Illness strikes down Mansfield Town midfielder Alistair Smith while on loan at Kettering Town

Mansfield Town midfielder Alistair Smith, who is on loan at Kettering Town, is in self-isolation after taking ill with a high fever on Saturday morning.
Mansfield's Alistair Smith on the ball in midfield.Mansfield's Alistair Smith on the ball in midfield.
Mansfield's Alistair Smith on the ball in midfield.

The Vanarama National League North game still went ahead, however, despite other matches being called off with players from other clubs showing symptoms of the virus.

The National League were one of the few leagues across the country to allow their matches to go ahead after the Premier League and Football League had called off all matches until 4th April at the earliest in a dramatic day for the sport on Friday.

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In a statement released ahead of their 3-1 defeat at Telford United, a Poppies statement read said: “All of us here at Kettering Town wish Alistair Smith a speedy recovery after he collapsed with a fever this morning.

“We are hearing he has been moved into seven-day isolation. All the best Ali.”

Kettering are managed by former Stags boss Paul Cox, who said: “There was a strange feel about the day, it has been a bit surreal if I am being totally honest.

“I got the call from Ali this morning and he said he had collapsed and he had a really high fever.

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“And then, on the way to our game, we were hearing of games being called off right, left and centre in our league and the National League at midday.

“I told the referee about it and they gave us the opportunity to call it off but Telford wanted to play and, in truth, so did we because there were a lot of people who had paid money.

“It was a poor performance from us and I haven’t said that very often, but I think this thing is bigger than sport to be honest.

“I am actually surprised that we were one of the few leagues in world football that are still competing. I thought it was a strange call to start with.”

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Cox continued: “I think people need to take a serious look at it. We are talking about the health of people.

“A big decision needs to be made. Ali has been training with our boys, he’s been sharing cars and this illness that he has, whatever it is, is going to be in our camp now. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we get more cases.

“There are bigger things than football and the National League have got to make a proper decision.

“We can’t say we are going along with it and then teams are calling games off. A proper decision needs to be made and we all need to adhere to it.

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“Our players weren’t questioning their own health but what they might pass on to their elderly loved ones. Matty Taylor, for example, his grandad up in Harrogate is very poorly and going through chemotherapy.

“So it’s not just about our health, we have to look at the bigger picture.

“Whether it’s a case of getting through it or stopping for a while, that’s a decision that has to be made. But you can’t say the leagues are on and then half the teams turn up and half of them don’t.”