The National League Is Over

So will Barrow be promoted? What about Harrogate who sit in second- presuming there will be no playoffs? It would be a good local(ish) away day if they do promote them. Or will this pave the way for Stevenage to survive in the league?

Unprecedented times.Never did I think this would happen in my lifetime.For many whose whole life is football you think life runs like clockwork and then a virus hits that shuts a lot of things down including the game we all know and love.

Quoted from thefish

So will Barrow be promoted? What about Harrogate who sit in second- presuming there will be no playoffs? It would be a good local(ish) away day if they do promote them. Or will this pave the way for Stevenage to survive in the league?

Think they will promote Barrow to bring leagues back to 92. Good move
Think they will have no relegation and reprieve Stevenage. Bad move

We will find out soon.

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

Think they will promote Barrow to bring leagues back to 92. Good move
Think they will have no relegation and reprieve Stevenage. Bad move

We will find out soon.

I don't see how they could arbitrarily award promotion in a season not completed. It would be a legal nightmare.

I suppose if all clubs agreed but I can't see that happening as from memory they are not as far ahead as they once were.

If a season is not completed it has to be declared null and void doesn't it?

It's a National Disgrace

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

Think they will promote Barrow to bring leagues back to 92. Good move
Think they will have no relegation and reprieve Stevenage. Bad move

We will find out soon.

It's going to be interesting to see how The National League are going to deal with any promotions/relegations this season, from North/ South Divisions too. Could well set a precedent if the EFL decide to go down the same route in the future.

I don’t see why Barrow are entitled to promotion is the NL season hasn’t been completed.

I appreciate the EFL has 71 clubs but the fairest way to bring back up to 72 would be to reprieve the team who finished 23rd in the last completed L2 season (Notts County).

Promotion to the EFL is gained through winning a league or winning play-offs. Not by being top when the league was prematurely knocked on the head.

Quoted from Les Brechin

It's going to be interesting to see how The National League are going to deal with any promotions/relegations this season, from North/ South Divisions too. Could well set a precedent if the EFL decide to go down the same route in the future.

NL North will be a nightmare - York are two points ahead of Kings Lynn but have played two more games. At least in the NL Barrow are 4 points clear of Harrogate having played the same number of games.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I don’t see why Barrow are entitled to promotion is the NL season hasn’t been completed.

I appreciate the EFL has 71 clubs but the fairest way to bring back up to 72 would be to reprieve the team who finished 23rd in the last completed L2 season (Notts County).

Promotion to the EFL is gained through winning a league or winning play-offs. Not by being top when the league was prematurely knocked on the head.

Agree with the first and third paragraphs. Awarding prizes based on a season that was never completed is farcical. Appreciate that it's ridiculously difficult circumstances though and fuck knows how I would deal with it  

I think leaving the FL with 71 clubs for a bit longer makes more sense than reprieving Notts County though.

If League Two is left a club short, that will lead to a loss of revenue for one home game. Might not be a huge amount, but margins down here are small at the best of times and every little bit extra helps.

As to how this could be resolved, I've no idea whatsoever.

Quoted from GollyGTFC

I don’t see why Barrow are entitled to promotion is the NL season hasn’t been completed.

I appreciate the EFL has 71 clubs but the fairest way to bring back up to 72 would be to reprieve the team who finished 23rd in the last completed L2 season (Notts County).

Promotion to the EFL is gained through winning a league or winning play-offs. Not by being top when the league was prematurely knocked on the head.

Promotion shouldn't be gained by reprieving a team that not only deserved to be relegated but has actually been relegated.

Stevenage may be reprieved if they finish bottom but until all relegations and promotions have been ratified they haven't actually been relegated even if they finish bottom.

If NL season doesn’t finish I don’t see how there can be any promotion or relegation from the league. So many variables makes it impossible. All leagues should just be abandoned no matter how unfair some clubs may see it . There’s more important things than football no matter how much we love it .

If as seems likely there's no more football to be played this season think the whole season needs to be voided.. gutted as it gives Stevenage a lifeline!

Quoted from TwoLeftFeet

If as seems likely there's no more football to be played this season think the whole season needs to be voided.. gutted as it gives Stevenage a lifeline!

I’d worry about Town before worrying about Stevenage. Whilst we’re probably at the lower end of the risk scale, having been relatively stable financially in recent years and having a squad with largely furloughable salaries, I think it’s wrong to assume Town will just waltz out of this.

I don’t think it’s necessarily pessimistic to consider that we may be 18 months or more away from staging games with spectators in attendance. How the hell are we, or any other club - particularly those that have taken major financial risks (I’m looking at you, Scunny) - meant to trade through that?

I am of the opinion now that English football will look drastically different once all the dust has settled.

Completely agree with that Poojah, I can't see how any lower league football can be played without gate money to pay for it.

Think the football league may well look very different the other side of this as you say.

I find it odd stories are being written about who town will re-sign in July etc. I would not be surprised if all players not contracted will be let go to conserve money.

