Haringey Borough manager Tom Loizou is expecting an interesting season in the Isthmian League Premier Division with teams having their budgets cut due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Ham & High: Haringey Borough goalkeeper Valery Pajetat during the FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay match at Coles Park Stadium, London.Haringey Borough goalkeeper Valery Pajetat during the FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay match at Coles Park Stadium, London. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Borough start the season with a trip to King George’s Field on Saturday to take on Corinthian Casuals after a long break and pre-season.

The boss believes it will help his side that other clubs will not be able to spend big on bringing players in this campaign.

“I’m 100 per cent very glad to be back playing football,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough season, I think everybody has had their budget slashed, which should make it interesting apart from two or three clubs.

“It will be tough, but this has brought more teams down to our level when it comes to paying or giving expenses, so it will be interesting to see how managers cope without big bucks.

“Like I said, though, there’s still two or three teams that are paying big money. I mean these are rumours obviously, but it does happen every year.”

He added: “We haven’t seen them play or been able to go watch them play, so it’s going to be a little bit scouting games this season and everyone will be going into games more blind.”

Haringey have brought back full-backs Tosin Olufemi and Michael O’Donoghue, while Chiduben Onokwai, Romoluwa Akinola and their long-serving goalkeeper Valery Pajetet have departed.

“We’ve managed to bring Tosin and Mikey O’Donoghue back, which I think was key, so all credit to the chairman for helping us get that one over the line,” added Loizou.

“There’s a couple that have left – Chid and Romeo have both gone to St Albans City. I think we’ve lost Valery, he lives in South London, and because we haven’t got the budget anymore we can’t really ask him to come three days a week and pay him nothing.

“He’s been a great servant, no one can replace Valery, but someone will have to step into his shoes.”

Haringey host Tunbridge Wells in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup at Coles Park on Tuesday evening.

Loizou said: “We’ve got a good history in the FA Cup now, that’s what we’re looking to do again, and repeat what we’ve done the last two years – that’s got to be part of our target.”