What does this mean for the SSML? and non league ⚽?

[tringarmy]

6 hours ago, Rhodes said:

I see that the Women's FA Cup is currently suspended during the lockdown, why is that out of interest if the men's FA Cup is still going ahead, surely that can be construed as discrimination. The FA say 'it's exploring a number of options on how best to complete the competition' however that's their standard line for every disrupted competition this season isn't it, and last season:

2020-21 Vitality Women's FA Cup to remain paused during lockdown (thefa.com)

From reading the article it is more to do with the draw. A non elite team can’t play another non elite team under government regulations. Either you pause the competition or you could end up with 5th round matches played with some 2nd round games still not decided. 

[Rhodes]

The Hellenic League and Northern League both made statements yesterday which coincided with the survey sent out by the FA to all National League System Club's at Step 3-6 level. The Northern League 'meekly' state that 'the only viable option is to declare the current season null and void and aim to get a full 2021/22 season completed commencing in early August 2021'. The Hellenic League however are far more positive and say 'one of the primary objectives of the Hellenic League Executive is to see the proposed restructuring take place and, with this in mind, support the position already expressed by many of our National League System Club's, that is a desire to play the season to completion':

uhlsport Hellenic League | Hellenic Football League News

ABANDONING CURRENT SEASON – PREFERRED OPTION | Northern Football League

[Rhodes]

The Lincolnshire League, at Step 7 level, have already made its season null and void, as have the West Lancashire League (also Step 7), that's rather premature isn't it:

[Winslow Boy]

7 hours ago, Rhodes said:

The Lincolnshire League, at Step 7 level, have already made its season null and void, as have the West Lancashire League (also Step 7), that's rather premature isn't it:

Not really, we all know what will happen, why drag it out? Played most of last season and it was null and void, this season we have managed a quarter, without league and county cup games. 

[Rhodes]

Winslow Boy - I think most of us are still naively clinging on to that tiny glimmer of hope that the campaign will get under way again before too long and it can somehow still be completed, I know that seems unlikely. To already null and void the season, as the Lincolnshire League and West Lancashire League have done, is pretty final isn't it and it seems like those League's have tamely thrown in the towel, shrugged their shoulders and just given up.

[Winslow Boy]

11 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Winslow Boy - I think most of us are still naively clinging on to that tiny glimmer of hope that the campaign will get under way again before too long and it can somehow still be completed, I know that seems unlikely. To already null and void the season, as the Lincolnshire League and West Lancashire League have done, is pretty final isn't it and it seems like those League's have tamely thrown in the towel, shrugged their shoulders and just given up.

It’s a sh!t situation it really is, but it’s beyond anyone’s control or hopes. Very sad, fingers crossed we are in a better position in the summer and 21/22 can go ahead as normal. I’ve no doubt we will unfortunately lose some clubs. 

[Rhodes]

On 01/10/2020 at 22:33, Rhodes said:

I can see it all ending in tears if Covid-19 drags on and on, the Government won't be willing to stump up again if the National League go back to them cap in hand

Surprise surprise, the goalposts have been moved by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) who say the money promised to the National League will now be in loans and not grants, it's not really the National League's fault who are encouraging Club's to contact their local MP to ask them to lobby the DCMS. See the statements below from the Chairmen of Wealdstone and Concord Rangers: 

What a stitch up this is, the Vanarama National League gave all clubs assurances they couldn't honour, all this in order for clubs to start the season only for us to have the rug pulled from beneath us.

I personally would 100% be behind any clubs who wish to make a stand in not playing there fixture this Saturday, I’m pretty sure it is the only way we will get the attention that is required, we have seen how long it takes to get answers if you just nod your head and say ok.

Edited January 18, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

It looks like it is confirmed that the further bailout funding faithfully promised to the National League will be issued as loans and not grants, you couldn't make it up could you. I wonder if the huge fuss made following the original £10m grant awarded in October had anything to do with it as many Club's looked a gift horse in the mouth didn't they and squabbled amongst themselves, it must have left a sour taste in the mouth at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS):

National League: Latest Covid-19 funding package to be offered as loan

National League clubs have been dealt a major blow after being told future funding will be issued as loans and that grants will only be handed out in exceptional circumstances.

