NL board to decide early next week

[Oldstripy]

National League clubs have been notified that the number of promotion places across their three divisions could potentially be changed due to the disruption caused by coronavirus.

A letter sent to all 68 clubs on Monday evening warned that if either the National League play-offs do not take place, or League Two in the English Football League is not completed, then "it is quite possible that the promotion place for a play-off winner could be jeopardised".

It emerged on Friday that if the EFL is unable to finish their season then they are likely not to relegate Stevenage and only accept one club from the National League.

National League Board to discuss next steps. The play-offs were introduced in 2002-03 to decide the second promotion place and National League clubs have until Friday lunchtime to share their views on the feasibility of going ahead with them.

After that, the National League Board will decide whether to postpone the play-offs and see if they can find a way to play them at a later date or cancel them altogether.

Once that decision has been made, then they may need to make a decision on the clubs that qualify for the play-offs.

In the letter they outline there is no formal system to determine the final league tables across the National League, National League North and National League South.

But they mention three possible scenarios: to expunge all results, confirm clubs' final league placing as of now or to calculate them on a mathematical formula. Any such formula would have to be approved by the FA Council.

A final decision is expected early next week.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52456446

[OP67]

We all know that Barrow and Barrow only will be promoted to replace Bury and that they'll be no promotion/relegation in the EFL. They'll be one down from the NL and one up from both NL South NL North and one up from all the leagues below etc.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

If they go the route of only Barrow going up, then surely it's in everyone's interest to expunge all results. That way, Barrow won't be allowed up either?

[boland]

We all know that Barrow and Barrow only will be promoted to replace Bury and that they'll be no promotion/relegation in the EFL. They'll be one down from the NL and one up from both NL South NL North and one up from all the leagues below etc.

Bury were unable to start their season in L1, so if you say that Barrow will be promoted to L2 and you also say there’ll be no promotion/relegation in the EFL, doesn’t that mean 23 clubs in L1 and 25 in L2?

Also, unless I’ve misunderstood the situation (quite possible) I think the FA have already voided all leagues below the 3 National Leagues so promotion from lower down the pyramid won’t happen.

Whatever scenario is adopted the lawyers will be rubbing their hands!

[MagpieNate]

Bury were unable to start their season in L1, so if you say that Barrow will be promoted to L2 and you also say there’ll be no promotion/relegation in the EFL, doesn’t that mean 23 clubs in L1 and 25 in L2?

Also, unless I’ve misunderstood the situation (quite possible) I think the FA have already voided all leagues below the 3 National Leagues so promotion from lower down the pyramid won’t happen.

Whatever scenario is adopted the lawyers will be rubbing their hands!

In my opinion for what it’s worth. The fairest way to decide promotion would be to complete the play offs however it seems most likely that the EFL are going to screw us over. In that case, Barrow deserve promotion as much as that sucks for us. If that’s the case I believe both Notts and Yeovil have a legitimate case for requesting we receive the full 3 yrs of parachute payments starting from next year. We both mathematically could have still got promoted and would have built our squad based on partly the income from said payments and no doubt would have had to scale down on wages over the next few years. If the EFL decide to ‘only accept 1 team’ that seems more than fair.

[Chinawhite1000]

Bury were unable to start their season in L1, so if you say that Barrow will be promoted to L2 and you also say there’ll be no promotion/relegation in the EFL, doesn’t that mean 23 clubs in L1 and 25 in L2?

Also, unless I’ve misunderstood the situation (quite possible) I think the FA have already voided all leagues below the 3 National Leagues so promotion from lower down the pyramid won’t happen.

Whatever scenario is adopted the lawyers will be rubbing their hands!

The EFL can just invite a club to replace Bury - it's in their rule book and by inviting "Barrow" there would be no legal recourse for anyone.

[upthemaggies]

The EFL can just invite a club to replace Bury - it's in their rule book and by inviting "Barrow" there would be no legal recourse for anyone.

In that case, they'd make more money by inviting us, seeing that we take far more supporters to away games, SKY TV would probably prefer us an option too. Also, Barrow's away end needs a roof putting on it to comply with FL ground requirements, they were about to have it done before Covid. Maybe it's a quick job and won't be an issue, but it might be a straw to cling to.

[magpie_mania]

If we were in Barrow's position most on here would be crying out for us to be promoted.

If there is only one team to be promoted, then it should be Barrow.

[upthemaggies]

If we were in Barrow's position most on here would be crying out for us to be promoted.

If there is only one team to be promoted, then it should be Barrow.

They get tiny gates, the ground is a tip and it would be a risk for the FL taking them in. They haven't exactly been knocking on the door of the FL over the last 30+ years, they've had a decent few months run this season and were about to bottle it. They don't deserve to be handed it on a plate when they were only 4 points ahead with Harrogate and Notts catching up.

[Chinawhite1000]

In that case, they'd make more money by inviting us, seeing that we take far more supporters to away games, SKY TV would probably prefer us an option too. Also, Barrow's away end needs a roof putting on it to comply with FL ground requirements, they were about to have it done before Covid. Maybe it's a quick job and won't be an issue, but it might be a straw to cling to.

Actually Barrow don't need a roof on the away end to meet the EFL regulations - and there are current EFL grounds that don't have this. The ground has already been approved as is for the EFL - However Barrow are planning to put a roof over that whole end during the closed season (however long that might last...) anyway.