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To all the experts on here repeating verbatim that we can't do anything till we have a vaccine.....a virologist was on the tv today (so I'd suggest a little more qualified that most on here), and stated that the world has never created a vaccine for any of the coronavirus strands (sars etc..), in fact in history the only vaccine for a virus similar to this was the vaccine for smallpox. Even the much compared Spanish flu was never cured. So if you seriously think that we won't be returning to things like football before a vaccine is found then you are very much wrong. As minister Harris said weeks and weeks ago, we have to find a way to live with the virus.

[notion that old and sick people should die so that this can happen. That's reprehensible.]

The lockdown has never been about protecting young, healthy people from the virus. Where has that idea come from? Why are people arguing against this straw man?

It's about stopping young, healthy people (and everyone else) being a conduit for virus to not so young and not so healthy people.

Inherent in the argument that young, healthy people don't die, and should therefore be allowed to play away, is the notion that old and sick people should die so that this can happen. That's reprehensible.

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Not one single person is saying that. What people are saying is that we have very defined sections of the community that are at a much much higher risk from this awful disease, yet at the moment we are in total lockdown for everyone (barring essential workers etc...). There will come a time, be it for work, football whatever, where this will no longer be possible/acceptable. IMO the best way forward would be to shield/lockdown/cocoon whatever you want to call it, those who are vulnerable and let everyone else get on with it. So your young healthy footballer or worker or whatever will not be passing it on to someone vulnerable as they will still be isolating.

How many of the guys on here saying 'just wipe out the season' are current players?? Seems to me (even in the media) it is the older volunteers or administrators who are expunging this. As a current club player I'd be 100% interested in playing as long as reasonable precautions are taken. As others have said on here there is no guarantees that a vaccine will ever be found, if we have the mantra of 'vaccine or nothing' then we could have no clubs or county boards to go back too and will lose out on a generation of players. You also have to realise that lockdown and social distancing is not to eliminate the virus (this is pretty much impossible without building up immunity or a vaccine) it is to ensure that the health services can deal with any cases that arise, that is why there is a stepped approach. Also remember no players will be forced to play, it's entirely up to them. Finally, I'd just caveat all this by saying I don't think we will see football this year, I think the timeline set out is to give people hope so that they are more compliant to the restrictions on place, and I think we will see a lot of pausing at stages for more than the 3 weeks and even going back stages. However if come July I am told that it is safe to go to stage 4 and start training/playing again, I will be happy to do so, and anyone who isn't is quite within their rights not too.

[then on to the club scene rattled off in similar fashion across the country.]

Open draw with the caveat that D1 teams are seeded, so kept apart in equal measure on opposite sides of the draw, but they have to play their first game away, all other games and rounds thereafter at neutral venue.

32 teams, all games played to a result on the day (except for final, replay if necessary), no back door, 5 games to win it, could be played off in 7 weeks, then on to the club scene rattled off in similar fashion across the country.

In my opinion it's very unlikely we will see any football this year but if we do, it will be club football as it's likely anything with the attendances you would get at an inter county championship game will not be allowed till next year.