When will non league resume Step 3 and below?

[Winslow Boy]

To null and void in my opinion is a terrible and frankly cowardly decision. Abandon the season sure, but have a conclusion based on sporting merit, some teams benefit because they’ve had a good season, some teams suffer because they’ve had a bad season, people moan for a bit then just get on with it again. Possibly just wait until it can be resumed, finish it off and then worry about the next season as and when, could easily do away with all the cups for one season. I don’t think we will see football at this level at all in 2020 which means ‘next season’ is likely to be in jeopardy in some way, shape or form anyway. They should implement the restructure as they were, they need to keep tabs on what teams fold because there will be a good number, which means there will be places in leagues that need filling. They should never have rushed any decision to bin a season when there was no pressure to do so, we could have been indefinitely paused and certainly been no worse off and in some respects better off as there would have still been options to explore. 

Edited May 13, 2020 by Winslow Boy

[Rhodes]

I see that the FA issued guidance on Friday regarding all grassroots football outside of the professional game, it doesn't look as if we are going to get under way again anytime soon does it:

[Rhodes]

Interesting  that the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League (Steps 8 & 9) have issued their fixtures for next season, fair play to them:

Edited May 19, 2020 by Rhodes

[petethegreek]

14 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Interesting  that the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League (Steps 8 & 9) have issued their fixtures for next season, fair play to them:

I don't think it is a bad idea to issue fixtures as at Steps 8 & 9 down to Grassroots football Teams will need to book pitches form their local Councils as early as possible.

Worse case scenario you don't start on 1 August and postponed fixtures can be re-arranged

[Winslow Boy]

Worst case scenario is it gets postponed, no problem. They may as well schedule it in, no harm in it. 

[Big J R]

On 20/05/2020 at 16:34, Winslow Boy said:

Worst case scenario is it gets postponed, no problem. They may as well schedule it in, no harm in it. 

 

Better safe than sorry in my book.  Do nothing, and all of a sudden, it's decided that football is back !

[Rhodes]

Here we go folks, from the horses mouth earlier today, lets keep everything crossed, well nearly everything:

 

Edited May 22, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

A thread on another Forum entitled 'FA Cup 2020/21' and the doom and gloom merchants are out in force painting the usual very depressing picture. Also an equally depressing Daily Mail On-Line article (see below):

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/fa-cup-2020-21.1577/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8351393/Hundreds-small-football-clubs-EXCLUDED-2020-21-FA-Cup-season-delayed.html?fbclid=IwAR2xhfmiwZI5JlN2AU7lhWwEBvuOIMYUIKj9yd3CuWdf_vBa7YACOWULdHk

Hundreds of small clubs could be excluded from the 2020-2021 FA Cup if the start to next season is delayed.

With EFL clubs insisting that the first round proper should take place in its usual November slot, there are growing fears that qualifying rounds for non-league teams will be scrapped if the full football pyramid fail to start the next campaign on time in August.

A total of 739 clubs entered the FA Cup this season, with the first extra preliminary round being played in early August. But there is concern only the fourth qualifying round in mid-October will take place next season in order for league fixtures to be completed. 

That would leave room for only 64 non-league clubs from the National League, National League North and National League South with clubs below the sixth tier unable to enter.

Fears of missing out have already been discussed by the boards of several lower leagues. With their clubs already hit badly by the lockdown, one proposal is that the Football Association divide the regular prize fund to all clubs, though that would depend on the FA's own financial situation.

Clubs receive prize money for winning in each round of the Cup and reaching the first round proper would have earned teams £46,000 this season, a significant windfall to many clubs whose annual turnover would barely reach £100,000. National League club Sutton's run to the fifth round in 2017 earned them £700,000 in prize money and TV fees.

The FA Cup is renowned throughout the world and any reduction in numbers would be a massive blow - though perhaps unavoidable.

Many non-league clubs have let players' contracts run down to save money over the summer and they are clinging to the hope that the Government will allow gates of up to 500 fans when their leagues resume.

It's a sign of the declining importance of the FA Cup to the top teams that resuming this season's competition has barely had a mention in all the talks over Project Restart, despite FA chief executive Mark Bullingham and chairman Greg Clarke taking part in all the video meetings.

Sheffield United, who are drawn at home to Arsenal in the quarter-finals, are one of the clubs known to want more discussions on how the competition will be completed.

Blades manager Chris Wilder said: 'From the FA's point of view they will want to get it done. And we do too. We've worked hard to get where we are and we don't just want to give that up.'

