PAUL Carden says there will be a time to discuss his future as Warrington Town manager – but that it is not now.

Having taken over at Cantilever Park in October 2016, Carden has led Yellows to the play-offs in both of his completed seasons in charge.

They were on course to do the same during the 2019-20 campaign before Covid-19 forced it to be declared null and void last March.

With infection rates still high and the country in lockdown until mid-February at the earliest, Carden believes a similar outcome for the current season is inevitable, with the FA in the midst of collating clubs’ views on the next steps.

When an official decision is made, he says he will sit down with club chairman Toby Macormac to discuss his future, with his contract at Cantilever Park expiring at the end of May.

“We haven’t got anybody beyond the end of this season, myself included,” he said.

“I think there will be a time we can discuss that but that will be when things are official.

“I can only see it going one way and once we get confirmation, that’s when we can make decisions on it.”

Town have not played a Pitching In Northern Premier League fixture since losing 3-1 at FC United of Manchester on November 3 last year.

The league aimed to resume a full fixture list on Boxing Day but after a backlash from clubs – many of whom were under Tier 3 restrictions at the time limiting crowds and banning food and drink sales at grounds – they rolled back to making festive fixtures optional.

With the country now in another lockdown, however, the prospects of returning to play before the season ends appears remote.

Various options – including regionalising leagues further in order to play more fixtures – have been mooted but Carden thinks getting any other format ratified in time is “a pipe dream.”

“If I’m honest, I thought this back in December.

“When the league gave clubs the option to play over Christmas, I just felt that was a bit of a dramatic move. In my opinion, that’s not how it should be.

“Ultimately, it was only ever going to be suspended. There were so many clubs – and rightly so – who felt like they couldn’t play.

“Clubs stuck together to not play and I think looking back, it probably was the right thing to do.

“There’s been a lot said of the league in terms of what they could have done better, but ultimately they are governed by the FA.

“I hear a lot of talk about split competitions and all this but until anything gets approved by not only the FA but the National League, it’s all well and good people coming out with ideas, but they are all pipe dreams.

“There’s too much that needs to happen and too many legalities that need fulfilling.

“If you think the season was null and voided last season having played 32 games, what chance have we got when we’ve only played nine?

“It’s happened in the past when we were in a much stronger position.”