National League 19/20 Finished

Now announced that the season is over - the fun will begin to see who if anybody is promoted and relegated from the divisions. Tough on Barrow if they are not promoted. Whatever is decided who knows what or when things will fall into place!

That's not the case, they're stopping Step 5 and 6 of non league. Which is teams like Skeg Town.

Quoted from norfuk mariner

Now announced that the season is over - the fun will begin to see who if anybody is promoted and relegated from the divisions. Tough on Barrow if they are not promoted. Whatever is decided who knows what or when things will fall into place!

I think the National League are under the deluded belief that Barrow & Harrogate Town will be given promotion despite the season being voided and the EFL will still relegate the bottom side in League Two. Can't see that happening for one minute.

1) Stevenage aren't going to accept a relegation and be replaced by clubs whose season was voided. Likely court action.
2) The other teams in the National League play-off race would no doubt be unhappy with Harrogate Town being promoted automatically. Likely court action.
3) The relegated clubs from the National League aren't going to accept a relegation and be replaced by clubs whose season was also voided. Likely court action.
4) And you can repeat any of the above for clubs in lower divisions also.

If the National League get the go ahead for this then I think Stevenage will stay up and we'd likely have a 23 team League Two for next season.

Quoted from mariner91

That's not the case, they're stopping Step 5 and 6 of non league. Which is teams like Skeg Town.

No, the National League tweeted that their season was being voided and then deleted the tweet apparently.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

No, the National League tweeted that their season was being voided and then deleted the tweet apparently.

Interesting. All I've read today was statements by Boreham Wood's chairman that the league announced last night they are looking to finish the season.

Quoted from mariner91

Interesting. All I've read today was statements by Boreham Wood's chairman that the league announced last night they are looking to finish the season.

Reading between the lines I think the National League board announced it and were immediately faced with a huge backlash from furious member clubs and have back peddled. You only have to look at the 3 National League tables and you get an idea why. Over half the 68 teams are still in the promotion race (either as champions or play-off qualification). Are they really going to agree to void a season?

If they end the season now it'll cause all sorts of arguments.

Solihull Moors are 3 points off the final play-off space with a game in hand and a better goal difference than the team above them.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

No, the National League tweeted that their season was being voided and then deleted the tweet apparently.

Good to see they've improved at that side of things.

What a refreshing change after all the political bickering.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/spor.....JHSf?ocid=spartandhp

FA Update:

The FA have ended all National League football and grassroots football for the rest of the season.
All results will be wiped, meaning no promotion or relegation of clubs between National League System (NLS) steps three to six, and no promotion to NLS step two.

Typically clear by the FA  

Ended all National League football actually means All football in England below the three divisions that make up the National League will end immediately and all results will be expunged.

Thought I had read that the majority of the Conference clubs had voted to end the season now as player contracts expire at the end of April. Obviously sides like Barrow are not going to accept this and the league were going to approach the FA for guidance (good luck with that).

I just want any decisions to ensure Stevenage are relegated  

It’s a farce. At level 9 (step 5 of non-league) all leagues have been cancelled and no promotions. 2 clubs were already mathematically certain of promotion to step 4 already and are not going up.

It’s harder for the lads who aren’t pros but get a bit of money to play as they can’t catch up as they can’t miss afternoons at work to play mid week catch up games away that’s partly why they play the FA Trophy on a Saturday.

If they do can it I’d start next season with each team in the position they currently sit.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

It’s a farce. At level 9 (step 5 of non-league) all leagues have been cancelled and no promotions. 2 clubs were already mathematically certain of promotion to step 4 already and are not going up.

But are any of the teams they were ready to replace mathematically certain of being relegated? There's going to be winners and losers whatever they decide happens and they're going to be criticised regardless. Dont envy whoever has to make this decision at all.

I think it's way too early to be making these decisions. It might be a month and were out of this. It might be were still in lockdown in October. With numerous scenarios in between. Best leave this for six weeks before making any hasty decisions.

I assume that we still need an extra club to replace Bury.

Quoted from arryarryarry

I assume that we still need an extra club to replace Bury.

Presumably and I hope its Barrow - proper football club out of the FL far too long, no more Johnny-come-lately plastic outfits please

Were the GTFC women's team looking to get promoted this season as I don't really take much notice of their league and if so I assume that they won't be now.

Quoted from Ipswin

Presumably and I hope its Barrow - proper football club out of the FL far too long, no more Johnny-come-lately plastic outfits please

Have Bury been wound up? If the season is null and void is them being thrown out also null and void?

Decision not going down too well, which is understandable.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52069879

Quoted from kamakazebear

But are any of the teams they were ready to replace mathematically certain of being relegated? There's going to be winners and losers whatever they decide happens and they're going to be criticised regardless. Dont envy whoever has to make this decision at all.

Non-League was due to restructure and there was no direct relegation from any of the 7 step 4 leagues this season

Bury need replacing (1 extra club)
National League North & South were to expand to 24 teams each (4 extra clubs)
An 8th league added at step 4 (20 extra clubs)

So the plan was that there would be 24 more clubs promoted from step 5 than relegated from step 4. The plan was 24 clubs would be promoted automatically (all 14 step 5 champions, 2nd & 3rd in the 3 most northern step 5 leagues & the 4 best 2nd placed teams from the other 11 step 5 divisions) and the remaining 7 2nd place teams at step 5 would play-off with the 7 teams finishing bottom of the step 4 leagues to decide the final 7 places at step 4 from 2020/21. And Bury would need replacing if they aren't readmitted and step 4 or higher (which they won't be).

It's a mess and you can understand why so many clubs are furious. Why void this season so early?

So the National League is voided. What do the EFL do about a 92nd club? If this season is voided then the obvious option would be to reprieve the club who finished 23rd in League Two in 2018/19 season (Notts County). Obviously Stevenage (or whoever finishes bottom this season) will also be reprieved & stay in League Two.

National League and Leagues North and South now suspended indefinitely with them looking into the best way to conclude the season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52092442

I can't even begin to think how you sort this whole mess out.

If the muted Premier League festival goes ahead that's great, it'll sort out the top flight.  But what about everything underneath it?  With each tier you go down into it'll get harder and harder to complete the leagues.

I've got a feeling that the Premier League will be completed to sort out the Champions League/Europa League places more than anything else, no relegation or promotion across all leagues.  Very much a reset of where we were at the start of the 19/20 season.

Issue of Bury is a headache in itself.  If you reprieve someone like Notts County, you're then faced with replacing them in the Conference with someone and then so on and so on.  Added to this, there's then a very realistic chance that clubs already circling the plughole like Macclesfield probably won't last either...

My initial thoughts are that at our level, plus considering the fact that we're going to take a long time to recover on an economic level, this may be an opportunity to restructure the lower leagues.  I've given this no real thought other than it just popping into my head but maybe three regional tiers below the Championship.  Appreciate that you've then potentially got the likes of Sunderland in the same league as Chorley.  

I'm in favour of Barrow being given a League 2 spot, especially if it means Stevenage getting relegated.

If the Leagues don't get finished by playing all remaining games at some point in the future, then no matter what decisions are reached, there will be some who are not happy with the outcome- it's inevitable. There is no easy way of concluding this to the satisfaction of all concerned.

Quoted from ginnywings

I'm in favour of Barrow being given a League 2 spot, especially if it means Stevenage getting relegated.

If the Leagues don't get finished by playing all remaining games at some point in the future, then no matter what decisions are reached, there will be some who are not happy with the outcome- it's inevitable. There is no easy way of concluding this to the satisfaction of all concerned.

They're going to need to replace Bury still I would think so they could bring Barrow into the league without relegating any team,