‘You are temporarily unemployed’ - City FA Youth Cup winner laid off due to coronavirus outbreak

Norwich City's FA Youth Cup winner Kyle Callan-McFadden's football career is on hold due to the global pandemic Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: Archant)

The 24-year-old had just started his fourth season with League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers before the global pandemic triggered a lockdown.

Fan-owned Rovers, a club that produced Everton and Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman, were one of the first to announce lay-offs until the league can resume in the future.

“You are temporarily unemployed,” said the defender, who was a key part of Neil Adams’ vintage that lifted the FA Youth Cup back in 2013. “Okay, we have contracts so we are still part of the club but you are not getting paid. It’s another obstacle you have to get over in life.

“I have my family and children and we are alright. We are doing okay.

“It is more some of the younger boys I would be worried about. We just have to ride the waves. That is why I said to the other boys to expect the worst when this first happened. But the club acted fast and for me probably in the right manner.

“If they had continued to pay our wages then perhaps they go to the wall. They acted professionally, they gave us a heads up and we had the option to dispute it.

“But this is a good group of lads and there is no way we would be going in there and scrapping against the board or whoever looking for money.”

The former Canaries’ youth prospect is now in the same holding pattern as Daniel Farke’s squad and the rest of the football industry.

“We were given a date of June 19 when the League of Ireland would like to restart but no one knows,” said Callan-McFadden, who still has a strong connection to Norfolk with his partner’s family living in Tasburgh. “We were told originally it would be two weeks and this blows over. So I will take that with a pinch of salt.

“None of us know how bad this might get. We just have to stay patient.

“It doesn’t really alter much as we play a summer league here. They would need to extend the league a month or so. But in England it’s a different situation and I don’t know what is going to happen.

“I hear talk of them pulling it and teams staying where they are, which to be honest would be great for Norwich. But health comes first really in all of this.”

• Hear more from Kyle, on a Premier League catch up with the Canaries and his long term wish for a Norfolk return on Tuesday