With the announcement on Monday (November 23) that the second national lockdown will end at the beginning of December as planned, grassroots football will once again be able to return to Kenilworth.

Furthermore, it has been announced that spectators are due to be allowed at outdoor sporting events. In Tier One - which Kenilworth was in before the second lockdown - up to 4,000 fans will be allowed to attend outdoor matches.

This is reduced to 2,000 for Tier Two.

Having had their seasons disrupted for four weeks, the managers at Kenilworth Sporting FC and Kenilworth Wardens FC spoke to Kenilworth Nub News about the return of football, and how they had coped during the second lockdown.

"When the government released the news that grassroots football could return from December 2, all at Kenilworth Sporting were over the moon," says Sporting manager Martin Ascroft.

"It's been a tough month for my players, but also for our club. Kenilworth Sporting had to close their kitchen down, which provides an all-day breakfast service for our locals.

"Obviously we have lost a lot of valuable revenue from our home games, we have enjoyed some impressive gates which in its self is excellent revenue through gate receipts, which also improves sales of teas, coffees and food."

Kenilworth Sporting has been resurrected as a club this season by the new owner Geoff Harris, and new manager Martin Ascroft has come across to Gypsy Lane in the hope of building on and off the pitch.

"We are hoping that the Kenilworth locals have missed the football as much as my team and players have, and we get them back through the gate for our first home game back on Saturday December 12 against Sutton United."

The Sporting players will reconvene for the first time since the end of October on December 2; Ascroft will hope that the individual fitness work they have been set will mean that their sharpness has not been lost.

There will be no easy return to football however, as they face close-rivals Central Ajax in a first against third clash on December 5. Ascroft says "With Ajax only playing in Warwick, we hope some of fans make the small trip to Hampton Road to give us some support."

On the other side of town, Coventry Alliance side Kenilworth Wardens, and their Reserve team will both also be back in action as Manager Eamonn Richards hopes to continue the success of his two sides, both of which saw promotion at the end of last season.

The first team currently sit fifth in Division Two, five points off the top spot, an impressive position given that they are new to the league.

The reserves find themselves bottom of Division Three, as they attempt not to immediately drop back down. There are however just four points separating the bottom four sides, and with twelve games left of the season, the alarm bells are by no means ringing yet.

Whilst they have not been able to focus on football, Wardens have been maintaining their team ethos by holding a running competition during this lockdown, aiming to support the mental health and fitness of their players.

Richards said "The last month just shows how important football can be for community, mental health and being connected to each other.

"The lockdown did come at a half decent time for us, with a few lads getting Covid-19 unrelated to each other. We are hoping the distruption won't hamper our form, which was good for the first team prior to the last game against Coventry Colliery."

Wardens Firsts will travel away to Crick Athletic for their first game back, on December 5.

"The first game back might present a challenge in terms of fitness and fatigue, but we are happy that a lot of the lads have kept fit with the running competition over the past few weeks.

"22 of us have taken part with well over 1,000 miles in total. We've also been supported by our sports therapist Lily Cook too, who's been helping with yoga sessions for the lads each week. Assuming after the first week back she may have a few bookings!"

Wardens Reserves will host Harbury FC on December 5 also.

Kenilworth Nub News will bring you the results of all three fixtures.