So The National League have asked the FA to call this season a premature halt. Seems sensible in the circumstances. But I do feel for Barrow AFC and their supporters (barring one or two twats). My heart tells me it should start again with Pools having a chance of the play offs. However, my head says I agree with The National League on this one. The problem of course is do Barrow go up and more not so certain, Harrogate Town with them. And what happens to the bottom four? Relegation or no relegation? Don't profess to know what's fairest here to be honest. Anybody got any thoughts of this dilemma?

It’s not really a dilemma to me I only see only two realistic outcomes. Either try to fulfill the fixtures by extending the season to the end of June or void the season.

You can’t hand pick teams for promotion or relegation everyone has to stay where they are. It’s totally against the competitive integrity of the competition and a legal minefield.

I don’t see the rush to make a decision now to be honest players are on the payroll until the end of June that is 14 weeks away, I don’t see what harm waiting say 6 weeks will do to see how the situation is developing. Unless some clubs are in position of wanting to make all the players redundant reducing almost all costs.

Take your points PJ but who has the final say? The FA or National League? Do the clubs even get asked?

Pretty much every league in the world is facing the same dilemma, across all sports. None of them have found an ideal solution if they are well into their season.
A reasonable compromise I've seen is to have play-ups/play-downs within groups of teams, say the top 8 and bottom 8, that somehow manage to take existing points totals into account. The problem in footie is there can a big disparity in the number of games already played.

I wouldn’t know I would imagine the FA would have to approve any proposals from the National League who have to work with all the leagues above and below to come up with a solution. I can honestly only see two outcomes like I said and being totally honest, one as any more football this season looks highly unlikely.

I don’t even think that’s fair Mr Poolier you could have an easy/harder run in coming up. The only fair way to conclude a League is every team playing each twice once at home and once away. If that’s not possible I don’t see anything other than voiding the season.

Whats the issue here really? If we are up and running again in may(HOPEFULLY), then football can start from there.

Its like footballers and their authorities are incapable of thinking you can play football in June and july. Well they can, and should. Then start the next season in September with a very short break. Its a hard life boys and you have to accept things a bit different for now. They are for footballers as well.

Should just put back new season to allow this one to finish.Simples.

Ye focus on seeing this season out.
Sure there can be a solution to contracts ending in June.
Null n void not worth the legal minefield.
Finishing off in empty grounds if need be.

The FA have just made a statement that all football divisions below vanarama North n South have been finished this season.
All results so far are invalid and no teams will be promoted or relegated.

FA and Vanarama Hopeing to extend season to June.

What a kick in the teeth for our local teams going for promotion.
South shields
Morpeth
Whitby
Marske
Stockton.

How about completing the national league season via a penalty shootouts. Each club to send say 3 outfield players and goalie to say somewhere like Villa Park. Do it behind closed doors but televised.
All players and officials to be pre tested.
All would have to wear ppe.

The Olympic Games have just been called off sport is trivial right now.

Thats not the case for the National League in some cases. The Borehamwood chairman has said many of his players contracts are up at the end of April. Preumably they have clauses to extend for a play off campaign though.

https://www.borehamwoodfootballclub.co. ... gue-board/

I think the travelling alone in our league will make it impossoble to finish. Torquay still have to come up here.

on the surface of it the actual playing of the game maybe, but there are thousands of people whose jobs and ways of life depend upon it. even a person who only spends a few hours a week working in it might actually need the bit of money they receive from sport just to make ends meet.

I'd be fine with cancellation but it appears PPG won't be used? Ffs, why? It's not like we're in November or anything like that.

Sadly this could be the final straw for quite a few teams, we're very lucky to have an owner like Singh, plenty others in the national league will be shying away in the next few months I'd imagine.

Can't really see what's really wrong with delaying the re-start of this season for as long as is necessary and then start the new season straight after. Not ideal of course and there will be problems with player contracts,clubs not ready and god knows what else.But it would be fair to all [and give me a chance with my bet on Pools finishing in the top 7.]

The government was saying last week this social distancing could last all year to prevent a second wave of corona.

So you can't allow football games to resume inside this timescale as its impossible to keep the players 2 metres apart unless they have to play in spacesuits.
Null n Void is on its way. Game over.

The most important break point is when player contracts run out at the end of June. If matches can be completed (behind closed doors most probably) by the end of June then the season should be completed with promotions and relegations. The challenge will be to stream/broadcast matches in some form where possible. If fixtures cannot be completed then the season should be null and void and the new season starts whenever possible later in the year. An announcement on that could be made asap so everyone has clarity and can plan for time when things get back to normal. At our level I would not expect much new recruitment until the new season looks likely to start. All cup competitions next season should be scrapped to allow the start of the season to be delayed and open up more dates for the league programme. The loss of revenue can then be factored into the playing budgets.