FA Council ratifies decision to null and void non-league football season

Following a series of meetings between the Football Association and key figures of non-league football, the FA declared on March 26 that all results from the 2019/20 season in steps three to seven of the National League System were to be expunged.

The decision still required ratification from the FA Council, who voted overwhelmingly in favour of doing so today.

The FA Council comprises 118 Council members with representatives across every level of English football. Sixteen of the Council members are non-voting, which means that 102 members were eligible to vote on this decision.

The threshold for approval and ratification is a simple majority, which was calculated as a percentage of all those who voting for and against the decision. The official voting result has not been announced.

READ MORE: South West Peninsula League season declared null and void

The FA’s head of the National League System, Laurence Jones, confirmed that the constitutions for steps three to seven would remain the same next season.

This means that despite leading their respective divisions, Truro City, Helston Athletic and Penryn Athletic will remain in the same leagues for another year at least.

Truro City were top of the Southern League Premier South and were well placed for an immediate return to the National League South.

The decision to null and void the season denies South West Peninsula League Premier West leaders Helston a maiden SWPL Premier title, while Harry Pope's Penryn side were seemingly destined for a return to SWPL football after leading the St Piran League West for almost the entire campaign.

The announcement that the season was to be declared null and void was panned by several local managers at the time, with Wendron United boss Jack Greenwood calling it “completely illogical and silly”, while Penryn manager Pope said that it “would have made sense to wait” until the coronavirus situation was clearer.

READ MORE: "It all seems to have just been a complete waste" - Penryn boss bemoans FA decision

Truro were one of 150 non-league clubs in England to sign an open letter to the FA appealing for them to overturn the decision at today's vote.

In a statement published on Thursday, Jones said: “We know that it is impossible to reach decisions that will please everybody. We entirely sympathise with the teams that oppose the decision affecting their leagues, some of which have perfectly understandable reasons for wanting to see the 2019-20 league season continue.

“But it is important to emphasise that the decisions they took were made in the best interests of all the Leagues, as a collective, and in consultation with key stakeholders across English football.”

Jones responded to suggestions that a points-per-game method would have been a preferable outcome, but he said that the model "would result in certain clubs that currently sit above the relegation zone falling into those places" and that it “doesn’t address the issue of how to deal with play-off matches”.

READ MORE: “Completely illogical and silly” – Wendron boss slams FA decision to end season

He said: “We sympathise with those clubs that are currently occupying promotion spots – or those hopeful of securing promotion. Some believe that it would be better to opt for a Points Per Match [PPM] model to conclude the remainder of the season, as oppose to expunging results.

“Both options, and the potential implications of each, were considered at length by all involved.

“The truth is that the consequence of clubs being promoted is that others will need to be relegated. The application of a PPM model would result in certain clubs that currently sit above the relegation zone falling into those places.

“Equally, there would be certain clubs that currently sit in a play-off position that would not qualify as a result of the PPM Model. The PPM model also doesn’t address the issue of how to deal with play-off matches and how to identify a winner who would consequently benefit from promotion.

READ MORE: Boss brands FA decision 'the worst-case scenario' after Blues are denied promotion

He added: “In addition, most of the clubs facing relegation will be of the view that they stood a chance of avoiding it due to the number of games remaining in the season and they may consider it to be unfair for them to be denied the opportunity to secure safety through sporting merit.

“It is impossible to find a solution that works for everybody, so the decision was based on two main factors. Firstly, the potential financial impact on clubs during this uncertain period, and secondly, the fairest method on how to decide the sporting outcomes for the season, with the integrity of the leagues in mind.”

He added that while the points-per-game method had been used to determine promotions and relegations in the past, it had been used when teams’ seasons had been completed.

Jones went on to say that the overwhelming feeling across the leagues and the FA was that temporarily postponing the season and resuming at a later date “would create great uncertainty on a number of issues”.

Those issues were said to include player contracts, the scheduling of the 2020/21 season, and the ongoing financial impact on clubs.

Jones said that bringing the season to an immediate end would provide clubs, players, volunteers and supporters with certainty.

He said: “In some leagues, clubs have as many as 16 matches left to play. On the basis that a club was able to play up to two matches per week, this would require at least eight weeks to play out those fixtures.

"This is before consideration is given to time needed for players to become match fit and for play-off matches to take place prior to the beginning of the 2020-21 season. Notwithstanding the fact that it may not be possible at this level, practically or logistically, for clubs to play up to two matches per week.

“With any restart highly unlikely before June 1, 2020, the situation regarding the expiration of many players’ contracts and registrations would also add uncertainty for many clubs, and it may not be possible for players to play more frequently due to the requirements of their primary jobs.

“All these situations pose significant operational challenges in managing the scheduling of the remaining fixtures across these Leagues and, as a result, consideration had to be given to any consequential promotion or relegation at the end of the 2019-20 season.

“With these challenges in mind, the consensus reached by the FA through relevant committees comprised of league representatives, was to bring the 2019-20 season to an immediate end with no promotion or relegation. It means clubs, players, volunteers and supporters are provided with certainty and allows focus to turn to preparing for the 2020-21 season.”