Bradford City, Harrogate Town, Hull City and Doncaster Rovers given FA Cup go-ahead despite coronavirus lockdown

WINDFALLS: Today's decision means Bradford City and Harrogate Town will both be at least £32,500 richer by the weekend

The news is a boost for Bradford City, Harrogate Town and Doncaster Rovers, who are all due to play in televised ties, earning an extra £32,500, on top of prize money of £22,629 if they can win.On Saturday the Government announced England will go into lockdown on Thursday until at least December 2, and that only "elite" sport could be played until then. In footballing terms, that means no football can be played below Conference North and South level.

Harrogate and Doncaster are due to play teams from lower down the pyramid. North West Counties league side Skelmersdale United are at Wetherby Road on Friday for a game on BT Sport., while Rovers travel to Northern premier League side FC United of Manchester for a game which will be shown at 5.30pm on BBC Two.

Bradford's game at Conference South Tonbridge Angels will be shown on the BBC's digital platforms at 12.30pm on Saturday.

Hull are the only Yorkshire side not on television, as they take on League One rivals Fleetwood Town at 3pm on Saturday. They will be pleased to avoid another postponement after their league game against Accrington Stanley was postponed because the entire Accrington squad are self-isolating after a bout of covid-19.

"The UK Government has confirmed that the ten non-elite clubs that remain in the competition will be able to play their matches under elite protocols, the Football Association confirmed on Monday afternoon."

All games will be played behind closed doors.

The second round is due to take place on the final weekend of November, with the third round in early January as usual, when teams from the top two divisions join the competition.

The Premier League and Football League will play during the lockdown, but the National League is yet to confirm its stance. The debate over whether to start this season behind closed doors was a fractious one, and they could therefore decline to play league matches, despite being given permission.

During the first lockdowwn of 2020, in the spring, all football was suspended for at least three months.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you'll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click HERE to subscribe.