COLWYN Bay manager Craig Hogg is looking for a final decision regarding official plans to get the JD Cymru North season underway.

First Minister Mark Drakeford put the onus squarely on Sport Wales to come up with a safe solution that enables those under the ‘elite athlete’ status to make a return to training, which is essential for JD Cymru North clubs with their campaign set to start on March 20.

Hogg has been working incredibly hard to re-shape his squad alongside director of football Neil Coverley during the January transfer window, which could result in a bold bid for promotion to the top-flight at the second time of asking.

The Bay boss doesn’t think that the season could be allowed to begin if there is a further delay to proposals and feels change the narrative regarding second-tier clubs to get preparations underway at the earliest possible opportunity.

He said: “There’s no real clarity for us at the moment as it’s down to the government and Sport Wales to decide what happens next.

“We understand that there’s likely to be some form of communication from the Sports Council, for the restart of competitions for some Elite Athletes.

“For Cymru North and South Teams, we are dependent on the nation moving out of Tier 4 COVID restrictions, before our status is reinstated, which would then allow us to train and play.

“Obviously, that won’t be happening for at least another three weeks after Friday’s announcement, unless there’s a change that’s positive for clubs at our level.

“If there’s isn’t and we have a delayed start, say into early April, then it could mean 15 league games would be played out over an eight-week period.

“I just couldn’t see that being allowed to happen to be honest, but you never know.”

Hogg added that being in limbo for the best part of a year has “hit his squad hard”, and the time has now come for the governing bodies to come to a final outcome and prevent any more false hope.

“It would be great to have some form of closure or certainty over the next few days. The players at our level deserve that,” he added.

“Eight months of constant limbo has hit them very hard.”