National League North and South season declared null and void

Ajaxman DFC
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by Ajaxman DFC »

Kebabus wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2021 2:22 pm And National League clubs will now pick up our best players, what a disaster, and no guarantee that the season will start with fans in August, enough to make you weep....

Hopefully that won't be the case considering our best player wasn't deemed good enough for Aldershot. And are our players any better than the ones clubs challenging for promotion already have?
Will it be worth relocating for a few quid more to the other end of the country especially if a player has a day job and a furloughed contract?
Maybe a club like Woking might have a sniff around but my guess is the less ambitious clubs will still be cutting their cloth to see out the remainder of the season.
I'm sure AFC Wimbledon won't be the only EFL club offering their U23's out on a toughening up excercise to get them battle hardened.
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Daveh
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by Daveh »

Spare a thought for those teams in Step 3 whose leagues continue and now almost have no incentive to complete their seasons as promotion into either the NLN or NLS will also certainly now not be their reward.
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Trevor B
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by Trevor B »

HantsDart said
Well there we are then. No blame should be attached to our club. We are the victims of a democratically flawed voting system. But the season did seem to be disintegrating week by week. We just need to wait and see how things pan out. I don't expect (or want) a refund for my 2020/21 season ticket and I will apply for a new one for next season, whatever or whenever that looks like.
Barry I totally agree with your thoughts and I will not be asking or expecting a refund on my season ticket or The 5th Searcher's either and shall be as always applying for next season for one concession season ticket for me and one normal season ticket for the 5th's birthday if he's a good boy ;)
I do accept that not everyone will be able to think along these lines and may need a refund or reduction for next season in order to support the club and if my little contribution along with Hants Dart TonyH Reggie and I would guess several others also helps the club then hopefully we will all be ready for a fresh start next season.
babylon
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by babylon »

Me too ,I will not ask for a refund for my S/T..
The streaming has been OK but it ain't like being there.
Gutted with the decision to cancel but if I am honest it was looking like play offs at best.
See you all in August.HOPEFULLY!
Llamaman
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by Llamaman »

Most probably the fairest way for 21/22 is for 20/21 season ticket holders to be offered a discount if they wish to take advantage of the offer. Many people will happily play the full rate and make a donation on top. Of course there will be those who are feeling the pinch and a discount will make the difference in being able to keep their season ticket going.
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Park Life
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by Park Life »

Sit tight everyone it ain't over yet.
There's loads still going on behind the scenes and here is just one example...

Dear Mr Ives,

Following the results of the voting on the National League resolutions dated 1 February 2021, we write to you on behalf of the clubs that voted to fulfil the 2020-21 National League North and South season.

We feel the options presented in the resolutions did not provide an alternative solution to a Null and Void scenario and the result of Resolution 3 was very closely divided with a very small majority determining that the season will be ended with immediate effect. However, as a league of members (66 clubs) the vote delivered a majority result in favour of continuing the season albeit you chose to adopt the four votes each rule for NLN and NLS as opposed to one each for the NL.

We believe that the 19 clubs at Step 2 that wish to continue, should be afforded an opportunity to do so, with playoffs and promotion, as per normal.

We believe the following reasons support the resumption of the 2020-21 National League North & South seasons:

· Our feedback and experiences week to week leave us in little doubt that the majority of our communities and supporter base are under extreme strain within the current lockdown conditions. Looking forward to better times and more normality is a large part of keeping people positive. We believe that a Null and Void scenario would negatively impact the mental health of our supporters and communities.

· Our supporters, season ticket holders and commercial partners have demonstrated a huge amount of goodwill and faith by retaining their season tickets and accepting that their interaction with their club will be remotely and digitally rather than what they signed up for and attending matches. A Null and Void season would require either substantial refunds or carrying over the

commercial and ticketing revenue into next season. This would have a huge impact on future commercial revenues.

· With the outcome of the vote being Null and Void in Step 2, the ability to have promotion and relegation between Steps 1 and 2 is lost. Promotion and Relegation within the National League system is a fundamental value which the league has worked hard for over the years and which was the motivating driver in reaching a sporting conclusion to last season. We feel it important for our relationship with the EFL that both promotion and relegation be retained at Step 1 and Step 2.

· Last year, although the clubs voted to curtail the season, the playoffs and automatic promotion places were sanctioned, and we believe a similar approach should be adopted this season to maintain the integrity of the overall competition.

