Start Of The New Season - CONFIRMED

[Rhodes]

There are a lot of grey areas at the moment particularly at Step 7 level, for example fans are not allowed at Non League games but are permitted at grassroots fixtures, hopefully Karen can give us some clarity:

[Karen Browne]

Sorry can't help am still locked in a darkened room with fixture planning

[Rhodes]

9 hours ago, Karen Browne said:

Sorry can't help am still locked in a darkened room with fixture planning

That's a disappointing reply, can't you phone one of the SSML hierarchy and find out, it will only take a few minutes, can you ask if fans are still not allowed into games by the time of the SSML Challenge Trophy First Round will a Division Two Club drawn at home to a Division 1 or Premier Division Club be able to open its doors and collect gate money as that can be a lucrative payday for them. I don't recall any Division Two Club's hosting Premier Division Club's in the First Round last season, can you shake the balls a bit harder this year in the velvet bag.

[Rhodes]

I gather that County FA's have been forced to relax the requirement for Club's to enter and play in their respective County Cup competitions this coming season. The FA have requested that Club's aren’t penalised or fined if they don’t enter, that seems to make sense but, even though it will please Karen, it's still a shame that the County Cup competitions which do take place are depleted, the Berks & Bucks FA have already cancelled all their competitions so sadly no Berks & Bucks Senior Cup or Senior Trophy.

[tringarmy]

Rhodes, Karen won’t know because the FA don’t know either. Until the guidance is clearer I can’t see how anything can go ahead. 

[Rhodes]

I expect Karen will be posting the draws for the FA Cup, FA Vase and FA Youth Cup at anytime now:

On Monday we’ll get these details about the 2020/21 FA Cup, Trophy, Vase & Youth Cup: 

Clubs accepted

Clubs to receive exemptions

Competition format

Round dates

Prize fund

Draw dates for early rounds

[Deano5]

Not until 8pm.  We are on a zoom call with the league so should know after then.

[Karen Browne]

5 hours ago, Rhodes said:

I expect Karen will be posting the draws for the FA Cup, FA Vase and FA Youth Cup at anytime now:

Draws to be made on 18th August

[tringarmy]

The Emirates FA Cup schedule for the early rounds of the 2020-21 season has been confirmed, with the competition due to start on Tuesday 1 September 

The list of accepted clubs and round exemptionshas also been released, while the early draws for the extra preliminary and preliminary rounds will be released on Tuesday 18 August.

In order to assist in easing pressure on the football schedule, there will be no replays for the 2020-21 season in the qualifying competition. The schedule for the competition proper will be released in due course. 

After two seasons of record levels of prize funds, the Emirates FA Cup prize fund has returned back in line with 2017-18 levels due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Information relating to The Buildbase FA Trophy, The Buildbase FA Vase and The FA Youth Cup, including a list of accepted Clubs, Round dates and prize fund have also been announced.

The schedule for the qualifying rounds is as follows:-

Extra preliminary round: Tuesday 1 September 2020  
 
Preliminary round: Saturday 12 September 2020         
 
First round qualifying: Tuesday 22 September 2020  
 
Second round qualifying: Saturday 3 October 2020   
 
Third round qualifying: Tuesday 13 October 2020     
 
Fourth round qualifying: Saturday 24 October 2020    
 
Dates for the first round proper and beyond to be confirmed in due course.

[Rhodes]

TringArmy - Thanks, the FA Cup prize money is next to nothing now particularly in the early stages for our Club's:

[Rhodes]

The FA Vase prize money hasn't changed that much, Leighton Town got £1,375 for losing in the Sixth Round last season:

[GRS67]

21 hours ago, Rhodes said:

TringArmy - Thanks, the FA Cup prize money is next to nothing now particularly in the early stages for our Club's:

Just when Non League needs the money most the incompetents at the FA halve the prize money, you couldn't make it up! 

[Rhodes]

On 30/07/2020 at 21:35, Rhodes said:

There are a lot of grey areas at the moment particularly at Step 7 level, for example fans are not allowed at Non League games but are permitted at grassroots fixtures, hopefully Karen can give us some clarity:

It's still as clear as mud isn't it even after this letter from the FA on Tuesday:

[Rhodes]

Apparently the above letter, which was sent out last Tuesday by the FA to all League's and Club's, was not properly or widely transmitted or publicised to supporters so many turned up at at Step 7 Club's on Saturday who were hosting a friendly fixture expecting to be let into the game, was anyone unceremoniously turned away out of interest at the likes of Bovingdon, Codicote, Hatfield Town, Letchworth Garden City Eagles, AFC Oakley M&DH, Sarratt, Totternhoe and Tring Corinthians AFC.

[Rhodes]

A letter has been sent to the FA and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport by Northern Counties East Football League Secretary Matt Jones asking for some sort of clarity on when fans and supporters can be allowed into games, the situation is becoming critical now for some Club's who have had no income for five months now since the middle of March:

https://twitter.com/mattjones1973/status/1292720352892682240

[Rhodes]

Apologies, the smaller version of this wasn't readable and this isn't much better however some frustrations from fans on the current situation, it's absolutely disgusting isn't it the way Club's have been treated by their own Football Association and they have been sold down the river, we all have:

[Savagebee]

1 hour ago, Rhodes said:

Apologies, the smaller version of this wasn't readable and this isn't much better however some frustrations from fans on the current situation, it's absolutely disgusting isn't it the way Club's have been treated by their own Football Association and they have been sold down the river, we all have:

Yep they don't give a ? about non league footy.

Look at the packed beaches, all the recent protest marches and the fact that shop staff and catering staff DON'T HAVE TO WEAR A FACE MASK when they are at work INSIDE A BUILDING ?

We are being mugged off.

[Rhodes]

The FA have issued its 2020/21 handbook (see the link) containing, amongst other things, rules on promotion and relegation, (see diagram below):

https://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/lawsandrules/fa-handbook

[Rhodes]

This is an interesting development, in the past the ruling below has been that Club's who decline promotion or palm off a play off place would be relegated however this has been relaxed in the light of the financial struggles non league Club's are facing and will be for some considerable time. It will be music to the ears of the likes of Tring Athletic, London Colney and Harefield United:

[Savagebee]