Arthurlie manager George Fotheringham believes that the SJFA had no choice but to bin the remainder of the current campaign. 

The decision came on Friday in an e-mail to all Junior clubs and followed Thursday’s statement from the Scottish FA’s Coronavirus Joint Response Group which revealed that all football would be suspended in the country until at least June 10th. 

It is not yet known what will happen with regards to final league standings, most notably promotion and relegation, across the four West leagues. 

And with Lie’s promotion hopes long gone after a disappointing campaign, Fotheringham admits it is a decision he was expecting. 

He told Barrhead Sport: “The way things are going I think it’s the correct decision. I don’t think they’ve been left to much choice. 

“I feel for the teams who are maybe up towards the top of the league or in semi-finals of cups, but that’s easy for me to say with us sitting in mid-table and not having much to play for. 

“There’s not much else they could have done. 

 “With the leagues all changing next year it maybe doesn’t matter too much anyway so it’s just a fresh start for everybody.”

Fotheringham has only overseen three games as Arthurlie boss after coming in at the end of January and having a host of fixtures postponed due to the weather, before the remainder of the season was brought to a halt midway through March. 

The former Rutherglen Glencairn and Cambuslang Rangers coach has still been putting the work in despite that and is keen to get his squad sorted for next season. 

He said: “We’ve already been planning and speaking to players but now we know what’s happening we can start bringing people in and moving others on so everyone can get sorted. 

“I’ve only really had three games – Darvel which was my first time meeting the players, Petershill and then Whitletts. We’d have games cancelled and then players injured and other wee things, so it was a frustrating start. 

“I’ve been working with the coaching staff behind the scenes for quite a bit of time and we’ve more or less got everything sorted so it’s just about moving boys on now and bringing others in.”