FA Announcment

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

The season is over for all leagues below the NL, NL North & NL South. Record/Results expunged. Think it's only a matter of time before this filters through to the National League.

[GarySTFC]

I suspect the situation with Bury will have an effect on what happens for the EFL, which in turn knocks onto the NL. Seemingly then nothing down from NLN or NLS, so where would Bury fit in? 

Appeals and potential legal action already being spoken of by South Shields who were well clear in the Northern Prem. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52052351

[Shredding Green]

2 hours ago, CookhamRebel said:

The season is over for all leagues below the NL, NL North & NL South. Record/Results expunged. Think it's only a matter of time before this filters through to the National League.

What ever decision was made was not going to be with the agreement of all clubs.

I was in favour of either treating all unplayed matches as draws and awarding a point to each team for each unplayed match or agreeing a point per game formula for each club based on the results of their league matches which had been played throughout the season.

The Football Association has to adhere to "how to conclude the 2019-20 season in the most appropriate way possible" and "considering the fairest method on how the sporting outcomes for the season will be decided with the integrity of the leagues in mind".                                                                                                  

And so they decided to make the 2019/20 season null and void for all leagues in Levels 7 to 20 of the English Football League System (the three actual English Football League divisions are levels 2 to 4) which are Steps 3 to 16 of the English Non-league Football System.

The efforts of all involved throughout the season being made null and void. That is not integrity to me. 

There will be winners and losers in direct contrast to clu8bs' league positions. The winners being those clubs which have avoided relegation and the losers those clubs which have been deprieved of promotion. 

With the growing tendency to misuse words with each "division" of a league being described as a "league" and matches that will be played at a later date being described as "cancelled" instead of "postponed", there is plenty to confuse literate people.
 

Edited March 26, 2020 by Shredding Green

[Reading Rebel]

According to Nuneaton no clubs were consulted over whether to end the season or not.

Got to feel for teams like Jersey Bulls and Vauxhall Motors who have already won their respective divisions.

South Shields FC who are are 13 point clear have reportedly put a lot of money into getting promotion this season and will either appeal or take court action.

 

[Windsor Rebel]

More important things going on at the moment than South Shields chucking their toys out of the pram

[Shredding Green]

31 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

According to Nuneaton no clubs were consulted over whether to end the season or not.

Got to feel for teams like Jersey Bulls and Vauxhall Motors who have already won their respective divisions.

South Shields FC who are are 13 point clear have reportedly put a lot of money into getting promotion this season and will either appeal or take court action.

 

Here is what South Shields FC chairman Geoff Thompson thinks of the decision :-

"Our input was frankly zero,” South Shields chairman Geoff Thompson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

South Shields were 12 points clear at the top of the Northern Premier League with nine games to play. But the north east club, joint-managed by former Blackburn striker Graham Fenton, will now miss out on their chance of playing in National League North next season.

"There hasn't been any dialogue," Thompson said.

"We got to hear of this decision from social media - there was no formal communication from our league nor through the FA itself."

Thompson also confirmed the club are considering legal action and have also been in discussions with other clubs in similar predicaments.

"We’ll be canvassing opinions and I have a call with the FA on Friday," he said.

"Realistically, it's highly unlikely we're going to be able to overturn the decision.

"But the reality is football will return and I don't think this decision should have been rushed."

Being denied promotion would also have a financial impact on the club, he said.

"Had we got promoted we would have been in the same company as clubs like Spennymoor, Darlington, Gateshead and Blyth so there would have been a lot more local derbies and significantly higher gates," he added.

"We made some big investments this year in the effort to get up, so it's a difficult time. We're having to re-cut our numbers for next year, whenever that may be.

"Clubs like ours are making big financial decisions in an effort to move our club forward to the benefit of the community that we represent, and we believe we have an opportunity to represent our town and get into the Football League at some point.

"We were making all the right steps and this has come as a huge shock."

[Shredding Green]

9 minutes ago, Windsor Rebel said:

More important things going on at the moment than South Shields chucking their toys out of the pram

You have to balance individuals' responsibilities of complying with the regulations and restrictions to fight corona virus with their responsibiliities to the organisations for which they are responsible for. A very difficult situation for them whilst others can sit back and criticise.  

[3spirit]

As these are unprecedented times, why didn't the powers to be take an unprecedented course of action and extend this seasons points to be included in next season's tally. That way this season hasn't been a complete waste of time for clubs.

Those clubs who are struggling with finances and trying to stave off relegation can make up their minds whether they stay to fight relegation next season or just take automatic demotion, and those fighting for promotion do not lose out.

Radical idea, I know but so what.