The National League's three divisions kicked off in October after securing a £10m grant from the government for the opening three months of the campaign.

However, that grant funding has expired and a total of £11m, part of the government's £300m rescue package for sport, is available to clubs to claim as loans over the next three months.

BBC Sport was told by a number of clubs in January that they only agreed to start the season during the coronavirus pandemic and in the absence of fans on the understanding that continuing costs would be covered.

Clubs concerned over cost of finishing season

Interim National League chief executive Mark Ives, who replaced Mike Tattersall after he stood down at the end of December, is due to address the situation with clubs on Wednesday.

No club in any of the three leagues has reached the halfway point of its season yet.

Even before the latest funding news, thought had been given to pausing the season for a short while in order to re-assess the position and, potentially, restarting at a point where conditions are more favourable.

National League: Latest Covid-19 funding package to be offered as loans - BBC Sport

The Non-League Football Paper

[Savagebee]

Loans eh! Now there's a suprise.

Every other person in this country is going to in debt to some one in one way or another when this madness is over.

[Rhodes]

16 hours ago, Savagebee said:

Loans eh! Now there's a suprise

Savagebee - I see that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have issued a statement denying that future grants were ever promised to the National League:

[Rhodes]

This is ever so refreshing isn't it, the old school Combined Counties League Board have made a statement stating that 'our suggestion would be that league matches should resume as soon as possible and see where it takes us':

"How should we resolve the current season" - The Cherry Red Records Combined Counties Football League (pitchero.com)

There is obviously no “ideal” answer but the Board is of the majority view (including Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary) that it would be far better to resume competitive matches as soon as approval is received to start playing again. If the season is terminated now, it would mean little or no competitive football between mid December 2019 to August 2021. Leagues exist to facilitate the playing of the game and this cannot be achieved by the meek acceptance of two ruined seasons, i.e. virus 2 football nil!

[Winslow Boy]

It’s pretty stupid in my opinion. Play and see where it takes us? The season won’t get completed and so the season wouldn’t stand. We are where we are, people need to be pragmatic and grown up. This season is finished, they declared last season null and void. We will have two seasons ‘ruined’ we can cry about it or accept it, the sky hasn’t fallen in, football will return. We just have to wait, we don’t have to like it. I would rather not waste money putting on matches that won’t count in the end. 

[Savagebee]

3 hours ago, Rhodes said:

This is ever so refreshing isn't it, the old school Combined Counties League Board have made a statement stating that 'our suggestion would be that league matches should resume as soon as possible and see where it takes us':

"How should we resolve the current season" - The Cherry Red Records Combined Counties Football League (pitchero.com)

There is obviously no “ideal” answer but the Board is of the majority view (including Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary) that it would be far better to resume competitive matches as soon as approval is received to start playing again. If the season is terminated now, it would mean little or no competitive football between mid December 2019 to August 2021. Leagues exist to facilitate the playing of the game and this cannot be achieved by the meek acceptance of two ruined seasons, i.e. virus 2 football nil!

It is refreshing but it won't happen im afraid ?

This season is well and truly over.

Leagues, Clubs and People need to now focus on next season and try to work out how best to ensure that the 2021/22 season gets completed. The last two seasons have been a joke.

[Rhodes]

An interesting thread has developed on another Forum entitled 'Time To Stop National League Games?', there are mixed views on whether games should be halted in the circumstances of both Covid and the grants/loans fiasco: 

Time To Stop National League Games? | Page 2 | NonLeagueMatters Forums

The grants were only for three months because nobody envisaged the subsequent emergence of the new strain of the virus and its impact. That's life. If clubs are now so broke that they can't complete the season without more handouts, rather than loans, they might want to take a look at their own cost bases before spitting the dummy out again.