The FA wants this year's final to be played the weekend after the Premier League is concluded, but the priority is arranging dates for remaining league fixtures first.

Should the Premier League restart on June 13 or June 20, one proposal is for the quarter-finals and semi-finals to take place in midweek between league games, but it would also be possible to play both semi-finals and final over a four-day period at Wembley in early August.

[Rhodes]

Here we go folks, 'great' news, football training or fitness activities in groups of no more than six, keeping two metres apart, is now permitted, the FA have 'helpfully' published guidelines for how today’s 'fantastic' rule change, following the Governments 'relaxation' of Covid-19 restrictions from 1 June, applies to grassroots football. 'Happy' reading':

http://www.thefa.com/news/2020/jun/01/grassroots-football-covid-19-guidance-update-010620

[Rhodes]

The Non League Paper on-line has picked up on the FA's 'relaxation' of the Covid-19 restrictions from today with an article:

https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/fa-competitions-more-news/30685/football-association-issue-new-guidance-to-clubs-as-lockdown-eased/?utm_medium=onesignal&utm_source=push_notifications&utm_campaign=web_push

[Rhodes]

They have been debating away on another Forum and a thread entitled 'How Soon Could Step 7 Football Return', I think this post says it all really:

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/how-soon-could-step-7-football-return.1663/

I read somewhere that people are worried about catching Coronavirus from printed programmes. But I don’t think the virus can survive very long on paper

[Savagebee]

7 hours ago, Rhodes said:

They have been debating away on another Forum and a thread entitled 'How Soon Could Step 7 Football Return', I think this post says it all really:

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/how-soon-could-step-7-football-return.1663/

I read somewhere that people are worried about catching Coronavirus from printed programmes. But I don’t think the virus can survive very long on paper

Yes I saw that topic ? 

I've already joked on another topic somewhere on here that they will have to clean the programmes before they sell em ? and it might give clubs another excuse not to do paper programes.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Savagebee

[Big J R]

As I understand it, the virus can live for a short time on paper, (think banknotes), but that it's life expectancy on cardboard is almost non existatnt due to absorbtion.

Carboard programme anybody ????

[Rhodes]

I see that the FA have issued further guidance today and the rule remains that groups of no more than six can train together due to social distancing, the FA continues to have 'active discussions' on when grassroots football can return:

http://www.thefa.com/news/2020/jul/03/grassroots-football-covid-19-update-030720

Following recent Government updates to the COVID-19 guidance, we now have updated guidance documents for adult players, coaches, facility operators, parents and carers involved in re-starting grassroots football activity from Saturday 4 July.

These are available for download below, along with some practical tips for coaches working with individuals, pairs, and in threes.

These guidelines have been produced in line with the recent Government updates to the COVID-19 guidance. Specifically, these documents have been updated to reflect changes to social distancing guidelines which will come into effect from 4 July and the introduction of support bubbles which came into effect on 10 June.

The Government guidance for the phased return of outdoor sport and recreation can be found here.

We continue to be in active discussions with other team sports, Sport England and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport about how we can secure a safe return to competitive grassroots football as soon as is reasonably possible.

We will keep you updated as these discussions progress and provide amended guidance as and when we can.

Thank you for playing your vital part in helping our great game get going again and let’s continue to work together to ensure football’s return is as smooth and safe as possible.

Please visit our dedicated portal to access COVID-19 information and updates. 

[tringarmy]

Still none the wiser, but the first step to potentially restarting 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/recreational-team-sport-to-return-safely-this-summer?fbclid=IwAR1w32y61eIImQS9L48YupxtcmuPmhB-kew_b4E6Su57j5_q6WS_n9cXxaw

[Rhodes]

Here is the FA's response to the Government's announcement from earlier today, like TringArmy said it's a  starter for ten isn't it:

[Savagebee]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/recreational-team-sport-to-return-safely-this-summer

[Savagebee]

 

If the non-league season starts in September, the FA believes a full season can be completed. However County & League Cups may have to be ‘revised’ for a year.

This table was part of a presentation given to the leagues.

 

[Rhodes]

2 hours ago, Savagebee said:

However County & League Cups may have to be ‘revised’ for a year

That would be terribly disappointing wouldn't it as domestic and County cup competitions are part and parcel of a season, look at Old Bradwell United's SSML Challenge Trophy wins over Colney Heath, Wembley, Harefield United and Arlesey Town this past season and Park View beating Tring Athletic and Newport Pagnell Town as well as Broadfields United's 2-1 win at Hampton & Richmond Borough in the Middlesex FA Senior Challenge Cup Quarter Final.