Ian Allinson having 'good and bad days' after COVID-19 battle but he and St Albans City players on the mend
Manager Ian Allinson has spoken about his and St Albans City's fight with COVID-19. - Credit: PETER SHORT
Ian Allinson has lifted the lid on the COVID-19 outbreak at St Albans City that struck many of the players and staff at the club - himself included.
The two Christmas derbies against Hemel Hempstead Town as well as the trip to Slough had to be postponed when the club's own lateral-flow tests revealed the positive results.
All are now on the mend but while the boss was back in the dugout for the defeat to Chelmsford as well as the win over Welling, he said a full recovery may take a little longer.
He said: "A lot of people have said to me, and it seems to be true, but it is a good day and a bad day and it depends when you get your good day and your bad day.
"I couldn’t stop coughing in the first half [at Welling] but that was probably because I was shouting more than I did on Saturday.
"Maybe we didn’t get going on Saturday by me not shouting so sometimes you have to do what is right by the team.
"But I’ve also got to be careful as my health is important.
Most Read
- 1 Rapid community COVID-19 testing launches in Hertfordshire
- 2 Property Spotlight: A stunning period conversion in central St Albans
- 3 Herts covered in blanket of snow as flurries fell on Sunday
- 4 Community pharmacies now part of Herts COVID vaccination rollout
- 5 Police swoop on organised gangs as part of major operation
- 6 Which Herts communities have seen the biggest rises and falls in COVID-19?
- 7 There's no business like snow business in St Albans
- 8 West Herts midwives to take to the skies in NHS charity skydive
- 9 When One Direction, Ed Sheeran, The Police and Led Zep played Herts gigs
- 10 County council offices could be sold off or leased in part
"But it is not just myself. James Kaloczi has had it and come back and done extremely well, David Noble has had it and done extremely well [against Welling] and we have to get Zane Banton back up to speed as he was really poorly when he first had it.
"Solomon Nwabuokei has had it too but he will be back training on Thursday.
"Four or five players have had it, four or five of the staff have had it so it has been a hard task to get over it.
"We’ve put a lot [more] procedures in place and we’re very lucky to have the lateral flow tests that let us know where we are.
"The club has invested a lot in that and we’ve been really good with what we’ve done and really strict.
"We’re just unfortunate that the new variant affected us without us really knowing."