How do you expect to run a football club without a single penny in income. You can furlough all staff etc, but how do you pay the general bills. How do you pay for coach travel, hotel stays, gas ,electric rent etc. The condition of starting the season was with 3 months grant, then fans would be allowed back, bars open and revenue coming in. All this has not happened so many clubs don't have a choice but to stop now.

[Rhodes]

It looks like it will be 'D-Day' for the National League on Friday when they hold a meeting to discuss the way forward, their least favoured option is to suspend the campaign and they expect all Club's to fulfil Saturday’s and the following midweek fixtures. The League have asked Club's to comment on the following options in time for Friday's meeting:

1. Clubs take on long term low-interest loans with initial payment holidays

2. The League take on the loans themselves and then give Club's grants with future League central payments to Clubs being reduced

3. Suspend the season

[Winslow Boy]

Clubs taking out loans under these circumstances would result in a number of them going out of business in the near future. The league won’t take out a loan. Too much money hoarded at the top of the game, if the bottom of the pyramid starts to crumble the rest will fall. 

[Rhodes]

It's going from bad to worse if that's possible, three National League Club's so far, Havant & Waterlooville (YouTube link), Slough Town and Concord Rangers have refused to play on Saturday. These three Club's are therefore in breach of rule 8.39 and could well be punished with expulsion, a 3 points deduction or a heavy fine:

(329) STATEMENT | Stuart Munro and Paul Doswell on self imposed isolation. - YouTube

Club statement: Response to options set out by National League | The Official website of Slough Town FC - latest news, photos and videos

Edited January 21, 2021 by Rhodes

[View from the Boundary]

Good for them. Playing football in lockdown sends completely the wrong message nationally, exposes players, officials, backroom staff and emergency services (not to mention their families) to Covid, unnecessarily so, and provides the perfect excuse for deniers not to wear masks/comply with government guidance.

I appreciate they are not refusing to play for altruistic but for more practical financial reasons, but even so, it's about time so called elite clubs called a halt to this lunacy.

Edited January 21, 2021 by View from the Boundary

[Rhodes]

Following today's meeting it was sensibly decided to suspend the National League North and South for two weeks, starting from tomorrow, however the National League itself continues and Club's are expected to fulfil tomorrow's fixtures. There is no clarity as yet on the FA Trophy Fifth Round ties sheduled for 6 February however Step 2 Chorley's FA Cup Fourth Round tie with Wolverhampton Wanderers goes ahead this evening:

The National League North and South season has been suspended for two weeks from immediate effect following a meeting of league officials on Friday morning.

The decision came following a plea of 12 united National League North clubs, plus a wave of individual requests, to call an immediate halt to the 2020-21 campaign amidst an increase in Covid cases nationwide and a row over funding.

Concord Rangers led the calls by refusing to fulfil fixtures until further clarity was received on the Government’s £11m rescue package being distributed as a loan instead of a grant, as originally believed.

In response to the decision, Beachboys chairman Ant Smith tweeted: “Common sense has prevailed.”

A National League statement read: “Following the review of the feedback from Clubs in connection to the recent Clubs meeting, a Board meeting this morning decided to halt the participation in the North/South Divisions for a two-week period, effective immediately. As a result, tomorrow’s games are formally postponed.”

The Non-League Football Paper

Edited January 22, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 19/01/2021 at 19:11, Savagebee said:

Loans eh! Now there's a suprise

I see that an overwhelming majority of National North and South Club's rejected the option of loans, the unrealistic idea of the National League taking on a loan themselves, and then give Club's grants with future League central payments to Club's being reduced, is therefore now off the table. If no suitable funding is found soon the League will offer Club's a formal vote on the permanent position of this season. You have to sympathise with the League in a way however they should have had the foresight to see this coming a mile away, surely they didn't naively expect another cool £11 million just to fall into their lap for distribution to Club's following the first tranche of money back in October, particularly after the squabbling that went on over it and many Club's ungratefully looking a gift horse in the mouth:

Government accused of ‘moving goalposts’ over National League funding | BT Sport

Edited January 23, 2021 by Rhodes