with the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing.

A spokesperson added: “Both parties have agreed to impose a temporary suspension of all football beneath the Scottish Professional Football League Championship, encompassing all predominantly part-time tiers of the Scottish professional pyramid.”

Neilston’s fixtures with Johnstone Burgh, Vale of Leven and Forth Wanderers have all been postponed due to the suspension.