As for the season  itself if it isn't completed and we are still some way off things being settled it should probably be voided. The only precedent is the second world war and that's what happened then. In future they can create rules for what should happen in such a situation so everyone agrees in advance and it's fair

It's a lot easier to void a season when it's only 3 games old though.

Quoted from toontown

I find it odd stories are being written about who town will re-sign in July etc. I would not be surprised if all players not contracted will be let go to conserve money.

There will be League One and Two players working in supermarkets in the very near future. I imagine May / June is a worrying time for many players when they’re reaching the end of their contract, but now must be something else.

I can’t see how Town can offer to extend any player’s contract beyond the end of June as we stand. If furlough remains a medium-term option (and I wince when I think of the long-term austerity it will cause if it does, necessary though it may be), I’m not sure it would allow for the extension of a fixed-term contract.

As for signing anyone new, that won’t be happening for a long, long time.

Quoted from toontown

As for the season  itself if it isn't completed and we are still some way off things being settled it should probably be voided. The only precedent is the second world war and that's what happened then. In future they can create rules for what should happen in such a situation so everyone agrees in advance and it's fair

Can't they create rules whenever they want if the chairmen vote for them?

The league needs 72 teams no if or buts so we have 2 options in my book you either promote a team that seems worthy of a place by being top of the nation league ( barrow) or the 71 vote a team into the league which in all possibilities would be county due to there location, fan base, facilities, history and more importantly friends within the football league. Being a team short and with no easy way to fill that position there is no way Stevenage can be relegated which is such shame for so many reasons

Quoted from Abdul19

It's a lot easier to void a season when it's only 3 games old though.

Same principle though.  If the season cannot be finished for whatever the reason it has to be declared null and void so clubs are in the same position as when this current season started.

I am surprised there are no rules regarding seasons that can't be finished  but in the absence of any then voiding the season seems the fairest way; I can't see how you can award promotions and relegate teams when all those positions could change with 9 or 10 games still to play.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Same principle though.  If the season cannot be finished for whatever the reason it has to be declared null and void so clubs are in the same position as when this current season started.

I am surprised there are no rules regarding seasons that can't be finished  but in the absence of any then voiding the season seems the fairest way; I can't see how you can award promotions and relegate teams when all those positions could change with 9 or 10 games still to play.

The snag is that fairness and finance do not go together very well in football. There will be a big song and dance about promotion and relegation for the PL and Championship and L1. Big money involved and already invested. At our level and NL not so much but proportionally it is the same problem to clubs.

Apparently the EFL are saying that they expect two sides to be promoted.

Therefore Stevenage are doomed
It's up to the National League to decide how to replace, but must surely include Barrow being promoted.
Anyone's guess about second team, but if time permits, think it will be decided by Harrogate v Notts playoff, otherwise Harrogate automatically

The EFL must finish the season, wether it be behind closed doors or with a crowd however long it takes. Then some form of a shorter season to get us back to normal. Bear in mind the next World Cup will be in our winter, so getting back to normal could take it into account. Very complicated, but I am sure we will start the 23/24 season on time, what happens prior to that we will have to wait and see.

Quoted from Grantham_Mariner

The EFL must finish the season, wether it be behind closed doors or with a crowd however long it takes. Then some form of a shorter season to get us back to normal. Bear in mind the next World Cup will be in our winter, so getting back to normal could take it into account. Very complicated, but I am sure we will start the 23/24 season on time, what happens prior to that we will have to wait and see.

Interesting, but Im for voiding this season, have been for a number of weeks. Start next season in time, with crowds, and lets get a full promotion season on the go>

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

Apparently the EFL are saying that they expect two sides to be promoted.

Therefore Stevenage are doomed
It's up to the National League to decide how to replace, but must surely include Barrow being promoted.
Anyone's guess about second team, but if time permits, think it will be decided by Harrogate v Notts playoff, otherwise Harrogate automatically

Stevenage could still be saved yet as Macclesfield have two charges against them outstanding which could both get point deductions,
oddly the ability to furlough staff may save Macclesfield as players are prob now getting paid which still was not the case prior to the covid outbreak

Quoted from Boris Johnson

Interesting, but Im for voiding this season, have been for a number of weeks. Start next season in time, with crowds, and lets get a full promotion season on the go>

They will probably be playing in August but not with crowds. Unless some stadium self distancing set up is devised which people abide by the rules with then football is going to be behind closed doors well into next year at least.

But you should know that, you're Boris Johnson.

Quoted from Grantham_Mariner

The EFL must finish the season, wether it be behind closed doors or with a crowd however long it takes. Then some form of a shorter season to get us back to normal. Bear in mind the next World Cup will be in our winter, so getting back to normal could take it into account. Very complicated, but I am sure we will start the 23/24 season on time, what happens prior to that we will have to wait and see.

No good to us, some bloody scientist will be wanting all the over 40s under house arrest in 2023/4.