National League Season Ended

[Shmulib100]

National League clubs have voted to end the 2019-20 season at its current point, with promotion and relegation outcomes "under careful consideration".

The league's board had urged clubs in its three divisions to vote in favour of ending the regular season without further games because of coronavirus.

The league said there was a "clear majority of clubs in favour" from the almost 90% of responses returned.

Football in the fifth and sixth tiers was suspended on 16 March.

Clubs in the National League, National League North and National League South divisions that have not yet voted still have an opportunity to do so, the league's board said, but it "would not change the outcome".

A National League statement added: "In the knowledge that the ordinary resolution has passed, the League's board has chosen to communicate the decision now and before the last few responses are received, which will not change the outcome, to enable clubs to make business decisions with greater clarity as soon as possible.

"The options concerning the sporting outcomes of the 2019-20 season remain under careful and timely consideration, and further updates will be given in due course."

Barrow were four points clear at the top of the National League when the season was halted.

Two clubs are usually promoted from the fifth tier into League Two, with four clubs being relegated and replaced by the champions and play-off winners in each of the National League North and South divisions.

In March, leagues from the men's seventh tier downwards in England were ended immediately and results expunged.

National League chief executive Michael Tattersall added: "At a time when the entire country is wrestling with the devastating impact of Covid-19, the cancellation of the remaining normal season matches brings a degree of certainty to our clubs coping with the business implications of the virus."

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?

[becbee]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52381612

[ninestein]

I some respects I'm not surprised, but the question of promotion and relegation is still to be discussed.
Perhaps this at least gives the league some breathing space to work out what it wants to do.
I still say there's no point rushing this decision until the FL have decided on their own path.
Until fixtures are able to resume, it's pointless promoting anybody.

[Bee_Forever]

Nick Evans only knows...

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[Tuesds]

Until fixtures are able to resume, it's pointless promoting anybody.

Once you’ve made the (very disapppointing, in my view) decision to cancel the rest of the season, why is it pointless to promote anybody?

The whole purpose of the cancellation as stated by the league itself is to give some certainty to teams themselves in order that they can start making decisions to secure their own futures. Knowing which division you’re going to be playing is obviously a rather important factor in those decisions, so leaving as late as possible would seem wrong to me.

[Tuesds]

Very disappointing from a sporting perspective not to finish a season over 80% complete and with all the excitement to come in the hope of clearing the decks for another season which may or may not even happen, and if it does it will involve many comprises and won’t look like any other season we’ve ever known. Not saying the clubs who have voted to end it are ‘wrong’ as such, if they think this best protects their interests at a perilous time for them all, but very disappointing nevertheless.

Imagine a situation where the government is finally happy that large public gatherings can once again take place around March/April next year. From a sporting and entertainment perspective, wont’t we all deeply regret the fact we don’t have a 6-10 match run-in to enjoy rather than, as would more likely be the case, having to wait until August for football to return.

Yes, clubs will want to start addressing players’ contracts etc and want the certainty of a ‘closed’ season to start doing that, and squads cobbled together for a run-in might have looked very different from those which played out the first 80-odd per cent of the season, but there’ll be absurdities and comprises everywhere, and this just feels wrong from a sporting perspective.

I read that someone commented that if you plan to watch one film at 4pm and then another at 7pm and get a phone call during the first film, you don’t just decide never to return to the first one because it won’t finish on time You delay the second one until you can finish the first, whenever that might be!

[bucks bee]

I wonder how many clubs apart from Barnet (who would be placed 7th under PPG) will be voting for a PPG plus play-offs option ... ?

[ninestein]

Today's decision gives very little certainty whatsoever...

All that's happened is the remaining fixtures have been written off, saving the trouble of cramming in two months worth of fixtures. Because the method of promotions/relegations hasn't been decided, around half the division are still in limbo. Take any one of the playoff chasing teams as an example, us included. They still don't know whether they will be given the chance to playoff at some point, or whether they are a National League club again for the next campaign.

At the bottom, should clubs be preparing for life in the NL, or NLN/NLS?

Not playing the remaining fixtures is fine to a point, but all it's done is buy some extra time to decide on final positions. My comment in the previous post is that unless L2 are resuming fixtures, why rush into close-season mode? I'm not saying no-one should get promoted.

Close season is normally end of May and through June. We're still many weeks off that yet.

[ninestein]

I reckon there will be two separate questions put forward regarding promotions/relegations:

1. How should league positions be decided? Points per remaining game, or by current standings. PPG will probably gain the most support. A small handful of clubs would see a negative impact on the outcome of their season.

2. Should playoffs take place? This particular one will potentially impact several clubs. As bees fans, we all want to be part of this. And yet, despite the ultimate prize of a place in the FL being what really matters, I think a lot of us will feel that the experience of visiting Wembley with Barnet is just as big. Will the occasion be the same after all of this? Whether the playoffs go ahead will depend on the outlook of exiting lockdown.

[Josh SKywalker]

Is it that hard at our level to null and void the season? 2019/2020 gets officially cancelled and nothing changes...we start again with the 2020/21 potentially at a later date in the year.

Chorley obviously get massively let off the hook, but nobody else is greatly affected. You could suggest Barrow deserve better but they're not MILES ahead of Harrogate or even Notts County.

Same with NL South and North, it's unfortunate but I don't see there being any other answer.

There are to many games left to suggest leaving the League Table as they are and honoring the current positions for promotion/relegation.


..and honestly (I doubt it will happen), this should be made a universal rule across English football.

The real tough issue perhaps, would be players out of contract after this season, should they be atomically be offered another contract for the 20/21 season etc..

[alexbach]

There may not be promotion or relegation but will there be prize money? Poor Rhyl fans are bemoaning their club.Any money£££ could be vital

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[Norfolk & Chance]

I see no reason not to simply restart the season when conditions allow.
Why do clubs need certainty that the season is over? It's not as if they're doing anything else in the meantime.
This is making a decision to look decisive and it's just not necessary.
Have they asked ANY fans what we think?

[simples169]

i can hear the lawyers rubbing their hands already

[simples169]

if the season has been abandoned the only out come will be for it to start again from scratch in August (if possible) with no promotions or relegation having taken place. But it all depends on the PL and EFL on what they decide to do.

[aclassman]

This is where sharing the pitch with others could now bite us in the backside if they are not going to work out the final standings by points per game. We wouldn't be so many games in hand if the pitch wasn't so bad because of the pitch being used by so many teams