Edited March 27, 2020 by 3spirit

[SloughFlyer]

100% right not to consult with the clubs in the decision making process as EVERY club (and rightly so) would have their own needs at the forefront.

FWIW - I think the right decision has been made as looking at the timelines currently, much better off drawing a line under this past season and hopefully, all being well, starting again next season.

Very tough on some clubs, kind on others, but with the current circumstances, IMO, the right decision. 

[Shredding Green]

On 27/03/2020 at 13:30, Reading Rebel said:

According to Nuneaton no clubs were consulted over whether to end the season or not.

Got to feel for teams like Jersey Bulls and Vauxhall Motors who have already won their respective divisions.

South Shields FC who are are 13 point clear have reportedly put a lot of money into getting promotion this season and will either appeal or take court action.

 

My understanding was that The FA held conference calls with the boards of each league. The boards of each of the leagues had been in touch with each other. They must have had a feel of what the clubs felt overall. Not all clubs would have agreed with the outcome. We will no doubt only hear from those clubs which missed out on promotion as most clubs in each league had nothing to lose in the circumstances. But at the end of the day, a club has to comply with the decision of the board  of the league of which it is a member.

[Big J R]

I think if the F.A and Leagues pushed to carry on regardles, Boris and Co would swiftly legislate under emergency powers.

[Reading Rebel]

There should be no rush to come to a decision.

We don't know when football will restart but if possible finish off this season in say July/August/September and start the new season in September/October playing twice a week and if necessary extend the 2020/21 season to catch up.

 

 

[RebelVilla]

2 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

There should be no rush to come to a decision.

We don't know when football will restart but if possible finish off this season in say July/August/September and start the new season in September/October playing twice a week and if necessary extend the 2020/21 season to catch up.

 

 

I think that the notion of playing two games per week, week in and out needs to be approached with caution.

Players are only human and at our level of football and below they are also having full time jobs to attend. Players may find that they are not able to get time off work to play one game midweek for a prolonged period of time. Clubs could always increase their squad numbers, however obviously this costs money which many clubs cannot afford. 

The break between May and August is a time for players to relax, recover from potential niggling injuries and to recharge their batteries before they start the new season again. Perhaps it is not fair on the players, management and people who run the clubs to take this time away from them. 

 

[carols52]

2 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

There should be no rush to come to a decision.

We don't know when football will restart but if possible finish off this season in say July/August/September and start the new season in September/October playing twice a week and if necessary extend the 2020/21 season to catch up.

 

 

Dont forget we will have two extra teams in our leauge next season,that will put a lot of pressure on our small squad,teams with 20+ squads will have an advantage and no idea when the season ends.

[GlenSTFC]

26 minutes ago, carols52 said:

Dont forget we will have two extra teams in our leauge next season,that will put a lot of pressure on our small squad,teams with 20+ squads will have an advantage and no idea when the season ends

This has been scrapped due to no clubs being promoted from step 3.

34 minutes ago, RebelVilla said:

I think that the notion of playing two games per week, week in and out needs to be approached with caution.

Players are only human and at our level of football and below they are also having full time jobs to attend. Players may find that they are not able to get time off work to play one game midweek for a prolonged period of time. Clubs could always increase their squad numbers, however obviously this costs money which many clubs cannot afford. 

The break between May and August is a time for players to relax, recover from potential niggling injuries and to recharge their batteries before they start the new season again. Perhaps it is not fair on the players, management and people who run the clubs to take this time away from them. 

 

Well the vast majority of players are probably having their pre season now! I would expect most players certainly at our level to be keeping themselves fit in preparation.

[GlenSTFC]

There has to be a deadline for a decision as I don’t think you can go past 1st May without one. Our league probably has around 2 months to play so realistically (as i doubt any NL club wants to play behind closed doors) start of June would be the earliest to re-start meaning a finish of just before August. Do you then delay the new season by 1, 2 or more months? Do you scrap ‘pre-season’?

[A Rebel and a Saint]

https://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/national-league-statement-competition-suspended-in-61718

Looks like they are trying to delay making a decision as long as possible. 

[GlenSTFC]

Madness... So in theory we could restart the 19/20 season after the scheduled 20/21 season is due to! I think they’re scared to void the season and will follow whatever the EFL do.

[Stan]

Not necessarily. If there is now a doubt about whether we will be out of lockdown in time  to start NEXT season, we may as well finish this season when we can . Maybe not restart till October and accept its NEXT season that is cancelled. Every league could then spend the post Christmas period playing European Leagues FA Cup,FA Trophy League Cups and County Cups . Could even invent a couple of new ones ( National League Cup?, Then get back to normal after Euro 2021. 

[Radders]

IMO this season finishing should be the priority - not anything to do with where we are in the table but more to do with the all round integrity of the competition.