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Post by PippaD on Mar 26, 2020 15:22:34 GMT
Announcement as posted on the BetVictor Southern League Website:
The FA and Leagues at Steps 3 to 6 have reached a consensus that the 2019/20 season for Steps 3 to 6 will be ended with immediate effect and all results will be expunged.
This will mean that there will be no promotion or relegation of Clubs between Steps 3 to 6, or relegation from Step 2.
In light of the above, these decisions will also apply to the Leagues and Clubs at Step 7 of the National League System.
The FA will continue to assist and support the National League (Steps 1 and 2 of the NLS) to determine the outcome of the 2019/20 season.
Consideration was given as to whether the season could be extended indefinitely, or to some later date in the future in order for it to be completed. However, given the current uncertainty regarding when it will be possible to resume competitive football in England, and the fact that many clubs and contracted players want certainty over when football will resume, this option is likely to present great difficulties for football between Steps 3 to 6.
On the basis that the season is ended now, consideration was given as to whether a mechanism should be used to calculate final league tables and preserve promotion and relegation between Steps 3 to 6. Whilst inevitably some clubs will favour this option and the merits of this option have been fully considered by The FA and the leagues, it has been decided that this is not the best option to serve the particular needs of Steps 3 to 6 of the NLS.
The planned implementation of the restructure of the NLS will be deferred until the start of the 2021/22 season. The decisions reached by the NLS leagues will be recommended to the FA Board and FA Council for final ratification.
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Post by Choirboy Dave on Mar 26, 2020 15:51:54 GMT
I take it this also applies to the FA Trophy & Vase. What about the FA Cup are they going to try & complete that? As no non league clubs are involved. Does that mean all players contracts are now null & void? Or do clubs still have to honour them? If so are the FA going to effectively take them over? As with no income most clubs will be in difficulty.
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Post by WelshDolphin on Mar 26, 2020 16:14:41 GMT
Does that mean all players contracts are now null & void? Or do clubs still have to honour them? If so are the FA going to effectively take them over? As with no income most clubs will be in difficulty. I would guess that players are under contract until a certain date still? There may be an 'extenuating circumstances' clause in the contracts which mean they can be voided. If only there was a solicitor or two on the board and management team!
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Post by Choirboy Dave on Mar 29, 2020 14:09:44 GMT
If you disagree with the decision to void the season from step 3 (level 7) & below, there is a petition to sign at... www.change.org/p/the-fa-completion-of-all-football-leagues It is being done with the premiss that all football should be treated equally. And not one rule for the haves & another for the have nots. And yes I do know something more important than football is going on at the moment.
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Post by happyhammer on Mar 29, 2020 16:08:17 GMT
Not sure the Premier league and all other leagues will complete this season too!!!
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Post by WelshDolphin on Apr 1, 2020 19:56:56 GMT
Pip (or anyone else from the BoD), Do the club have a position on this? I've seen some things in the media where clubs were unhappy at this, especially where they were likely to be promoted and other clubs that were in broad agreement, usually those at the other end of the table.
Given the difficulties we had had getting games in (although typically there has barely been a drop of rain since the League suspended) are the club just happy to see the back of this season or with the play-offs still likely would we have liked to go on?
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Post by Choirboy Dave on Apr 2, 2020 14:13:00 GMT
This doesn't just apply to us. But we had ground grading issues that should have been completed by 31st March. Did we infact complete them? How are the ground grading committees around the leagues & FA handling them? As the season is null & void, surely all clubs now have until 31st March 2021 to complete them. The main other club I am thinking of is Blackfield & Langley. I understand they were going to get relegated as they weren't willing to spend money on ground improvements they needed to stay at Step 3. Really hope sense prevails and whenever next season starts they are allowed to complete one full season this level, before going back one. After all the fully earned the right to do so. Hopefully sense will prevail & all clubs will start next season at the level attained at the end of season 2018-19. As 2019-20 never happened, the following season to 18-19 is actually 2020-21 or whenever it starts again.
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Post by scorpio on Apr 15, 2020 16:44:46 GMT
I see that Bet Victor have decided to end sponsorship of steps 3 & 4 on July 9th quoting the escalating negativity towards betting in football, compliance breachs and restrictions by clubs, which far outweighed the benefits they were drawing from sponsorship. With no main sponsor for 20/21, and the current predicament the world is in, they might be difficult to replace.
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