· All clubs have accepted financial support from the National Lottery for the months of October, November and December and also FA grant funding in order to prepare and proceed with league matches behind closed doors. Those conditions remain and we feel we have an obligation to proceed and complete the season having already accepted that funding.

· We have all invested considerable sums, by entering into contracts and taking on liabilities on the basis the season would progress to a full conclusion whether behind closed doors or not. How are we expected to now reconcile this investment and commitment? Numerous clubs are entering dialogue with Sport England regarding grant and loan funding to continue operating and are exploring every option to fulfil this season.

In summary, we respectfully request that the league strongly consider that the two divisions at Step 2 continue playing their seasons, either separately or as one.

We believe that this is in the best interests of all National League members allowing the league to cater to the needs and drivers of all clubs in a sympathetic manner, allowing those who wish to continue to do so, and those who cannot or do not wish to continue to end their season.

Promotion and relegation can be maintained between the National League and National League North and South in order to recover a full National League of 24 clubs next season, as well as maintaining the integrity of our relationship with the EFL.

Yours in Football,

AFC Fylde – David Haythornthwaite

Gloucester City – Alex Petheram

Boston United – David Newton

Havant & Waterlooville – Trevor Brock

Chelmsford City – Steve Shore

Hemel Hempstead Town – Dave Boggins

Chorley – Graham Watkinson

Hungerford Town – Patrick Chambers

Concord Rangers – Antony Smith

Kidderminster Harriers – Neil Male

Dartford – Dave Skinner & Steve Irving

Oxford City – Paul Lyon

Dorking Wanderers – Marc White

St Albans City – Lawrence Levy

Eastbourne Borough – John Bonar & David Blackmore

Welling United

Ebbsfleet United – Damian Irvine

York City – Jason McGill

As usual the NL have made or forced a decision through and not thought about or it seems even discussed the repercussions. They have now more problems on their hands than before and it will be interesting to see how they will get round the latest developments.
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PeteSamson
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by PeteSamson »

What a pity the NL Board do not appear to have give the league sponsors Vanarama, and others no doubt, any consideration at all, in maintaining the integrity of the league.
The voting questionnaire itself was always questionable with most of the clubs having to read, read and read again, just to try and understand what was being put forward. I said weeks ago that those clubs who wanted to play on should be allowed to do so, with who didn't want to, on cost grounds being allowed to withdraw without penalty. So, having listened to Marc White's interview, I fully concur with his thoughts and also fully behind the letter from the clubs to the league as well.
I had also picked up on Marc White's interview that Tonbridge had actually signed a player on loan from AFC Wimbledon on loan to the end of the season as already reported on the footballwebpages site!
But one of the biggest mistakes to me is the league totally overlooking the obligation to the clubs having received the grants for Nov, Dec, Jan, notwithstanding their ill conceived distribution to clubs.
The other major faux pas is the league just don't seem to have taken on the role that club sponsors have played in supporting clubs. It's an important part, and I hope they remain behind the clubs they are supporting.
Equally, I have previously stated I am not looking for any refunds of season tickets or fundraising, although appreciating some supporters may not neccessarily be in the same position. I can do it because my outgoings are reduced. No going anywhere, no fuel to buy, no holidays, no costs of attending PP.
Hopefully there is time to pull it round. I just don't see how the league can cut off 2 divisions, having started the season. Promotion and relegation cannot be allowed to grind to a halt within the same league. And I'm sure vacant positions in the league could be filled by invitation. Worthing spring to mind, having been leading their league last season and still leading this year.
This is hopefully once in a lifetime situation, so there needs to be thinking outside of the box. That is what many of the clubs have been doing, but something where the league have been wilfully exposed.

COYD
Last edited by PeteSamson on Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ajaxman DFC
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by Ajaxman DFC »

I wonder if, in their faliure to meet their obligations by denying clubs their wish to continue playing to avoid risking, among other things, their commercial viability, the National League board could find themselves facing charges relating to Restraint of Trade.
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Sleightly Deceptive
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by Sleightly Deceptive »

What an absolute clusterfuck the NL Management is. Is Strudwick still involved? That wouldn’t surprise me! There must be plenty of legal boffins who have been affected that can challenge this. The integrity of the league and what its stands for has been shattered. It can’t be trusted again.
Happy chappy
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Re: National League North and South season declared null and void

Post by Happy chappy »

A very good article here by Robbie Savage and you need to read the hole article, and he's not wrong
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... l-23529611
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